Last Updated June 30, 2023
For many of us, our pets are part of the family! That’s definitely true for our rescue labrador, Hana, because she just loves being out and about. She’s not a homebody — she just loves being with her humans no matter if we are running errands around town or going on a trip. But one thing we’ve learned over the years is that she especially loves a trip to the beach – especially the dog beach Sarasota has to offer!
We’ve been lucky to be able to take Hana to a number of dog beaches over the years during our travels, from up and down the California coast and over to the Atlantic Ocean too. She’s also been able to splash her paws in the warm, clear Gulf of Mexico!
However, we’ve discovered that it’s not always easy to find dog friendly beaches in Florida – even though there are so many beaches!
Luckily, Sarasota County is the perfect location for pet owners and beach lovers alike. If you love enjoying the sun, surf, and sea with your four-legged best friend, then you are in luck because there is a fantastic dog beach located just a few miles south of Sarasota in Venice, Florida; the Brohard Dog Beach and Paw Park.
In fact, this dog friendly beach in Florda is actually why we decided to move to Venice! (crazy…but it’s actually true)
Sarasota’s World Famous Beaches
Before we deep dive into puppers’ heavenly shores, let’s discover what it’s like to live in Sarasota. Home to multiple islands that line the beautiful coast, Sarasota’s beaches are stunning and each holds its own unique charm. Amongst the most famous are Longboat Key, Lido Key, Siesta Key, and Venice Beaches.
Located in the northernmost region of the county, Longboat Key is a popular destination for those who want a quiet yet luxurious beach lifestyle. It’s also a wonderful area for wildlife enthusiasts and those who enjoy Florida nature and quiet at its finest. This part of the coast is home to a few sea turtle species and on this beach, they nest and lay their eggs. In fact, sea turtles nest all along the coastline and keys in Sarasota and to the south!
Lido Key and Lido Beach is one of the closest to downtown Sarasota and is a wonderfully wide stretch of white sand beach. This beach is also nearby the famous St. Armands Circle, a high-end area for dining and shopping day and night.
Siesta Key, on the other hand, is the beach of choice for families and vacationers year-round. It’s much more lively with things to do, shops, and events. The area can also be a lot of fun at night with visitors and locals who enjoy beach nightlife and fun.
Finally, Venice just a few miles south of Sarasota, is home to a handful of beautiful beaches as well. This area is popular with locals, visitors in the know, and seasonal residents.
READ MORE: Things to do in Venice, Florida
Are Dogs Allowed on Siesta Key Beach or Any Other Beach in Sarasota?
While all of these beaches are lovely and great for both locals and visitors, the key question is are dogs allowed on beaches in Florida? Well sadly, the answer is no – for the most part!
Dogs are not allowed on any of the public beaches up in the city of Sarasota. This includes Siesta Key, so you are not allowed to take your dogs on the beach in Siesta Key. The same is true for Lido Beach, Longboat Beaches, etc. Even most of the public beaches in Venice do not allow dogs!
** NOTE: We are referring to public beaches. It’s true that there are some private beaches areas on these keys, where you may be permitted to bring your pup.
But Don’t Fret! There Is an Option for the Doggos Who Love the Beach!
For those of you in the Sarasota area who do want to be able to bring your dog for a fun beach day, then you just need to head south of the Venice fishing pier to the South Brohard beach area. This is where you will find the only dog beach in Venice Florida – Brohard Beach and Paw Park.
Venice boasts Brohard Dog Beach – Sarasota, Florida’s ONLY Dog Beach
The Brohard Dog Beach is truly a little slice of tropical paradise for man’s best friend. This Venice dog beach has everything your little pup might need and want. At the parking entrance there is actually a fully fenced in dog park. It’s a wonderful park too, with grass, trees, benches, water fountains for the dogs, as well as a dog-washing area! There are also separate fenced areas for both small and large dogs.
But if it’s the beach you are searching for, then just follow the paved walkway inside the fenced dog park area — that will lead you to gates that go out the back of the dog park. Going beyond those back gates, you can follow a paved (and fenced) pathway that leads you out to a boardwalk. And just over that boardwalk is what you are searching for…the fine sands and saltwater you’ve been searching for!
