Brohard Paw Park

Or call (941) 861-5000 or email keepsarasotacountybeautiful@scgov.net for more information.

• Tricia
  Feb. 25, 2023
  Great Dog Beach!

  excellent area for dogs - loved the washing station at the end of the day. my dog had a great time

• Holli
  Jan. 21, 2023
  Good park

  only doing 4/5 stars bc of people not paying attention to their dogs.
  beach is nice
  board walk down to beach is nice
  usually clean
  dogs love to swim the beach!
  it is NOT fenced so make sure your dog has some recall, leaving on a leash makes it harder for your dog and others.
  some people think it’s ok to bring food to the DOG beach which causes issues bc some dogs are food aggressive
  some dogs (usually medium-small dogs) guard their owners space they are sitting which causes fights.
  best time to go is summer time before noon.
  we don’t go during snowbird season bc of how many people there are.

  BRING FRESH WATER FOR YOUR DOG

• Brigid M.
  Dec. 31, 2022
  Great dog beach!

  After the Lee County Dog Beach closed after the hurricane, we traveled up to Venice to visit this one, and were pleasantly surprised! Similar to Sanibel’s “real beach,” this is a section off the human beach with lots of off leash dogs and nice waves and sand. I did have to pick up after a few other dogs, but at a dog beach of course I don’t mind! My dog loved it and it’s worth the drive. Respectful and responsible owners. Nice place to spend a day, and hang out in the dog-friendly town of Venice afterwards. Parking is a bit tight so get there early on weekends!

• Jeremy
  Dec. 29, 2022
  Crazy crowded and small area

  We went during a nice day in December, and it was packed. Tons of dogs running off leash with the occasional flare ups you would expect. It is a very small area that is allocated to the dog beach so it packs everyone in. We saw dog poop on the sidewalk at multiple spots and encountered a loose dog at the gate.

• Susa
  Dec. 29, 2022
  Beautiful beach

  A very nice beach. A lot of dogs. I wish they would open up more beaches for dogs as there is clearly a demand. Nice trail around the pond. The fenced dog park itself is small but nice with water and the possibility to rinse off saltwater

• Raul
  Sep. 7, 2022
  Fabulous

  awesome place

• Bob
  Sep. 7, 2022
  Amazing park and beach

  was our first time at the beach after rescuing Stella at 4 mo 3 weeks ago. very friendly dogs, people and a very well kept dog park with beach access. Stella loved it and made some new friends as well.

• Christina
  Sep. 4, 2022
  Awesome beach!!

  Brohard Paw Park is our pus favorite place to go. In our experience the owners are very responsible. The beach is spacious and there are plenty of “poo bag” stations to help with cleaning up after your pup.

• Nicole
  Apr. 21, 2022
  Great dog beach!

  Great place for dogs to run off leash and experience the ocean! We took our 1-year-old Golden Retriever who experienced waves, the ocean, and a dog park for the first time there and it was a huge success. All of the dogs and owners were very friendly. We 100% plan on going again!

• Laurie
  Mar. 3, 2022
  Too Many Aggressive Dogs

  Owner’s not being responsible. Beach is too small.

• Gary
  Feb. 19, 2022
  Address and GPS Coordinates

  The correct address is:
  1850 Harbour Drive South

  GPS:
  (27.0690402, -82.4469465)

• Squisito Waldi
  Dec. 19, 2021
  The only off-leash beach near Sarasota

  positive: Really well-designed and beautiful dog beach with areas for my hooman to wash off the sand and rest rooms. Lots of nice dogs to play with.
  negative: very popular and full, and compared to my California dog beaches it was a bit small in area, so I would go early in the morning if I would go back. Overall though, it was great!

• Elizabeth
  May. 20, 2021
  Doggie heaven!

