provincetown: dog-friendly beaches, hotels, restaurants, activities

dog-friendly places in provincetown, ma

provincetown is a dog’s vacation paradise, ranking as the most dog friendly place in america.

with cape cod’s only off leash dog beaches, 20+ dog-friendly restaurant patios, the mayflower bark park, and tons of dog-friendly businesses, provincetown is the best place on cape cod for your dog.

Want to learn more? view the top 5 places to take your dog in provincetown.

Dog-friendly beaches in provincetown

Monty the Boston Terrier runs on a sand bar at a beach in Provincetown on cape cod.

Beaches that allow dogs in provincetown in the summer

the beaches in provincetown are allow on-leash dogs year round, pending restrictions for nesting shorebirds.

There are two sets of beaches: Town-managed and Cape Cod National Seashore. Each has it’s own set of rules about dogs.

1. Town-managed: Commercial Street Beaches

P-town is the only town on cape cod with off-leash dog beaches. The dog regulations for Provincetown’s town-managed beaches allow dogs to be off leash from 6am-9am and 6pm–9pm, including during the summer season.

these beaches can be accessed from several paths off of commercial street. be careful to watch for broken glass on these paths.

insider’s tip: steer cleer of the beaches off commercial street the day after the 4th of july fireworks. they are absolutely disgusting, covered with litter that poses choking hazards for dogs.

The beaches off of Commercial Street in Provincetown are the only beaches that allow dogs off-leash during the summertime.

2. Cape Cod National Seashore beaches in Provincetown

Other great dog friendly beaches are Race Point beach and herring cove beach, both part of the cape cod national seashore. Both beaches have large parking lots with daily and seasonal parking passes sold at the gate. Your pass will let you explore both.

Learn more about these beaches:

On-leash dogs are allowed during the summer on cape cod national seashore beaches. However watch for signs for restricted access due to nesting piping plovers and terns.

Nugget contemplating her bad cuz toy on race point beach.

Race point beach (including the ORV trails) often gets shut down to pet owners in the summer. Herring Cove beach in recent years has maintained pet access to the south (left) side of the parking lot, but this is subject to change.

be sure to visit the national seashore website’s dogs info page for the latest updates on which beaches have dog restrictions.

Cape Cod National Seashore dog rules:

Dogs must be on a leash up to 6 feet
Not allowed on protected (lifeguarded) areas of beach during summer
Pets not allowed where there are nesting shore birds
Dogs not allowed on Province Lands bicycle trails

Please respect cape cod’s beaches. Always clean up after your pet, and stay clear of shorebird nests. They are very lenient about the dog rules in Provincetown, and continued beach access depends on respectful dog owners.

dogs aren't allowed on beaches in yarmouth. Bummer.

Dog-friendly hotels

P-town is loaded with places to stay that allow pets, and with so many dog-friendly activities nearby you’ll never run out of things to do.

view full list of dog-friendly hotels in provincetown

provincetown is the most dog-friendly place on cape cod. no matter which hotel you stay in provincetown, you and your dog will be close dog-friendly beaches, restaurants, hiking trails and activities including the pilgrim bark park, provincetown’s dog park.

Dog-friendly restaurants

There are over 40 places to eat in Ptown that allow pets. Learn more:

view full list of dog-friendly restaurants in provincetown

Provincetown dog park

pilgrim bark park

pilgrim bark park was recently ranked the second best dog park in America. It is located at the corner of route 6 and shank painter road, provincetown.

$200,000 buys you a nice little dog park, evidenced by pilgrim bark park’s dog water fountain, dog memorial, and even a dog art gallery if your dog is so culturally inclined.

provincetown itself is often voted the most dog-friendly town in america, and pilgrim bark park is a prime example of why. It’s also one of the only places in town you can ever find a free parking space. Spaces for park use only, not for people walking to commercial street.

pilgrim bark park is a great stopover on your way from route 6 into provincetown, the perfect place to let your dog run off some steam before heading to the dog-friendly haven that is commercial street in provincetown.

but to some cape beach dogs, enclosed dog parks pale aside the lure of the wide open races at the dog beach of nearby provincetown harbor.

learn more about pilgrim bark park in our guide to dog parks on cape cod

Dog-friendly campgrounds in Provincetown

There’s some camping options in P-town that allow pets. For more info check out our guide to campgrounds that allow dogs on cape cod.

Coastal Acres Campground

view coastal acres campground’s dog rules

Dunes Edge Campground

The name doesn’t lie here, this place is right on the dune’s edge. great location, it’s like camping on the national seashore. view dunes edge campground’s dog rules

Two dogs say hello at a hiking trail in P-town.

Dog walks and pet-friendly hiking trails in provincetown

Long Point Trail

Long point trail in provincetown is an amazing experience for dogs and those they walk with.

You’ll pass by two historic lighthouses as you walk to the far tip of cape cod, and see an amazing stretch of beach along the way.

The path to Long Point begins off commercial street. The trail passes over a dike that is submerged at high tide. you’ll need to time your journey accordingly.

the trail itself is very remote. bring lots of water, and extra poop bags.

learn more about long point trail