Dog Beach
Ocean Beach, CA
Dog Beach sits where the San Diego River meets the ocean, a genuine off-leash institution and one of the first legal dog beaches in the country. It's a real local gathering spot for dog owners, with the river mouth adding a shallow, calmer stretch of water that dogs seem to prefer over the open surf.
A genuine institution for dog owners, one of the original off-leash beaches in the country, still a real local favorite.
How we score beachesThe river mouth area is shallower and calmer than the open beach nearby, a genuinely good spot for dogs still getting used to the water.
Off-leash dogs are permitted on the entire beach, a genuine rarity and one of the reasons this spot became so well known.
San Diego County's water climbs into the upper 60s and low 70s by late summer, the most comfortable window for swimming.
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