Bonita Beach Dog Park

Or call (239) 229-0632 or email CWilliams@leegov.com for more information.

• Jackie
  Feb 20, 2024
  Great Location

  This dog beach is in a state park. It’s clean and beautiful. You pull up and find parking easily. Walk towards the water and stay to your right through a sandy trail and you will find plenty of open space and shallow water to romp in.

• Keith
  Feb 7, 2024
  Dog vacation

  Great beach for the pup, easy access, free parking and acres of shallow water for the doggies. Trail Access requires ankle deep wading unless you go at low tide.

• Michelle
  Dec 15, 2023
  Awesome place!

  We went at the morning's low tide so no issues with having to walk through water to get there. Dogs had a great time. Loved that it was a sheltered area so no wave action and water remained shallow out quite a ways.

• Pia
  Oct 28, 2023
  Nice place

  wade through the water to get to a nice little beach

• Robert
  Sep 23, 2023
  Best/Only Bonita Beach Dog Park

  Hard to get there at high tide and very crowded because beach is very narrow. Check the tide charts and go at low tide. Much easier to get from the parking lot to the beach and Lots more room for your pet to roam. People should be more observant of their pets though as many do keep watch or clean up after their pets.

• Cecilia
  Jul 17, 2023
  Disgusting

  Dirty, full of dog feces & empty water bottles. If I could, I’d give it a zero bone review.

• Aimee
  Jun 25, 2023
  So much fun!!!

  This beach was a little hard to get to. you had to wade through knee deep or higher water just to get to the beach but once you got there it was awesome! the people were friendly. All the dogs were good and it was clean. this was our 1st dog beach adventure and the pups had a great time🐾

• Alex
  Jun 10, 2023
  Beautiful fun beach!!

  We have brought our 2 golden retrievers for the past 2 years and they absolutely love it! The water is perfect dept and not too deep for them and they also have lots of running room. I love that it’s off leash and you don’t have to worry about your pup running off. Such a great place for dog lovers!

• Beth
  Apr 3, 2023
  Fantastic dog beach!

  We had a blast this was a beautiful beach with kind people and pets! We have a small boston and she has a blast on water never thought she would get in but she did and loved playing with other dogs! Would recommend!!! Be sure to take the small walk though trail to beach it's def worth ot.

• Ellen
  Sep 5, 2022
  Great Dog Beach

  I had done some research and discovered this dog beach. We went in the morning because of it being so hot. We had a blast and so did our dog. The water is shallow enough for him to romp through but then again he is a 110lb German Shepherd who is very big. The only thing is some people didn’t watch their dogs but overall everyone we met were friendly. Glad we took our pup there he had fun.

• Jessica
  Jul 5, 2022
  We visit all the time

  This place is the absolute best beach for dogs. We live in southeast florida and make the trip across very often to bring our pups to this dog beach. It’s nothing fancy but we love seeing them have such a good time. LISTEN TO THE REVIEWS TO CHECK THE TIDE. It’s a little walk through the mangroves but perfect if you time it right.

• K
  Jul 2, 2022
  Worth the trip!!

  See other reviews for details on getting to beach. There were several sandbars not too deep to reach for humans and larger dogs. Helped separate groups of people rather than all gathering on the shore. Some shaded areas on the beach.

• Alina
  Jun 5, 2022
  Amazing place to teach your dog to enjoy the water

  The best place for dogs in this area! Check the Bonita Springs Tide Charts before you go. You can go at high tide but be advised you will be wading in at least 2 feet of water to get to the actual dog beach. Don’t be fooled by the tiny beach you first encounter — there is a much larger beach beyond it. The off-leash area starts on your way to the beach and is indicated by signs. There is a dog shower in the parking lot, to the left of the beach entrance. We’ve been on the weekend when there were 40+ dogs or during the week when it was quieter. My dog wasn’t used to water so it took at least 3 visits, slowly increasing her time in the water. If your dog doesn’t like the water they might also be happy to just run back and forth on the sand. This is my favorite place in SW FL!

• Lindsey
  Jan 26, 2022
  THE BEST

  This beach spot is tucked wayyy back away from the road. When you go, you follow a trail (which consists of walking through water: be prepared) through thick brush pretty far back to a little beach. even though it’s not fenced in, there is no worry of the road at all!
  When we were there all the dogs were so friendly, I was very impressed! You are able to walk very far out in the water, meaning the dogs can touch for a long ways out. it’s in a great bay so there are no large waves.
  I have no complaints, a MUST do!

• Chris
  Jan 23, 2022
  An Actual Beach for Dogs

  Our two dogs had a great time at their first ever dog beach. It's a bit of a hike to get back to the beach, especially when you are carrying a bunch of stuff with you. Plus, the tide gets high in the afternoon, which floods portions of the trail in knee-high water. However, being on a secluded beach meant our dogs could run off leash without fear of them leaving our sight. One complaint I had was the number of dog poop bags people placed all around the beach. I wish the county would install a trash bin for dog waste to keep the beach clean.

• Amanda
  Jan 13, 2022
  Great place!!

  We tried this place out today, we are in town for a couple of weeks. We are from Indiana where we don’t have beaches and our dogs only go to fenced in dog parks so I was a little nervous. Our one dog is a runner so we knew we had to keep him on a leash. Our other dog we gave her opportunities to be leash less.
  It was high tide when we got there so we had to wade thru water with all our stuff. It was quite the experience for people who had no idea what to expect or where to go. All in all, It was fun watching all the dogs play. I wish mine like the water more, maybe one day.

• Karen
  Dec 31, 2021
  Great place

  A really nice beach. My sparky loved it! it’s too bad there aren’t a lot of dog friendly beaches on this side. My pup is small and there are lots of big dogs but nothing you can do to separate the big and small dogs. My pup got stepped on by a big dog - a little fearful but the owner was super apologetic. Keep an eye on your little ones. Bring poop bags!

