Rules for avoiding a dog fine in Carolina Beach and Kure Beach throughout the year.
What’s a walk on the beach without your favorite four-legged friend? Luckily for you, Pleasure Island offers numerous opportunities to bring Fido to the beach. Carolina Beach dog rules change throughout the year and vary depending what part of the island you’re visiting. Here’s your guide to avoiding a fine and enjoying a Pleasure Island beach walk with your dog.
Carolina Beach Dog Rules
Your pup is welcome to walk the beach year-round in Carolina Beach, just pay attention to the date on the calendar. Due to heavy crowds in the summer, the town limits dog access during the main tourist season. If you plan to visit April 1 – September 30, dog walks on the beach are limited to mornings and evenings before 9am and after 5pm.
No dogs allowed on the beach between 9am and 5pm from April 1 through September 30.
Dogs must be leashed at all times.
Dog owners must carry a waste container (poop bag) with them on the beach.
Violating the dog walking restrictions on the beach can result in a $100 citation.
Kure Beach Dog Rules
Kure Beach now follows that same peak-season dog rules as its neighbor Carolina Beach. If you are within the Kure Beach town limits, no dogs are allowed on the beach between the hours of 9am and 5pm from April 1 through September 30. From October 1 to March 31, your pup is welcome anytime of day in Kure Beach. Similar to Carolina Beach, dogs must always be on a leash and owners must carry a waste removal container with them at all times.
Ft. Fisher Dog Rules
The Ft. Fisher State Recreation Area offers a wide beach that spans all the way to the end of the island. With free parking and public restrooms, Ft. Fisher is worth the extra drive down the island. Dogs are welcome along the Ft. Fisher State Recreation Area beach all year long, although they must stay clear of the swimming beach area. Dogs must be leashed on a maximum 6 foot leash at all times to avoid a citation.
Freeman Park Dog Rules
Freeman Park, aka the North End, has a different set of rules when it comes to enjoying Carolina Beach. You’ll find rules are a little more relaxed in Freeman Park and the dog rules follow suit. Dogs are welcome in Freeman Park year-round. During the peak season of April 1 – September 30, dogs are welcome but required to be on a leash.
If you’re visiting October 1 through March 31, your dog is welcome off-leash in Freeman Park. Off leash pups are expected to be under voice command within a reasonable distance of their owner. Like the rest of the island, dogs owners must carry dog waste containers and immediately clean up any pet waste.
Carolina Beach Boardwalk Restrictions
The Carolina Beach dog restrictions don’t end on the sand. In an effort to create a safe and sanitary environment for all visitors, dogs are not allowed on the wooden Carolina Beach Boardwalk at any time. Further more, dogs are not welcome in the Boardwalk Business District. This means you could be ticketed for walking your dog on any public property along the boardwalk area from the east end of Cape Fear Boulevard (near the Marriott and boardwalk stage) to the east end of Harper Avenue (near the Hampton Inn).
Grab a Leash and Head to the Beach
As a local dog owner, I enjoy morning and evening walks on the beach with my pups throughout the year. If you decide to bring your dogs with you to the island, please be respectful of others by keeping your dog on a leash where it’s required and cleaning up after them.
