Del Mar's off-leash season, explained

Del Mar is one of the few places in San Diego County where a dog can run free on the sand for most of the year. The catch is that the rule depends on two things: which of Del Mar's three beaches you are on, and which of its two seasons it is. Once you know both, it is simple.

Two seasons

Del Mar's year has a peak season and an off season.^1,2

• Peak season: June 16 through Labor Day.
• Off season: the day after Labor Day through June 15.

Labor Day moves, so the dates do too. At the time of writing, in October 2026, it is the off season: it began on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 and runs through June 15, 2027. The next peak season runs from June 16 to Labor Day, September 6, 2027.

Three beaches

North Beach: the dog beach

North Beach runs from 29th Street north to the Solana Beach border.¹ It is often called Del Mar Dog Beach, which is also its name on our map.

• Off season: off-leash dogs allowed.
• Peak season: off leash from dawn to 8 a.m.; leashed at all other times.

Off leash still means under control: the city asks that dogs stay under voice control in its off-leash areas.² If your dog doesn't come back when called, keep the leash on.

Main Beach: leashed, with a morning window

Main Beach runs from the north edge of Powerhouse Park to 29th Street.¹

• Off season: leashed dogs allowed. Between 25th and 29th streets, dogs may also be off leash from dawn to 8 a.m.
• Peak season: no dogs.

The morning window covers only the stretch from 25th to 29th Street, next to North Beach, not all of Main Beach.

South Beach: always on a leash

South Beach runs from Powerhouse Park south to Torrey Pines State Beach, at 6th Street. Dogs must be leashed there in both seasons.¹ Keep in mind where it ends: Torrey Pines State Beach, just south, allows no dogs at all.³

We don't show Main Beach and South Beach as places of their own on our map yet, so they have no live card here.

Powerhouse Park

The park between Main Beach and South Beach has a rule of its own. Dogs are not allowed in the children's Tot Lot or the grass area next to it, south of the beach path, at any time of year. Leashed dogs may use the walkways and sidewalks around the park.^1,2

What "dawn to 8 a.m." means

The city's map says "dawn" and doesn't give a clock time. Plan to arrive at first light, and have the leash back on at 8 a.m. In the off season the window matters only on Main Beach; in the peak season it is the only off-leash time on North Beach too.

Rules that apply on every beach

Del Mar's citywide rules hold in both seasons and on all three beaches:²

• Your dog wears a current license on its collar at all times.
• Leashes may be no longer than six feet.
• Pick up after your dog.
• Service animals are welcome in all public areas, including the beach.

The city says leash-law violations carry penalties starting at $285.² It is cheaper to bring the leash.

A simple plan

From the day after Labor Day to mid-June, head to North Beach any time of day, or to Main Beach between 25th and 29th streets before 8 a.m. From June 16 through Labor Day, go early: North Beach is off leash until 8 a.m., and Main Beach is closed to dogs all summer. South Beach is a leashed walk all year.

The place card above always shows North Beach's rule right now, so you can check it on the way. And whatever the season, check posted signs.