• Janet
  Dec 4, 2021
  Great little beach

  What a great time we had! We didn’t know if our Basset Hound would like the water and beach, but he did! He did have to wade through some water, but it wasn’t too bad for him. If you have a smaller dog, just try to stay near the edges where it’s more shallow. After that, just follow a short path and you arrive at the beach! The size is pretty good, but I can see it getting very crowded there if you don’t go early. Read the other reviews and went on a weekday and it wasn’t so bad. We stayed about an hour and a half and “Ernie” had fun exploring and playing with other dogs. Don’t forget to bring water! Look for the doggie shower when you leave too!!! A really fun and pretty beach for you and your dog!

• Rebecca
  Nov 26, 2021
  Great time!

  We had a great time at the beach with our Italian greyhound. The people were friendly, dogs were playful & friendly to my little guy and beach was clean. We came at low tide and it was perfect. I could see how high tide time would make it challenging for a smaller dog. Bring water!

• Roxana
  Oct 12, 2021
  An adventure!

  we read about the high tides to get into the seclude area... but oh boy! it was an adventure... we still love it the beach is small but enough for everyone to have their own space. We definitely recommend this place for dogs to have a good time!

• Stephanie
  May 30, 2021
  Fantastic dog beach!

  We came here on vacation and knew our dog would love it. We were not disappointed! Once we waded through some thigh-high water and through a short trail, we saw the cutest little stretch of beach with tons of dogs running and playing in the water. It was so much fun for our dog and for us to just watch them all play. Do yourself a favor and check the tide charts before you plan your trip. The tide was really high when we went, so it was kind of a pain to get through the entrance and there wasn't much room for the dogs to run. It was still so much fun though. We'll definitely be back!

• Elisa
  Mar 27, 2021
  Go early and avoid weekends

  Great secluded space to let dogs run off leash gets super crowded by boaters after noon. More dogs and more untended dogs the later you go.

• Jackie
  Mar 6, 2021
  Neglectful people

  I was at the dog park today and found it dirty with dog poop all over. The dogs love it, but the some owners just don’t care about keeping the area clean. We left because I didn’t want my dog to be in contact with poop and parasites.

• Scott
  Feb 21, 2021
  Wow!

  I've been to a myriad of dog parks on Long Island NY, NJ (yech!), CT, MA, and California. This one is - by far - the most beautiful dog beach/park I've ever been to. A beautiful short path leads you to a white sandy beach where you'll find warm, clear and calm shallow water for your dog to play in. I went on a weekend in February (high season), so the beach was a bit crowded at first, but thinned out after a few hours. If you find a more beautiful dog park, you probably died and are in heaven right now reading this.

• Stephanie
  Nov 25, 2020
  Beautiful beach but not very clean

  It would be much better if pet owners would pick up after there pets. Not the cleanest.

• Christina
  Nov 6, 2020
  Love This Beach

  my dogs love this beach and so do me and my husband! the dogs love running free. all the dogs are super friendly. Highly recommend

• Ashley
  Jul 14, 2020
  Great fun!

  This was our pups first trip to the beach. We went to the dog beach each day of our trip and it was great!! Our dogs logged over 6 miles each every day at the beach running and playing in the water. Depending on the tide, you may have to walk through water to get to the beach, but we were okay with it because we came to play in the water with our pups. we also really appreciated the dog rinse station at the front of the park.

• Rachael
  Mar 15, 2020
  Really Unique Off leash Dog Beach

  Had to walk a little way through a nature trail to get to what is part beach/part sand bar. I was a little worried when I arrived and saw SO many dogs/people (it’s a weekend day) but my 11 year old Doberman Pinscher had a great time wading. (It’s deep enough to swim as well, she just chose not to.) All the dogs were well behaved, the owners all friendly and attentive. We would definitely visit again!

• Martha
  Mar 11, 2020
  Great Dog Beach

  A little hard to walk to but the beach is worth it. Warm, shallow water with exposed sandbars that are great to walk on with the dogs & the water back to shore is shallow enough for the dogs to have a great time playing. We went twice on our vacation and really enjoyed it. Many dogs and friendly humans!

• Deni
  Feb 28, 2020
  Perfect Off Leash Beach

  Beautiful small peice of heaven for our Jack Russell - swimming, playing, chasing ...just natural...
  Large parking, doggie bags at the entrance but it would be helpful to put one stand with the bags directly on the beach and a trash as well. We've seen the dolphins coming very close - what an experience! For us just perfect.

• Kristin
  Feb 8, 2020
  Lovely Spot for Canine Swimming

  Read the helpful reviews - chose mid tide, Monday late morning and had a great time with our two guys. Water quality great but could see how if tide was in much wading would be needed and if completely out standing water might get skanky. Did not see poop but lack of garbage cans closer to swimming area might be the issue. Saw some dolphins 100 feet from where we were swimming - pretty cool. Dog wash station nice. Porta John clean.

• K
  Jan 26, 2020
  Great Park

  FIrst time to a dog beach, Pepper had a blast.

• Sheila
  Jan 20, 2020
  Our dog had a great time!

  It was our dog's first time at a beach and she tends to be timid when there are too many dogs, so we went early when the tide was low and not too many people. Our dog ran around off leash and we were able to wade around pretty far out. However it got crowded around 1pm and unfortunately some owners do not watch their dogs closely and clean up after them. But that's how it is everywhere. Glad we went. Just go early.

• Rocio
  Dec 21, 2019
  Good location

  This is this first dog beach we visit and it was nice. It’s not a beach you go to bathe, the water is murky and the dogs pee in the water (which is normal). Our dog had a great time playing and getting in the water. There was no music at the beach and the dog shower was great.

• Luc
  Oct 7, 2019
  Nice, maybe!

  Take away the boats, super loud music, and drinking twenty somethings and you have a great dog beach - although it was Sunday when we were there. There was poop and pee mixed with the water but you can’t do much about that. In all it was beautiful and a great place to let your dog romp freely. For us, we couldn’t command our dogs over the loud music so we had to leave. People there said it is a hit or miss situation. Once done, there is a dog wash to get sand off the dogs. Good Luck!

