As a recent new pet owner I still find myself constantly on the prowl for dog friendly beaches in the Auckland area. So far a good rule of thumb is that the Regional Parks are a good bet on being dog friendly, Dept of Conservation tracks/parks are usually a no-go zone, and Council land are 50⁄50. The Kakamatua inlet is basically a dog’s dream and it’s actually fun for owners too. There’s about a 5-minute bush walk to get to the beach and opens up to an ample off-lead beach with no time-of-day restrictions throughout the year. The beach is super tidal so if you go at low tide the beach about triples in size, but don’t worry about high tide as there is still ample beach for your pooch. The waves are gentle and swim-friendly for dogs of all sizes and it’s a really good place for dogs to brush up on their social skills. The car park can be quite full as it is a real local favorite(especially on the weekend). There are several rubbish bins at various points of the walk to dispose of your pooch’s dirty business and there is even a loo for humans too! If you’re looking for an off-lead dog friendly beach especially during summer venturing out West to the Kakamatua Inlet won’t disappoint!
