Play: Barc Park South

Barc Park South offers three large, fenced-in areas: one for small dogs, one for large dogs, and a third space featuring a pond for swimming and walking.

Max briefly played with the big dogs before we headed into the pond area — which was more peaceful and spacious. We walked around the large pond, chatted with other friendly dog owners, and Max had a blast swimming and socializing.

Despite a few passing rain showers, it was a great experience. Parking is free, and the lot had plenty of space.

Play: Surfside Beach

Surfside Beach is dog-friendly during off-peak hours: before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m.

We arrived at 5:30 p.m., and the parking attendant told me not to bother paying since parking becomes free after 6 p.m. I parked in the Fishing Pier Public Parking Lot, right next to River City Café (which looked fun but sadly doesn’t allow dogs).

Max ran, dug, and lounged happily on the sand. While there were quite a few dead jellyfish washed up on shore, Max thankfully ignored them.

Before heading back to the car, we rinsed our feet at the convenient wash station located just outside River City Café.

Eat: The Sneaky Beagle

The Sneaky Beagle is one of the most dog-welcoming restaurants we’ve ever visited.

The outdoor seating features picnic tables spread across turf, shaded by umbrellas, and there’s also a covered bar area. They brought Max a water bowl and even had a self-serve water refill station for dogs!

Their dog menu includes:

• Pupcake

• Chicken Jerky

• Doggie Donut

• Peanut Butter Coco Balls

I got Max the chicken jerky — and he devoured it. While we were there, we even saw a crew working on building a mini dog park right on-site!