• Joanne
  Sep 8, 2019
  hit or miss

  we went for the first time on Labor Day weekend. It was high tide and we had to walk thru the water to the beach. Once we got to the beach, it was nice. The water seemed pretty clear and there were lots of dogs running around. There were boats there playing music and lots of people. All of the dogs seemed pretty well behaved off leash. My only complaint is that people were not watching their dogs and picking up after them. A few feet away from us a dog had diarrhea and pooped in the water. That really turned me off. Also some areas of the beach had a sewer smell. Today we went back and it was low tide. It was very mucky walking to the beach. The water was not as clear. Lots of dogs having fun. But once again some owners did not look after their dogs. You could see more dog poop since it was low tide. We like the beach and our dog had fun but you really have to wonder how safe the water is with all of the dog poop and pee in the water. Again we saw a dog have diarrhea in the water. Not sure if we will go back. Love the idea of a dog beach but not the idea of catching some sort of disease. Such a shame that people don't care about the beach. Maybe if it wasn't off leash then people would pick up after their dogs. You have to bring your own dog poop bags with you. There is a dog washing station in the parking lot. The sign says no soap or shampoo but again people did not obey the rules. There are also 2 port a potties in the parking lot. I guess you would have to go and decide for yourself whether or not it is for you.

• Jen
  Sep 1, 2019
  Nice, and free

  Walk to beach ... tide was high prob due to king tide not a problem . Beach and was good. Little trail smelled like dog poo. People were not watching their dogs . Several were running up to my dog with no owners around . I was happy to have a place for my dog to play, and swim . It’s hard to find beaches in florida that are dog friendly

• Kori
  Jun 2, 2019
  Love This Beach!

  There are so few beaches in this area that are off leash dog friendly and this one is by far our favorite. It's a bit a walk back from the parking lot and if you don't check the tide you're gonna be walking through some deep areas but it's secluded off the road and every is dog friendly. I've never had any issues there and we live in Bonita so we visit almost weekly usually. They have access to fresh water and a bathing station to the left of the parking lot as well. Just make sure to clean up your poop and it should be a good time!

• Tracy
  May 6, 2019
  Very dirty and not really small dog friendly.

  There was dog poo all over the parking lot and on the way into the leash free area.
  The tide was high so you had to walk through really stinky water (you felt like you or your dog were going to catch something). Then when you got around to the little beach area there was (the tide was high so there wasn't much area) you were rushed at by so many large dogs. Do not get me wrong I love all dogs big or small. But as a dog owner I am always watching my dogs and I found that a lot of people there were not. So most people with smaller or timid dogs were leaving. Lee county you should really be ashamed that this is the only place people are allowed to bring their dogs in this area.... you can do better. I a long with many dog owners don't care about the off leash, we just want to be able to take our dogs to the beach.

• Kellie
  Apr 29, 2019
  Perfect Beach For Dogs

  First time for us at the beach for my 106 lb Rhodesian Ridgeback. I was a little Leary of off leash. Not a problem at all! She played with all the dogs in the water! It was amazing! Love this beach and the dog wash off station!

• Desiree
  Apr 28, 2019
  Off Leash Ocean

  Great place to let the dog run free and play with other dogs.

• Darlene
  Apr 27, 2019
  Beautiful!

  Had a great time with my pup, who is not a big fan of dog parks. But he went right in the water and really seemed to enjoy a swim. Tide was up and we hung out on the sand bar just a short ways from shore. Wasn't too crowded and people and dogs were friendly. You have to wade through a tide way to get to the beach in high tide and on the way back I noticed a potent urine smell as the tide waters were going out. Could be a risk for lepto, so might want to make sure your pup is vaccinated and wash off at the station provided.

• Arowen
  Mar 22, 2019
  Amazing!!!

  We went on a Saturday so there were dozens of dogs and their owners. Every dog and owner were so friendly. The water was perfect for running because there was a large sandbar which I suppose does best with the lower tide. Our dog had a blast! The only complaint was that a man brought his non friendly dog at the end of the day and within five minutes had been aggressive toward three other dogs... not cool but I didn’t feel it was a reflection on the beach itself. We plan to go back very soon! Loved this beach!

• Judy
  Feb 18, 2019
  Fabulous beach for humans & dogs!

  This was our first time to a dog beach - just wow it was amazing. Our dog usually does not like the water but after awhile she was right in and we could trust her off leash a bit which I didn't think I would feel comfortable with, but all the dogs were behaving so well, and beach was full! <3

• Ann
  Jan 23, 2019
  Yes, It Is The Best Dog Beach

  Great place to let Fido run and play on the beach and in the water. There is a doggie rinsing station on the right as you return to the parking area.

• Gabriela
  Jan 2, 2019
  Best Dog Beach

  This is the best dog beach I’ve been to in Florida. The water was very clear and the sand was very white. I loved that this beach was off leash. I was very apprehensive of letting my Hunter off leash since he can be bit stubborn but he did amazing! I love that the beach is secluded from the main road and I did not have to worry about him running into the road. The other pet owners were very friendly and their dogs well behaved. Hunter enjoyed the clear shallow waters and rolling around the sand. I will definitely visit this beach again. I do recommended bringing your own bowl and lots of water to keep your pet hydrated, some extra poop bags since the station is at the entrance of the beach and a beach umbrella since there is little shade from the sun.

• Lisa
  May 5, 2018
  Best dog beach ever!!!

  I brought my two senior large doggies (GSD 110 lb and Lab 70LB) for a few hours to play - so much fun! People were very friendly and there were many dogs there, I did not see any one being aggressive - just playing and having fun. 5 LB dogs, 200 LB dogs - all just being happy. Also, the beach did seem clean. we will b back :)

• Hiroki
  Feb 16, 2018
  Great beach, nice amenities

  Brought two doggos to this beach and they had a blast! There were plenty of poop bags that could be used and a showering station for dogs. Only downside was a lot of owners left their poop bags on the ground and not in the trash bin :( overall great beach :)

• Megan
  Dec 30, 2017
  So glad we went!