  Wonderful beach for the the fur-friends! Very clean and lots of space! 🐾

• Brenda
  Feb. 26, 2021
  Wonderful place- wonderful dogs

  wow! So happy to have discovered this beach. Took our 2 smallish dogs amd they had a blast- without ever swimming! 😂 Dogs of all sizes exploring while owners kept watchful eyes out. Families on blankets w kids spending the entire day, retirees sitting in law chairs while Fido burns off some energy with other dogs, solo people strolling around, couples drinking beer... all are doing their thing while the dogs do theirs. so fun.
  we went back a second day with a packed cooler and spent the afternoon. some people keep their dogs leashes and near them, some let them swim, some dogs just kept looking for a buddy to chase or wrestle. All dogs and owners were well mannered and respectful of those dogs that weren’t wanting to play.

• Ellie
  Jan. 31, 2021
  Beautiful Beach

  Very nice beach to hang out with your doggos for the day! You should be prepared to also love other people's dogs while you are there as this is an off-leash beach. People were very respectful while we were there but there were of course a few pups that were super excited and wanted to meet everyone (which was totally fine with us). You walk through a gated dog park with double gate entrances to get down to the beach. There is a wash off station and bathrooms at the entrance but no human showers. There is a small parking lot right at the entrance of the dog park but a much larger parking lot just to the north that is next to the bathrooms. The sand is soft and the water is a very pretty aqua color. We would certainly visit again!

• Melissa
  Jan. 23, 2021
  Kentucky Dog Loves This Beach

  @leothegreatdog LOVED it! Lots of room to run and play! All the dogs were well-behaved today.

• Stephanie
  Dec. 13, 2020
  Great Experience

  There is water hoses in the front of the parks for spraying off and water bowls. Gorgeous beach and plenty of area to watch and walk and play.

• Nichole
  Sep. 30, 2020
  So Many Beautiful Doggos!!!

  Had a blast out there today!! From 225lb pound dogs to 4lb dogs.... so much fun! highly recommend!!

• Carmen
  Sep. 12, 2020
  Best Beach For Doggies & Their Humans

  Had a incredible beach day with our 2 year old Cocker Spaniel. The beach is super clean and the water was fantastic. All the dogs got along. Would definitely return.

• Laurie
  Jul. 24, 2020
  Loved This Beach

  visiting from Alabama and our dog had a great time swimming. loved the little wash station, too! great experience!

• Rhiannon
  Jul. 10, 2020
  Best off Leash Dog Park

  We stopped by Brohard paw park for a couple hours while traveling to the the Keys. We are traveling with our one year old border collie so we like to find nice places to stop for him. Brohard is probably one of the best off leash dog beaches we have been too. We stopped by on a Friday afternoon and it wasn’t to busy. We walked down the beach a little to be away from others. It was a very large beach area and it was on the Gulf. My husband panned for sharks teeth and found several while my pup and I played in the ocean. There is a nice little dog park at the entrance to Brohard Dog Beach and it has a concrete bathing area making it easy to give the pup a quick bath before we continued on our trip. They also had outside showers for people and clean bathrooms so we could rinse off and change clothes. Highly recommend this place. 😊

• Deni
  Feb. 28, 2020
  One Of The Best

  This beach i s wonderful for leaving your dog playing and running off leash! People are very friendly. Beach is clean. There is also a fenced park at the entrance to the beach where the dogs can be showered, play etc.
  Our Jack Russell loved that place :-)

• Dean
  Feb. 5, 2020
  Best Dog Beach Ever

  I find it incredible that this park has bad reviews. This is the only off lease dog park we could find on the west coast of Florida. Of course, there is going to be dogs that don't behave. We are so thankful there is a designated area for us to have fun with our dog. The parking lot needs to be larger!

• Beth
  Nov. 2, 2019
  Great Dog Beach

  Great Beach for dogs and humans

• Brenda
  Jul. 24, 2019
  Nice Beach For Dogs To Run And Play

  My husband and I took our two dogs here for the first time and it was a great time for all. The dog beach area is big enough for quite a lot of people and dogs. There were lots of dogs and their people, all seemed to be enjoying themselves. The Beach was clean, they have a poop station with poop bags as well as an area to wash the salt and sand off your dog when you leave. There is plenty of free parking. We really enjoyed this dog beach and we do recommend it.

