---
canonical: https://dogpolicies.com/cities/san-francisco/
title: "Dogs in San Francisco, California: dog-friendly places"
license: CC-BY-4.0
attribution: "DogPolicies, dogpolicies.com, CC BY 4.0, verified 2026-10-30"
verified_at: 2026-10-30
spotlight: false
city_rules_on_file: true
json: https://dogpolicies.com/api/v1/cities.json
---

# Dogs in San Francisco, California

**Can I bring my dog to San Francisco?** Yes, with rules. Dogs must be leashed or tethered except in designated exercise areas (San Francisco Health Code 41.12). Use a leash, rope or chain no longer than 8 feet: a dog not restrained by one counts as running at large (41.12(a)). Dogs may run off leash in Recreation and Park's dog play areas, the park spaces it designates for off-leash use. San Francisco has 5 verified dog parks (Berry Street Dog Park, Channel Street Dog Park, Francisco Park Dog Play Area, U.N. Plaza Dog Park, and Walter Haas Dog Play Areas). Off leash is stated for Alamo Square Dog Play Area, Alta Plaza Dog Play Areas, Baker Beach, Balboa Park Dog Play Area, Bernal Heights Dog Play Areas, Berry Street Dog Park, Buena Vista Dog Play Area, Channel Street Dog Park, Corona Heights Dog Play Area, Crissy Field, Crocker Amazon Dog Play Area, Duboce Park Dog Play Area, Eureka Valley Dog Play Area, Fort Funston, Fort Miley, Francisco Park Dog Play Area, Golden Gate Park Dog Play Area 1, Golden Gate Park Dog Play Area 2, Golden Gate Park Dog Play Area 3, Golden Gate Park Dog Training Area, Jefferson Square Dog Play Area, Lafayette Park Dog Play Area, Lands End, McKinley Square Dog Play Area, McLaren Park Geneva Dog Play Area, McLaren Park Shelley Dog Play Area, Mission Dolores Park Dog Play Areas, Moscone Dog Play Area, Mountain Lake Park Dog Play Area, Ocean Beach (San Francisco), Pine Lake Park Dog Play Area, Potrero Hill Recreation Center Dog Play Areas, SOMA West Dog Play Area, St. Mary's Dog Play Area, Stern Grove Dog Play Areas, U.N. Plaza Dog Park, Upper Douglass Dog Play Area, Upper Noe Dog Play Area, and Walter Haas Dog Play Areas. 2 places to eat or drink say on their own site that dogs are welcome.

## City rules

| Rule | Source | Checked |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dogs must be leashed or tethered except in designated exercise areas (San Francisco Health Code 41.12). | [1] San Francisco Recreation and Park Department | 2026-10-30 |
| Use a leash, rope or chain no longer than 8 feet: a dog not restrained by one counts as running at large (41.12(a)). | [2] San Francisco Police Department | 2026-10-30 |
| Dogs may run off leash in Recreation and Park's dog play areas, the park spaces it designates for off-leash use. | [3] San Francisco Recreation and Park Department | 2026-10-30 |
| Stay with your dog: guardians must be physically present at all times (41.12). | [1] San Francisco Recreation and Park Department | 2026-10-30 |
| Recreation and Park's Dog Policy (2002) welcomes dogs on leash in most parks but keeps them off athletic fields, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, children's play areas and sensitive habitat areas. | [3] San Francisco Recreation and Park Department | 2026-10-30 |
| Pick up after your dog: all dog feces must be removed, and anyone walking a dog must carry materials to remove it (Health Code 40). | [4] San Francisco Recreation and Park Department | 2026-10-30 |
| Police may cite the owner or guardian of an unleashed dog (SFPD General Order 6.07). | [2] San Francisco Police Department | 2026-10-30 |
| Every dog over 4 months old must have a current license and a current rabies vaccination (Health Code 41.15 and 41.18). | [5] San Francisco Recreation and Park Department | 2026-10-30 |

