Dog Beach

Key West, Florida

Ocean beach in Key West, facing south, with parking and restaurants within walking distance.

Dogs allowed
Pier
Restaurants and bars
Free parking

HoursClosed now, opens 7:11 am
ParkingFree, 14 lots within 1,310 ft
DirectionsGoogle Maps

4.5/ 10Fair

How we score beaches

Calm water: 4.7 of 10
Water: 89 Ftoday
Sunset: 7:36 pmover land
Parking: Free14 within 1,310 ft
Families: Limited

69of 100

Today, Thursday, Sep 10

Fair beach day

Very warm water. Watch: 29% rain chance, wind, waves.

83 Fclear

High: 89 F
Sea temperature: 89 F
Waves: 2.1 ft
Wind: 6 mphup to 17 mph
Rain chance: 29%
UV index: 8high
Sun: 7:11 am to 7:36 pm

Tidesnext low at 2:38 am

Low2:38 am0.5 ft
High9:11 am2.5 ft
Low3:33 pm0.4 ft
High9:40 pm2.0 ft

8:00 am83 Fclear, 25% rain, 8 mph
11:00 am81 Fovercast, 21% rain, 17 mph
2:00 pm87 Fovercast, 16% rain, 9 mph
5:00 pm · best89 Fovercast, 7% rain, 7 mph

Forecast for Thursday, Sep 10, local time (GMT-4). Weather data by Open-Meteo.com, refreshed hourly. Sea temperature and waves are model values for the nearest offshore point. Tides from NOAA CO-OPS station Key West, south side, White Street Pier (8724557), 0.6 mi from the beach, heights above MLLW.The rating rule is on the methodology page. Planning a future date? See typical weather by month.

Great for

FamiliesLimitedCalm water 4.7, no bathrooms mapped
SwimmingGoodWaves around 3.1 ft, sea 82 F on average
SunsetsLimitedsets over land
ConvenienceVery good14 parking lots, 3 places to eat

How the Beach Score is calculated: 4.5 of 10

The score is the sum of the components below. Clear water counts only where a clarity source exists. Rankings never take revenue as an input.

Component	Points	Fact
Facilities	1.8 of 3	Within walking distance: parking, restaurants.
Calm water	0.9 of 2	Mean daily maximum wave 3.1 ft.
Warm water	0.8 of 1	Mean sea temperature 82 F.
Sunset over water	0.0 of 1	The shore faces away from the sunset all year.

Ranks #9 of 12 for dogs allowed in Florida, #18 of 168 for warm water in Florida, #28 of 37 for beachfront hotels in Florida, #37 of 38 for free parking in Florida, #45 of 60 for hotels nearby in Florida. All beaches in Florida.

Verdicts on the cards come from the same facts. Sources: OpenStreetMap (Sep 10, 2026), Open-Meteo (Sep 10, 2026), Operator official pages (hours, fees, rules) (Sep 6, 2026). The formula is on the methodology page.

Aerial view of Dog Beach in Key West, Florida, shoreline and surroundings, USDA NAIP imagery from May 2023

Dog Beach: tropical beach with palm trees, turquoise water, paddleboarders, pier

Dog Beach: southernmost Point marker at Key West beach with visitors and ocean

Aerial imagery: USDA NAIP 2023 via USGS National Map, public domain (source) · Photo: Cristo Vlahos, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source) · Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source)View all 5 photos

Amenities

Parking14 nearby
Free parking1 nearby
BathroomsNo
ShowersNo
Restaurants and bars3 nearby
Beachfront hotels3 nearby
Hotels nearby41 nearby
Dogs allowedYes
Beachfront campingNo
Camping nearbyNo
Pier4 nearby
BoardwalkNo

Water, sand, and nature

Calm water4.7 of 10
Warm water8.3 of 10

Nearby means within walking distance of the beach centre (980 ft to 1,640 ft, by kind), from OpenStreetMap. Scores are 0 to 10. Sources: OpenStreetMap (Sep 10, 2026), Open-Meteo (Sep 10, 2026), Operator official pages (hours, fees, rules) (Sep 6, 2026); the method for each is on the methodology page.