  We just got a puppy in February and live up north so when we visited my husband’s parents in Ft Myers, we wanted to make sure our “snow dog” would see the beach. Since the actual beach won’t allow dogs, this was a perfect place to go! It is off leash, but since our dog is still young and learning to walk off leash, we kept him on a leash. However, plenty of dogs came up to greet him and the owners were really good about watching their dogs so our little dog never got overwhelmed by bigger dogs running around him. I will definitely be taking him again next time we visit Florida!

• Kat
  More than a year ago
  Great Beach For Dogs

  I moved to Ft. Myers a couple of years ago and love this beach. It’s a small cove protected from rough surf and the currents of the regular beach. The best times to go are in the morning or evening when it’s cleaner and less crowded. As many times as I’ve been there, the only negative experiences I’ve had are when I’ve gone in the middle of the day when there are too many dogs.

• Ty
  More than a year ago
  Excellent experience for active k9's

  I am in this pic petting another beach goers dog. My dog is the dobe in the pic. My wife and I have brought our dobe here twice now and he has had a blast. This is an "off leash" experience for the puppies, so there is a bit of action. I am impressed that everyone seemed very attentive and understood the nature of the off leash feature. People minded their dogs and didn't get mad about other people's dogs playing with theirs. I highly recommend this for a dog that is active but would be cautious about bringing a more timid and tentative k9.

• Kathy
  More than a year ago
  Actually, not that bad

  After reading all the negative reviews, we went anyway (it's the only off-leash dog park in the area), expecting the worst. It's really not that bad. We went at high tide so we had to wade for a bit to find a dry spot of land for our stuff. And since it was Sunday afternoon during the high season, the place was very crowded - lots of dogs, lots of people (some of them arrived by boat). Yeah, it was loud and rowdy. I can understand the concerns voiced by small dog owners. Our older dog (40# border collie mix) had a bit of a hard time with all the noise, but our younger, 60# mutt had a great time chasing his tennis ball through the water.

  I'd go back again. Next time I'd try for low tide, though.

• Cheryl
  More than a year ago
  IDog Beach

  We were disgusted at the condition of this dog beach. It was high tide and the area was crowded with dogs. I couldn't believe this was the best Naples, FL. Myers, etc. could do for their dogs. It is a health hazard. We wouldn't consider letting our dog be on that hideous beach.

• Marcel
  More than a year ago
  Great if your dog is social

  This was my first visit to Dog Beach. It is a beautiful area. We went on a Thursday morning, hoping it would not be very crowded since it was my first time with my dog. Unfortunately I forgot about SEASON and the beach was full of dogs and people. It was overwhelming for my dog to have 4 or 5 dogs running up to him and smelling him. I kept him on a leash because I was not sure what he was going to do, didn't want him to be rude or attack another dog. I was looking for a place to walk my dog around. This was not quite the right fit for him.

• Judy M
  More than a year ago
  it's the only off leash beach

  
  Off leash is uncommon so if you're concerned about your dogs safety
  1. Walk out in the shallow water away from any of the other dogs
  2. Go to the quiet part of the beach
  3. Go home and come back another time
  4. All of Sanibels beaches allow dogs on leash, as well as Ft Myers Beach--on leash

  If you want off leash be cautious!
  Have fun!

• Eliot
  More than a year ago
  Great first visit

  We had a wonderful first visit to this beach. Although it was high tide and we had to walk through about a foot of water to the beach it was a fun secluded spot once we arrived. The beach area is very small at high tide but the water is very shallow with sandbars as well so everyone was well spread out. We spent 95% of our 3 hours in the water. A manatee swam right by us while we were sitting in the water, then a dolphin came and played nearby! Although there is not trash or fresh water right at the beach there is a doggie shower station for after play human and dog rinse off, water pre and post play, and also a portapotty. There is also a board with extra leashes in case you need to borrow one as the short walk to the beach requires your dog be on leash. My girl @Ember_the_Berner and I had a great time and will be back for sure.

• Jenny
  More than a year ago
  Just say NO!

  I don't know how this place has such a high rating on here. There are way too many aggressive dogs here and no one picks up after their animals. I felt like I'd probably get a wicked bacterial infection if I went in the water since all the dogs were pooping in there. We won't be back here. The owners are irresponsible and careless. I saw a lot of dogs attacking other dogs and no one cared. I had no idea there were so many negative reviews of the place or I wouldn't have gone in the first place. I don't really feel like risking my dog's life (she's small and most of the dogs here were well over 100lbs) for a romp on a dirty sandbar.

• K
  More than a year ago
  If you have a small dog, beware!

  I just got a miniature schnauzer and was excited to take her to the beach. She doesn't listen when she's off the leash and she's been attacked by large dogs so I kept her on her leash the whole time. We've gone to this beach twice and both times there were HUGE dogs there all running around out of sight of their owners. No one picks up after their dogs so there's poop everywhere! So many dogs poop in the water and it floats around (so nasty). I actually heard one lady complain that her dog had pooped on the beach and she wished it'd pooped in the water so she didn't have to clean up! Disgusting! My biggest complaint though is that there's hardly any sand, it seems to have all eroded away leaving about 3 feet of sand. If you come during high tide, the water is almost up into the parking lot and there are usually people kayaking through it as there's at least 2 feet of water. This tiny strip of beach that's mostly underwater looks as though the county needed to find a use for the most crappy part of beach in the area and decided on this beach for the dog park. The place gets packed with tourists who just want to lay on the beach and ignore their dogs. One woman had a massive standard poodle that wouldn't stop humping everyone else's dogs, he didn't listen when she called him even though multiple people complained to her. The people sitting next to us literally dragged their dog away as he was pooping and left the poop in the sand next to me. As usual, it's a bunch of ignorant, lazy people ruining a great experience for the rest of us!. Dogs are allowed on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel as long as they're on a leash so we won't be back to the dog beach.
  Apr. 5, 2016

• Bear
  More than a year ago
  Great Dog Beach

  We are visiting Sanibel from New Jersey and decided to take our 90 lb Black Lab- Golden Retriever named Bear for a visit on a Sunday afternoon. He loved it!!! Ran and played with lots of other dogs, both big and small. He loves the water and it was so nice for him to run off leash. Everyone we met, both two and four legged, were friendly. No problems as referenced in other reviews. Doggie Paradise~
  It's important to note the address listed is incorrect, it's Bonita Springs not Ft Myers Beach. And being first timers, we would have appreciate more signage to get to the beach (other park goers who were leaving the beach were helpful).
  All in all a great experience!

