Empire Beach - Empire,
Empire Beach Dog Park Guide
Discover Empire Beach, a spectacular pet-friendly destination in Empire, MI. With stunning views reminiscent of the Caribbean, this park excites visitors and their furry friends alike. The expansive shoreline along Lake Michigan features beautiful clean water, a soft golden sand beach, and a peaceful natural environment, making it an ideal place for dog walking, play, and outdoor enjoyment. Enjoy scenic sunsets, rock hunting opportunities, and connections to local pet-friendly trails.
This dog-friendly park also includes amenities desirable for families and dog owners, including a playground, picnic shelters, and fishing docks on a smaller lake with shallow waters suitable for dogs and kids. Please note, there is limited parking (pay-to-park), and while restrooms are available, they are primarily pit toilets. Whether you’re a local searching for the perfect dog park in Empire or visiting the Sleeping Bear Dunes area, Empire Beach promises a memorable day for both pets and their people.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is there a playground or activities for kids nearby? Yes, there is a fun playground with soft sand for children to enjoy.
- Are restrooms available for owners? Yes, pit toilets are available at the park.
- Is there parking available? Yes, but parking is limited and paid; arrive early for the best spots.
- Is there a swimming area? Yes, the park features beach access suitable for swimming for both people and likely dogs under supervision.
- Is the park regularly cleaned and maintained? Yes, the park is well maintained and known for being clean and scenic.
- How busy does the park get on weekends? The park can get busy around sunset and on weekends, so plan ahead.
- Are there picnic shelters? Yes, picnic shelters are available in the park.
Reviews
Great place to watch the sunset. Well maintained
Beautiful clean and clear water with a view that reminds me of St.Thomas US Virgin Islands. No showers to wash off in and pit toilets. Beach goes all the way to the dune climb and looks to have access to the dune. Love this beach other than the poor parking situation. Pay to park and not enough spots. Play grounds and picnic shelters too.
This is one of my favorite parks because it has everything! Decent parking and nice bathrooms to start. There’s a really nice stretch of sandy beach. When you wade into the water it’s rocky though, so bring water shoes. It’s perfect for rock hunting. The playground is so fun with soft sand for the kiddos. The park gets busy around sunset, so plan ahead. On the other side of the park, there’s a lake with a dock the kids like to jump from. The water was so warm when we were there! There’s another dock for fishing in a more secluded area. My kids caught so many little fish. We visit this park every time we are in Empire.
Easily a 5 star beach…
2 lakes. This long strip of Lake Michigan has soft golden sand, a strip of naturally polished beach stones, a historic lighthouse, and more. There are boat launches on both lakes and a beachy public park between them. The small lake (forgot what it’s called), is very suitable for younger kids with a slow current and it stays shallow for a good while. Nice little dock on that small lake, cute little fishes and stuff. Unfortunately, there is little shade on this beach, but it wasn’t a deal breaker for us, you can bring an umbrella if you’d like. I took lots of pix but my phone was dying so not as many as I’d like. Absolutely scenic and beautiful and gorgeous and oh by the way, did I say it was beautiful and gorgeous??? Absolutely stunning views in every direction.
God found the beach to be perfect. Easy to access and you can walk ( God ) right on. Water is beautiful. – God