Sarasota County Pet Friendly Parks
Here are parks located in Sarasota County that allow pets.
Beach Park
Bird Key Park - on John Ringling Causeway (on the way to St. Armand's Circle, just east of the bridge) is Sarasota's only beach allowing dogs and cats.
Brohard Park & Dog Beach - Venice-off leash is OK
Parks
Ken Thompson Park - 1700 Ken Thompson Parkway, on City Island by Mote Marine Laboratory
Bay Front Park - at U. S. 41 & Ringling in the Marina Jack area
Gillespie Park - 710 N. Osprey, Downtown at Gillespie and N. Osprey
Arlington Park - 2650 Waldemere Street (trail area only)
Paw Parks
17th Street Park - 4570 17th Street, on 17th Street east of Beneva Road, west of Honore Avenue
Woodmere Park - On Jacaranda Boulevard 2 blocks north of U. S. 41
Lakeview Park - Sarasota
Brohard Park
If you're looking for a great dog beach then you might want to check out Brohard Beach in Venice. It's the only beach are in the county where dogs are allowed to roam free. The park features an enclosed run for big dogs and one for small dogs, as well as an open beach area where dogs can swim. Brohard Park is located in the southern most part of the City of Venice, by the Venice Airport property on Harbor Drive.
If you enjoy fishing, there's a 740 foot fishing pier on the property for public use. The fishing pier is a great spot to watch the sunset.
Also located at the park is Sharky's Restaurant and the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center. The wetland area is known for bird watching. There are no lifeguards on duty though.
There is a fenced area, a dune walkover, a drinking fountain and showers for dogs and fire hydrants and leash posts. A 300 foot section of beach is a dog beach for dogs and their owners. I really like the dog wash area with wooden platforms to clean the dogs on. It's great to be able to wash the dogs right up after the beach and put them in the car all cleaned.
South Brohard park is by far the best dog-friendly beach in Southwest Florida, IMO. Definitely worth the drive from Sarasota. Here's a link to my pups playing on Brohard: https://www.city-data.com/forum/membe...dog-beach.html
After the dog beach we always stop by Ophelia's in Nokomis. They have special doggie dining out on the porch. It's $1.75 for a breast of chicken and a big bucket of water for the doggies. They love going there after a good romp at the beach!
Bekham’s in Osprey has dog friendly dining out on the patio as well as The Salty Dog Grill.
Dogs are allowed to be off leash at Ken Thompson Park (also known as City Park) as long as they are under voice control.
Per City of Sarasota municipal code:
Except for in those parks listed in section 8-29, a dog may remain unleashed in a city park so long as it remains under the voice control and within one hundred (100) feet of its owner or other person having care, custody, or control of the dog.
Dogs can go swimming at Bayfront Park (also known as Island Park), but need to be on leash once out of the water:
Per City of Sarasota municipal code:
(a)
Except as stated in subsection 8-29(b) herein, it shall be unlawful for any person owning a dog, or having care, custody, or control of a dog, to allow the dog to run without restraint within Bayfront and Island Park, Gillespie Park, or Arlington Park. A proper restraint shall be a lead or leash not longer than twenty-six (26) feet.
(b)
A dog within Bayfront and Island Park may be released, at water's edge, to allow the animal to swim, but the dog shall be immediately placed under leash upon coming ashore.
A good Manatee county dog park is in Lakewood Ranch sub-division has a great dog park but it is little known. It is like a Florida State Park ! Get off I-75 at State Rd. 70, go east to Lakewood Ranch Blvd., turn right, go to the first stop light at Summerfield Parkway, go on Summerfield Parkway until it ends at Summerfield Lake, turn right and go into the parking lot. Stop and look at the park map next to the sidewalk going into the forest past the south side of Summerfield lake. Walk is about 1.4 miles. Check out Wolf Slough [creek] at the south end of the walk....you can see it from many spots along the east trail which parallels it. Also, across the bridge over Wolf Slough where the trail is a concrete sidewalk, you will find a DOG PARK.....a really good one. Go to the Lakewood Ranch city hall and buy a non-resident pass for the Dog Park !
