Top Dog-Friendly Beaches Near Panama City Beach: A Guide for Pawsitively Perfect Getaways!

When I lived in San Diego, California, I had a miniature schnauzer named Mavis. Mavis didn't like water, but she loved going to the beach. That dog was obsessed with running and digging in the sand. I routinely took her the dog beach at Coronado. It was near the North Island U.S. Naval Station near the famous and historic Hotel del Coronado. I miss her and I miss the time we spent there.

This week, I am spending some time in Panama City Beach, Florida for work. As I was waiting for my luggage to come barreling around the baggage carousel, I noticed a rack of tourist pamphlets. One of them immediately caught my eye!

First of all, that dog kinda reminds me of Mavis. Secondly, I love that there's a resource for pet owners, thanks to VisitGulf.com who love taking their dogs to the beach.

There are many pet-friendly beaches in Gulf County, which is east of PCB (Bay County)!  According to that handy pamphlet, here are five of the best. So, if you're headed to the Panhandle for Spring or Fall Break or summer vacation and you want to take the dogs with you, here's where they can enjoy the sun, sand and surf.

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Of course, arguably the busiest dog beach in Bay County is Dog Beach at Pier Park in Panama City. It's just west of the pier and a popular and fun spot for dog owners.

At Coronado Dog Beach in San Diego, I could let Mavis run off the leash. That is not the case in Gulf County and Bay County.  Both counties have leash laws. Gulf County's, for instance, states that pets on leashes are welcome at almost all of the beaches in Gulf County. However, "animals must remain on the leash at all times while on the beach and owners must remove any remnants left behind by the animal."