Are you looking for a day in the sun with your dog and a Mai Tai? Stop by Fort Lauderdale Dog Beach and Park & Ocean Beachside Bar & Eatery for a day trip on the weekend. Fort Lauderdale boasts one of the top beaches in the country that attracts spring breakers from the north for its warm weather and turquoise blue water.
Where to park: You can park on the street along A1A where you pay with an app called PayByPhone or using the meters. If you prefer not to parallel park, you can also park in a lot at the Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. The park charges $6 per vehicle at the park entrance and closes at 6:00pm. On busy days, the parking lot at Birch State Park can be full. On these days, we drive up and down A1A until we get lucky and find a spot that opens up.
Stop 1: Park & Ocean Beachside Bar & Eatery
Park & Ocean Beachside Bar & Eatery is located inside Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. From the live music to the twinkle lights to the ocean views, Park & Ocean is your ideal Florida beach bar. Its hours are 11:00am – 5:00pm Monday through Thursday and 11:00am – 8:00pm Friday through Sunday. They have a limited menu of Southern- and Caribbean-inspired food as well as local beer offerings and a few cocktails. I recommend ordering the Mai Tai with the Blackened Mahi Sandwich as well as the Spicy Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls to share. Park & Ocean is a great place to chill for the afternoon with a group of friends and your dogs. You can also book a kayak or canoe tour and bring your dog.
Stop 2: Fort Lauderdale Dog Beach
The Fort Lauderdale Canine Beach is directly across A1A from Park & Ocean. The Canine Beach is a 100-yard section that starts at the second set of parking spaces north of Sunrise Boulevard on A1A. You can only bring your dog to this one small section of Fort Lauderdale Beach; the rest of Fort Lauderdale Beach is not dog-friendly, unfortunately. The hours are 3:00pm to 7:00pm November to March and 3:00pm to 9:00pm April to October on Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. You must keep your dog on a leash (maximum of 6-feet long) at all times. This dog beach is great if you live in the Fort Lauderdale area or want to meet friends at Park & Ocean and then sit at the beach afterwards. However, if you’re looking for a dog beach in South Florida where you can let your dog off the leash that has longer hours, I recommend Jupiter Off-Leash Dog Beach in Jupiter, Florida or Haulover Beach Dog Park in North Miami, Florida.
Rye Lee and Me 