Dog-Friendly Retirement Near Myrtle Beach: Top 55+ Communities With Dog Parks

10 minute read

What You’ll Gain From Reading This Article: Readers will gain an understanding of the Myrtle Beach-Wilmington area as a prime destination for active adults looking to retire near the beach with their furry companions. The article covers various aspects, including the pet-friendly amenities, attractions, and activities available in the region.

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The Myrtle Beach-Wilmington area has grown from one of the country’s best beach vacation destinations to one of its top retirement destinations. Year after year, active adults flock to the area for its scenic Atlantic Coast beaches, high-quality golf courses, local attractions, and abundant outdoor activities.

The famous Grand Strand along Myrtle Beach boasts 60 miles of shoreline, while Wilmington features gems such as Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, and Topsail Island. The region offers a coastal paradise for those who love swimming, fishing, boating, sunbathing, watersports, and outdoor recreation.

Is Myrtle Beach Dog-Friendly?

If this sounds like the perfect place for you but you have a furry friend at your side, you may wonder: Is Myrtle Beach dog-friendly? Yes! The area is the ideal place for active adults who want to retire near the beach with their pets.

Most restaurants, cafes, and bars in the area provide pet-friendly patios. Also, many boutiques and shops allow visitors to browse with their furry friends. There are multiple top-rated veterinarians and pet hospitals to ensure pets receive the best care. And popular dog parks in the area include Waggin’ Tales Dog Park, MacLean Park, and Myrtle Beach Barc Parc North.

Dogs and their owners can participate in fun annual events and activities in Myrtle Beach designed to bring the community together, such as Putt for Pets at Black Pearl Golf and Arcade, Mardi Paws at Valor Memorial Gardens, Dogtoberfest at House of Blues, and Doggie Day Talent Show & Expo. At the Myrtle Beach Doggie Dash & Mini Marathon, dogs and their owners can participate in a one-mile dog-friendly race. Some of the best dog-friendly events in Wilmington include the paws4people 5K, Pets in the Park at Carolina Lake Beach Park, and the Azalea Festival Paws on Parade and Official Dog Garden Paw-ty.

55+ Communities With Dog Parks

Some active adult communities in the Myrtle Beach area even have dog parks. A neighborhood dog park—along with its sidewalks, trails, and greenspaces—is often a social hub for community and conversation.

Plus, the convenient locations of these communities put active adults near the area’s best pet-friendly parks, beaches, and attractions. Active adults can also benefit from the resort-style amenities, contemporary floor plans, and abundant lifestyle activities.

Below, we rounded up the active adult communities with dog parks in the Myrtle Beach-Wilmington area to help start your search for the best neighborhood to call home. Keep reading to discover more of the best pet-friendly communities, attractions, and activities near Myrtle Beach, SC and Wilmington, NC.

Compass Pointe – Leland, NC

Low $400ks – High $900ks

Just 20 minutes from Downtown Wilmington, Compass Pointe offers pet-loving homeowners a convenient location and resort-style amenities. This active lifestyle community includes 2,000 single-family and attached homes. Many homes feature open-concept floor plans, screened-in porches, and patios, offering plenty of space for your dog to play. Homeowners can also expect primary bedrooms with walk-in closets and en-suite bathrooms, gourmet kitchens, and space for golf carts in the attached garages.

Compass Pointe has a 15,000-square-foot clubhouse with a fitness center, an 18-hole championship golf course, an indoor pool, an outdoor resort-style pool, and courts for tennis and pickleball. For pet owners, the expansive dog park features two sides for large and small dogs. Also, the Pointe Canine and Friends Club regularly schedules doggie play dates so neighbors and their furry friends can socialize.

Walking the dog has never been more enjoyable thanks to the miles of walking trails that span the 2,200 acres of the community. The trails wind through lush North Carolina nature preserves and an Audubon-certified sanctuary while also connecting the community’s amenities. Community members host a walking club and a biking club at Compass Pointe to enjoy the trails with company.

Residents can also reach the Atlantic Coast within 30 minutes, but many beaches in the area only allow dogs during certain periods of the year. Dog-friendly beaches near Wilmington include Freeman Park, Topsail Beach, Carolina Beach, Fort Fisher State Park, Kure Beach, and Wrightsville Beach.

The Village at Motts Landing – Wilmington, NC

High $500ks – High $700ks

The Village at Motts Landing sits less than five miles from the Atlantic Coast. Homeowners can explore the surrounding area with the dog—the scenery is some of the best that Coastal North Carolina has to offer.

To the west flows the Cape Fear River. It’s bordered by numerous parks and preserves, such as River Road Park where homeowners can launch kayaks and bring along their adventurous canines. To the East lies the Atlantic Coast and its scenic beaches. Also, Freeman Park is 15 minutes away, providing dog-friendly beach access with swimming, fishing, and sunbathing. 

This community is home to several resort-style amenities, including a clubhouse with a fitness center, a card room, a demonstration kitchen, and multipurpose gathering spaces. Outside, there’s a resort-style pool with a spacious sun deck, a tennis court, a putting green, and a community garden. Homeowners can also take their furry friends on walking trails that wind around scenic ponds and natural spaces.

