Dog Parks & Beaches Archives

Rules, Regulations & Laws for Dog Parks in San Diego, CA

The dog parks and beaches that are featured and reviewed on DiegoDoggies.com may not all be located within the city limits of San Diego, CA – Alga Norte is in nearby Carlsbad, CA and technically has a different set of rules.

However, it can often be a safe bet to simply follow these same rules anytime you are on public property with your pet to keep safe and to stay courteous to ensure man’s best friend is continued to be allowed to take adventures with us. Take a quick glance at these signs at any place you visit to see if particular municipal codes may apply to that location.

One of the big things to remember is that owners are not the only one subject to these rules. If you are simply visiting Ocean Beach by yourself and someone asks you to hold their dog on a leash for a moment, you are liable to follow these rules while you are in control of the animal.

Another is that these cities do not have to provide these off-leash areas. If the regulations are not strictly followed and complaints are filed, they can simply reconsider these zones and close them without notice. Even if a simple fine doesn’t bother you, consider the permanent closing of off-leash areas and even dog parks completely within the city, so please take the time to leash and abide by these laws.

The San Diego Police Department and County Animal Services have jurisdiction over these areas and can enforce these regulations.

You can take a close-up look at the pictures of the signs here to read all of the rules, but here is a quick summary of the main rules that owners commonly break.

Valid License
Max Three Dogs Per Person
Leashes Required Entering & Leashing Off-Leash Areas
No Aggressive / Sick Dogs
Immediately Clean-Up and Dispose of Dog Feces

Carlsbad, CA Rules & Other Cities

As mentioned before, make sure you pay attention to the city that runs the park you visit. Alga Norte is in nearby Carlsbad and that city maintains the park. However, Carlsbad is located within San Diego County, so they still apply some of those codes to the park (which is what you see on the sign).

In general, the same rules still apply but the wording is definitely different. The San Diego rules signs are much easier to understand, but there are a couple of specifics for the Carlsbad signs that should be noted – these technically still apply to any S.D. park.

Rabies Vaccinations Required For 4+-Month-Old Dogs
Dog Licensing Not Required For Tourists Staying Less Than 30 Days

City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department Rules & Regulations for Dog Parks & Beaches (Not a Complete Listing of Municipal Codes)

Municipal Code 63.0102
It is unlawful for an owner or person with custody, care, charge, control or possession of a dog, or both to do any of the following within a designated Dog Off-Leash Area or Dog Training Area:

To have more than three (3) dogs.
Abandon or otherwise leave any off-leash dog unattended or unsupervised.
Have a female dog in estrus (heat cycle).
Have a dog without a current and valid dog license as required by San Diego County Code.
In the event of a dog bite that results in injury requiring medical care to a person or another dog, fail to provide to the injured person or owner or custodian of the injured dog, at the time of the injury, his or her full name, correct dog license information, telephone number, mailing address, and driver’s license number.

Municipal Code 44.0304.1

Must clean up after your dog and immediately remove any feces to a proper receptacle.

Code of Conduct / Regulations

Leash dog while entering and leaving Off-Leash Area.
Aggressive dogs are declared dangerous dogs, and dogs with contagious diseases are prohibited.
The dog must be removed from the off-leash area if aggressive.
Small children and infants must be under strict adult supervision at all times. Parents/adults must ask permission from the dog owner/custodian for children to play with another owner/custodian’s dog.
Dogs must be under voice, whistle, or hand signal control at all times.
Owner or person with custody, care, charge, control, or possession of a dog, or both must have a leash on hand at all times for each dog.
Excessive barking is prohibited.
The Off-Leash Area is subject to closure without notice.

Some parks may also have the following rules, so be sure to check each place you visit:

Pet treats and food for animal or human consumption are prohibited.
Fill any hole your dog digs.
Dog Training is not allowed or by permit only.

Violation of the regulations may result in revocation of the Leash-Free Area designation.
San Diego Police Dept. (619) 531-2000 or 911 for emergency
San Diego County Animal Services (619) 767-2675 (North County Inland / Coastal)

Nate’s Point Off-Leash Dog Park at Balboa Park

Nate’s Point Off-Leash Dog Park is arguably one of the most popular dog parks in downtown San Diego. Its central location is just south of El Prado/ Laurel Street and just east of Balboa Drive. This park is around 2.3 acres in size and is completely fenced in with a double gate entryway.

