When traveling with the whole family, it’s hard to leave your pet behind! Thankfully, there are lots of great establishments across West Michigan that are happy to welcome you and your pet on your next visit. We’re here to help you plan your next trip in West Michigan with your furry friend, so we’ve shared some pet-friendly spots below with you – happy trip planning!
See more pet travel ideas in West Michigan in our Carefree Travel Guide here.
Pet-Friendly Southern West Michigan Destinations
Dogs are often more than just dogs, they’re family. And when folks go camping, many canines go along for the adventure. Michigan Association of RVs and Campers answer the most popular questions campers have when it comes to camping with dogs.
Virtue Farm is a place where all are welcome. Their favorite visitors are those with four legs and a tail. Bring your dog along while you kick back and enjoy cider flights and charcuterie on the 48 acre farm. Gorgeous wide open views and plenty of outdoor space make it the perfect place to chill with your pup. Snap a pic of your dog and use #dogsofvirtue to be featured on their Instagram.
No need to leave Fido at home during your next getaway to West Michigan’s Coldwater Country. Whether it’s getting out on one of the 100+ lakes or seeing the sights like catching a flick at the Capri Drive-In, fido will have a fantastic time. Several local hotels, including the Best Western Plus and Quality Inn & Suites, are pet friendly.
Garden Grove Inn is a dog-friendly Bed & Breakfast in Union Pier, MI! Bring your pup on your next Michigan getaway and let them enjoy some hiking, wineries, beach time and al fresco dining with you! They’ll have the best time, and so will you!.
South Haven has become an extremely popular destination for pets, so many businesses cater to pet owners and their furry friends. For lodging, check into the Sun ‘n Sand Resort, The Fields of Michigan, Off Map Glamping, and the Kal-Haven Outpost for unique lodging experiences. Comfort Suites South Haven is also accommodating to pets. Once you arrive, treat your dog to a beach day on one of their pet-friendly beaches at Deerlick Creek Beach or Pilgrim Haven Natural Area.
From campgrounds to hotels, orchards to dog parks, and coffee shops to restaurants, there are so many pet-friendly and unique adventures in Kalamazoo! Check out their blog for how to plan a weekend getaway with your dog in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Is your pet five feet tall, eats carrots and says “neigh”? Then bring your horse to Fort Custer Recreation Area in Augusta. This state park has 14 miles of horse trails and an equestrian campground. It’s a great vacation spot, with a beach, fishing piers and hiking paths. Or use it for an overnight stay on your way to events.
There’s nothing your dog loves more than spending time with you. So, next time you go out for a drink, bring them along! The Beer Garden at Public House is the newest addition to the family and allows leashed dogs with up-to-date shots. Round Barn Estate is the perfect spot to sit back, relax, and sip on your favorite Round Barn brew while enjoying music and great company.!
Downtown Marshall is a great place to hang out with four-legged friends. The unique shops along main street are dog friendly. The social district means you can buy drinks and sit outside.
Guests at River Saint Joe (RSJ) Farmstead Brewery in Buchanan are welcome to bring their friendly furry pals to enjoy their 3-acre beer garden! RSJ is a Certified Organic brewery located on an organic farm, with ample outdoor seating, including canopies, fire pits, and plenty of Adirondack chairs. Enjoy the expansive view, brews, and food, and bring your pup along too. Dogs must be friendly, remain on-leash, and owners must clean up after their pet (doggie bags are provided). The owners at RSJ absolutely adore dogs, and usually at least one of them will say hello while admiring your pet!
The Livery in Benton Harbor offers a great pit stop destination for those traveling with their pets! Located just minutes from the gorgeous shoreline of Lake Michigan, this local brewery offers 18 taps of award-winning hand-forged beer, house wine and cider, along with an extensive brewpub menu that specializes in hand-tossed pizzas made with spent grain from the brewhouse. Guests will find an extended outdoor beer garden for their pets, and a welcoming staff that will enhance your experience with a smile. No reservations are needed, so feel free to bring your furry friends, seat yourself, and place your orders at the bar any time!