Hours, fees, and rules

Hours: sunrise to sunset, daily
Dogs: Dogs allowed
Operator: Run by City of Key West
Address: Waddell Avenue, Key West, FL 33040

From City of Key West, checked Sep 6, 2026. Hours and fees change; the official page is the final word. Address from OpenStreetMap (nearest road, approximate).

Sunset and sunrise

The shore faces south (170 degrees). The sun sets over land all year.

Computed from the OpenStreetMap coastline and the sunset azimuth for each month.

Planning a trip

Pick a date to see what Dog Beach is usually like then.

Early October is usually warm, with very warm water, a higher chance of a rainy day and waves that are often rough.

Water: 85 FVery warm
High: 83 FWarm
Rainy day: 53%Rain is common
Waves: 3.4 ftOften rough

What to expect

Very warm swimming water, around 85 F
Waves often around 3.4 ft or more
Rainy days are common in October (16 a month)
October is within Atlantic hurricane season, at its peak

Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, peak from mid-August to late October. Storm history near this beach

3 October storms within 62.1 mi since 1980, about one every 15 years, 2 at hurricane strength. Most recent in any month: Tropical Storm Elsa, July 2021, 53.6 mi away. Source: NOAA HURDAT2 best tracks, counted at tropical storm strength or stronger. Season dates from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Dog Beach through the year

Measure
Warm water	Jan: 75 F, mild	Feb: 76 F, warm	Mar: 77 F, warm	Apr: 79 F, warm	May: 83 F, very warm	Jun: 86 F, very warm	Jul: 88 F, very warm	Aug: 89 F, very warm	Sep: 87 F, very warm	Oct: 84 F, very warm	Nov: 81 F, very warm	Dec: 77 F, warm
Low rain	Jan: 6 rainy days	Feb: 5 rainy days	Mar: 5 rainy days	Apr: 6 rainy days	May: 6 rainy days	Jun: 17 rainy days	Jul: 16 rainy days	Aug: 20 rainy days	Sep: 19 rainy days	Oct: 16 rainy days	Nov: 4 rainy days	Dec: 7 rainy days
Calm water	Jan: waves 3.6 ft, often rough	Feb: waves 3.5 ft, often rough	Mar: waves 3.4 ft, often rough	Apr: waves 3.7 ft, often rough	May: waves 2.3 ft, moderate	Jun: waves 2.5 ft, moderate	Jul: waves 2.1 ft, moderate	Aug: waves 2.3 ft, moderate	Sep: waves 2.2 ft, moderate	Oct: waves 3.6 ft, often rough	Nov: waves 3.8 ft, often rough	Dec: waves 3.8 ft, often rough

Darker is better: warmer water, fewer rainy days, calmer water. Monthly means, 2023-2025, from Open-Meteo. Values for a date blend the nearest two months; the bands and the rule are on the methodology page.

When to go

Best overallMarch to Mayvery warm water · fewer rainy days · warm days
Warmest waterJuly to September89 F average
DriestNovember4 rainy days a month

All monthly averages, 2023-2025

Month	Sea temp	Air max	Rain days	Wave height
Jan	75 F (24 C)	73 F (23 C)	6	3.6 ft
Feb	76 F (24 C)	74 F (23 C)	5	3.5 ft
Mar	77 F (25 C)	76 F (25 C)	5	3.4 ft
Apr	79 F (26 C)	78 F (26 C)	6	3.7 ft
May	83 F (29 C)	82 F (28 C)	6	2.3 ft
Jun	86 F (30 C)	84 F (29 C)	17	2.5 ft
Jul	88 F (31 C)	86 F (30 C)	16	2.1 ft
Aug	89 F (31 C)	87 F (30 C)	20	2.3 ft
Sep	87 F (31 C)	85 F (30 C)	19	2.2 ft
Oct	84 F (29 C)	82 F (28 C)	16	3.6 ft
Nov	81 F (27 C)	78 F (26 C)	4	3.8 ft
Dec	77 F (25 C)	74 F (24 C)	7	3.8 ft

Monthly means, 2023-2025. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com. Wave height is the mean of daily maximum significant wave height.