There is no separation between large and small dogs, but the park is large enough so it never feels too crowded. This park is mainly dirt and sand, with some grassy areas for dogs to romp around in.

Parking is off-street and during a busy San, Diego weekend can sometimes be hard to find. It is within walking distance from all of the museums, gardens, and attractions in Balboa Park and is only a short drive from downtown San Diego.

The park is open 24/7 and does have dog waste bag stations, a water fountain, benches and tables for people to sit. There are several large trees scattered throughout the park that offer plenty of shade. On Wednesday mornings, the park is closed for regularly scheduled maintenance.

Nate’s Point Dog Park

Address
2500 Balboa Dr.
San Diego, CA 92103
Hours
7 days a week, 24 hours a day
Closed Wednesday mornings for maintenance
Main Features

2.3 Acre Off-Leash Area For Both Small & Large Dogs
Doggie Drinking Fountain
Dog Waste Bag Station
Off-Leash Training Allowed
Lots of Shade Trees, Picnic Tables & Benches

Official Sites
Nate’s Point Dog Park Improvement Plan

Very Large Off-Leash & Fenced Dog Park

Not only is Nate’s Point nestled in the very popular Balboa Park in San Diego, but there is another big reason why so many people love this place – the 2+ acre off-leash area for dogs that is also fenced to ensure they can’t run away.

While you will need a leash to walk your dog from parking to the fenced area, the rest of your visit here can be enjoyed leash-free!

The entrance to the dog park is double gated to keep pets from unintentionally getting in or out of the enclosure. This is really important in case you want to take your eyes off your pet for a few minutes, but always be sure not to let them wander out of your sight.

In certain areas of this park, if you glance above the tree line, you can see some beautiful buildings stretching above the leaves.

Some dog owners want to be able to go to a park to get exercise for both themselves and their canine friends. You might need a large open space to be able to do something like this, but you also want easy access to shaded areas to be able to cool down, especially in the hot summer California sun.

That is what makes Nate’s Point so great – you get the best of both worlds. In a lot of other parks, you’ll find separate large and small dog areas, but all dogs can play together here in one place.

Nate’s Point Off-Leash Dog Parks are also a lot of large shaded areas and many picnic tables and benches that are also shielded from the sun.

These combined with the doggie drinking fountain give your pooch a variety of options if they get too hot or simply need to take a break from all of the running around.

Dogs Love Nate’s Point

Humans love this park, but the dogs especially love it. There are often other friendly pets for them to run around and play ball with, making it a great place to take your friend for social interaction.

They will be able to get plenty of exercises here, even on the hottest of summer days. There are large trees for them to lay around under to get cool or they can even run around under large areas of shade. If they get too hot, be sure to drop by the water fountain for dogs to let them take a drink.

Dog Park Rules & Other Important Information

You’ll find a number of different signs and even a bulletin board at Nate’s Point. Make sure you pay special attention to all of these, as many of them will remind you about laws that you are required to follow to be able to visit these public dog parks.

There are also signs to help keep the park clean or even make future improvements to it. Drop by the NPDog.com sign if you love this park to see what you can do to make it even better!

Another great thing about this park is that it is open 24 hours a day. You can come here any time you want with the exception of Wednesday mornings each week when the park closes for maintenance. This makes it really appealing to pet owners since they can visit on their own schedule instead of trying to rush here before the sun goes down each night.

Conclusion

One final unique thing about this park is that a sign specifically allows off-leash training here, something that you won’t find at most other parks in San Diego and even in other cities in California. If you are visiting with your own dog, keep this in mind as you may run into others that are training their pet.

Del Mar Dog Beach with Spectacular Cliff Views

There are technically three beaches that you can visit in Del Mar that are all dog friendly. North Beach in Del Mar, or as most locals know it as “Dog Beach”, is just north of 29th Street and goes nearly a half-mile to the border of Solana Beach.

