When you have some time off and you want to hit the road with your family on that vacation you’ve been thinking about for months, you want to take the entire family, dog included. Oftentimes, finding a beach that allows your dog to run freely can be hard to find, but that’s just where Southern Living’s rundown of the best pet-friendly beaches in the south will save you stress allowing you to enjoy your beach trip with the whole family.

While the point of a vacation is to relax care-free, no one wants to feel that sudden pang of guilt when you imagine your pet in a boarding facility or doggy daycare while you’re out having the time of your life in crystal blue waters beneath a radiant sun. So, if you intend to bring our four-footed best friend along with you on your next beach trip, it’s proactive to do your part and research which beaches allow dogs on their sandy shores ahead of time.

Brunswick Islands, North Carolina

Standing proudly as an absolute stunning jewel of the south, North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands are often heralded for the sheer amount of experiences and pristine beaches that are located off-the-beaten path meaning that they’re less crowded and more enjoyable. The Brunswick Islands region is located in the southern corner of North Carolina, and it’s the last of the Tar Heel State’s coastal treasures before you get to South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach.

The total region of the Brunswick Islands is made up of five barrier islands that encompass richly lush maritime forests, freshly-caught local seafood, expanding saltwater marshlands, and the federally-protectedIntracoastal Waterway that connects them all.

A well-known resource for all vacationers who travel with pets is Tripswithpets.com, and this reliable authority on which destinations are the best for pet-lovers has named North Carolina’s Oak Island and Caswell Beachesspecifically among the “Top Five Dog-Friendly Beaches in North Carolina.”

Many of the coastal beaches throughout the Brunswick Islands allow (and even encourage) dogs to run across their sandy shores; this includes the popular, well-reviewed beaches of Oak Island, Freeman Park, Emerald Isle, Kitty Hawk, and Bald Head Island. Check out which of your preferred beaches in North Carolina allow for dogs at this well-researched resource and ensure that you and your family pet can enjoy the natural beauty of the Brunswick Islands on your next adventure!

Ocean City Beach, Maryland

This location has not only been named one of TripAdvisor’s top ten beaches in the country, but its three-mile boardwalk featuring amusement activities, arcades, and waterside shopping looks well-placed when you take in the jaw-dropping sights of the Atlantic Ocean behind it. At the right time of day, it becomes no wonder why this fantastically versatile beach is located alongside the appropriately named Ocean City, Maryland, especially with its offerings of surfing, fishing, kayaking, and canoeing along its shores and waters. Though, one of the highlights of this beach is that throughout the months of October-April, you’re allowed to bring your leashed companion along the boardwalk and throughout Ocean City.

The finer details indicate that all dogs must be leashed when walking in Ocean City at all times, and while leashed pets are allowed onto the Assateague National Park Beach year-round, they are not allowed on the Assateague State Park Beaches, which is an important distinction.

So, begin planning your trip out to Ocean City and the greater Assateague Island today to enjoy its unforgettable offerings of sandy, picturesque beaches, coastal bays, maritime forests, and salt marshes that will surely make you think you’re seeing the inspiration of many postcards you’ve been sent over the years.

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