• Dave
  More than a year ago
  Not recommended for dog swimming

  We selected Fort Myers for our winter vacation this year because of this dog friendly beach. Our golden retriever loves to swim and retrieve balls thrown into the water. We went to the beach about 7:30 am most mornings to avoid crowds and the problems noted in the reviews about aggressive dogs and careless owners. The first three mornings were great. On the fourth morning we had been there about 15 minutes throwing a ball into the water when a fishing boat pulled up exactly where they had seen our dog swimming. They got as close to our location as possible, anchored their boat, and dropped fishing lines over the side. When I asked them to move further out because this was a dog beach they informed me that they had been coming here for 20 years and while I could not fish from the beach they had a perfect right to fish anywhere they wanted from their boat. They said that they had confirmed this many times with the local authorities. I don’t know how long this beach has been in existence but I had the distinct impression that they were upset about any infringement on their right to fish anywhere they pleased. They were going to make sure that visitors understood that they were not welcome at this beach. We moved further to the right of their location but at low tide that area was not deep enough for our dog to swim. Next year we will not be spending our vacation dollars in the Fort Myers area.

  I should note that there is now a station to rinse the salt water off your dog. As note elsewhere there are doggie bags and disposable garbage cans provided and there are two portable bathrooms for people.
  

• Carolyn
  More than a year ago
  Beautiful but risky??

  Found this beautiful beach by accident and just now have read the reviews. My 13# dog loves her ball and is not interested in other dogs, big or small, when her ball comes out. A large white shepherd repeatedly harassed us and I ended up picking my dog up and trying to get away from him. The shepherd finally ran into the water after a black lab minding and appeared to be trying to take the ball? Or wrestle??? Or??? The lab's owner shouted for the shepherd owner to "call your dog off!" I did not put my dog down until the shepherd was finally leashed and left. Scary experience, even more so after reading other reviews. I am very glad nothing terrible happened. Otherwise, the beach was beautiful and clean at low tide. The other people were friendly with well behaved dogs. We thoroughly enjoyed it, but won’t likely go back after reading of the other incidents.

• Lauren
  More than a year ago
  Dog Heaven

  We were meeting family in North Naples, and decided to take our 9 month old lab to this beach. I just wish we'd left earlier so we could have spent more time. I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven with my dog. You have to take a walk through the tide to get to the beach, which is secluded from the main road. There are a number of smaller beaches set into the mangrove. It was the Monday after Christmas so there were lots of people and dogs but everyone was very nice. It was a bit on the wild side, which is to my tastes, as I'm not a beach person, and for some the hike through the mangrove or the surf might be a bit much, but for those with a sense of adventure it's awesome, and my dog Isabel was as awed by this adventure as we were. We'll definitely be back, perhaps for an overnight trip. There are lots of dog friendly hotels in the area as well.

• Alysia
  More than a year ago
  Great dog park!

  Took my two Australian Cattle Dogs here while vacationing in Cape Coral. Both dogs had a blast! High tide can make the beach shrink, so go knowing your tides. Also recommend bringing chairs and hanging your gear from a tree so your stuff doesn't get marked. Don't forget fresh water and poop bags....be a responsible pet owner and visitor so everyone can enjoy the beach.

• Lascio
  More than a year ago
  ONE OF THE BEST IN SOUTH FLORIDA!!!

  I live in Miami,Fl and the dog beaches on the west coast are more dog friendly then the east coast. I take my Pomsky(Pomeranian/Husky) to different dog parks all over South Florida on the weekends and this is definitely one of my favorites. Some people have written reviews about dog fights at the beach. My pomsky is about 25lbs and she was playing with all the dogs at the beach. Some dogs were more aggressive then others but no fights. Dogs bark and chase each other all the time. Dogs are a part of the family but you cant baby them as if they're a little kid. Dogs push each other around all the time and thats how they play. Some people just exaggerate of what happens to their dogs. Like i said my little 25lb pomsky was playing around with some dogs close to 100lbs and had no issues. I saw my little pup hold her own with the big dogs trying to play around with her. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BEACH. IF YOU BABY YOUR DOG LIKE A 2 YEAR OLD CHILD I DON'T RECOMMEND THIS BEACH. LET YOUR DOG LIVE A LITTLE AND EXPLORE THEMSELVES. YOU'LL BE VERY SURPRISED WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT YOUR DOG.

• Patch
  More than a year ago
  Ruined by Irresponsible Owners

  We spend our winters in Bonita & I used to love this park. I have seen it deteriorate in the last 5 years due to lazy, careless humans who don't neuter, train or watch their dogs. My 120 lb. Dogo thinks this is her beach & loves little dogs, so when she's there she usually body blocks the bullies. One man called her "beach security". She does this without growling or showing her teeth, but she can't be everywhere. Besides it's not her job. I just wish the rangers were there more often to enforce the rules or impose fines, maybe even ban certain owners & their dogs. It's a pity because it could be really nice, but decent people can't enjoy it anymore.

• Geneiveve
  More than a year ago
  Great for Dogs .. Okay for People

  The beach can be wonderful, if it isn't packed (try to stay away on Saturdays, especially in the tourist season). I look at the parking area, and if there are too many cars ... I drive to the one of the parking areas and walk my dog on a leash on the beach.

  Also, if you can monitor the high tide you will be better off. Because when you park your car, if it is high tide you have a distance of brackish water to walk through. When you get closer to the beach there are areas that can get to be about two feet deep or more and the bottom is very soft, my feet were getting stuck in the sand. And if the tide is high .. you have a very small area that is not covered in water.

