NearMeDog-friendly places in Avalon Beach
Last updatedThe best dog outing in Avalon Beach is a run in the fenced off-leash area at Avalon Beach Reserve, then coffee at The Hungry Ghost, a 4-minute walk away. The park's page lists the off-leash area as open 24 hours a day. Two of the cafes that take dogs close at 1pm every day, so plan the coffee before then.
A day with your dog in Avalon Beach
| Time | Where dogs can go |
|---|---|
| Any time | The park's page lists the fenced off-leash area at Avalon Beach Reserve as open to dogs 24 hours a day. |
| Every day, 7am to 1pm | The Hungry Ghost serves breakfast and toasties with dogs at its outdoor tables only. |
| Every day, 6am to half past two | Café Relish serves breakfast, brunch and lunch, with dogs at its outdoor tables. |
| Weekends, 7am to 3pm | Girdlers Café - Avalon takes dogs at its outdoor tables from 7am to 3pm. |
Any morning: a run at Avalon Beach Reserve, then coffee at The Hungry Ghost
Start in the fenced off-leash area at the northern end of Avalon Beach Reserve, reached from Central Avenue. It is medium-sized, and the park's page lists it as open to dogs 24 hours a day, so the run fits any hour. The reserve also has a playground, BBQ areas and picnic tables, and the Avalon Beach Surf Life Saving Club has public toilets and showers.
From the reserve, walk 4 minutes to The Hungry Ghost, a small coffee and food stop in a sunny laneway. Visitors praise its flat white, and the cafe takes dogs at its outdoor tables only. Order the Breakfast Jaffle or the Reuben toastie, and arrive at 8am, when the cafe has been open for an hour.
The next plan swaps the off-leash run for a bush track, on lead.
A bush walk on lead at Angophora Reserve, then brunch in Avalon Beach
Angophora Reserve is a bushland reserve with a bushwalking track through native woodland, palm stands and ferns. Dogs must be on a lead at all times, and most of the track is stairs, so take water for your dog and set a pace it can keep.
From the reserve, it is a 12-minute walk to Girdlers Café - Avalon, a bright neighbourhood cafe with a relaxed deck among gum trees. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables, and one visitor says staff bring a drink of water for the dog. Order the prosciutto crêpe, and arrive at 11am, when the cafe has been open for four hours.
The rules below cover the reserve, the cafes and the beach, so check them before you head out.
Dog rules in Avalon Beach: where dogs can't go
The park's page lists the fenced off-leash area at the northern end of Avalon Beach Reserve as open 24 hours a day. Dogs must be on a lead at all times on the Angophora Reserve track. At the five cafes, dogs are welcome at outdoor tables only, never inside.
Confirm the 24-hour opening, the rules for the rest of Avalon Beach Reserve, and the sand at the patrolled beach, with Northern Beaches Council before you go. Councils change signs and seasonal rules, so the signs on the day are the final word.
Where these are in Avalon Beach
- Avalon Beach Reserve: Within a 10-minute walk of the off-leash area, along Avalon Parade and Old Barrenjoey Road, with cafes that take dogs at outdoor tables.
- Angophora Reserve: Bushland on lead, then a 12-minute walk to a cafe on Hilltop Road with outdoor tables for dogs.
Every dog-friendly place in Avalon Beach
| Place | Type | Dogs |
|---|---|---|
| Avalon Beach Reserve | Park | Off-leash area, fenced |
| Angophora Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Nourished Wholefood Cafe | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Girdlers Café - Avalon | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| The Sneaky Grind | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Café Relish | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| The Hungry Ghost | Cafe | Dogs outside |
FAQ
Where can I take my dog off-leash in Avalon Beach?
Avalon Beach Reserve has a fenced off-leash dog area at its northern end, and the park's page lists it as open 24 hours a day. Owners reach the enclosure from Central Avenue. The area is medium-sized, so it suits a dog that wants a proper run. Because the space is fenced, it is the spot to let a dog off the lead. Check the signs for the rest of the reserve. The reserve's playground, BBQ areas and picnic tables also make the off-leash run part of a longer day out. Angophora Reserve, the bushland reserve in Avalon, is a different kind of outing, and dogs there must stay on lead.
Is there a fenced dog park in Avalon Beach?
Yes, Avalon Beach Reserve has a fenced off-leash dog area at its northern end. It is medium-sized, and the park's page lists it as open 24 hours a day, with access from Central Avenue. The fenced space is a popular spot for dog owners to catch up with friends, so it works as a social stop as well as a place to run. Other facilities in the reserve include a playground, BBQs, picnic tables, drinking water and public toilets at the surf club. For a bushland walk instead, Angophora Reserve is leashed at all times.
Which cafes in Avalon Beach allow dogs?
Five cafes in Avalon Beach take dogs, all at outdoor tables only: Nourished Wholefood Cafe, Girdlers Café - Avalon, The Sneaky Grind, Café Relish and The Hungry Ghost. Their closing times differ, so the order matters. The Hungry Ghost and The Sneaky Grind close at 1pm every day, Café Relish closes at half past two, and Nourished Wholefood Cafe closes at 4pm on weekdays and half past four at weekends. Girdlers Café - Avalon closes at 3pm on weekends. Nourished, The Sneaky Grind and The Hungry Ghost are all within 6 minutes' walk of Avalon Beach Reserve.
Where can I walk my dog and get a coffee in Avalon Beach?
Avalon Beach Reserve and The Hungry Ghost are a 4-minute walk apart, the shortest walk from the reserve to any cafe covered here. Take the dog from the off-leash area to the cafe for a flat white, then walk back. For more choices, Nourished Wholefood Cafe is 5 minutes from the reserve, The Sneaky Grind is 6 minutes, and Café Relish is 10 minutes. All four take dogs at outdoor tables only, and each opens by 7am, so a morning walk and a coffee fit easily. Nourished and The Sneaky Grind are only a minute apart, so the two make a pair for a longer morning out.
What can I do with my dog in Avalon Beach this weekend?
On a weekend, the two outings in Avalon Beach are a run in the fenced off-leash area at Avalon Beach Reserve, then coffee at The Hungry Ghost, or a bush walk on lead at Angophora Reserve, then brunch at Girdlers Café - Avalon. The run works at any hour, since the park's page lists the enclosure as open 24 hours a day. The Hungry Ghost serves from 7am to 1pm at weekends, and Girdlers Café - Avalon serves from 7am to 3pm, so plan the coffee or brunch for the morning. On the Angophora track, dogs stay on lead, so bring water for both of you. Each of the two cafes takes dogs at its outdoor tables only.