## Dog parks and off-leash areas

| Place | Dogs | Answer | Verified |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Alamo Square Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/alamo-square-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Alta Plaza Dog Play Areas](https://dogpolicies.com/places/alta-plaza-dog-play-areas/) | Yes, with restrictions | Yes, with restrictions. Off leash only on the sloped grass and paths in the southeast corner of the park. Elsewhere in the park, dogs must be leashed. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Baker Beach](https://dogpolicies.com/places/baker-beach/) | Yes, with restrictions | Yes, with restrictions. Dogs may be on leash or under voice control on Baker Beach north of Lobos Creek. Lobos Creek and the Battery to Bluffs Trail are closed to pets. | 2026-10-26 |
| [Balboa Park Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/balboa-park-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Bernal Heights Dog Play Areas](https://dogpolicies.com/places/bernal-heights-dog-play-areas/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Berry Street Dog Park](https://dogpolicies.com/places/berry-street-dog-park/) | Yes | Yes. This is an off-leash dog park. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Buena Vista Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/buena-vista-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Channel Street Dog Park](https://dogpolicies.com/places/channel-street-dog-park/) | Yes | Yes. This is an off-leash dog park. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Corona Heights Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/corona-heights-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Crissy Field](https://dogpolicies.com/places/crissy-field/) | Yes, with restrictions | Yes, with restrictions. Dogs may be on leash or under voice control, except in picnic areas. In the Crissy Field Wildlife Protection Area, dogs must be leashed from July 1 to May 15. The Crissy Field tidal marsh and lagoon are closed to pets. | 2026-10-26 |
| [Crocker Amazon Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/crocker-amazon-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Duboce Park Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/duboce-park-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Eureka Valley Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/eureka-valley-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Fort Funston](https://dogpolicies.com/places/fort-funston/) | Yes, with restrictions | Yes, with restrictions. Dogs may be on leash or under voice control except in the 12-acre Habitat Protection Area in northwest Fort Funston, on the Coastal Trail from the Horse Trail intersection to the Great Highway (closed for erosion), and in signed administrative areas. | 2026-10-26 |
| [Fort Miley](https://dogpolicies.com/places/fort-miley-ggnra/) | Yes, with restrictions | Yes, with restrictions. Leashed or under voice control in both the east and west parts of Fort Miley. | 2026-11-01 |
| [Francisco Park Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/francisco-park-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. This is an off-leash dog park. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Golden Gate Park Dog Play Area 1](https://dogpolicies.com/places/golden-gate-park-dog-play-area-1/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Golden Gate Park Dog Play Area 2](https://dogpolicies.com/places/golden-gate-park-dog-play-area-2/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Golden Gate Park Dog Play Area 3](https://dogpolicies.com/places/golden-gate-park-dog-play-area-3/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Golden Gate Park Dog Training Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/golden-gate-park-dog-training-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Jefferson Square Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/jefferson-square-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Lafayette Park Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/lafayette-park-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Lands End](https://dogpolicies.com/places/lands-end/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash under voice control. | 2026-10-26 |
| [McKinley Square Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/mckinley-square-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [McLaren Park Geneva Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/mclaren-park-geneva-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [McLaren Park Shelley Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/mclaren-park-shelley-dog-play-area/) | Yes, with restrictions | Yes, with restrictions. Most of the area bounded by Shelley Drive is open to off-leash dogs. Leash your dog at the amphitheater during performances, camps and events, near children's play areas and picnic areas, and south of the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, where dogs must also stay on the trail. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Mission Dolores Park Dog Play Areas](https://dogpolicies.com/places/mission-dolores-park-dog-play-areas/) | Yes, with restrictions | Yes, with restrictions. Off leash only in the two dog play areas: the north one on the Dolores Street slope between the south court service driveway and the 19th Street promenade, and the south one north of the playground. Leash your dog near the athletic fields, playground and tennis courts. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Moscone Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/moscone-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Mountain Lake Park Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/mountain-lake-park-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Ocean Beach (San Francisco)](https://dogpolicies.com/places/ocean-beach-san-francisco/) | Yes, with restrictions | Yes, with restrictions. Dogs may be on leash or under voice control, except in the Snowy Plover Protection Area from Stairwell 21 south to Sloat Boulevard, where dogs must be leashed from July 1 to May 15. | 2026-10-26 |
| [Pine Lake Park Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/pine-lake-park-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Potrero Hill Recreation Center Dog Play Areas](https://dogpolicies.com/places/potrero-hill-recreation-center-dog-play-areas/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [SOMA West Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/soma-west-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [St. Mary's Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/st-marys-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Stern Grove Dog Play Areas](https://dogpolicies.com/places/stern-grove-dog-play-areas/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [U.N. Plaza Dog Park](https://dogpolicies.com/places/un-plaza-dog-park/) | Yes | Yes. This is an off-leash dog park. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Upper Douglass Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/upper-douglass-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Upper Noe Dog Play Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/upper-noe-dog-play-area/) | Yes | Yes. Dogs may be off leash. | 2026-10-29 |
| [Walter Haas Dog Play Areas](https://dogpolicies.com/places/walter-haas-dog-play-areas/) | Yes | Yes. This is an off-leash dog park. | 2026-10-29 |