  However, my dog loves it. He is a Foxhound that never stops running. I actually worry because he will run up into the trees that are bordering the top rim of the beach .. and that scares me with alligators and snakes.

  In regards to other dogs and people, in all honestly, most people are great, they watch their dogs and are very friendly. Every once and a while you get the people that are there to sunbathe or read, and have no idea what there dogs are doing, but the dogs are usually fine. They seem to run themselves into exhaustion, after a short time. And a few times, I had to take my dog away, because there is a dog that just won't leave him alone, and it is more in an aggressive play than a threatening play. And other times there is a perfect temperament of dogs, and it is an absolute joy to see all the dogs running down the beach.

• Jackie
  More than a year ago
  Had a good time.

  We have a now 6 month old Portuguese Water Dog, I on a whim brought him to the dog beach. I had heard lots of good things but had never been myself. Upon arriving, we walked from the parking lot to the beach on lead. This is very important since parking is on a very busy road. Upon arriving at the beach we were greeted by a lovely yellow lab and a smaller dog. Our PWD could not have been more excited to spend time with other dogs. We spent a good hour at the beach and it was fantastic. It was high tide so the beach area was small. That was not an issue though considering there were only three dogs. Now, I do need to add that we visited on a weekday morning, Upon reading reviews, my husband and I will not be taking our PWD to the beach on the weekends, or in the evenings. We would like his experience with the water and other dogs to be pleasant. also, considering it was not busy, there were several piles of poop. Really! They provide bags, pick it up!

• Sarah
  More than a year ago
  awesome!

  It's a dog beach so don't expect too much! My dog LOVED it and played with every dog there!!! She's a medium size dog (50lbs). She played with both big and small. Of course smaller dog owners were concerned but their dogs were having a blast! As previous reviews have stated some owners are rude. There was one that was telling everyone they needed to put a leash on their dogs. I informed him that this is an "off leash beach" he mumbled under his breath and then left. All in all it's a great dog beach! I will be returning with my pup!

• Heather
  More than a year ago
  Nice white sand beach/google map not accurate

  Found this dog beach via bring fido. My big 70 pound pitty mix which is a big baby has never been to the ocean. Need less to say he is a land lover, while it is truly a off the leash park/beach we had to keep him on a leash due to the fact that he want to go check out all the natural plant/tree foliage that surrounds the entire area. It is so thick that we almost lost him in there and there is really no way a human can get in it with out getting stuck much less finding your pet in there. Don't get me wrong, this is probably one of the nicest places to take your dog to run and play in the water. If you have a hunter/land lover like mine keep them leashed! We went at high tide ( of coarse) and it was full of water with not much beach exposed but still not to deep to where you can get to different spots. If you are a dog lover you will enjoy this beach. Now being from out of town we followed the google map to try to find it. It is actually in Lover's key park area stay on main road and past the park entrance and it is right before the big bridge on the right coming from Ft Myers beach.

• Will
  More than a year ago
  "Dog Friendly" does NoT mean "Friendly Dogs" SMALL DOG OWNER BEWARE

  Our dog, a very young, 26 pound rescue, LOVES to play in the surf. We'd been to Apalachicola where he played safely and had fun. Because of that experience we thought we could drive the few miles to this "Dog Friendly Beach." Getting to this beach can be a mess but beyond that, many of the dog owners there ignore the posted rules. Many do not pickup after their dogs but of more concern, many bring unneutered, aggressive, even dangerous dogs.
  During our first (and only) visit, we’d been there only a few minutes and our little dog was having fun running through the surf. Suddenly a HUGE German Shepherd type dog attacked him.
  The shepherd's owner stood there, actually smiling while his dog mauled my pup. I jumped on the attacking dog pounding him with my shoe until finally he turned loose of my dog. I guess I should be grateful he didn't attack me too.
  Anyhow, that behavior must be common there because no one seemed upset about it but me. Basically I was told if I couldn't stand the heat I should get out of the fire so I did. I took my now bleeding dog away from the idiots with their uncontrolled, often un-neutered, dogs. About two weeks later I read where another small dog had been attacked and was disemboweled by a bigger dog there. Guess we were luckier than I’d thought.
  For its THOUSANDS of acres of parks, Lee County has only three (3) Park Rangers (currently only 2 rangers according to Lee County’s website). None of the public, dog parks I have visited in SW Florida are supervised… NONE. You take your dog at your own risk and nothing will be done if it is injured or killed.
  It can be a very dangerous place, we choose to stay safe and stay away.
  

• Matthew
  More than a year ago
  Impressive!

  While on vacation, we decided to check out the doggie beach and was very pleasantly surprised! It was a lot larger than we had anticipated, but it was also shallow enough for the dogs to run around and play with each other! It was even better knowing there was a doggie shower to rinse off in afterwards! My biggest suggestions would be to check the tides to go before/during the low, bring water for hydration so that your pup can last in the heat, and don't forget doggie bags in case they take care of business. We'll definitely continue going back!

• Marie
  More than a year ago
  an almost great park

  I've taken my dog to the park several times and each time had to leave because of the larger dogs that kept charging mine. Also, I noticed that the smell of urine and stool was quite bad. This is a beautiful place for one to be able to take their doges but the rules are just not being followed by some which is not fair to others. I totally agree with some of the other comments about indifferent owners. Some just come to lay out on the beach and don't pay any attention to their dog. I've watched dogs poop on the beach and no owner attempted to clean up the mess. Also, I absolutely do not see this being a park for any pit bulls and each time I've been there, this is the breed that has charged my dog. I don't know why there can't be separate days set aside for big dogs and small ones. Also, I've never seen any park personnel monitoring or checking to be sure rules are being followed. I'd actually be willing to pay a small fee to make this a better dog park.

• Angie
  More than a year ago
  Great off leash beach!

