San Diego is a city for people who love to be outdoors in the near-perfect Southern California weather, which naturally means there are a lot of dog owners. And if you’re a canine parent yourself, then you know that they are tantamount to having a child in your household, needing love, attention and exercise on a daily basis. In other words, you’re going to need to know where a good dog park is if you’re living in a place like San Diego or moving to San Diego. So with that in mind, below are the 5 best dog parks in the city of San Diego to help you narrow your search for a place to live that will make you and your dog as happy and comfortable as possible.
1. CORONADO DOG BEACH
Located on the peninsula on the West side of the Bay of San Diego with the North Island Navy Station at it’s point is Coronado, with ocean boulevard running the length of it. Mansions and other fine homes, along with hotels and restaurants and bars can be found in this area and the beaches of the small section of the city can be found on each side. Head to the Coronado Central beach and look for the trails to the dog beach on the north end of the area. Here is where you will find the Coronado Dog beach, which any dog will undoubtedly love as they can play in the surf and the sand and sniff anything and everything that has washed ashore. Living in Coronado may be slightly out of most people’s price ranges, but it’s a short drive from downtown, Chula Vista and Imperial Beach communities.
2. HARRY GRIFFIN REGIONAL PARK’S CANINE CORNERS
Located in the Northeastern part of San Diego just east of the area known as La Mesa is Harry Griffin Regional Park, which is universally dog friendly. It is ideal for those living in the surrounding suburban communities like La Mesa, Santee and El Cajon. There is a lot of green space and many paths that are excellent for jogging and long walks. The Canine Corners area of the park is off-leash for dogs to frolic freely in the excellent weather. In the summer, the park also hosts outdoor summer concerts at dusk, making it a perfect place to bring the pooch and the rest of the family for some prime outdoor relaxation.
3. DEL MAR DOG BEACH
Located just north of the chic beach side community of Del Mar and just south of the equally high end beach community of Solana Beach is the Del Mar dog beach, which borders the North Bluff Preserve. The beach is a half mile in length so it’s relatively small compared to most dog parks, but there is no lack of enjoyment for a dog or an owner as they sprint back and forth along the sand, frolic in the waves and live their own versions of the California dream. There are some leash laws on the beach at different times of the year, but these are generally ignored by regulars. However, the tougher part of this excellent dog park is the fact that you have to be able to afford to live in Del Mar or Solana Beach, or make the longer commute to this dog beach.
4. NATE’S POINT
The central park of San Diego, better known as Balboa Park, has 17 museums, the internationally renowned San Diego Zoo and numerous beautiful gardens. It also has Nate’s Point, which may be the ideal dog park for those who live in the more urban parts of San Diego, like Prado Terrace, India Street Lofts and Hillcrest. It’s a big open space that’s green, safe and fenced in and a fun walk from downtown and the aforementioned neighborhoods. There are also numerous trails in nearby Nate’s Point in Balboa Park meaning that owners can also get a good amount of exercise in the park itself before turning their dog loose in the off-leash areas to run wild and free. This is definitely the ideal big city dog park.
5. OCEAN BEACH DOG BEACH
Across the channel from Mission Beach and just north of the communities of Point Loma Heights and west of Temecula Heights is Ocean Beach, which is widely considered one of the best beaches and beach communities in all of San Diego. Within Ocean Beach itself is yet another dog beach known as the eponymous Ocean Beach Dog Beach. This is a 24 hour dog beach destination that is off leash, allowing people to enjoy the sand and surf with their canine at any hour of the day or night. It may be one of the most liberal dog beach policies anywhere, but then again, that shouldn’t be surprising in a laid back town like San Diego.
2 Point Highlight
“Here is where you will find the Coronado Dog beach, which any dog will undoubtedly love as they can play in the surf and the sand and sniff anything and everything that has washed ashore.”