## Places to eat and drink

| Place | Dogs | Answer | Verified |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Fort Point Beer Company (San Francisco taprooms)](https://dogpolicies.com/places/fort-point-beer-valencia-san-francisco/) | Yes, with restrictions | Yes, with restrictions. Dogs are welcome outside; pets are not permitted inside, per the brewery's FAQ citing the San Francisco health code. | 2026-10-31 |
| [Harmonic Brewing](https://dogpolicies.com/places/harmonic-brewing-san-francisco/) | Yes, with restrictions | Yes, with restrictions. Well-behaved, leashed dogs on the outdoor patio; only service dogs inside. | 2026-11-01 |

## Beaches and shoreline

| Place | Dogs | Answer | Verified |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [China Beach](https://dogpolicies.com/places/china-beach-ggnra/) | No | No. China Beach (formerly Phelan Beach) is closed to pets. Service animals are exempt. | 2026-11-01 |
| [China Beach (San Francisco)](https://dogpolicies.com/places/china-beach-san-francisco/) | No | No. China Beach is closed to pets. Service animals are exempt. | 2026-10-26 |
| [Marshall Beach](https://dogpolicies.com/places/marshall-beach-ggnra/) | No | No. Marshall Beach, the Battery to Bluffs Trail and Lobos Creek are closed to pets. Service animals are exempt. | 2026-11-01 |
| [Marshall Beach](https://dogpolicies.com/places/marshall-beach/) | No | No. Marshall Beach and the Battery to Bluffs Trail are closed to pets. Service animals are exempt. | 2026-10-26 |

## Trails

| Place | Dogs | Answer | Verified |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Battery to Bluffs Trail](https://dogpolicies.com/places/battery-to-bluffs-trail-ggnra/) | No | No. The Battery to Bluffs Trail is closed to pets. Service animals are exempt. | 2026-11-01 |

## Parks

| Place | Dogs | Answer | Verified |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Alcatraz Island](https://dogpolicies.com/places/alcatraz-island/) | No | No. Pets are not permitted on Alcatraz Island. Service animals are allowed wherever visitors are allowed. | 2026-10-26 |
| [Candlestick Point State Recreation Area](https://dogpolicies.com/places/candlestick-point-state-recreation-area/) | Yes, with restrictions | Yes, with restrictions. Dogs must be on a maximum 6-foot leash at all times. | 2026-10-26 |
| [San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Aquatic Park](https://dogpolicies.com/places/san-francisco-maritime-national-historical-park-and-aquatic-park-san-francisco/) | Yes, with restrictions | Yes, with restrictions. Not allowed on the beach, inside the Visitor Center, on the historic ships or inside other park buildings. | 2026-11-01 |

