The 7 Best Dog Parks In Miami

Beautiful beaches and exciting city life is what Miami is known for, and that can be seen even in its dog parks. The variety of dog parks inside the city to the coast regions gives dog owners options for where they want their dogs to play and socialize. Each park has something special to offer, from ponds to splash areas and beautiful views. In this article, we’ve given you a list of the best dog parks in Miami for you to experience. No matter what park you visit, your furry friend will love it.

1. South Miami Dog Park 

Located in the South of Miami near the VCA South Dades Animal Hospital, the South Miami dog park may be small, but it offers plenty. Recently the park has updated its landscaping by replacing the once grassy ground with artificial grass. There are two benches underneath a canopy found in the middle of the park with a trash can nearby. The park offers doggy bags at the entrance to help patrons keep the park clean. Some small and large trees are located in the park, providing lots of shade. 

The park has a leashing cage to ensure a safe entering and exiting for your dog. There is also a water fountain inside the park available for any size dog to use. There are a few mid-sized pieces of agility equipment spread around the park for your furry friends to enjoy, like an A-frame and a raised tunnel.  Due to its smaller size, this park can get full pretty quickly. Its busiest days are typically Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, while the other days stay pretty slow. 

2. Washington Dog Park 

You can find Washington Dog Park in south Miami Beach near the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Ocean Beach Park. This is a mid-sized dog park with dirt, grass, and a pea-sized gravel landscape. Here you can find your pup has plenty of space to run, play, and socialize with other furry friends. You can find two large trees that provide ample shade for most of the park and a few benches spread around the park, most are under the shade of the trees.

Washington dog park provides a leashing cage for the safety of your dog. There is a doggy water fountain to keep your pooch hydrated and a small water play area for your dogs to use when the weather heats up. The busiest days for this park are typically Monday and Tuesday, while the rest of the week is pretty slow.  

3. Bark Park Dog Park

Located inside Tropical Park in south Miami Bark Park Dog Park is a large fenced off-leash dog area. The park’s grassy landscaping allows the dog to run and play even on hot days. Trees can be seen all over the park, providing lots of shade for you and your pup. There are plenty of benches and picnic tables under canopies so owners can sit and watch their dogs have fun. 

Agility equipment can be found throughout the park, so you can teach your dog some new tricks or just let them play with it. There is a doggy water fountain so you can keep your furry friend hydrated while they socialize and play. The park does provide doggy bags and trash cans, but they run out quickly, and the park doesn’t replace them as often as needed. Because of this, you may need to bring your own.

Weekends are usually the busiest days, but because of the park’s large size, it doesn’t fill up easily. This can be great if your dog loves to socialize and play with others. If your dog doesn’t do well around lots of other dogs, weekdays are a better option because it tends to stay pretty slow. 

4. Margaret Pace Park Dog Park

Found on the beach of east Miami, Margaret Pace Dog Park is a local favorite due to its large size and cleanliness. The fenced dog area is split into two separate areas, one for small dogs under 25 pounds and one for dogs over 25 pounds. Artificial grass was put in so your pup won’t get too dirty while running around. There are multiple trees spread around the park, as well as a few benches and some dog-friendly art like fire hydrants and a large metal dog.  

The entrance has a leashing cage to ensure your pooch doesn’t run off before entering the park. There are also doggy water fountains so your pup can stay hydrated. Doggy bags are provided by the park and are stocked often, but it’s always best to bring your own to make sure you can pick up after your dog. Located right on Miami Beach, this dog park has a beautiful view, so it’s worth a visit. The dog park isn’t usually busy except for Sunday afternoons when it can get pretty packed. 

5. Coconut Grove Dog Park

Coconut Grove Dog Park is located inside David T. Kennedy Park. This is a mid-sized fenced dog park with a grassy landscape. There’s a leashing cage at the entrance to make entering and exiting the park easy for you and your pup. There are large and small trees spread through the dog area, some providing a good amount of shade over a few picnic tables. Benches and picnic tables are dispersed throughout the off-leash area so owners can sit and watch their dogs socialize and play.

This dog park is broken into two sections for large and small dogs. It has agility equipment such as A-frames and tunnels for your furry friends to enjoy as well as a doggy water fountain in both areas. The dog park has a great view of the bay, but it can be difficult to find parking during busy hours. The busiest days are typically Saturday and Sunday, from noon to evening. Weekdays can get slightly busy but not usually. 

6. Perrine Wayside Dog Park

This dog park is a local favorite because of its large water fountain/pond that the dogs can play in and the beautiful surrounding scenery. There are separate sections, one for any size dog and one for small dogs. Landscaping for this park consists of grass, dirt, rocks, and some concrete walkways. Trees are found all over the park, providing lots of shade over benches and picnic tables.

The pond is perfect for your furry friend to enjoy during the hot weather. There have been complaints that the pond does not get cleaned as often as it should, but park maintenance ensures it’s safe for public use. There are hoses for you to rinse your dog off before you leave, so you don’t have to worry about them being too dirty when they’re done playing.

The park is large, so there is more than enough room for your furry friends to play even when it’s busy. If your dog has issues being around large groups of dogs, then Wednesday through Friday are the best days to go. If you prefer your dog to socialize with other pups, Saturday, Sunday and Monday are typically busy most of the day.  

7. Haulover Beach Dog Park

This 177-acre dog park is located in Northeast Miami on Haulover Beach. This off-leash dog area is not fenced off, so you should only let them off-leash if you’re certain you can maintain control of your dog at all times. Haulover Beach Dog Park is a beautiful, clean, well-maintained beach. Your dog can run in the sand and play in the water with other dogs or just bask in the sun. 

Doggy bags are provided near the beach entrance so everyone can help keep the beach clean and fun for everyone. Like most beaches, there aren’t any benches or trees for shade so prepare like you would for any other beach. Because there’s a lack of shade and your dog is likely to try and drink sea water which can dehydrate them, make sure to bring lots and lots of water for you and your dog. The off-leash dog area of the beach is pretty big, so it’s never overcrowded even if it gets busy. 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/EmilyOnTime