Of the 415 homes, interested homebuyers can find both new and resale single-family and attached homes. With features such as lanais, breakfast nooks, screened-in porches, and flex rooms, active adults can expect comfortable, open-concept homes at The Village at Motts Landing.

Avalon – Bolivia, NC

Mid $300ks – Low $400ks

Created by renowned 55+ community builder DR Horton, Avalon includes 166 single-family homes. The resort-style amenities include a clubhouse, an outdoor pool, pickleball courts, and bocce ball courts. Residents also have access to a sizable pond stocked with fish and surrounded by walking trails. Avalon considers itself a highly dog-friendly community.

Floor plans at Avalon start at 1,083 square feet and extend to 2,368 with three or four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and one- or two-car garages. Interested homebuyers can find open-concept floor plans, flex rooms, patios, and owner’s suites with walk-in closets and en-suite bathrooms. 

The two most well-known beaches close to Avalon are Caswell Beach and Oak Island Beach, both about 15 minutes from the community. These beaches are dog-friendly year-round, and pets are even allowed off their leash during certain times of the year.

Oak Island is also a popular spot for locals and tourists alike due to its quaint coastal town. Dog owners can find plenty of opportunities to bring their best friend out shopping or to pet-friendly restaurants. For inland fun, dogs are welcome at nearby Green Swamp Preserve, a large park full of trails.

Bridgewater – Little River, SC

High $300ks – Low $700ks

Imagine hopping in the car and driving to North Myrtle Beach, Cherry Grove Fishing Pier, or Futch Beach, all within ten minutes of your home. Residents of Bridgewater in Little River enjoy this reality every day. The active lifestyle community consists of 1,550 single-family and attached homes. Many offer scenic water views of the community’s 530 acres of lakes and waterways. The master-planned community also offers apartment homes ideal for those searching for Myrtle Beach dog-friendly condos.

The community attracts many active adults who want to enjoy resort-style amenities. Bridgewater features a 5,000-square-foot clubhouse with a catering kitchen and a fitness center. Outside, residents can find a spacious resort-style pool with a patio. There are also community gardens, pickleball and bocce ball courts, and fire pits. Additionally, residents can find a dog park, fitness trails, and greenspaces to explore with their pets.

In addition to luxury amenities and a sought-after location near the Grand Strand, residents of Bridgewater can live an active physical and social lifestyle. The social calendar boasts plenty of clubs, activities, and events, such as book clubs, dining clubs, golf cart parades, picnics, and craft fairs. There are even regular newcomers’ meet and greets to welcome residents to the neighborhood.

North Myrtle Beach does enforce strict leash laws and protocols for dogs. While dogs can enjoy the beach at any time of day between September 16 and May 14, dogs are prohibited from visiting the beach between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm from May 15 to September 15.

Heather Glen – Little River, SC

Low $300ks – High $500ks

Heather Glen is another active lifestyle community ideal for those who want to plant roots near North Myrtle Beach. The D.R. Horton community will include 1,000 single-family and attached homes upon completion. The single-family homes range from 1,343 to 2,713 square feet, while the attached homes provide 1,500 square feet. With a walkable, tight-knit community, residents can safely walk their dogs around the neighborhood whenever they please.

In addition to a dog park, the amenities feature a 10,000-square-foot clubhouse with a fitness center, a yoga studio, a community kitchen, meeting rooms, and multipurpose gathering spaces. There’s also a resort-style pool, a patio, and a fishing lake with a dock.

The convenient location is ideal for active adults who want to get outside with their dogs. Residents can reach North Myrtle Beach and Cherry Grove Point within 15 minutes and Sunset Beach in North Carolina within 20 minutes. Down the road from the community, Vereen Memorial Gardens offers pet-friendly boardwalks, trails, and greenspaces. Scenic parks in the area include Heritage Shores Nature Preserve, Little River Neck Park, and Waggin’ Tales Dog Park.

The Grove at Coastal Grand – Myrtle Beach, SC

Prices Starting At $1,827

Located in the heart of Myrtle Beach, The Grove at Coastal Grand is a 55+ apartment complex with 194 homes for rent. Residents live a maintenance-free lifestyle and can access an abundance of amenities as well as the highly desirable surrounding area. The apartment homes pose a perfect opportunity for active adults looking to downsize, offering floor plans from 715 to 1,400 square feet. 

Residents can enjoy amenities such as a fitness center, a game room, a demonstration kitchen, an arts and crafts studio, a movie theater, and a complimentary coffee bar. Even more awaits outside, including a resort-style pool, a putting green, and a community garden. The Grove at Coastal Grand also includes a dog park with agility equipment. Walking and biking trails also surround the community, making daily walks easy. 

The community sits only 10 minutes from Myrtle Beach International Airport for residents who like to travel. For fun closer to home, you have easy access to restaurants, shopping, and natural attractions. Many nearby dining options have outdoor seating for dogs. Also, the walkability makes this a prime location for residents with furry friends. Myrtle Beach allows dogs on the beach before 10:00 am and after 5:00 pm May 1 through Labor Day, then any time of the day after that.