## Places to stay

| Place | Dogs | Answer | Verified |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Best Western Americana Hotel](https://dogpolicies.com/places/best-western-americana-hotel-san-francisco/) | Varies by location | Depends on the hotel: Best Western lets each hotel decide. Where pets are accepted: up to 2 pets per room; up to 80 lb each; up to $40 per room per night. | 2026-10-26 |
| [Hotel Nikko San Francisco](https://dogpolicies.com/places/hotel-nikko-san-francisco/) | Yes | Yes: on leash; up to 50 lb each; $65 per night. | 2026-11-01 |
| [Kimpton Buchanan Hotel](https://dogpolicies.com/places/kimpton-buchanan-hotel-san-francisco/) | Yes | Yes, under the Kimpton Hotels brand policy: no limit on the number of pets; no weight limit; no pet fee. | 2026-10-28 |
| [Motel 6, San Francisco](https://dogpolicies.com/places/motel-6-san-francisco/) | Yes | Yes, under the Motel 6 brand policy: up to 2 pets per room; no pet fee. | 2026-10-28 |
| [Motel 6, San Francisco](https://dogpolicies.com/places/motel-6-san-francisco-11593097605/) | Yes | Yes, under the Motel 6 brand policy: up to 2 pets per room; no pet fee. | 2026-10-28 |
| [Phoenix Hotel](https://dogpolicies.com/places/phoenix-hotel-san-francisco/) | Yes | Yes. Well-behaved dogs are welcome for a small fee; the FAQ gives no amount, weight limit or leash rules. The hotel supplies a bowl and a pet bed on request. | 2026-11-01 |
| [Union Street Inn](https://dogpolicies.com/places/union-street-inn-san-francisco/) | No | No. Pets are not allowed. | 2026-11-01 |

## Nearby, outside city limits

| Place | Miles | Dogs | Answer |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Rodeo Beach (Marin Headlands)](https://dogpolicies.com/places/rodeo-beach/) | 6.7 | Yes, with restrictions | Yes, with restrictions. Dogs may be on leash or under voice control on Rodeo Beach and South Rodeo Beach, excluding the lagoon. |

## Sources

1. San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, "Dog Play Areas: Relevant City Ordinances" (checked 2026-10-30): https://sfrecpark.org/457/Dog-Play-Areas
   > Sec. 41.12 – All dogs must be leashed or tethered except in designated exercise areas. Dog guardians must be physically present at all times.
2. San Francisco Police Department, "General Order 6.07: Dog Complaints" (checked 2026-10-30): https://www.sanfranciscopolice.org/your-sfpd/policies/general-orders/6-07
   > Unleashed Dog – “It shall be unlawful for the owner or guardian of any animal...to permit said animal to run at large [not under restraint by a leash, rope, or chain of not more than eight feet] within the City and County...” (SF Health Code §41.12(a)). ... Members should cite or admonish and educate the owner or guardian of the dog regarding San Francisco leash laws
3. San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, "Final Dog Policy (May 8, 2002)" (checked 2026-10-30): https://sfrecpark.org/DocumentCenter/View/14206/SFRPD-Dog-Policy
   > welcomes dogs on leash in most of its parks ... DPA: Dog Play Area defined by RPD, a designated park space for off-leash dog use ... dogs are not allowed in the following areas: ... Athletic fields ... Tennis/Basketball/Volleyball Courts ... Children's Play Areas ... Sensitive Habitat Areas (feeding/nesting grounds for significant animal species)
4. San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, "Dog Play Areas: Relevant City Ordinances" (checked 2026-10-30): https://sfrecpark.org/457/Dog-Play-Areas
   > Section 40 – states that dogs must be controlled so as not to commit nuisances; all dog feces must be removed; and all dog walkers must carry materials to remove dog feces.
5. San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, "Dog Play Areas: Relevant City Ordinances" (checked 2026-10-30): https://sfrecpark.org/457/Dog-Play-Areas
   > Sec. 41.15 – Dog License Requirement– Every dog over 4 months old must have a current license. Sec. 41.18 – Dogs over 4 months are required to have current rabies vaccinations.

Guide: https://dogpolicies.com/cities/san-francisco/ · Methodology: https://dogpolicies.com/methodology/