Dog-friendly Hendry’s Beach in Santa Barbara is utterly sublime and will always have a special place in my heart as this is where Bodie had his very first experience of sand and sea… 

I’d never seen him bound with quite such abandon…

His first steps towards the ocean were tentative but the gentle lapping of the waves quickly encouraged a confident stride…

At moments he went into stealth-mode, creeping up on the frothing surf!

I loved seeing such a happy reflection in the wet sand!

Another perk about this beach – lots of potential playmates! Bodie got into a yin and yang pose with this beautiful black Lab!

I had lots of lovely chats with fellow dog-owners and even star-spotted dog training superstar Tamar Geller of The Loved Dog fame (she’s worked on beautiful dog behaviors with the likes of Natalie Portman, Goldie Hawn and Oprah!).

Come the end of the day, Bodie had such a contented expression on his face – and fur that looked like it had been pinch-spiked with hair gel!

INFO FOR DOG-FRIENDLY HENDRY’S BEACH aka ARROYO BURRO BEACH

ADDRESS: 2981 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93109

DOG WASH – Between the two parking lots there’s a coin-operated dog wash with a large tub, if you want to de-sand your dog before he/she hops back into the car.

PARKING – Two large lots, just keep cruising around until a space frees up – people are coming and going all the time. Just make sure to drive nice and slow as there are a few dogs ambling around ahead of their owners and the inevitable excited leap from the car from new arrivals!

EATING – If you have specific dietary needs a picnic is best but if you are happy with simple all-American hot dogs and burgers and a takeaway Pepsi you can visit the casual walk-up window of the Boathouse, just a few paces from the dog beach.

HIKING – If you want to make a day of it, you can begin with a walk on the stunning clifftop bluff above the beach – THE DOUGLAS FAMILY PRESERVE – and then come down to sea level for a snack and a relax/roam on the sand. It really does make for an idyllic combination, especially for dogs that need a lot of exercise.

Have you ever visited dog-friendly Hendry’s beach in Santa Barbara? Do tell!