• Chris
  Jul. 8, 2019
  Great Park

  The dog park itself is a little small but with the addition of the beach access it is not a problem. There are hoses to wash after the beach and plenty of shade. Our boxers loved it so we went several times during our stay in englewood.

• Ashley
  Jul. 3, 2019
  Amazing Spot

  Our Golden’s favorite place to go! Great to let her run unleashed around the beach. Friendly dogs with owners who are attentive. Make sure to bring extra water/bowls for dogs. Chairs are always a better option than towels on sand, as you’ll have multiple dogs running through your set-up to visit, have some water, or take advantage of the shade of your tent!

• Ally
  Jun. 12, 2019
  Great Spot

  This was our first time here and we loved it. The beach was clean, and easy to find. There were a lot of other dogs enjoying the park as well. We will be back!

• Orlando
  Jun. 3, 2019
  Nice Beach

  The beach itself was clean and clear, the only issue I had was the irresponsible dog owners who bring aggressive dogs and don’t discipline their pets. I saw 4 dog fights within the first hour I was there and it was a couple with 2 Mastiffs who were lunging at any dog that walked by. Now I love my dog and will defend her 100% if she’s attacked by an aggressive dog but I shouldn’t have to worry about that while on a beach.

• Lindsay
  Apr. 16, 2019
  Great Way To Tire Out Your Pup

  These was our second time going and all the people were very kind. Both dog and humans made some new friends. The dogs are free to run off leash on the beach or if you would rather there is a fenced in dog park also. There are showers to rinse off. All sorts of different breeds too. There was one “aggressive” dog but he seemed to warm up. A lady even warned us before we entered. All in all this is a must do!

• A
  Mar. 9, 2019
  Fun Spot To Take Your Dog Whether From Near Or Far

  Beautiful beach and lots of room for all dogs. Everyone was nice and respectful. Hose area to wash your dog off right by the gate.

• Linda
  Feb. 15, 2019
  Fabulous

  We have been a few times and it is a great place for dogs. We’ve only had friendly dogs and owners and our dogs big and small love it!

• Ron
  Jan. 2, 2019
  Excellent!

  Loved the park and every dog was well behaved

• Paige
  Dec. 26, 2018
  So great!

  My parents have been coming here for years, and I finally got to bring my own dog, and wow! We absolutely loved it!
  Lots of dogs, but all very friendly, lots of great owners as well! Can’t wait to be back.

• Jennifer
  Mar. 14, 2018
  Love it but also hate it!

  I have been going to this beach since 2001 when it did not have a parking lot and you could be the only one on the beach. Over the years it's become popular and if you've been to Venice you can understand. The beach is just breathe taking and the water shelf is very shallow. Reading some of these reviews I see both sides. The beach is over run with LARGE dogs and alot of them are pitbulls. You can have an off day and an on day it's just hard to know. I do the best I can to protect my furry ones but I also have had my dog bitten while on a leash by a smaller dog (Fort Desoto dog beach) I will continue to drive over 45min to get there unless Sarasota or Manatee County open up a dog beach further north.

• Jo
  Feb. 19, 2018
  Brohard Beach

  My dog and I love Brohard Beach. We make the drive to Venice from North Fort Myers to enjoy this wonderful beach. Dogs are free to roam, swim and have fun. We go with friends with their dogs, large and small and everyone plays together.

• Andria
  Feb. 14, 2018
  Too Small and the Locals are Jerks

  I went to Brohard once very early in the morning on a weekday. It was nice when nobody was there. But my second visit was much busier. As soon as I walked in the gate my dog was attacked by a larger dog, whose owner immediately accused me of bringing an aggressive dog into the park. My dog did nothing but bark once at an intrusion into his personal space, then both backed off. This man and his wife followed us all the way down to the beach. They left us alone long enough to get settled, but we were not comfortable because the beach area was not large enough to accommodate all the dogs there. We gave it about 20 minutes before we decided to leave. The man from before kept walking back and forth past us on the beach, talking to other beach goers and warning them about my "aggressive" dog who had done nothing but lie in the sand. I wish I could say it was just that one dude but we kept getting stink eyes from residents just for having a larger sized dog the whole walk out. I wouldn't go back.

