Jersey Shore beach season is almost here — if you’re a human, that is.
For our doggy friends, beach season is over in most towns, with seasonal bans on pets on most New Jersey oceanfront beaches going into effect May 15.
But that doesn’t mean heading down the Shore with your pet is totally off the table. (See which beaches allow dogs listed below.)
The majority of New Jersey’s ocean beaches ban dogs during the spring and summer months, with some towns stopping beach access for canines as early as March 1. Most allow dogs to return in the fall, typically some time between late September and mid-October.
There are at least three fully off-leash dog beaches along the Jersey coast — the bayside dog beach in Beach Haven, and the oceanfront dog beach in Asbury Park and in the beach dog park in North Wildwood. A few other towns allow dogs on the sand once lifeguards are off duty.
Owners are always required to pick up any dog waste, regardless of the time of year. Unless otherwise noted, leashes should be 6 feet or shorter.
Rules for bay beaches frequently differ from ocean beaches, so make sure to double check bay beach rules before heading out with your pup.
Want to take your dog down the Shore? Here are the rules for each Jersey Shore town.
Asbury Park
May 16-Sept. 14: Dogs are welcome on the dog beach between 6 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. Use the Deal Lake Drive north or Fisherman’s Parking Lot entrance to reach the beach. Dogs are not allowed on the boardwalk at all.
Sept. 15-May 15: Dogs are welcome at the dog beach at any time, but are still not allowed on other parts of the beach. The boardwalk is open to dogs during the off season.
Leash Rules: Not required for “properly supervised” dogs on the beach; required at all times on the boardwalk
Atlantic City
Memorial Day-Sept. 15: No dogs allowed on the beach or boardwalk.
Sept. 16-Memorial Day: Dogs are allowed on the beaches.
Leash rules: Always required
Avalon
March 1-Sept. 30: No dogs allowed on beach or boardwalk.
Oct. 1-Feb. 28: Dogs are allowed on the beach, but not the boardwalk.
Leash rules: Always required
Avon-by-The-Sea
May 2-Sept. 30: Dogs are not allowed on the beach or boardwalk.
Oct. 1-May 1: Dogs are allowed on the beach, but are not allowed on the boardwalk.
Leash rules: Always required
Barnegat Light
April 15-Sept. 30: Dogs are not allowed on the beach or near the inlet.
Oct. 1-April 14: Dogs are allowed on the beach.
Leash rules: Always required
Bay Head
June 15-Labor Day: Dogs are not allowed on the beach.
Tuesday after Labor Day-June 14: Dogs are allowed on the beaches.
Leash rules: Always required
Beach Haven
May 15-Sept. 15: Dogs are not allowed on ocean beaches. A small dog beach is located on the bay at Taylor Avenue.
Sept. 16-May 14: Dogs are allowed on all ocean beaches.
Leash rules: Always required
Belmar
May 1-Sept. 30: Dogs are banned from the beach and boardwalk.
Oct. 1-April 30: Dogs are allowed on the beach. They are not allowed on the boardwalk.
Leash rules: Required at all times
Bradley Beach
May 16-Sept. 30: Dogs are not allowed on the beach or boardwalk.
Oct. 1-May 15: Dogs are allowed on the beach, but are not allowed on the boardwalk unless crossing over to get to the beach.
Leash rules: Unleashed dogs are allowed on the beach during the off season, but must be leashed going to and from the beach.
Brick
Year-round: Dogs are never allowed on the beaches in Brick, regardless of the time of year.
Michele Tadley of Brigantine walks her dog Franklyn on the dog-friendly Beach North beach in Brigantine on Saturday, June 17, 2023.Jim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media
Brigantine
May 30-Sept. 30: Dogs are allowed on the North End Beach. They are not allowed on the ocean beaches.
Oct. 1-May 29: Dogs are allowed on all beaches.
Leash rules: Leashes are always required, including on the North End Beach.
Cape May
April 1-Oct. 30: Dogs are not allowed on the beach.
Nov. 1-March 31: Dogs are allowed on the beach.
Leash rules: Always required
Cape May Point
March 15-Oct. 31: Dogs are not allowed on the beach.
Nov. 1-March 14: Dogs are allowed on the beach.
Leash rules: Always required
Corson’s Inlet State Park
April 1-Sept. 15: No dogs allowed.
Sept. 16-March 31: Dogs are allowed on the beach.
Leash rules: Must be leashed at all times
Deal
Labor Day-Friday before Memorial Day: Dogs are banned on the beach.
Monday after Labor Day-Memorial Day weekend: Dogs are allowed on the beaches.
Leash rules: Leashes are required at all times.
Harvey Cedars
May 30-Sept. 15: Dogs are not allowed on the beach.
Sept. 16-May 29: Dogs are allowed.
Leash rules: Leashes are always required.
Island Beach State Park
All year: Dogs are not allowed on swimming beaches or inside buildings. They are allowed on all unguarded beaches.
Leash rules: Must be leashed at all times
Lavallette
All year: Dogs are never allowed on the beach in Lavallette. They are allowed on the boardwalk outside of bathing season.
Leash rules: Always required
Loch Arbour
May 15-Sept. 15: Dogs are not allowed on the beach.
Sept. 16-May 14: Dogs are allowed on the beach.
Leash rules: Leashes are always required.
Long Beach Township
May 16-Sept. 30: Dogs are not allowed on the beach.
Oct. 1-May 15: Dogs are allowed on the beaches, except Bayview Park.
Leash rules: Always required
Long Branch
May 1-Sept. 30: Dogs are not allowed on the beach or boardwalk.
Oct. 1-April 30: Dogs are allowed on the beach, they are not allowed on the boardwalk.
