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Pet Friendly Florida
The Islamorada village sign at Anne’s Beach Park listing park rules, including Dogs Must Be Leashed and hours of sunrise to sunset.
Key West

Pet-Friendly Beaches & Parks: Key West, FL

Dog Beach on Vernon Avenue, the fenced dog park at Higgs, and the Monroe County rule that opens up leashed park access across the Keys.

Updated October 24, 2026 3 min read By

Key West has one especially important pet beach:

Key West Dog Beach at 1500 Vernon Avenue.

The island also has a major fenced dog park at Higgs Beach and additional leashed park options through Monroe County.

The important rule is not to assume every Key West beach welcomes ordinary pets.

Key West Dog Beach

The City of Key West currently operates Dog Beach at:

1500 Vernon Avenue Key West, FL 33040

Current city hours:

Sunrise to sunset

The city describes it as a small dog-friendly beach where dogs can swim.

Official page: cityofkeywest-fl.gov

Higgs Beach Dog Park

Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach Park includes a large fenced dog park.

Monroe County describes separate runs for:

  • Small dogs
  • Large dogs

This is one of the island’s best off-leash exercise options.

Higgs Beach Itself

Higgs Beach is a large public beach complex with:

  • Oceanfront
  • Pier
  • Picnic areas
  • Restrooms
  • Dog park

Do not confuse the presence of a dog park with blanket permission for ordinary dogs on every section of sand.

Follow current posted beach rules.

Monroe County Parks

Monroe County currently states:

Leashed pets are allowed at county parks.

Owners must clean up after pets.

That opens additional options throughout the Florida Keys.

Official guidance: monroecounty-fl.gov

Key West Pines Park

Monroe County lists Key West Pines Park among its Key West properties.

Because county parks permit leashed pets generally, it can be useful for a quieter walk when current site conditions permit.

Beaches Are Not All the Same

Key West has several named beaches, including:

  • Smathers Beach
  • South Beach
  • Rest Beach
  • Higgs Beach
  • Dog Beach

Only one of them is legal for your dog, and it is written into the city code rather than left to a sign. Key West ordinance section 26-66 says no owner or keeper shall allow an animal to be on a public beach at all – on a leash or not. It then carves out exactly one exception: animals under adult control at Vernon Street Beach, plus service animals.

Vernon Street Beach is Dog Beach. So Smathers, South Beach, Rest Beach and the sand at Higgs are all closed to ordinary pets – not discouraged, not “check the signs”, but prohibited by ordinance. It is a small island and this is a short list to remember: the dog goes on the sand at Vernon Street, and nowhere else.

Two different sets of hours, so use the tighter one

We found a genuine conflict worth knowing about. The city’s own facilities page for Dog Beach gives its hours as sunrise to sunset. The ordinance that governs all public beaches, section 26-70, closes them between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. – a wider window. The two do not agree.

Go by sunrise to sunset. It is the city’s own published description of this specific beach, it is the tighter of the two, and in summer it also keeps you off the sand during the hours that would cook a dog’s feet anyway.

Sea Turtle Nesting

Key West has specific sea turtle protection rules.

Pets that could disturb:

  • Turtles
  • Hatchlings
  • Nests

may not roam loose and unsupervised during nesting season.

Keep dogs controlled near shorelines and nesting areas.

Official guidance: cityofkeywest-fl.gov

Chickens

Free-roaming chickens are common around Key West.

Dogs should not be allowed to chase them in parks or streets.

Heat

Key West heat can become intense quickly.

Best outdoor times:

  • Sunrise
  • Early morning
  • Evening

Pavement

Many Key West outings involve sidewalks rather than grass.

Check pavement temperature before long walks.

Best Key West Outdoor Spot by Need

Best dog swimming: Key West Dog Beach Best fenced off-leash exercise: Higgs Beach Dog Park Best broader leashed park system: Monroe County parks Best city walking: Old Town / waterfront areas

Key West’s Dog Beach and the Monroe County beaches farther up the Keys are in the Monroe County section of our Florida dog beach directory.

More Key West Guides

Continue with:

Key West’s pet-beach rule is easy to handle once you stop assuming every beach is dog-friendly.

Use the designated Dog Beach for swimming and the dog park at Higgs for off-leash exercise.

Sources