Jacksonville-Area Beaches Compared: Dog Rules, Parking and Fees at 7 Beaches From Hanna Park to St. Augustine Beach

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Fall is one of the best times to visit Northeast Florida's beaches, and the rules change with the season. Jacksonville Beach's paid parking program ends Sunday, Nov. 1, dog rules loosen at several beaches once summer ends, and the crowds thin out. Here is how seven of the area's best-known beaches compare on dogs, parking and fees.

Each beach community sets its own rules, which is why a walk of a few blocks can put you under a different set of regulations. Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach are separate cities, while Hanna Park and Huguenot Memorial Park are run by the City of Jacksonville. St. Augustine Beach and Vilano Beach follow St. Johns County's beach code.

Jacksonville Beach

Jacksonville Beach is the busiest of the group, built around its fishing pier and the bars and restaurants along First Street. From Oct. 1 through March 31, dogs are allowed on the beach at any hour, as long as they are leashed and wearing a current rabies tag. From April 1 through Sept. 30, dogs are allowed only before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m., and owners must pick up after them right away.

The city has several other rules beachgoers should know. Alcohol and glass bottles are not allowed on the beach, and neither are charcoal or gas grills. Swimming and surfing are prohibited within 300 feet of the pier, and surfers must keep their boards tethered to a leg.

Paid parking wraps up for the year on Sunday, Nov. 1. The city charges $4 for the first two hours and $2 for each additional hour, up to $12 a day, at select beach-area lots and on-street spaces on weekends, select holidays and during special events. Residents who register their license plates park free, and pay kiosks are at the Pier lot at 503 First St. N. and at Latham Plaza.

Neptune Beach

Neptune Beach is quieter and mostly residential, with dune walkovers at the ends of its streets. Its dog rules are the strictest of the Duval beaches: dogs are not allowed on the beach, leashed or not, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the summer and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the winter, seven days a week. The city ties the switch to daylight saving time, so the shorter winter window begins when clocks fall back on Nov. 1.

That means dog owners can walk the beach in the early morning and late afternoon all year. Outside the restricted hours, dogs must still be leashed and owners must clean up after them. The city's town center at Atlantic Boulevard and First Street, shared with Atlantic Beach, is a short walk from the sand.

Atlantic Beach

Atlantic Beach is the most dog-friendly of the three beach cities. Leashed dogs with a current tag are allowed on the beach 24 hours a day, according to the Duval County beaches guide posted by the City of Neptune Beach. That makes Atlantic Beach the easy choice for a midday walk with a dog.

The city's beachfront runs north toward Hanna Park and Naval Station Mayport. Parking is on streets near the beach accesses and in small lots, which can fill quickly on warm weekends. As with the other beach cities, the rules can change, so check posted signs at the beach access before you go.

Hanna Park

Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park, at 500 Wonderwood Drive, has 1.5 miles of beach and is home to The Poles, one of the area's best-known surf spots. Admission is $5 per car for up to six people, or $3 per pedestrian or bicyclist, and active-duty military members and veterans get half off with ID. An annual pass costs $92.52 plus tax.

The park's hours change with daylight saving time. It is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during daylight saving time and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. during standard time, so the earlier closing begins Nov. 1. Visitors with an early-bird or annual pass can enter from 6 to 8 a.m., and the last entry is 30 minutes before closing.

Hanna Park is more than a beach. It has a campground, more than 20 miles of biking and hiking trails and a 60-acre freshwater lake for fishing, kayaking and canoeing, though swimming in the lake is not allowed. Pets are permitted only in designated areas and must be on a leash of 8 feet or less.

Huguenot Memorial Park

Huguenot Memorial Park, at the mouth of the St. Johns River, is one of the few places in Duval County where you can drive on the beach. The entrance fee, $5 per car, covers beach access, and no separate driving permit is required. The city warns that reaching the ocean means driving through extremely soft sand, and it strongly recommends four-wheel-drive vehicles.

The park is also a major bird-watching spot. Large flocks of gulls, black skimmers and shorebirds gather on its beaches and sandbars, and some areas are closed to protect nesting birds. Visitors should stay out of posted areas and give the birds plenty of room.

St. Augustine Beach and Vilano Beach

St. Johns County's beaches allow dogs, but they must stay on a leash. The county says its animal code requires dogs to be leashed even while they are in the water, and the leash or other restraint can be no longer than 12 feet. The St. Johns County Ocean & Fishing Pier in St. Augustine Beach is a popular starting point for a walk.

Driving on St. Johns County beaches requires a pass from March 1 through Sept. 30. In 2026, an annual pass cost $50 for county residents and $100 for nonresidents, and a daily pass cost $10. Last year the county began selling the next year's passes on Dec. 1, and it typically announces 2027 sales in late fall.

Vilano Beach, just north of St. Augustine across the Vilano Bridge, is known for sunrises at "The Point" near the St. Augustine Inlet. It follows the same county beach rules as St. Augustine Beach. Its beach parking areas fill quickly on warm weekends, so plan to arrive early.