Dog-Friendly Beaches near Minneapolis | St. Paul

Does the site of open water glistening in the sun make your pup wiggle and waggle? While many local beaches have a strict no-dog policy (boooo) we found a few locations where your water woofer can get their paws wet. Check out these Twin Cities beaches that say “pup yeah!” to doggy paddlers. 

Alimagnet Dog Park
Burnsville

A short drive south of the metro you’ll find Alimagnet Park, a 178-acre community park that humans flock to for cross-country skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, cycling, and more. For furry outdoor enthusiasts, the Alimagnet Dog Park is an enclosed, 7 acre, off-leash area featuring an open grassy area, a walking path, woods, picnic tables, and benches. Since we’re talkin’ beaches, we do have to note that this one is a little hairy. The park includes a stormwater pond that collects rainwater and snowmelt runoff. The pond is not maintained for swimming, but it’s not prohibited and many-a-dog have dipped their paws in and lived to woof about it. However, before sending Sparky in, know he’s swimming at your discretion.

Battle Creek Dog Park
Maplewood

If your pup’s a “go big or go home” kind of canine, you definitely want to check out Battle Creek Dog Park. It’s the Great Dane of dog parks, coming in at 35 acres of fenced in off-leash freedom. Burn some energy by romping about the miles of trails, dash through the woods, then cool off in the pond… scratch that… in one of three ponds! That’s right, Princess can choose between two smaller ponds and one larger pond to ensure she never gets bored. The Battle Creek off-leash area is accessible from two parking lots at 2350 Upper Afton Road and 2357 Lower Afton Road.

Fish Lake Off-Leash Dog Area
Maple Grove

Fish Lake Regional Park in Maple Grove is home to a year-round dog haven, offering 7 acres of fun at the Off-Leash Dog Area. The fully fenced area features open spaces for dogs to play together, wooded areas for exploring, and a separate space for smol fries to play. After you’ve sniffed every inch of the dog park, leash up and explore the paved trail that loops around the park, ending at the beach. The swimming beach is technically for humans, but there is an area off to the side where pups are frequently seen taking a dip to cool off after a long day of play.

Matoska Park
White Bear Lake

Spanning 4 acres of White Bear Lake shoreline, Matoska Park offers a picturesque place to spend a day at the lake. You’ll find paths to sniff, shady areas to snooze, and a designated spot for dogs to wade into White Bear Lake. We’re sticklers for rules, and this one’s extra important: dogs must remain on-leash at this park, even when swimming. They allow leashes up to 30-feet, so unless your dog is the canine Michael Phelps, that should be enough lead to still have a swimmingly good time. 

Meeker Island Dog Park
St. Paul

Your dog can’t spell Mississippi, but they sure as heck wanna splash in it! The Meeker Island Dog Park is located adjacent to the Meeker Island Historic Lock and Dam site, along the river at the bottom of the bluff. You’ll find the entrance to this doggy paradise along the Mississippi River Blvd trail. Rather than being fenced in, this park and beach is bordered by nature itself, so make sure the river and bluffs are enough to keep Buddy nearby.

Minnehaha Off-Leash Dog Park
Minneapolis

Your social pupperfly is sure to meet friends at this popular spot along the mighty Mississippi. The Minnehaha Off-Leash Dog Park, located on the South side of Minnehaha Park, is the perfect place to feel at one with nature (which to your dog means peeing on every tree, and that’s totally cool here). This is a great place for a game of land or water fetch, just make sure to keep an eye on your eager explorer cuz this park is only partially fenced and we don’t need any runners ruining the day.