Leash rules: Always required
Longport
May 1-Sept. 30: Dogs are allowed on the beach between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
Oct. 1-April 30: Dogs are allowed on the beach at all times.
Leash rules: Always required
Manasquan
April 16-Sept. 30: Dogs are not allowed on the beach or boardwalk.
Oct. 1-April 15: Dogs are allowed on the beach, but not the boardwalk.
Leash rules: Always required
Fisherman’s Cove (Manasquan)
All year: Dogs are allowed on the east portion of the beach year-round. They must be leashed at all times.
Mantoloking
May 15-Oct. 1: Dogs are allowed on the beach between sunrise and 10 a.m., and 6 p.m. and sunset. They are not allowed in the North Lagoon area at all.
Oct. 2-May 14: Dogs are allowed on the beach at all hours.
Leash Rules: Leashes are required during the summer season. Dogs can be off-leash during the off season.
Dogs run on the dog-friendly Beach North beach in Brigantine on Saturday, June 17, 2023.Jim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media
Monmouth Beach
March 15-Oct. 1: Dogs are banned from any beach where endangered and threatened species have been identified, but are allowed on other beaches.
Saturday before Memorial Day-Labor Day: Dogs are not allowed on any beaches.
Oct. 2-March 14: Dogs are allowed on the beach.
Leash rules: Required at all times
North Wildwood
All year: Dogs are allowed on the beaches between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. There is also a fenced-in dog park on the east side of the 24th Avenue beach open between 8 a.m. and dusk. A $10 permit is required. Dogs are not allowed on the boardwalk.
Leash rules: Optional in the dog park; always required on other beaches; leashes can be up to 8 feet in length
Ocean City
May 1-Sept. 30: Dogs are not allowed on the beach or boardwalk.
Oct. 1-March 14: Dogs are allowed on the beach, but not the boardwalk.
March 15-April 30: Dogs are allowed on the beach, except in the area from Longport Bridge to the jetty at Seaspray Road, and between 18th and 34th Streets. They are not allowed on the boardwalk.
Leash rules: Always required
Ocean Grove
May 2-Sept. 30: Dogs are not allowed on the beach or the boardwalk.
Oct. 1-May 1: Dogs are allowed on the beach, but not the boardwalk.
Leash rules: Always required
Ortley Beach
All year: Dogs are never allowed on the beaches.
Sandy Hook
March 16-Sept. 14: Dogs are allowed on the bayside beaches, but banned on the ocean beaches.
Sept. 15-March 15: Dogs are allowed on all beaches.
Leash rules: Required at all times
Sea Bright
March 15-May 14: Dogs are allowed on the beach, except in areas where there are endangered species. Off-limits areas are North Beach between Ship Ahoy Beach Club and the public access stairway at Via Ripa, and South Beach between the Monmouth Beach/Sea Bright border and the Driftwood Beach Club.
May 15-Sept. 15: Dogs are not allowed on any beaches.
Sept. 15-March 14: Dogs are allowed on all beaches.
Leash rules: Always required
Sea Girt
May 15-Sept. 15: Dogs are not allowed on the beach.
Sept. 16-May 14: Dogs are allowed on the beach.
Leash rules: Always required
Sea Isle City
May 2-Sept. 29: No dogs are allowed on the beach.
Sept. 30-May 1: Dogs are allowed on all beaches.
Leash rules: Required at all times
Seaside Heights
All year: Dogs are banned from the ocean beaches and the boardwalk. They are allowed on the bay beach.
Seaside Park
All year: Dogs are never allowed on the beach or boardwalk.
Seven Presidents (Long Branch)
April 1-Oct. 31: Dogs are not allowed in the park.
Nov. 1-March 31: Dogs are allowed in the park, including on the beaches.
Leash rules: Always required
Ship Bottom
May 1-Oct. 1: Dogs are not allowed on the beaches.
Oct. 2-April 30: Dogs are allowed.
Leash rules: Required at all times
Spring Lake
May 15-Sept. 30: Dogs are only allowed in the fenced-in area near Pitney Avenue between sunrise and 9 a.m. They are not allowed on the boardwalk.
Oct. 1-May 14: Dogs are allowed on all beaches, but not the boardwalk.
Leash rules: Dogs can be unleashed in the dog park area, but must be leashed everywhere else.
Stone Harbor
Friday before Memorial Day-Labor Day: Dogs are allowed on the beach between 7 p.m. and sunset.
Day after Labor Day-Thursday before Memorial Day: Dogs are allowed on the beach at all times.
Leash rules: Always required
Strathmere
March 15-Sept. 15: Dogs are not allowed on the beach.
Sept. 16-March 14: Dogs are allowed on the beach during this time.
Leash rules: Always required
Surf City
May 1-Sept. 30: Dogs are not allowed.
Oct. 1-April 30: Dogs are allowed on the beaches at all times.
Leash rules: Required at all times
Ventnor
May 15-Sept. 30: Dogs are allowed on the areas of the beach below the high tide line between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Oct. 1-May 14: Dogs are allowed on the area of the beach below the high tide lines at all times.
Leash rules: Always required
Wildwood
June 1-Sept. 30: Dogs are only allowed at the dog friendly park at Glenwood Avenue. They are not allowed on the boardwalk.
Oct. 1-May 30: Dogs are allowed on the beaches, but not the boardwalk.
Leash rules: Leashes in the park are optional. They are required everywhere else.
Wildwood Crest
June 1-Sept. 30: Dogs are not allowed on the beach or boardwalk.
Oct. 1-May 30: Dogs are allowed on the beach at any time, but not the boardwalk.
Leash rules: Always required
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Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieKausch.
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