Montrose Dog Beach: The Off-Leash, On-Vibe Escape Every NYC Dog Parent Dreams About

Listen. If you’re a New York dog parent, you already know the struggle:
You find a beach. It says it’s dog-friendly.
Then you read the fine print and it’s like:
“Dogs welcome... but only before 8am or after 7pm. In winter. When it’s 30 degrees. And probably raining.”

Yeah, we’re talking about you, Long Island and Connecticut coasts.

So when we say that Montrose Dog Beach in downtown Chicago is a literal oasis, we mean it with our whole hearts.

Where Has This Been All Our Lives?

And it’s not in the middle of nowhere either. It’s right in the action—downtown Chicago vibes with lakefront energy and major skyline views. Beso and Bailey ran wild, got soaked, and made like 12 new besties in the first five minutes.

And the Best Part? THEY THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING.

Because get this:
Right at the entrance to the beach, there are actual self-service dog wash stations by Mutt Jackson. Like, multiple. With shampoo, water pressure, clean towels, and a spot to leash up while you scrub.

So instead of bringing home a pair of sand-drenched gremlins who’d grind beach grit into our car upholstery and couch for days, we gave the girls a quick rinse, a fluff dry, and hopped back in the car clean and chaos-free.

It was PURE. F*CKING. HEAVEN.

Montrose Dog Beach = Dog Parent Fantasy Fulfilled

• 🐕 Off-leash freedom
• 🌆 Close to downtown
• 🚿 Self-wash stations ON-SITE
• 🌊 Actual swimming allowed—in summer. Like, when it’s hot. (Shocking, I know.)
• 💬 Zero judgment if your dog belly-flops into someone else’s sandcastle

Final Thoughts from a New Yorker
If we could teleport Montrose to New York, we would. But until then, this is your sign to add Chicago to your travel list if only to give your dog the beach day they deserve—with no early wake-up, no weird winter-only access, and no post-beach regret.

Thank you, Chicago. You understood the assignment.
We’ll be back—with extra shampoo and very sandy smiles.

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