The Brohard dog beach in Venice is open daily from 7 am to dusk.
**VIDEO – Visit the Brohard Dog Beach With Us!**
Click the video below to watch our full video of us driving out to the Brohard Dog Beach here in Venice to have some fun!
Does My Dog Need to Be Leashed at The Venice Brohard Dog Beach?
When you are in the fenced “paw park” area, your dog does not need to be leashed. Just like any other fenced dog park, your pup and run and play untethered. The same is true for the dog beach too!
The Brohard Dog Beach in Venice is an off-leash dog beach!!!
So your dog can have the time of their life just running around on the sand, chasing and playing with other dogs without the inconvenience of being tethered to you. They can also run and play in the waves or even go swimming out in the Gulf. We often see owners throwing balls out into the water and tiring their pups out who love to go swimming to fetch the ball!
Dogs Under Voice Control & Be Aware
Since this is an off-leash dog park, it is important that your dog be well-behaved and be under voice control at all times. This is really important to the atmosphere and safety of all the dogs…and humans!
There are signs where the boundaries of the dog area is, so be sure that your dog stays within that boundary. Also, keep in mind that your dog will be able to go up to other people and dogs, and other dogs will likely come to say “hi” to you too!
Can I Swim at the Brohard Dog Beach?
YES!!! We get this question quite a lot, but yes, the Brohard Dog Beach is actually a wonderful beach for swimming! It is nestled between other beaches that are popular with humans, including the North Brohard Beach which is home to the Venice fishing pier and the famous Sharky’s on the Pier Restaurant.
This is a really popular area for beaches because the sand is soft, and water is warm, clean and on many days quite calm. The Brohard Dog Beach is actually a great place to bring your beach gear and have a full-on beach day. You can have a picnic, swim, and enjoy yourself!
How to Get to the Brohard Dog Beach & Paw Park in Venice
The Brohard Paw Park and is easily accessible. It is located at 1600 S. Harbor Drive, Venice, Florida. As mentioned above, it is just south of the Venice Fishing Pier and the famous Sharky’s restaurant. So if you follow your GPS to Sharky’s, just keep going a bit further south on the road and you will see signs for the Brohard Dog beach on the right.
The Brohard Dog Beach is also north of Caspersen Beach. So if you see the Caspersen Beach signs, then you have gone too far.
More Beaches in Venice (for Humans)
There is more to living in Venice, FL than just the Brohard Dog Beach. Sarasota, after all, is known across the country for its amazing year-round weather and equally delightful shorelines. So it only makes sense that some of the best beaches can be found in Venice!
Just to the south of Brohard Dog Beach is a humans-only beach that is equipped with a boardwalk, benches and tables, as well as showers for humans.
If you are keen on a 5-minute drive, Caspersen Beach is a stones throw away from the dog park. This rocky beach is known as the longest beach in the county of Sarasota. Aside from laying in the sun and enjoying the water, Caspersen is also a destination for tourists on the hunt for shark teeth! (seriously, it’s famous for the shark teeth!)
HUNGRY? READ MORE – Best Restaurants in Venice, Florida (According to Locals)
Dogs + Beach + Shark Teeth = a Fun Day Out!
Another perk of the Brohard Dog beach in Venice is that not only are you able to enjoy a gorgeous Florida beach, with beautiful sand and calm warm Gulf waters, but you are also able to find shark teeth here too! Yes, so you can also go shark tooth hunting with your pup alongside you as well.
READ MORE: Pros and Cons to Living in Venice, Florida
Honestly, the Brohard Dog Beach really is one of the best dog beaches that we have discovered during our travels. We really love the fact that it’s an off-leash beach that our dog can fully enjoy, and the fact that we can enjoy it too is just wonderful. It’s just the type of beach we enjoy for a good beach day, and it’s a huge bonus that our dog can come with us and enjoy it too!
Curious about buying a house Venice? Click here to search all homes for sale in Venice!
Dogs can also be leashed at Bird Key Beach, which is within the City of Sarasota.
Hi Amy – thanks for reading and for the comment. Is Bird Key Beach a public beach? Our understanding is that it’s private just for the residents of Bird Key.
– Liz