  We were traveling around FL in our RV with our dog of course and wanted to find a beach for our dog to play off leash. There arn't many and we found this one. Went on a Friday and it wasn't too busy and our English Bulldog had a great time so we decided to go back the next day, which was a Saturday. It was much busier but it was so nice to see all the dogs playing together and having a great time!! It's not a big beach by any means. I highly recommend planning your visit to the beach during low tide for maximum beach space. Once the high tide comes in be prepared to walk back the path to the parking lot in water. I wouldn't take anything to the beach that you can't carry out! Overall it was a great beach to take our dog. It was clean and people do a pretty good job of cleaning up after their pet. Also, be prepared that some dogs might 'mark' your belongings. If you don't want that to happen either don't bring anything with you or don't come at all. Me...I could care less, what I took was all cleanable! The beach also has plenty of parking (we were able to park our RV with no problems), dog poop bags are available and there is a wash off shower too! Thank you Lee County for providing a place for our little guy to enjoy the Florida Beaches too!! He loved it!!!

• Heidi
  More than a year ago
  Bonita Beach Dog Park

  Loved it went there for the first time Sunday. Everyone was very friendly and the owners were great too. The only thing was the walk to the beach on high tide you have to walk through a lot of still water. Can't wait to go again.

• Brittany
  More than a year ago
  Great beach, great people

  I discovered this dog beach a few years back but now that I have a new Lab puppy I have been frequenting this beach more often. After wading through a little water (a LOT during high tide) you will find yourself on a beach that I would consider more of a sandbar. This allows dogs that aren't swimmers to have a chance to play in the shallow water without there being waves to scare them. I would recommend bringing chairs rather than towels as hightide leaves the majority of the beach moist. The people in

• Alyse
  More than a year ago
  Great getaway

  We brought our year and a half old sea Inu to the beach. I was concerned about letting her off leash at first, but the "beach" is surrounded by water so it creates a little island that kept our dog from wandering off, especially during high tide. The beach does get very small when the tide comes up and there were a lot of dogs. But our dog had a great time running and playing in the water. It was shallow enough that she could run pretty far out without worries. There was a lot of boat traffic when we went so you should really keep and eye on your dog.

• Cayte Turley
  More than a year ago
  Small Slice of Paradise....

  I LOVE THIS BEACH and so does my Dog. Thank you Lee County. There are not enough in the State. I have not had any Problems at all. The People are all nice and friendly and understand that Dogs will be Dogs...those of you who rated the Beach low are blaming that on Stupid Humans who don't know about Doggie Manners.. I have not run into one but I will gladly give Dog Training Tips. I Thank God for such a Beautiful Place where my dog can play, socialize and get exercise that she cannot in a small Condo. It has made her a Healthy Happy Well Adjusted Dog and I cannot praise Lee County enough. There is Wash Station/Water Norh of the Entrance and Poopie Pick Up Bags .. Grab it on your way in. Bring a Plastic Bowl and a Jug. Low Tide has more Room. My only Complaint is I wish the Park was Bigger. It is a ...."Small Slice of Paradise!!

• Jeanne
  More than a year ago
  Great park, irresponsible owners

  I love the idea of this park. Most of the time, I have a great time. I have a Great Pyrenees (now ( months old). Pyrs notoriously like to roam so I always keep him on lead. Yes, I get a work out, but he usually has fun. The last few times, owners have allowed dogs to go the bathroom and not pick up there waste. My personal stuff has been peed on 4 different times. I dont blame anyone except irresonsible owners for this. However, today when I entered the park my big 9 month old was attacked by 4 bull dog type dogs. The owner was several yards away, smoking and drinking, my big baby was terrified. She came up yelling at me for having my dog on a leash (go figure). The thing is I went to a desserted part of the beach away from her and she and her sister, brought there dog right over to my area. People like this ruin it, I have met faulous people from all over the country at this park and some terrific four leggged friends too. Maybe the rules need to be enforced just a little bit more. If my Pyr was older and not a gentle giant it would have been a sad aending for little aggessive dogs.

• LIsa DeVries
  More than a year ago
  dog attack

  We have been to this dog park several times in the past and had a great time. Today was a different story - we have a Pomeranian who is very well socialized and has 2 big dogs at home in Maryland. Ted was busy playing fetch in the surf with his ball today, when a big dog ran over and bit down on him, pinning him under the surf. My husband had to punch the dog in the head several times in order to get him to release. The owner ran over and apologized, saying his dog wanted to ball. I can say with absolute certainty his dog wasn't trying to get the ball - he looked at Ted as if he was prey just before he went after him. This attack was not caused by our dog - he was totally oblivious to anything other than his own ball. Tonight he's at the ER animal hospital on oxygen, pain meds and monitoring due to bite wounds and crushing. Hopefully he will recover, but all dog owners should beware!

• Ashley
  More than a year ago
  First Time Trip

  This was my first time ever taking my dog to a dog beach. It is a beautiful place and nicely secluded. However, I did not like how small the beach was. It seemed very cramed even though there where only maybe 10 owners with their dogs and family members. The sand was really mushy feeling while in the water and there was a stingray in the inlet. It will not be my first choice in the future.

• Jim
  More than a year ago
  Different Experience

  Our Boston Terrier planted her feet in the sand when she took one look at the all of the big dogs running without leashes on the beach and in the water. We were just as aprehensive. It is a shame there is not a separate section for small dogs as they do in other dog parks. There were big dogs gallore, Dobermans, Shepherds, Labs, Collies, etc. Smaller dogs will be intimidated and ours wouldn't step foot and we ended up leaving and going to the regular beach up the road in Ft. Myers, just as nice but more relaxing, she doesn't mind her leash and she can sleep under the umbrella. If you have a big dog that is socialized, they should be fine here, but small dogs may be intimidated.

• Hapa in Cape
  More than a year ago
  Great but watch out for

  the woman fishing off the beach. With the current, our dog almost got caught in her line. She had an attitude as if we were bothering her. This is a dog beach! I wanted to go off on her but was unsure of the rules. I looked it up after coming home and found that fishing is not allowed in the doggie play areas. So in other words- go to one of the other hundreds of fishing beaches.

  Other than this, it is a great beach. Our dog had a great time tromping through the water and swimming until he was very ready to go home and sleepy bye.