• Frank
  More than a year ago
  big dogs and small dogs

  Nice beach, but every time I go there problems show up with big dogs traumatizing little dogs. A separation barrier would be nice on the beach, that way people have a choice of where their dogs associate.

• Linda
  More than a year ago
  Unleashed Maybe not so good

  The Beach area of Paws Park needs some policing. It's fine to let your dog off leash as long as you don't let your dog go jump in other people's laps. Today several dog owners let their dogs run unsupervised. Usually if a dog wonders under our tent the owner will stand up and retrieve their dog. Not today. Today was a free for all, anything goes. And today many people didn't pick up after their dogs. Yuk!!!

• Daniel
  More than a year ago
  Brohard Beach is Awesome!!!!!

  Dogs galore having an awesome time off leash. We had the best day. Very convenient to Sarasota, where we were stayng

• David
  More than a year ago
  What a great dog beach!

  Took our Lab Bos'n to the Brohard dog beach in Venice, FL, today. 78 F. Sunny. Gorgeous beach day.
  What a dog heaven!
  A hundred or more dogs milling around and running up and down the beach and into and out of the water. Labs, Goldens and what have you all vying for frisbees and tennis balls.
  Bos'n thinking that each toy was his own and charging into the water to get it ahead of any other dog. Busy having to reunite items to their proper owners/dogs.
  Kudos to the County for this great beach and to the dog owners for cleaning up after their pets.
  Bos'n ingesting lots of saltwater at each charge. Repeat. Repeat.
  Went to lunch later at a waterfront restaurant that allows dogs.
  Regurge, regurge. (It has been said by a dog that it is better to have eaten it once, barfed it up and eaten it again than never to have eaten it at all). Poor boy didn't get a chance to do so before the staff cleaned it up.
  All in all, a perfect dog day.

• Jdm
  More than a year ago
  my female rescue dog (60lbs)

  Tipper loved the beach, and amenities. Thinking of moving to any area in Florida
  Where there are more beaches like this but having a hard time locating a list of dog beaches of Fl
  

• Rae
  More than a year ago
  amazing!

  So much fun here at this dog beach! Always a great time!
  

• Dave
  More than a year ago
  Near perfect

  Our (and our dogs) first ocean experience.
  Brohard lives up to the hype! Lots of amenities, and a great experience all 'round!
  One "bone" deducted, for the fact that small dogs must cross into the large breed side for beach access.

• Jana
  More than a year ago
  The best doggie beach in Florida

  We have been on a lookout for a dog-friendly beach in Florida and think this is the best one (there is not many - second best probably being Flagler beach in Volusia county). Our Golden Retriever Bella loves the gentle waves and turquoise waters. The amenities are good and dogs and their owners are friendly. Some are not very responsible when it comes to cleaning up after their pets immediately but unfortunately that can be expected. We can't wait to come back!

• Sarah
  More than a year ago
  One Word.....

  Amazing!

• BB
  More than a year ago
  Nice, but . . .

  The dog friendly area of the beach is a small strip. We saw many big dogs swimming and socializing and well behaved. We have a small dog and there isn't enough room to separate from the bigger dogs. She's less than 10lbs and is well socialized, however the area along the beach isn't long enough for a decent walk. The folks there were friendly and several seemed to be locals.

• Trevor scott
  More than a year ago
  pit bulls

  don't bother with this place....too many irresponsible pet owners w/ pit bulls. my dog was bitten within the first 2 minutes....

• Walker
  More than a year ago
  Look Around

  This park is GREAT ! If you look around for other off leash (ocean) parks in FL you wont find many. This park is perfect, as far as being set up for DOGS! It is obvious that a dog lover or lovers designed this park, fencing, water etc. Its also great that there are pet friendly motels near by. I drive two and a half hours to come here. It is unfortunate that people bring untrained or unsocial dogs here, but there is plenty of beach so just move on down (very rare). Thank you Paw Park Staff !!

