Name: Dog Friendly Vacation Spots In Michigan
Brand: LAWN-DOGS.COM
SKU: AE-0360847934013732597
Price: 94.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.6 (17177 reviews)

Dog Friendly Vacation Spots In Michigan – At the tip of Michigan’s thumb, Port Austin is one of the lesser-known gems in the entire state, and it’s friendly too! With more than 3 miles of sandy beaches near Port Crescent State Park, you can spend the day in the clear blue waters or hike more than 18 miles of open lowland forest through the dunes with stunning water views.

Dogs are allowed on the part of the beach located near the mouth of the Pinnebog River, accessible via a metal bridge that connects to the campground trail. Pets must be kept on a lead and it is important to clean up after your pet!

Table of Contents

Dog Friendly Vacation Spots In Michigan

One of our favorite dog-friendly patios, Pak’s Backyard, is also in Port Austin! They have Michigan craft beer, great bar food, and a great atmosphere. They often have live music, so you can enjoy dinner and water in the water with a bag for a long time on the beach!

Pet-friendly Vacations: The 34 Best Destinations For 2024

A few hours further along the shores of Lake Huron is one of our stops, Tawas Point! This dog beach is one of the few fenced areas in Michigan where dogs can run free on a leash in a designated area. The camp is also dog friendly, so bring your dog for a fun summer weekend!

The Boathouse Beer Co. & Boozery is another great stop where you can dine on the patio with your treat. Tawas is right in the middle of town, they have great food and drinks and there is another little park across the street that is also dog friendly!

If you are looking for a unique experience, you can enjoy it with your dog in Michigan, Mackinac Island, IT. Hop on one of the dog-friendly airlines – Star Line or Shepler’s – and cross over to a car-free island – a unique experience! Once there, you can explore more than 70 miles of trails and viewpoints, dine at one of the local dog-friendly restaurants, and explore historic Fort Holmes with your pooch. Many shops in the city center allow visitors with four-legged friends with “Dogs Welcome” signs!

Mackinac Island has three dog-friendly hotels, including Park Place Suites, Sunset Condos, and our favorite Mission Point Resort, which has a great dog-friendly patio!

13 Dog-friendly Lakes To Visit This Summer

Barley has a view of the Mackinac Bridge and the front street mural from Pak’s Backyard

Home to Great Rocks National Park located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Manistee is another Northern Michigan gem, and you can bring your dog along! There are several dog-friendly areas in the park, including Sand Point Beach, Munising Falls Trail, Miners Falls Trail, Miners Beach, Lake Superior Overlook and Beach, and Sable Falls Trail and Beach.

While the North Country Scenic Trail and all Backcountry campgrounds are unfortunately closed to pets, three campgrounds in the area, including Little Castle Lake, Twelfth Beach and Hurricane River Campgrounds, let your dog stay after that.

Located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Marquette is one of my favorite places in the country and definitely a place to put on your bucket list to see with your dog. There are many hidden gems along the shores of Lake Superior with its rolling hills and stunning views.

Browse Our Pet-friendly Cabin Rentals In Michigan

When we visit, we stay at the Staybridge Inn and Suites, which is located downtown. Rooms are large with pet friendly amenities and dogs love to be treated to our changing weather style. The Staybridge Inn and Suites is a great hotel that has stores in other cities as well – we’ve stopped at them a few times along the way and they’ve always been great!

Hike to one of the many waterfalls in the area, and if you’re feeling brave, you can jump into Dead River Falls, a modest but short 1.7-mile hike. If you’re looking for a view of the water up there, look for Sugarloaf Mountain or Hogback Mountain, both slight climbs, but well worth it once you get to the top!

After a day of sightseeing, visit the dog-friendly patio at Ore Dock Brewing. They have a wide variety of willows and last year when we visited they had some growers who were amazing too! If you’re lucky, you’ll find Dia De Los Tacos parked outside – those tacos are just as good as this food truck – wherever they are during the day!

Traverse City has been named one of the best cities in the United States and it certainly lives up to the hype. It is also very dog friendly which we visit at least once a year! The greater Traverse City area is one of Michigan’s premier wine regions, with 40 different wineries throughout the peninsula. Go on a wine tasting day and bring your dog to a few of your favorite spots like Mari Vineyards, Charlie’s Foot, and Bonobo where dogs are welcome!

Best Michigan Dog Beaches

If you’re looking for food, check out The Filling Station for half off our best pizzas, or Little Fleet, the dog-friendly Food Truck. They also have amazing craft cocktails in the main building!

If you want to hike or explore some of the famous blue waters, the Good Harbor Bay Trail and Beach is friendly and will not disappoint! A 2.7 mile sloping road leads to the peaceful beach. Dogs are welcome on a leash and on the beach as long as they clean themselves.

If you want to visit Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Park, be sure to check out Beulah and the surrounding area! Unfortunately, some trails are not dog-friendly during the summer due to the Lake Shore Plover, but several trails in the park are open from December 1st through March 31st.

Boating is allowed on some of the quietest beaches year-round, including Elberta Beach, which is generally less busy because of Mother Nature’s protection, and Peterson Road Beach, known for its spectacular views of Empire Bluff, Sleeping Bear Point. and even South Manitou Island on a clear day.

Dog Friendly Traverse City, Michigan: The Insider’s Guide

Shotguns are also allowed at several campgrounds near the park, but make sure you visit Sleeping Bear NPS before you go!

One of our favorite spots in the area is the Iron Fish Distillery. The property is great and there are tons of things to do and try, including specialty syrup, Spirit Flight, and my favorite, wood fired pizza!

When you go, ask the locals about their favorite spots! From Michigan, USA to the West Coast and in between, there’s plenty to see – and yes, bring the dog!

In area? Check out our Michigan Travel Guide for Dogs and Cleveland Guide for Dogs!

18 Pet-friendly Cabins In Michigan (+lakefront Cabins!)

Rachael Jezowski & Golden Wild Rachel is a freelance graphic designer and content creator living in beautiful Northern Michigan with her three golden retrievers, Barley, Cassie, and Moe! They worry about how much time they have to pack as much as possible and hit the road to enjoy a weekend of all that Michigan has to offer. When she’s not hiking or at the beach (and Rachel is off work, ha!) she likes to play fetch and swim in her backyard. Rachel has also become a huge advocate for Cassie, who was rescued from the Chinese meat trade in 2019. You can follow all her adventures and more on Instagram at @wildgoldens.

We use cookies on our website to record your preferences and repeat visits to provide you with the most relevant experience possible. By clicking “Accept” you agree to the use of all cookies. However, you can visit the Privacy Policy and grant permission in the usual way

This website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience. From them, cookies are stored in your browser, which are generally necessary because they are necessary for the basic functions of the website to work. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies are stored in your browser without your consent. You also have the option to cancel these cookies. However, some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.

Cookies are necessary for the proper functioning of the website. These cookies monitor the basic functionality and security of the website, without the knowledge of the author.