Dog-Friendly Beaches in Kent 2024

With our Dog-Friendly Beaches in Kent 2024 this Summer enjoy perfect seaside fun with your fur baby. Sun, sand, and furry friends – what a great combination! We’ve listed the beaches in Kent that have no seasonal restrictions for dogs during the Summer, so your canine companions can join in your visit to the seaside. This guide highlights beaches where your four-legged family member can frolic freely all year round. Get ready for tail-wagging adventures and salty paws, and explore Kent’s dog-friendly beaches.
See the bottom of the article for beaches that allow dogs, either on lead or at certain times.

BROADSTAIRS
Dumpton Gap – a popular dog-friendly beach in Kent, with seasonal cafe and facilities, where dogs are allowed all year off the lead. 
Kingsgate Bay – walk down the many steps to this quiet beach that allows dogs all year round. No facilities.

MARGATE
Palm Bay – with its tidal pool this sandy beach is accessible by two steep slopes.
Sacketts Gap – just along from Palm Bay.
Fulsom Rock is just before you head towards the harbour arm and the beach is visible at low tide only.

RAMSGATE
Western Undercliff – situated next to the Port of Ramsgate and is very popular all year round with locals. The lower half of the beach is rocky with a chalk reef that extends towards Pegwell Bay, but sandy beaches nearer the port side. It is sectioned with access via steps or a slope. Access to the lower promenade is via the Royal Harbour Approach Road for free parking along the beach (but very busy in peak season), and there are several sloped walkways from the top of the promenade to the lower promenade. Or a wide set of steps at the top of the cliff accessed from Screaming Alley.
Eastcliff – a smaller beach, just along from the main sands, this sandy beach with rock pools is a popular tidal bay accessible by walking down the slope or steps from the cliff top. Pay and display parking by the beach, free parking and pay and display available on the cliff top, but very busy in peak season

BIRCHINGTON
Minnis Bay Northern Seawall allows dogs all year round, as does Epple Bay and Grenham Bay.

SANDWICH BAY
The bay is a dog-friendly beach in Kent, however, they are not allowed on the mudflats and salt marshes. Also, dogs must be kept on a lead on the Princes Bay Golf Course Dunes Path. This is a private beach, admission charges apply click here for more details. 

DEAL & DOVER 
Deal Beach – dogs on leads are permitted on the pier and the promenade between Deal Castle & Sandown Castle all year round, but not on the beach from Deal Castle to Sanddown Castle from 1st May to 30th September between 9am-6pm.
Shakespeare Beach – a shingle beach that is a little-known gem popular with swimmers, with the shortest distance between the UK and France. You can walk down the western side of the port near Dover Marina to the beach, or for more of a workout there’s more than 100 steps down to the beach- so a good workout for you and your pooch!
Shakespeare Cliff Beach – just along from Shakespeare Beach, this beach has deep rock pools which can be accessed at low tide, and is another doggy delight of a beach.

WALMER BEACH
This shingle beach, just along from Deal, is another dog-friendly beach in Kent. It is a wide expanse with a backdrop of Walmer Castle. It has some great views and is fairly secluded.

THE WARREN, FOLKESTONE
Take the zig-zag path to this secluded beach, according to Folkelife, from Wear Bay Road you can access walks from just below The Pavilion. To get to The Warren from the top of the cliff, paths lead down, through the 350 metre-high cliffs to the seafront. The walk down to the beach will take you through the cliff habitat with stunning views.

DUNGENESS BEACH
A firm favourite with See Kent’s editor and their pooch Archer. This shingle beach is so atmospheric and has accessible planks in places for easier access, it is a day for great views and sights including the Dungeness nuclear power station, and two lighthouses. With a unique habitat,  a desert, and coastguards’ cottages and repurposed 19th-century railway carriages, the buildings are dotted around. You can see Prospect Cottage, once owned by filmmaker Derek Jarman and his famous garden and take guided tours of the cottage (must book in advance – click here for details).

WHITSTABLE & HERNE BAY
Recluver Beach – near to Herne Bay is this shingle beach with the stunning backdrop of the Reculver Towers. Wooden groynes separate it and is along the Saxon Shore Way, with a promenade.
Whitstable’s West Beach – shingle beach between Whitstable town centre and neighbouring Seasalter. Divided by wooden groynes this is a picturesque stretch, home to the town’s iconic oyster farms.
Hampton Pier West Beach – near Herne Bay Pier this shingle beach is the main dog-friendly beach for the town and has a promenade with a pay and display car park nearby.
Seasalter Beach – along from Whitstable heading towards Faversham is this gem of a dog-friendly beach in Kent.

