New Smyrna Dunes Dog Beach — Attraction in New Smyrna Beach

As a local photographer and dog lover, Smyrna Dunes Dog Beach is one of my favorite spots in New Smyrna Beach!

This park is a dream for anyone looking to enjoy nature, stunning beach views, and time with their furry friends. The elevated boardwalks are perfect for a peaceful stroll (especially early in the morning), offering incredible views of the sand dunes and the surrounding nature preserve. It’s also a fantastic spot for wildlife spotting—I’ve seen everything from pelicans to egrets here!

The dog-friendly beach area is clean, safe, and a wonderful place for pups to run and play in the waves. I also love how they’ve maintained the natural beauty of the area while offering great amenities like public restrooms, pavilions, and ample parking (though it can fill up during busy times).

As someone who photographs families, couples, and maternity sessions, this location provides a breathtaking backdrop, especially with its peaceful atmosphere and picturesque landscapes. For anyone visiting New Smyrna Beach—or even Orlando—it’s...

New Smyrna Dog Beach is an absolute delight for both dogs and their owners! The beach is spacious, with plenty of room for dogs to run freely and enjoy the sand and surf. There are ample doggy bags available for clean-up, which is a big plus, and a water station to keep our furry friends hydrated. We loved the wash stations to rinse off after a fun day at the beach, as well as the scenic trails nearby that are perfect for a relaxing walk.

Overall, it’s a great spot for dogs to socialize and for pet owners to enjoy a relaxing day by the ocean. I gave it 3 stars for the off shore drilling which I thought was gross along with the murky water and the jelly cubes floating in the water washing on shore. Not sure what that is or was, but, It did not feel or looked safe so we continued to walk to the other side of the beach onto the Jetty side which was much cleaner and looked more safe. Also, dog bags are provided so I wish people can just clean up after their pets with that being said, watch out on the sand for hidden...

Visiting from Chicago, we took our Golden Retriever today and it was absolutely beautiful. We were really impressed by how nice the entire area is, and how much space is open to dogs. We even saw a dolphin pod swim by! The entire dog beach space is at least a quarter mile, even after the hurricane shut down a portion of it. Dogs are required to remain on leashes, so we brought a 20’ training lead which seemed to be a common thing to do. A local gave us a great tip, to put coconut oil on your dog’s coat beforehand to help protect it from the salt water. Also, it’s good to bring shampoo and extra towels, they have a dog rinse station where you can give your dog a cleanup before heading home. Highly recommend this beach!

EDIT: We ended up visiting the park 3 times during our stay. In addition to everything else, we saw pods of dolphin swimming through the inlet pretty close to shore, and several gopher tortoise...