• Eric
  More than a year ago
  Happiness

  Best dog beach ever, no leashes, covered picnic tables, dog park for small and big dogs, water fountains, dog showers, clean bathroom for the humans, and very nice folks frequenting the area, GREAT, Fantastic

• Margo
  More than a year ago
  Perfect for us..

  I really can't imagine a better place to spend an afternoon with my pup.. We've been to many dog parks and a few dog beaches but this is the only place I'm comfortable letting my boy run off leash. Fabulous, beautiful beach with free parking and lots of room for you and Fido.

• Robin
  More than a year ago
  Loved it!!

  Beautiful beach - was so nice to be able to enjoy the beach and bring our pooch!!

• Dae=wn
  More than a year ago
  Amazing fun!

  What a great space! Nice People and nice dogs! Run and play, picnic, spend the day! We loved it! The beach was pristine!

  This year I've been travelling with my dog from the east coast of Canada to Key west and back to Buffalo. We have visited lots of parks but this one was awesome!

• Kabrina
  More than a year ago
  Great park/beach lots of dogs great owners

  This is a great dog park very friendly and many dogs. As far as I saw all owners were picking up after their pets. It was super clean as well. I have a friendly pitbull and she was welcomed in the beach with no problems or hesitation from other owners :) will defiantly be bringing my dog here agian

• TJ
  More than a year ago
  Frequent visitor - from Orlando

  This beach is incredible - my wife and I look forward to taking our dogs to this beach. We have two large dogs - a black lab and a white German Shepherd. We make the 2 and 1/2 drive down about once a month = the area is clean, the people are friendly, and most importantly I do not have to worry about my dogs, everyone around that area is there to have a good time and to ensure that their dogs are enjoying themselves. This is one of the best dog beaches we have ever been too, and we are looking forward to our next visit!

• Margie
  More than a year ago
  Doggie Fun!

  My husband and I took our mini schnauzer to this park while visiting Manasota Key on 8/28/13....we were not there long but it was great---she had fun and all dogs were friendly.....they even announce when the see a new dog arriving---when we were leaving the beach area a pittbull unleashed appeared as if he/she would attack my doggie---but we got her away. To me it was a little scary and I think they should have had that one on leash---I would be there was a problem later....Overall it was a short but nice experience.....owners were friendly.

• Marie-Claude
  More than a year ago
  Fantastic!!!

  I'm a snowbirder and I felt more than welcome! People were friendly, park is clean, shady. There is a little trail that goes directly to the beach. Fantastic place to swin in the ocean with your dog. Plenty of fresh water and showers. Bathrooms for pet owners very clean.
  There is a secure section for small dogs also. My dog is 100 pounds and was well welcomed.

• Sheri
  More than a year ago
  For the most good, will return

  My dog is a bigger dog 70lbs. but he is very timid and had never been to the beach. We took him for the first time and for the most part it was great the dogs and thier owners were wonderful. The bad part came when one german shepherd owner just sat there as his dog would run up and jump on other dogs. He did this to our timid boy and it freaked him out. He was scared and we had a hard time getting this dog away from ours. this dog did this several times to our dog and the owner NEVER once called his back or reprimanded his dog. We left much earlier than we had planned. We will take him back but we will be sure to check to see if that irresponsible owner and pet are there. The other dogs were great and ours had a little fun. There is always one jerk in the crowd.

• Beth
  More than a year ago
  Great dog beach

  This is the fouth year in a row we have brought our lab golden mixes to this beach. They love it!! For the most part we have found most people that go there respect the beach and keep it clean. We only had a problem with a bully dog once...Wasn't horrible but he nipped at my dogs. But that is one day out of about 50 so far. Another plus is we find lots of shark's teeth while there!!
  

• Juliana
  More than a year ago
  Great!!!

  This was the first dog beach we have been so I don't have much to compare it to but we all had a great time. It was great having our 3 dogs off-leash especially when one of my dogs doesn't like water that much... The beach was clean and the dogs and their owner were nice... We went in the beginning of July and the city was empty. There wasn't that many people on the beach either, which was also great. We stayed at the Motel 6 on US 41 which wasn't that great but at least they don't charge any fees for my 3 large dogs... We were at Venice for the dog beach and the hotel was just for shut eye so it did the trick. We had a great dinner at Ophelia's Pasta House. They allow dogs. The people are friendly and the food was good. We will definitely go back there.

