Thanks for tuning in on our adventure this far. After five slow days on the road, we finally made it to San Diego. The whole point of this trip was to enjoy the scenic route and find the best dog‑friendly beaches, parks, and trails for Tula and Peaches. No rushing. No strict plans. Just coastline, coffee, and two happy dogs.
Our Favorite Dog‑Friendly Spots
Here’s every dog‑friendly stop we hit on this California coast road trip with coordinates, parking notes, and what to expect.
1. Pacifica State Beach — Pacifica, CA
- Coordinates: 37.5989° N, 122.5019° W
- Parking available but fills up fast on weekends
- Dogs must be leashed, but we’ve let Tula and Peaches off when it’s quiet
- Great for sunrise walks and quick ocean dips
2. Morro Bay Dog Beach — Morro Bay, CA
- Coordinates: 35°24’54.2″N 120°52’27.8″W
- Parking along Highway 1 just outside the beach entrance
- Poop bags and trash bins available
- Huge stretch of sand where dogs can run free
3. Jody Giannini Family Dog Park — Morro Bay, CA
- Coordinates: 35°23’58.8″N 120°51’32.7″W
- Privately owned but open to the public
- Donation box at the gate (cash or Venmo)
- Fully fenced, shaded, and super friendly crowd
4. Echo Park Lake — Los Angeles, CA
- Coordinates: 34.0694° N, 118.2606° W
- Street parking around the lake (tight on weekends)
- Dogs must stay leashed
- Chill walking loop with skyline views
- Good stop to stretch legs before LA traffic destroys your soul
5. Black’s Beach — San Diego, CA
- Coordinates: 32.8870° N, 117.2526° W
- Limited parking at the top; steep hike down
- Dogs allowed on‑leash before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
- Wide shoreline and fewer crowds
- Worth it for the sunrise alone
6. Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area — Borrego Springs, CA
- Coordinates: 33.1434° N, 116.1360° W
- Free dispersed camping across 85,000 acres
- No gates or check‑ins… just drive in
- Dogs allowed on‑leash around camp
- Sand dunes, mud pots, and endless desert terrain
- Gets busy on weekends with off‑roaders
A Little Unexpected Desert Magic
Everyone who visits San Diego says the same thing: “I could live here.” We’re guilty of it too. We even talked about finding a marina and moving the boat down here. Realistically, the slip fees might crush that dream, but who knows.
What we didn’t expect was ending up in the desert.
We’d heard of dispersed camping, but we didn’t think California had many true free‑camping areas left. Ocotillo Wells surprised us. It’s huge, open, and honestly pretty freeing. We spent the first day exploring dirt roads before settling into a quiet spot away from the weekend crowd.
Winter weekdays were calm. By the weekend, RVs, vans, dirt bikes, and four‑wheelers rolled in. People rode late into the night, but it didn’t bother us. It actually felt safer knowing others were around. The dogs loved the space. We loved the silence between engine revs.
Hope you enjoyed following along on this coastal‑to‑desert trip. If you’re planning a dog‑friendly California road trip, I hope this list gives you a few new places to check out with your pups.
Thanks for sticking around. More adventures coming soon!
Sailing Dog House 
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