Rosie's Dog Beach

This stretch of sand in Long Beach is a pooch-friendly paradise. Indeed, it’s the only one of its kind: The four-acre waterfront spot is the sole legal off-leash dog beach in L.A. County. Even if it had competition, Rosie’s (named after the area’s late local canine celebrity, Rosie the English bulldog) would still stand out for its plentiful parking and spacious, soft sand (it’s not nearly as sticky as the tar-flecked dog beach just across the county border in Huntington Beach). A pair of posts gestures towards the pooch-permitted and human-only portions of the beach, otherwise there are no fences marking the dog-friendly area; you’ll know you’re in the right spot if you see the colorful “Dogs at Play” sculpture and stay roughly between Granada Avenue and Roycroft Avenue (between 6am and 8pm daily).

If you’re hungry while you’re there, make sure to stop by Monty’s Dog Beach & Bar, a snack shop near the parking lot with an adorable agility course and some limited beach chair seating (which are very in demand on busy weekends).