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Beaches · Uptown / Montrose
Chicago's only official off-leash lakefront dog beach, a 3.83-acre dog area at the north end of Montrose Beach on Lake Michigan. Fenced on three sides with the lake as the fourth, it has a self-serve dog wash and waste stations, and dogs swim in open fresh water with the skyline behind them.
The city's flagship off-leash beach and one of the great urban dog swims in the Midwest, with a dog wash on site for afterwards.
This is a designated Chicago Park District Dog Friendly Area: off-leash inside the boundary only, and a DFA permit and tag — about $10 a year from a participating vet plus a $5 city dog licence — is required, including for out-of-town visitors, with no day pass. Dogs are banned from the rest of Montrose Beach and every other Chicago beach. A red flag means a swim ban is in force.
The pet policy above is summarised from the venue’s own published information and cross-checked against public listings. Policies change without notice anyway, so confirm the current one with the venue before you travel, and keep your dog leashed anywhere that is not a signed off-leash area. Read the full disclaimer.
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No photo yetA Lettuce Entertain You neighbourhood restaurant, coffeehouse and market on Clark Street, serving all-day brunch, house coffee and bakery from morning through dinner. There is a small outdoor patio where leashed dogs are welcome.
No photo yetWiggly Field is the dog area inside Noethling Park in Lincoln Park, opened in 1997 as the first official off-leash area in Chicago. A small, fenced gravel and asphalt run with a double-gated entry, a separate small-dog and cool-down area, shade trees and a dog-height water fountain.
No photo yetHalf Acre's Balmoral taproom is a long-running Chicago brewery in a converted industrial building, best known for Daisy Cutter. Taproom, shop and a large seasonal outdoor beer garden, with the garden as the dog-friendly area.