This area of the beach has access to both the Pacific Ocean as well as the San Dieguito River. While Del Mar is a dog-friendly community and allows access to its beaches to dogs and their owners throughout the year, during the summer months, from June 16 until Labor Day, dogs must be restricted to a 6-foot leash.

Parking is off-street and metered. It’ll cost you $3 an hour, or you can buy an all-day pass for $4 from a display station at the top of Camino del Mar, just before Villa de la Valle. If you don’t mind a short walk, however, just drive south past the bridge to 29th Street.

You will find plenty of free parking on both sides of the street, but be prepared to search for a spot, as it will get pretty busy on the weekends.

Volleyball courts line the top of the beach and trashcans and doggie bags are located here as well. There are restrooms, in the form of Port -O- Potties for use. While this beach is not fenced in and does have access to a busy roadway, there are natural boundaries on either side of the dog beach, the San Dieguito River mouth flows into the sea to the south and during high tide the ocean reaches the North Bluffs Preserves.

As a result, it is somewhere that you can visit with your canine friend to let them run free to get some exercise without too much worry of them running away or getting into trouble.

Beach Rules, Parking & Cleanup

Del Mar Dog Beach

Address
3006 Sandy Ln
Del Mar, CA 92014
Hours
7 days a week, 24 hours a day
Off-Leash: North of 29th Street (North Beach) from day after Labor Day until June 15
No Dogs: Power House Park to 29th Street from June 16 until Labor Day
Leashed: All other times / places
Main Features

North Beach Allows Off-Leash Dogs During Non-Peak Seasons
Fee Required To Park Nearby 9am – 8pm
Dog Waste Bags Available
Volley Ball Courts
Beautiful Rock Cliffs Right Next To Ocean
Porta Potty Restrooms & Trash Cans

Official Sites
Del Mar Dog Beach

Be sure to take a look at the Del Mar Beach Rules sign to learn all of the details about what is allowed and what isn’t allowed here. If you are bringing a dog here, this is especially important because it will tell you which parts of the beach you can visit with your pooch at certain times of the year.

It will also let you know where you can have dogs off-leash and where leashes are needed. All dogs must have a license attached to their collar.

Nearby parking requires a fee – you’ll find a parking meter station here to pay and then the ticket needs to be displayed in your parked car.

Anyone bringing a pet here will need to be sure to promptly clean up after them if they use the bathroom on the beach or on any public land.

Under the Coastal Access sign, you’ll find a dog waste station that provides bags that you can use for this purpose. However, it could be still a good idea to have some of your own waste bags in your car because you can be fined if you do not follow this rule.

Canine Ocean Fun & Beautiful Cliff Views

From the day after Labor Day until June 15th, the North Beach here allowed unleashed dogs. You’ll find some beautiful cliffs here as well that your pets can run beside, or they can also go cool down with a dip in the ocean.

This is simply one of the best outdoor, public places to visit with your canine friend because it offers them a ton of exercise while you get beautiful, peaceful surroundings.

Whether you want to visit Del Mar to play fetch or just to let your dog interact with other animals to make some new friends, you’ll find all of it and more here. Regular exercise and fun time like this is great for their health and can even be a very relaxing experience for you too.

If you happen to want to avoid parking, you may be able to find a spot along the road – some of these areas will allow for free parking although they are often taken.

Fun For You: Swimming, Surfing & Paddle Boarding

Even though this is a great place to go with dogs, you’ll also enjoy Del Mar Beach if you go solo or with friends and family. A variety of activities are allowed here including swimming, surfing and paddle boarding, but be sure to take a look at signs that mark areas where these things may be allowed or not allowed. Lifeguards are on-duty here for your safety.

The outlet to the San Dieguito River can also be found at the south end. There is a bridge with a walking path over it, and you can often find people down below fishing.

You are not allowed to fish from the bridge, so if this is something appealing to you, be sure to walk down to fish because you can get fined otherwise.

You’ll also find the surrounding areas here to be beautiful, making Del Mar a relaxing place to visit whether you want to take your dog for a walk or simply lay on the beach to watch for dolphins.