Do you and your furry best friend enjoy taking long strolls on the beach? Are you in the market for a new home? Then check out Virginia Beach for your next house. This is a very dog friendly beach town that has a lot to offer your pup. There are, for example, three Virginia Beach dog parks for off-leash romps. And your pooch can even enjoy fun frolics in the surf during a good part of the year.
1. Bayville Farms Park
Address: 4132 First Court Road
Located in Chicks Beach, Bayville Farms Park contains Virginia Beach’s newest dog park. It is also the only one to offer two separate fenced areas — one for canines over 30 pounds and another for smaller pups. The separated area means that an easily intimidated teacup pup can romp without the fear of being trampled or attacked by a larger canine. It is also a blessing for owners of large dogs that are worried their furry friend could accidentally hurt a petite pooch while roughhousing.
Poop bags and water are provided at Bayville Farms Park. And there are also some nice perks for humans, including benches, plenty of parking spaces and nearby public bathrooms. To enter the canine area, dog owners are required to purchase a pass for a nominal fee that is good not only at Bayville Farms Park but also at Virginia Beach’s two other dog parks.
2. The Beaches
Address: Various
Yes, they’re not official dog parks, but the city’s 35 miles of beaches are an excellent place to let your pooch enjoy a romp on the sand or a refreshing doggy paddle in the surf. But before you let your fur baby run wild, it’s important that you know the rules. To avoid conflict with the many visitors that descend on the area during the summer, dogs have somewhat limited access to the beaches. So between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend, you can take your pup to the beaches north of 42nd Street or in the southern end of Virginia Beach in the Sandbridge area, either before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
You can also walk your dog on Virginia Beach’s famous boardwalk during the summer months but only between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., and your furry friend must be on a leash. And no matter how cute or well-behaved your dogs are, they are not allowed on the beaches in the resort area during the summer at any time.
During the winter, spring and fall months, there are no such restrictions, and your dogs can enjoy romping on the beach off of its leash 24/7. They are also allowed on the boardwalk during these months, but they must be on a leash.
And remember to clean up after your dog since there is always a chance that the city could limit beach access for canines if their owners fail to pick up after them. And, really, who wants to be the party “pooper” who ends up ruining the fun for everyone else?
3. Red Wing Park
Address: 1398 General Booth Boulevard
Red Wing Park is a beautiful 97-acre wooded facility with nice walking trails and a Japanese garden located at its entrance. Oh, yes, and it also boasts a one-acre, fenced-in dog park where your pup can run free with his furry buddies. And you won’t have to bring your own water or poop bags as those are both provided by the park. Red Wing Park also has on-site bathroom facilities, a water fountain and lots of parking. As with the other Virginia Beach dog parks, you must pay a small annual fee before you can let your pooch play here.
4. First Landing State Park Beach
Address: 2500 Shore Drive
At 2,888 acres, this is a huge state park that is located on Cape Henry. Because First Landing is a state park, there is a nominal fee to enter. But once inside, you and your pup will find plenty to do in this North Virginia Beach park. You can, for instance, go hiking on the 19 miles of trails that crisscross this park through cypress swamps, dunes, salt marshes and along the shores. And while dogs aren’t allowed to run free in this park or on its beach, they are welcome here. In fact — unlike the other beaches in this city — dogs are allowed on this state park’s beach at any time of the year. So don’t be surprised to find quite a few pups romping in the surf at this park. Poop bags are not provided, so remember to bring your own. And if you end up falling in love with this park, you may want to consider purchasing an annual pass to save money.
5. Woodstock Park
Address: 5709 Providence Road
This park, which is located in Kempsville, is home to a one-acre fenced dog park that is open to pups of all sizes. There are actually two fenced-off sections, but the park alternates between them to allow the grass time to recover. This — as anyone who has ever had their canines play in an all-dirt dog park knows — is a really nice idea. Woodstock Park also provides poop bags for owners who might have forgotten to bring their own and water. And there is also shaded seating so you won’t have to broil under the sun while your pup enjoys rocking and rolling with his buddies. In addition to the dog park, the 30-acre Woodstock Park also contains a skate plaza, tennis courts and picnic areas.
2 Point Highlight
“Located in Chicks Beach, Bayville Farms Park contains Virginia Beach’s newest dog park and is the only one to offer two separate fenced areas — one for canines over 30 pounds and one for the smaller pups.”
“During the winter, spring and fall, dogs are allowed to romp without a leash on the beaches at any time.”
