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These 2 North Carolina Dog Friendly Beaches Are Calling Your Adorable Pup’s Name

Author Melanie Day

Are you looking to take your best friend with you on your next beach trip? It can be expensive to leave your pet at home plus who wants to be without them? So you may be interested in North Carolina dog friendly beaches.

Many of the local beaches place restrictions on dogs on the beach during the busy season. But there are still some options for you. And two North Carolina dog friendly beaches were among the USA 10best dog friendly beaches in America for 2024.

These beaches offer a “slice of paradise where you can share the joy or sun, sand, and surf with your furry friend”. So while North Carolina dog friendly beaches made the cut?

North Carolina Dog Friendly Beaches

10. Nags Head

Situated on the Outer Banks at the edge of Jockey Ridge State Park. According to the Dare County website, “dogs are allowed on the beach year-round as long as they are restrained by a leash not exceeding 10 feet, held by a person who is physically able to control the animal”.

4. Freeman Park at Carolina Beach

Freeman Park is one of the best-known and most popular Carolina Beach attractions. It’s one of only a handful of North Carolina beaches where you can drive 4×4 vehicles on the beach. But about your dogs? According to CarolinaBeach.org “dogs are allowed in Freeman Park ON A LEASH between April 1st and September 30th.” Additionally, “dogs are allowed in Freeman Park OFF LEASH between October 1st and March 31st”.

All 10 beaches on the USA Today 10Best list (which can be viewed in full here), were first part of a list selected by an expert panel. Those beaches were then voted on by readers as the best in the U.S. If you’re looking for a North Carolina dog friendly beach then perhaps it’s time to give Carolina Beach or Nags Head a try!

Melanie Day is a graduate of North Carolina State University. She has worked for Beasley since 2012 in a variety of behind-the-scenes roles in both digital and promotions. Melanie writes about a diverse range of topics some of her favorites include travel, restaurants, Taylor Swift, and college athletics. When not at work you'll find her at a country concert or NC State sporting event.

5 Of The Nation's Top Dog Friendly Restaurants Are In North Carolina

Five of the most dog-friendly restaurants in America are in North Carolina. Listen I love dogs. I really do. And I’m on board (if your dog can handle it and is happy) for taking dogs to places like breweries. Perhaps even somewhere with an outdoor patio to eat. But I’m a little more hazy on that one. But what I saw this weekend in Blowing Rock, was two different dogs one in a stroller and the other just laying under the table, inside in a restaurant. I’m sorry the line has to be drawn somewhere. Your dog will be ok at home for an hour by themselves. These were not service animals, just dogs that were accompanying their owners to dine inside a sit-down restaurant.

I get it. When my dog was alive I did wish I could take him everywhere. He loved to go to the drive threw, the bank,  or a pet-friendly store like Petsmart. But I never took him into a general store and certainly never to a restaurant. And in all honesty, he would have been miserable at a restaurant. He hated sitting still in a new place, would have been trying to eat everyone’s food, and the heat outside would have bothered him as well. But despite my personal feelings about taking your dog out to eat, numerous people do it. This is what led Yelp to create a list of the most dog-friendly restaurants in America. And not one, not two, but 5 North Carolina restaurants made the list.

Here’s how Yelp says the list was curated: “We identified businesses in the restaurants and food categories with a large concentration of reviews mentioning “dog friendly,” then ranked those spots using a number of factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews mentioning those keywords between June 1, 2020, and June 1, 2023. If a chain appeared on the list more than once, we only included the highest-rated location. When available, all businesses on this list have a passing health score as of June 1, 2023.” You can view the full list of 100 restaurants here or keep reading to see the 5 top dog-friendly restaurants in North Carolina.

  • 10. Sunny Point Cafe

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CtzpkKiukn0/

    Location: Asheville, NC

    Sunny Point Cafe is a popular comfort food spot in West Asheville. It has over 2360 reviews on Yelp and a 4.5 star rating. They are open for breakfast and lunch. View the menu here.

  • 28. Hillman Beer

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvm5Gx6OY2u/

    Location: Old Fort

    Just down the road in Old Fort North Carolina you’ll find the second NC restaurant on this list- Hillman Beer. There are actually locations not only in Old Fort but in Asheville and Morganton as well. This small family-owned business brings “the pub style to a brewery experience”. It boasts a large outdoor patio with picnic tables perfect for bringing your pup. View the menu here.

  • 43. Funkatorium

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CsmIMziuTTj/

    Location: Asheville

    Asheville does have a reputation as being very dog friendly. And this next spot also stays in Asheville. You’ll find Funkatorium in the South Slope of Asheville. It is owned by popular Wicked Weed Brewing and is the East Coast’s first sour beer dedicated taproom. And like most breweries, Funkatorium is dog friendly. View the menu here.

  • 62. Brewers At 4001 Yancey

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CvZz8d9ufrg/?img_index=1

    Location: Charlotte

    One of my favorite spots in Charlotte Brewers at 4001 Yancey is a joint venture between Southern Tier, Sixpoint, Victory Brewing Company and Bold Rock Cidery. Located in LoSo they have a huge outdoor space perfect for dogs, a wide variety of beer, seltzers, ciders, cocktails, and delicious food. Plus there is parking which in Charlotte is always a bonus! View the menu here.

  • 80. Boojum Brewing

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctev_IHJv04/

    Location: Waynesville

    In downtown Waynesville, you’ll find Boojum Brewing. This taproom located in the shadow of the picturesque Smoky Mountains features delicious seasonal pub fare, a rotating menu of 16 house-brewed beers, as well as wine and cocktails. View the menu here.

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