Top Dog Friendly Beaches In North Carolina

As we head towards the end of the summer beach season and into the height of the dog days of summer,  lots of people in Greater Charlotte are spending the remaining summer vacation days at the beach. Does your dog love the beach? If so, did you know that two beaches in North Carolina have made the list of the Top 10 Dog Beaches in the USA? The two North Carolina beaches that made the Top 10 Dog Beaches list in the USA are:

FREEMAN PARK CAROLINA BEACH

The northernmost coastal region off the coast of Wilmington,  Carolina Beach is home to the Freeman Park Recreation Area. Dogs are welcome April 1st September 30th on leash. From October 1st through March 31st your dog can be off-leash. What also makes this North Carolina beach and park unique is that it is totally undeveloped allowing off-roaders to cruise along the sand. 4-wheeling and surf fishing are two of the most popular activities here.

This distance between Charlotte and Freeman Park Carolina Beach is about 213 miles, depending on your starting point from the Charlotte area.

KITTY HAWK BEACH IN KITTY HAWK, NC

Located in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Kitty Hawk beach welcomes your dog(s) so long as you come prepared with a bag to clean up after them. From the Friday before Memorial Day until the day after Labor Day, dogs need to be on a leash of no more than six feet length between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM The rest of the year, your dog can be on a 12-foot leash or off-leash if they won’t disturb anyone else on the beach and are within 30 feet of their owner.

Not all North Carolina beaches welcome your best friend. North Carolina offers more dog-friendly beaches for you to visit with your best friend. These include:

CASWELL BEACH: located at the southernmost tip of North Carolina is the town of Caswell Beach in Oak Island, NC, where well-behaved and leashed dogs are welcomes all year long! Throughout the year, unleashed dogs under voice control may visit from dawn until 9:00 a.m., and from October 1 through April 30, unleashed but controlled dogs are welcome on the beach from 3:00 p.m. until dark. The distance between Caswell Beach and Charlotte is about 212 miles, depending on your starting point.

OAK ISLAND BEACH: located on the southern tip of North Carolina is the very pet friendly 12-mile-long Oak Island Beach. Leashed dogs are allowed year-round on Oak Island beaches. Off-leashed dogs are allowed October 16 through March 15 from 6:00 AM till 8:00 PM in  designated areas marked by signs. Looking for pet-friendly accommodations on Oak Island Beach, click here. The distance between Oak Island Beach and Charlotte is about 211 miles, depending on your starting point.

COROLLA BEACH: located on the northeast coast of North Carolina, Corolla Beach, allows dogs year-round as long as they are leashed at all times. Corolla Beach also offers pet-friendly vacation rentals, hotels, and inns from the north to south strip of the beach. Corolla is home to numerous pet-friendly accommodations. The distance between Corolla Beach and Charlotte is about 391 miles, depending on your starting point.

EMERALD ISLAND BEACH: located on the eastern coast of North Carolina on an island just south of the Croatan National Forest, is Emerald Isle Beach where leashed dogs are welcome on the beach throughout the year. Emerald Isle also offers pet-friendly accommodations. The distance between Corolla Beach and Charlotte is about 267 miles, depending on your starting point.

TOP SAIL ISLAND BEACH: located on the eastern coast of North Carolina, Top Sail Island Beach welcomes dogs on leashes from May 15 till September 30. The rest of the year, off-leash dogs are welcome so long as they follow voice command. The distance between Top Sail Island Beach and Charlotte is about 234 miles, depending on your starting point. You can find pet-friendly accommodations throughout Top Sail, North Carolina.

Two more dog-friendly North Carolina beaches include: Bald Head Island (approximately 211 miles from Charlotte depending on your starting point) and Nags Head Beach (in the Outer Banks, approximately 364 miles from Charlotte depending on your starting point). Dogs are allowed on Bald Head Island beach on a leash during the daytime and off-leash after sunset and before sunrise. Nags Head Beach allows dogs on-leash between mile marker 10 and mile marker 21 at Nags Head Beach year-round.

This information about dog-friendly beaches in North Carolina is provided by Nina Hollander with Coldwell Banker Realty,  Greater Charlotte pet parent and pet-friendly residential real estate expert. I’ve been opening doors for Charlotte area dogs and cats and for their parents for 24+ years. I can help you find a home your best friend will love, too!

WHERE TO HAVE FUN WITH YOUR DOG IN CHARLOTTE

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