One of the UK’s most popular coastal destinations and a fantastic place for a break with your canine companion, you can discover an abundance of year-round dog-friendly beaches in Dorset, which boasts a whopping 23 restriction-free stretches of sand!
With a total of 88 miles of coastline to explore, all of which can be traversed on the undulating South West Coast Path, you’d be barking mad not to take a trip to the seaside with your four-legged beach bum.
We’ve picked out our favourite seaside destinations for you to visit with your happy pup - we reckon these are some of the very best dog-friendly beaches in Dorset and they are sure to set tails wagging! Looking for a coastal cottage while you're there? Our collection welcomes sandy paws and salty fur. Click on the button below to discover your perfect dog-friendly place to stay in Dorset.
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Click each link below to discover our top dog-friendly Dorset beaches.
Our personal favourite: Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth
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Bowleaze Cove, credit: Instagram @oscarsukadventuresThis sandy, pebbly beach is a total crowd-pleaser and one of our absolute favourite dog-friendly Dorset beaches! Not only is your four-legged friend welcome all year round, but kids will love paddling or swimming in the sea, plus it’s not too far from the town centre meaning treats are easy to find! If your hound gets restless, the South West Coast Path runs close to the beach meaning longer walkies are on hand whenever you need them.
For the sat nav: DT3 6PR
Any restrictions? Dogs welcome all year round.
Parking: There’s ample pay and display parking, however, a car boot sale is held in the car park on Mondays in the summer.
Facilities: A café/restaurant, plus a slipway for launching small watercraft. In the summer, there’s a funfair next to the beach, if your pup wants to ride on some 'dog-dgems'.
Stay nearby: Lynwood Lodge - Little Lynwood | sleeps 2 dogs + 2 humans.
Best beach for good facilities: Highcliffe Beach, Bournemouth
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Highcliffe Beach, credit: Instagram @westiecalledmax
Perfect for a big group – especially if you have younger ones in tow – this beach is the one to visit for a hassle-free day out. There’s easy parking, plenty of facilities and even a wheelchair route down to the coast. The beach itself – the most easterly in Dorset – is a shingle and sand beach with lovely views out to the Isle of Wight; easy for spending a chilled-out day with a blissed-out pup by your side.For the sat nav: BH23 5DG
Any restrictions? Dogs aren’t allowed in the area between two marked groynes from 1st May to 30th September but can go on the gravel promenade all year round if they’re well-behaved and on a lead.
Parking: There’s pay and display parking for 600 cars at the top of the cliff.
Facilities: Toilets, baby changing and disabled parking in the car park; pubs, shops and restaurants in Highcliffe less than half a mile away.
Stay nearby: Wick Cottage | sleeps 2 dogs + 5 humans
Best hidden beach in Dorset: Church Ope Cove, Isle of Portland
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Church Ope Cove, credit: Instagram @adventurejunki3Accessed by a flight of steep stairs, this secluded cove is perfect if you want to get away from it all. There's a host of lovely beaches in Dorset that allow dogs, but this might be one of the most peaceful, hidden places for your hound to run and play. The pebbly beach faces south on the Isle of Portland, so is ideal for sunbathing and tummy rubs (for your pup, of course), plus you may even spot dolphins off the coast. Be careful with younger kids – swimming is popular but the currents just off the cove can get strong and there’s no lifeguard cover.
For the sat nav: DT5 1HU
Any restrictions? There are no restrictions on this beach so your pup can doggy paddle to his heart’s content.
Parking: There’s free parking for a few dozen cars opposite Pennsylvania Castle, around 0.25 miles away from the beach.
Facilities: Nearby, you’ll find a café, a caravan park and some toilets.
Stay nearby: Skylark at Lower Manor Farm | sleeps 2 dogs + 5 humans
Best dog-friendly beach for exploring: Chesil Beach, Weymouth
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Chesil Beach, credit: Instagram @charlie_cragtopThere couldn’t be a better beach for exploring in the whole of the UK, let alone Dorset. Chesil Beach is a completely unique, dog-friendly beach - with 17 miles of pebble beach stretching all along the Jurassic Coast where your pup can run, and run, and run. It’s fringed by Fleet Lagoon, home to a mute swan colony, which provides a highly individual backdrop to a day out with your dog.