Stay near Dog Beach

Coconut Beach Resort50 ft from the beach, on the beachMap
The Reach Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton470 ft from the beach, on the beachMap
An Island Oasis690 ft from the beachMap

Also within 0.7 mi: El Patio Motel, Southernmost Beach Resort, Santa Maria Suites Resort.

Mapped in OpenStreetMap. Names and distances only; Beaches With has no booking partner yet.

Recent visitor reports

No reports in the last 30 days. One tap from someone who was there helps the next visitor.

Add a beach report

Flag

Purple

Water

Crowd

Seaweed

Flags as posted by lifeguards: green low hazard, yellow medium, red high, double red water closed, purple dangerous marine life.

Nearest essentials

Parking670 ft · 3 min walk
Bathroom1,670 ft · 6 min walk
Shower1,690 ft · 6 min walk
Foodat the beach
Hotelat the beach

Straight-line from the beach centre, walking at 80 m a minute, from OpenStreetMap. See them on the map.

Dog Beach

Beach Score4.5 / 10 · Fair
Today69 · Fair beach day
HoursClosed now, opens 7:11 am

Directions Today Map

Explore Dog Beach

Parking, food, stays, and facilities around the beach, mapped in OpenStreetMap within 0.7 mi.

Map loads when scrolled into view.

All places near Dog Beach as a list (176)

Nearest parking 670 ft · 3 min walk · Nearest food and drinks at the beach · Nearest restrooms 1,670 ft · 6 min walk · Nearest showers 1,690 ft · 6 min walk

Distances are straight-line to the nearest point of the beach as mapped in OpenStreetMap; walking times assume 80 m a minute. Access points are where OpenStreetMap paths, steps, and boardwalks meet the beach. Coordinates 24.5473, -81.7930. Open this spot in OpenStreetMap or Google Maps. Missing or wrong? Fix it in OpenStreetMap and it appears here after the next weekly update.

More photos of Dog Beach

Dog Beach: pier with pavilion extending into turquoise water, palm fronds foreground — Photo: console0, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source)

Nearby beaches

Questions about Dog Beach

Is there parking at Dog Beach?

Yes. 14 mapped parking areas within 1,310 ft. Source: OpenStreetMap.

Are dogs allowed at Dog Beach?

Yes, tagged "yes" in OpenStreetMap. Check local leash rules.

How warm is the water at Dog Beach?

Sea surface temperature averages 88 F (31 C) in July and 75 F (24 C) in January. Source: Open-Meteo marine model, monthly means.

Is the water calm at Dog Beach?

Calm water scores 4.7 of 10. Mean daily maximum wave height is 3.1 ft. Source: Open-Meteo marine model.

Can you see the sunset over the water at Dog Beach?

No. The shore faces away from the sunset all year.

When is hurricane season at Dog Beach?

Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with the peak from mid-August to late October, per the NOAA National Hurricane Center. Since 1980, 15 named storms passed within 62.1 mi of the beach, 7 at hurricane strength, most in August, September and October. Source: NOAA HURDAT2 best tracks.

Sources

Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
[operator], checked [date] (data as of Sep 6, 2026)
Storm tracks from the NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 archive, public domain (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
Tide predictions from NOAA CO-OPS station Key West, south side, White Street Pier (8724557), public domain
Rip current risk, surf, and alerts from the National Weather Service KEY office for Monroe Lower Keys (FLZ078), public domain

Licenses and refresh dates for every dataset are on the data page. Something wrong? Every beach page has a report button; corrections are logged with a date.

Popular

Water

Access

Amenities

Stay

Nature and wildlife

Activities

Rules

Sunset and sunrise

Destinations

Beach types

Near you

Dog Beach

Fair beach day

Great for

Amenities

Water, sand, and nature

Hours, fees, and rules

Sunset and sunrise

Planning a trip

What to expect

Dog Beach through the year

When to go

Explore Dog Beach

More photos of Dog Beach

Nearby beaches

Questions about Dog Beach

Sources