Since Chicago dog parks are so economical, I started investigating suburban dog parks.¬† My first reaction…not so thrifty.¬† If you sign up, you must use it regularly to make it worthwhile.
Schaumburg’s Willow Dog Park is open daily year round.¬† It costs $40/year for residents and $60/year for nonresidents.
Palatine’s dog park costs $45/year for residents and $90/year for nonresidents.
Skokie’s Pooch Park requires a $40 fee for residents and $80 for nonresidents (2009 rates).
Oak Park’s dog park has a $40 fee (unclear if there is a higher rate for nonresidents).
My initial recommendation is keep your dog on the leash and go for a jog (exercise for you, too).  If anyone knows of more dog parksРespecially ones that have lower annual feesРlet me know.
Do you have a four-legged furry roommate? If so, for a $5 annual fee, you gain access to 16 dog friendly areas on Chicago, plus you get some free exercise– the price is right!
Those areas are:
(For the links, if it is an actual street address, it should be accurate, but for intersections, I tried to get as close as possible, but they may be a tiny bit off.)
Have fun with the dogs this summer!
One of Chicago’s few dog friendly beaches is Montrose Beach. This beach, located at Lake Shore Drive and Montrose Avenue, has a special section where dogs can be unleashed into the sand. The only cost to owners is registration tags (which dogs need anyway) and a DFA license (Dog Friendly Area license), which only costs $5 a year (1 January to 31 December).
On most days, this beach is a nice quiet beach with lots of room‚ it is rare to have to hunt for a spot on the sand. There are also lots of grassy areas where families congregate to barbecue and play. Although there is lots of parking, I’ve never been there on a day when parking was easy (I finally learned how to get there via bus).
So grab your beach blanket, call your furball, and head to the beach for a day in the sand and sun.