For the sat nav: DT2 9DG
Any restrictions? Dogs are welcome to roam this huge stretch of beach all year round.
Parking: There are car parks at many sites along this beach, including at West Bexington and Weymouth.
Facilities: There are cafes, restaurants, picnic spots and toilets along the beach.
Stay nearby: St Anthony's Cottage - Langton Herring | sleeps 6 + 1 dog
Best beach for something different: Hive Beach, Burton Bradstock
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Hive Beach, credit: Instagram @katangasThere aren’t many beaches in the UK where you can come face to face with dinosaurs, but at Hive Beach you’ve got a chance of finding some fossils while your pup is scrabbling over the boulders and rocks along the beach. You can also spot pillboxes along the coastline, a reminder of the battles of World War II. When you’re not taking in the sights, this beach has a huge stretch of golden sand just perfect for your hound to dig up (and get all over you!)
For the sat nav: DT6 4RG
Any restrictions? There’s a seasonal dog ban from June to October, but this beach is great for winter walkies.
Parking: You can find ample parking at the National Trust car park, where members can park for free.
Facilities: There’s a café overlooking the sea, and some toilets, as well as a pub and a petrol station in the village.
Stay nearby: Clapper Bridge Cottage | sleeps 1 dog + 6 humans
Most scenic beach: Durdle Door and Man O’War, near Lulworth
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The coast path above Durdle Door. This beach needs no introduction, but we certainly couldn’t miss it off our list. The site of the iconic limestone arch, Durdle Door is possibly the most famous beach in Dorset but it's still worth a visit, due to it being dog-friendly all year round! It's shingle but when the tide is out it revealed itself as a wonderful, dog-friendly, sandy beach, although be aware that the sand shelves suddenly. Let the hounds off the lead to stretch their legs while the kids swim in the crystal waters (although there’s no lifeguard cover, so keep an eye out), leaving you to simply soak up the view. For the sat nav: BH20 5PU
Any restrictions? It’s dog-friendly all year round, hurray!
Parking: There’s a pay and display car park at the top of the cliff.
Facilities: Seasonal toilets and facilities at Durdle Door Holiday Park.
Stay nearby: Carefree Cottage | sleeps 2 dogs + 4 humans
Map of dog-friendly Dorset
All Dorset's dog-friendly beaches
Church Ope Cove
Click the tabs below for our full round-up of the dog-friendly beaches in Dorset!
Some of these beaches welcome our canine pals all year round while some have restrictions to read up on before you go. Restrictions can change year on year so always ensure you check ahead before you visit a new beach with your dog.
Bowleaze Cove
Chesil Beach
Church Cliff Beach Lyme Regis
Church Ope Cove
Cogden
Durdle Door
East Cliff Beach
Eype Beach
Gore Cove
Harbour Lake Poole
Hengistbury West
Hive Beach (Burton Bradstock)
Kimmeridge Bay
Lulworth Cove
Man O'War Beach
Monmouth Beach Lyme Regis
Mudeford Quay
Mudeford Sandbank
Mupe Bay
Pier Beach/Monkey Beach Swanage
Ringstead Bay
Rockley Sands Poole
South Beach Studland
St Gabriel’s Mouth
Steamer Point Christchurch - West
Studland - Knoll Beach
Studland - Shell Bay
White Nothe
Durley Chine Bournemouth
Fishermans Walk Bournemouth
Friars Cliff Christchurch
Swanage North Beach
Alum Chine Bournemouth
Avon Beach Christchurch
Boscombe Pier Bournemouth
Bournemouth Beach
Branksome Chine Poole
Canford Cliffs Poole
Charmouth West
Town Beach Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis Beach
Overcombe
Preston Weymouth
Sandbanks Poole
Seatown
Shore Road - Sandbanks Poole
Swanage Beach
Swanage North
West Bay East
West Bay West
Weymouth Beach
Dorset holidays
Take a look at our ultimate guide to dog-friendly Dorset to find even more ideas on how to spend your dream holiday in Dorset. To book your break, browse through some of our fantastic dog-friendly cottages in Dorset, many of which are right by the coast. Pawfect! And for further beach-based holiday inspiration, check out our guide to the UK's top dog-friendly beaches.
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing,
please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.