Montrose Dog Beach — Attraction in Evanston

By far the best place in Chicago to take your dog- albeit not for the faint hearted. Expansive gated beach where pups can run free in the water or between lounging visitors in the sand. Just do not expect a relaxing tanning session on the beach as you will get plenty of drooling, sniffing canines in your face and sand on your towel. Personal space does not exist (to be expected at a dog park). But the dogs love it and owners can swim and run around with them until they drop dead tired. A convenient dog washing station (for a fee although may be a charity) is at one of the entrances to clean your little friends off after.

The beach is crowded but pleasant on a weekend. There is plenty of space on the beach and a few benches scattered in the park. As far as access goes, parking usually isn't an issue... There is plenty of street parking along Montrose Street and a parking lot. Walking to the park might be an issue unless you are looking for a lot of exercise walking up Lincoln Park or down from the North Side. The dog beach located North of the main public beach that stretches up...

Montrose Dog Beach is hands down the best place in Chicago to let your pup run free and have the time of their life! This off-leash paradise is spacious, clean, and well-maintained, with plenty of room for dogs of all sizes to splash in the water, chase each other through the sand, and just enjoy being dogs. The atmosphere is always friendly, with responsible owners and happy pups everywhere you look.

What really sets Montrose Dog Beach apart is the community—everyone here truly cares about keeping the space safe and enjoyable. There’s a rinse-off station for sandy paws, and the volunteer group, MonDog, does an amazing job maintaining the area. Whether you’re there for a morning play session or a sunset stroll, it’s always a great experience.

If you have a dog in Chicago, this place is an absolute must-visit. My dog loves it, and honestly, I think I do...

I absolutely love Montrose dog beach. It’s a great place to visit for any season. Of course it’s most popular and crowded during the spring and summer. But I also love visiting during the fall and winter. Sometimes there is no one else there, or very few people there. My dogs love this place!

My only complaint is the very stinky garbage cans at the front entrance.

I love that they have a vending machine that includes little doggy water cups in case you forget. They also have self service dog wash stations.

It’s all very fun, but I make sure to keep an eye on my small dogs at all times. Inevitably there’s always someone who isn’t paying attention to their dog.

There are all types of dogs that visit here -...