Beach Park
Bird Key Park - on John Ringling Causeway (on the way to St. Armand's Circle, just east of the bridge) is Sarasota's only beach allowing dogs and cats.
Brohard Park & Dog Beach - Venice-off leash is OK
Parks
Ken Thompson Park - 1700 Ken Thompson Parkway, on City Island by Mote Marine Laboratory
Bay Front Park - at U. S. 41 & Ringling in the Marina Jack area
Gillespie Park - 710 N. Osprey, Downtown at Gillespie and N. Osprey
Arlington Park - 2650 Waldemere Street (trail area only)
Paw Parks
17th Street Park - 4570 17th Street, on 17th Street east of Beneva Road, west of Honore Avenue
Woodmere Park - On Jacaranda Boulevard 2 blocks north of U. S. 41
Lakeview Park - Sarasota
Brohard Park
If you're looking for a great dog beach then you might want to check out Brohard Beach in Venice. It's the only beach are in the county where dogs are allowed to roam free. The park features an enclosed run for big dogs and one for small dogs, as well as an open beach area where dogs can swim. Brohard Park is located in the southern most part of the City of Venice, by the Venice Airport property on Harbor Drive.
If you enjoy fishing, there's a 740 foot fishing pier on the property for public use. The fishing pier is a great spot to watch the sunset.
Also located at the park is Sharky's Restaurant and the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center. The wetland area is known for bird watching. There are no lifeguards on duty though.
There is a fenced area, a dune walkover, a drinking fountain and showers for dogs and fire hydrants and leash posts. A 300 foot section of beach is a dog beach for dogs and their owners. I really like the dog wash area with wooden platforms to clean the dogs on. It's great to be able to wash the dogs right up after the beach and put them in the car all cleaned.
South Brohard park is by far the best dog-friendly beach in Southwest Florida, IMO. Definitely worth the drive from Sarasota. Here's a link to my pups playing on Brohard: https://www.city-data.com/forum/membe...dog-beach.html
After the dog beach we always stop by Ophelia's in Nokomis. They have special doggie dining out on the porch. It's $1.75 for a breast of chicken and a big bucket of water for the doggies. They love going there after a good romp at the beach!
Bekham’s in Osprey has dog friendly dining out on the patio as well as The Salty Dog Grill.
Dogs are allowed to be off leash at Ken Thompson Park (also known as City Park) as long as they are under voice control.
Per City of Sarasota municipal code:
Except for in those parks listed in section 8-29, a dog may remain unleashed in a city park so long as it remains under the voice control and within one hundred (100) feet of its owner or other person having care, custody, or control of the dog.
Dogs can go swimming at Bayfront Park (also known as Island Park), but need to be on leash once out of the water:
Per City of Sarasota municipal code:
(a)
Except as stated in subsection 8-29(b) herein, it shall be unlawful for any person owning a dog, or having care, custody, or control of a dog, to allow the dog to run without restraint within Bayfront and Island Park, Gillespie Park, or Arlington Park. A proper restraint shall be a lead or leash not longer than twenty-six (26) feet.
(b)
A dog within Bayfront and Island Park may be released, at water's edge, to allow the animal to swim, but the dog shall be immediately placed under leash upon coming ashore.
A good Manatee county dog park is in Lakewood Ranch sub-division has a great dog park but it is little known. It is like a Florida State Park ! Get off I-75 at State Rd. 70, go east to Lakewood Ranch Blvd., turn right, go to the first stop light at Summerfield Parkway, go on Summerfield Parkway until it ends at Summerfield Lake, turn right and go into the parking lot. Stop and look at the park map next to the sidewalk going into the forest past the south side of Summerfield lake. Walk is about 1.4 miles. Check out Wolf Slough [creek] at the south end of the walk....you can see it from many spots along the east trail which parallels it. Also, across the bridge over Wolf Slough where the trail is a concrete sidewalk, you will find a DOG PARK.....a really good one. Go to the Lakewood Ranch city hall and buy a non-resident pass for the Dog Park !
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