• Cory
  More than a year ago
  Best Dog Beach Ever!

  I've been trying all the off-leash dog beaches I can find, and this one gets 6 bones! Clean, shady fenced area with a washing station, leading to a beautiful beach with all the room to roam and swim! The people were friendly, the dogs are great! Even the little dogs were fearless and socialable. No one was trying to coddle a leashed animal away from the fun-loving group of people and dogs who were there to PLAY! Easy to get to and free parking...what more could a dog-owner ask for!

• Z.
  More than a year ago
  Too Much Poop!

  It would be nice if people picked up after their pets! We've taken our dog three times over the past three years and each time we've watched people ignore their responsibility of picking up after their pet. Very disappointing!

• Deb
  More than a year ago
  loved it

  I have a golden retriever "marley" and he loved it, its so nice to have a shower at the park to be able to clean them up before you leave..but..make sure you love all dogs if you visit a dog park or dog beach and please dont bring your dog if its not friendly with other dogs.

• Nancy
  More than a year ago
  Not very friendly dog owners

  We have been to many dog beaches, but found the dog owners loved their own dogs but nobody elses! We have a very friendly and social German Shepherd. Whenever she came near, people would grab their little dogs as if she was going to hurt them. Other people complained if dogs ran across their blanket. Some dog owners pushed our dog away if she tried to play with their big dog. If you go to a dog beach, be prepared to love all the dogs!

• Bill
  More than a year ago
  Heaven on Earth for dogs!

  This was my golden retriever's first time to the ocean. The beach was awesome, clean, and dogs were friendly. We are going back tomorrow! This is a 5 bone rating beach!

• Joanne
  More than a year ago
  From Montreal!!

  We've been coming to this beautiful beach every xmas for the last five years. We have two Yorkshires including a chocolate one and they just love this place. Of course they meet big dogs but everyone gets along. It's wonderful for their social skills!

• Ruth
  More than a year ago
  Beautiful park and beach

  Amazingly clean fenced area and then a beautiful beach. My tiny Papillon had never been to a beach before so we didnt let him off leash on the beach but he loved it.

• Nokbuckeye
  More than a year ago
  great beach

  This is a great place to take your dog. Best in off season, early in am due to sometimes crowdedness. I think Tom is over-reacting a bit. To say that the people there enjoyed the dog fight is a bit over the top. Most people are very respectful of others at this beach. By far best on gulf coast.

• Karen
  More than a year ago
  Golden loved the Beach

  Recently spent a week in Venice, found this fabulous off-leash park and beach area 1st full day. My golden retriever and I returned every morning as she was smitten with the beach. Park is really well maintained, water/hose/drain area to bath or just remove salt water from the dogs coat. Plenty of water stations, great shade, picnic tables and doggy doo pick-up bags.

  I have never seen off-leash done so well. I am now campaigning for similar facilities on or near our Great Lake.

• Jo
  More than a year ago
  An Amazing Park!!

  young Great Dane fell in love with her. Everything at this park was thoughtfully laid out. There is a doggie shower, dog drinking fountains, and plenty of free parking. The park is kept very clean. My girl can't wait to return.

• Luther
  More than a year ago
  Can't Wait to Return!

  I am a mini-schnauzer and had such a good time at Venice Beach last winter.....I can't wait to go again!! Eveyone is friendly and the people are too! Great showers and picnic area and I'd run and play all day if they'd let me!

• Ana
  More than a year ago
  Amazing Dog Beach

  I have been in other dog beaches but this is the best one, I have a mini dachshund and a small beagle and they love it here. We go there every summer.

• Sarah
  More than a year ago
  Loves it

  My dog loves it, we are here every week. Tons of space and always a lot of other dogs around to play with. Fenced in grass area too to roll around and dry off in. We love it here.

We dug up 43 pictures of dogs at Brohard Paw Park.

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