Chatham MA - Dog Friendly Parks, Walks & Places

Lighthouse Beach

Date visited: 10/8/2024

This is the second of three different Cape Cod beaches in three different towns that we visited on this day. Dogs are allowed on this beach from September 16th through April 30th. The lighthouse is on Coast Guard property and not accessible to the public, though sometimes they offer tours of the facility. Parking is limited, and I only saw 30 minute parking spots, but that was enough time to see the sights here. North Beach Island blocks this beach from the open waters of the Atlantic, so there are no real waves here. This made it an ideal spot for Mandy and Lexi to take a dip, which they did! This seems to be a nice spot for a quick visit, but maybe not the kind of beach you'd spend a day at.

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Ridgevale Beach

Date visited: 3/20/2026

We weren't planning on visiting the Cape on this day, but our walk in Plymouth was cut short, so we drove an additional 45 minutes to this beach along the Cape's southeastern shore. Dogs are allowed from September 16th through April 30th here. It was much windier here than in Plymouth, so it felt pretty cold. A pedestrian bridge is used to access the beach from the parking area. There was only about a half mile or so of walkable beach here, so it was a short visit. Even with the wind, it was still a nice day, so we decided to head into town to continue our adventure.

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Veterans Park

Date visited: 3/20/2026

This park includes the community center, tennis courts, a skate park, a playground, and Veterans Field, home of the Cape Cod League Chatham Anglers. Dogs are allowed in the park, but not on any of the athletic fields. We parked at the free public lot here, and began our adventure through Downtown Chatham.

Downtown Chatham

Date visited: 3/20/2026

This was primarily a walk up and down Main Street, the main tourist section of Downtown Chatham. It's a typical Cape Cod Main Street, lined with small shops, restaurants, and art galleries. We started at Veterans Park, and our walk also included Kate Gould Park as well.