ISLE OF SHEPPEY
Minster Shingle Bank Beach– raised shingle area offers great views across the Estuary, and is popular for water sports.

MEDWAY
The Isle of Grain Beach – you can see the fort in the water which is quite eerie but this is a local treasure that looks out on the Thames and the North Sea as it is on the confluence of the rivers Medway and Thames.

DOGS ALLOWED ON LEADS
Mermaids Beach, Folkestone- opposite the Lower Leas Coastal Park, ideal for a swim, sunbathing and picnics, though take your flip-flops as this is a pebble beach.
Sandgate/Seabrook – Sandgate Castle to Seabrook BP Garage.
Dogs on leads are allowed on the pier and the promenade between Deal Castle & Sandown Castle all year round.
Dover Seafront – dogs are to be kept on leads all year round on the promenade and grassed areas including Marine Parade and Granville Gardens, from the junction at Union Street roundabout to the roundabout at Jubilee Way, off the A20.

DOGS – SUMMER RESTRICTIONS
Dogs are not allowed on the beach from the 1st of May to the 30th of September between 10am to 6pm
Botany Bay, Broadstairs, sandy, unspoilt bay has white chalk stacks and cliffs surrounding it and is accessible via either steps or a steep slope.
Joss Bay, Broadstairs, is described as a surfer’s paradise, so great for those board-surfing pooches! Lots of exposed sand when the tide is in, but take care walking, as the beach will get cut off at both ends at high tide.
Stone Bay, Broadstairs, is a quieter beach that is popular with families and good for a quieter location.
West Bay, Westgate, is a tidal bay with rock pools.
St Mildred’s Bay, Westgate, is a sandy bay with a promenade and tidal pool. A small amount of beach remains at high tide except on spring tides when completely covered.

ALLOWED ON LEAD – SUMMER RESTRICTIONS
From the  1st of May to the 30th September dogs must be kept on a lead between 10am and 6pm
The very popular Louisa Bay, Broadstairs is a sandy beach next to the main Broadstairs beach, Viking Bay. It is very busy with families and their dogs. 
Walpole Bay, Margate with its rock pool is another favourite for dog owners, this sandy beach is popular for dog walkser all year round.
Westbrook Bay, Margate, is a designated water ski area and popular beach with locals.

ALLOWED ONLY ON CERTAIN PARTS OF BEACHES
From the 1st of May to the 30th of September
Sandgate – on certain stretches, dogs are restricted
Hythe Beach – banned from Twiss Road to St. Leonard’s Road
Dymchurch Beach – banned from Sycamore Gardens to Martello Car Park
St Mary’s Bay – banned from the Fairway to river outfall
Greatstone Beach – banned from the Jolly Fisherman car park through to 17 The Parade and 114 The Parade through to 172 The Parade
Herne Bay Central – from Herne Bay pier heading west to Lane End, dogs are not allowed on the beach and must be kept on a lead on the promenade.
Tankerton Beach, Whitstable – level with Pier Avenue West to The Street, dogs are not allowed on the beach and must be kept on a lead on the promenade.
Isle of Sheppey
Sheerness – not allowed on the beach from an imaginary line at 90 degrees from the centre point of the headland Jacobs Bank (adjacent to Beach Street Car Park) eastward to an imaginary line at 90 degrees from the west side of the steps leading over the sea wall immediately to the east of Sheerness Swimming Pool.
Minster Leas – not allowed on the beach from an imaginary line at 90 degrees from the east side of the Lifeguard Station on the seafront opposite the Playa Public House eastwards to an imaginary line at 90 degrees from the west side of the vehicle ramp leading to the beach, opposite the Little Oyster Café, 4 Sea Side Avenue.
Leysdown on Sea – not allowed on the beach from an imaginary line at 90 degrees from Stokes Amusements, eastwards to an imaginary line at 90 degrees from the west of the beach steps opposite the small roundabout at the seaward end of The Promenade Road

CLEAN & SAFE
Please clean up after your fur babies, and yourselves, and check the weather and tides to keep beach safe.

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Picture Credit: Top to bottom – Jake Oates at unsplash.com Sandwich Bay – Sandwich Bay Estates, Walmer Beach – Andy Goldsby at unsplash.com

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