  90% of the people I met were super nice - as were their pets. I did see and notice a few who seemed to regard it as their beach. However, I would definitely go back.
  

• Jim
  More than a year ago
  Good Park, Keep an eye out

  This park is a nice concept. Couple issues: 1) I was barefoot, cut my foot on something in the sand/mud and got a nasty infection. Not sure what it's from, but it took a few weeks to heal. 2) Like others have said, IMO you always need to have an eye out on your dogs, because not everyone cares about their dogs as much as those who review dog parks. I have a pitbull who can take care of her self, but my French Bulldog costs more then a mortgage, and can easily be bullied. 3) The tide schedule hampers how much time you can spend at this park, and then everyone goes at low tide and it can get crowded very quickly. 4) From where you park, to where the beach is, is a good hike, and you'll need to bring: shade umbrella, water, cooler, and everything else you would bring to the beach. On top of that manage your dogs on a leash. Because it's next to a fast moving road. All in all my dogs love the beach, if only they would understand that drinking salt water made them sick we'd go more. It's just a long haul with all the gear I need for my dogs. BRING PLEANTY OF WATER, it's hot.

  Oh yea, once again there are some GREAT people here. 1st time I went to this park I just stopped by, no water or gear, and a few people offered my dogs water and ice cubes. So in the midst of bad reviews, this park does have it's great points.

• Jackie and John and Brittany
  More than a year ago
  A Pleasant Surprise

  We are constantly looking for places that are dog friendly. It is so hard to find a beach that is. We stumbled upon this beach, and were very impressed. Brittany (Boo) enjoyed it, although a little timid on her first trip, but we for sure will come back. Nice job LEE COUNTY....

• Angie & Ruby (Doodle)
  More than a year ago
  Ok, not the best.

  I have taken my dog to many dog beaches in Florida and while I am appreciative of a place to take my dog, it is not the best dog beach. The beach is basically a sandbar island and it depends on the tide on how big the actual space is. It can get very crowded, which is not something I really enjoy, personally. Also, there is no fresh water to give your dog to drink or a bathing station to rinse you or your dog. That is why I only gave it three bones. So far, I love the beaches over on east coast and down in the keys the best. I think I will venture a little father north next time and check those out.

• Jackie and Remy
  More than a year ago
  SO GLAD our owners took us!!!

  We are small dogs and luckily our owners have trained us to be with other dogs. (Remy - "I'm a little afraid of the big dogs, but I just run in the other direction") It was such a fun time. Running around with all the other dogs and meeting new humans. We want to go back again soon!!! **Note from humans: it was our first experience here and it seemed like everyone was friendly and happy. We did not have any problems with other dogs. Maybe it depends on who is there and when you go but we would definitely recommend it and can't wait to go back!!!

• Paige Cane
  More than a year ago
  Small Menaces-Great Beach

  No bad dogs just bad, impolite owners. This dog beach is one of the best in the US but the small dogs are an issue my Staffordshire Terrier /Boxer gets attached and often bitten by a little dog almost every time we go here because the owners don't take the time to train the poor dog because the dog is small enough to pick up! My dog is a sweet dog and puts her head down and never reacts however, if she did defend herself guess who would get all of the blame...not the small dog. Do your dogs a favor and teach them more than just where the dog-food bowl is.

• Ana
  More than a year ago
  GREAT PARK BUT BEWARE!!

  I gave this 4 bones for 2 reasons. first it is a WONDERFUL PARK!!! great dogs and great people. my dogs had a fantastic time! one reason I gave it only 4 stars is that there is no fresh water... not an issue for me since i always carry gallons with me for the dogs but given that the water is salt fresh water would be a nice ammenity. the other reason was that there were some careless owners but that's not the park's fault. that's the people's fault. UNFORTUNATELY I wasn't aware of the effects of even a TINY amount of salt water on my dog's GI system as they had never been to a beach during hte summer only winter months up north in NH so they hadn't ever gone IN the water. I did not let my dogs drink the salt water and did bring plenty of fresh water but just the salt on the sand in the beach area and the small amounts of water they ingested when fetching a ball that HAPPENED to land near the water or in the water caused severe diarrhea and vomiting in both of my dogs. was almost ready to visit a vet when it finally stopped. I did go to a local vet and was horrified that they offered me NO advice. I explained that I wasn't from around there and they said they gave no free advice... that I would need to book the dogs an appointment if I wanted to talk to any of them. needless to say... I went online and got all the info I needed. GREAT Park but if you aren't aware of how your dogs do with the salty water... be extra careful!!

• Tracy
  More than a year ago
  Great Park - Great People

  This was our first experience and our two labs had a great time - there were a lot of dogs, most were very well behaved and the owners were quick to control dogs. The people were very kind and allowed our dogs to share water as we did not bring enough. The drawbacks are: as high tide comes in, the sand bar loses a lot of space so it gets a little crowded and you have to basically wade in at high tide so bring you water shoes. We will defintely come back but with more water and some beach chairs so we can stay longer!

• VC
  More than a year ago
  One of the reasons we moved BACK!

  Great Dog Beach! No fences, No Leashes Fantastic place for dogs and great place for people . I think I is nicer than the "human" beaches! There would be no problem if everyone watched their own pets. Just like kids- you have to keep an eye on your small dog if there are bigger ones around!

• Marianna
  More than a year ago
  Remember

  As you walk into the park...it reminds people... if you are not comfortable with your dog being off leash or with other off leash dogs...then this park is not for you. This is an off leash dog park...as stated as you walk into the park. It's rare to find a place like this...and so great to let dogs be dogs. :)

• Marianna
  More than a year ago
  A Tired Dog is a Happy Dog!

  I just recently moved from New England to Naples...we've always lived along the beach and it was so great to go to the beach again with my Weimaraners...they had a blast... there were other dogs there that loved to play...they romped in the water and loved it... what a great time...and they are soooo tired now... perfection!

We dug up 66 pictures of dogs at Bonita Beach Dog Park.

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