Pet-Friendly Central West Michigan Destinations
From outdoor patios, a dog park, beaches and welcoming hotels, Fido will enjoy a vacation in Ludington this summer! Check out all the pet-friendly locations here through the compiled list provided by Ludington Visitors Bureau to visit with your fur friends.
Come disconnect and engage with each other over historic-style microbrews and seasonally-crafted regional eats at Archival Brewing in Belmont, MI. Experience an innovative dining experience whether indoors or outdoors on their dog-friendly biergarten and wraparound deck!
Downtown Rockford is incredibly pet friendly with the White Pine Trail going right through town, plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy food and drinks with your furry friend, and even a dog park! Rockford Chamber of Commerce helps provide insight to all the breweries that are dog friendly in Downtown Rockford!
Want to go on a summer vacation, but don’t want to leave your furry friends behind? Experience Grand Rapids provides a list with all the pet-friendly accommodations in the Grand Rapid and Kentwood area so your whole family can come along for the ride.
What would we do without our furry, four-legged family members? Our pets have become such a large part of our lives that it is hard to imagine having to do anything without them. Luckily in the Grand Haven area you don’t have to! There are plenty of places to go and things to do that are just as much fun for you as they are for your dog. Check out all pet-friendly locations in Grand Haven HERE!
For folks who like to travel with their Fur-Friends, Dog Star Ranch offers Day Passes for their Dog Park and Daycare! Muskegon County beaches are beautiful and dogs are welcome to frolic at Norman F Kruse Park or Pere Marquette Beach which is one of Michigan’s finest, funnest and most famous of Dog Friendly Beaches.
Prefer to travel with your pet? No Problem! Holland’s walkable downtown area is great for pets year-round. Be sure to grab a brew and enjoy the atmosphere of a bustling downtown on an outdoor patio with your pup. Take a look at our visitors guide for all your pet-friendly accomodations! Put together a Pet Friendly Brochure for the Big Rapids Region which features: dog parks, pet boarding, pet grooming and especially for traveling…pet friendly hotels!
The Morton Hotel in Grand Rapids is a residential-style hotel with a mid-century twist on dog-friendly designs. Offering amazing downtown views, the 25 rooms range from studios to penthouses and all include long-term stay accommodations, such as washers and dryers and full-service kitchens. For furry friends, the hotel includes a play and relief area and dog washing station.
Historic White Pine Village is open to dogs and people alike! The Village is situated on 12 acres with 30 buildings and exhibits to see. The exhibits in the Village date from the late 1800s through the early 1900s, including the first building that was used as the Mason County Courthouse, a General Store, Chapel, Farmhouse, Barn, and more. Each building houses Mason County artifacts and first person interpreters portraying pioneers in Mason County to tell stories of days gone by. Plan plenty of time to explore the grounds- it’s a great way to get you and your pup some exercise!
Mount Pleasant is super pet friendly! With lots of great parks, patios, and lodging, your furry friend will feel pampered on a fun adventure. Be sure to bring them to Hannah’s Bark Park, where they can run around 3.6 acres of fenced area, and maybe even make some new friends!
Pet-Friendly Northern West Michigan and Upper Peninsula Destinations
As northern Michigan’s premier family resort, Crystal Mountain offers a variety of lodging options to accommodate everyone – that includes the furry family members! Ask about specific pet friendly lodging options when you book your stay at Crystal Mountain.
Drummond Island Resort & Conference Center is the ultimate vacation destination for anyone with an adventurous spirit and a love of the outdoors. Located on the north shore in the Upper Peninsula they provide a variety of accommodations from private cabins to lodge rooms. Plus you don’t have to worry about leaving your furry friends at home because nearly all their cabins and all of their lodge rooms are pet friendly!
Located in Traverse City, MI, Bonobo Winerys vision is to bring a sense of approachability to the Michigan vine and wine scene by benefitting from the region’s strong fruit-bearing properties. Bonobo grapes are estate and locally grown with wine produced on-site. They offer events such as; live music, wine & food pairings weekly and you can even bring along your furry friends to the pet-friendly outdoor patio.
Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Company has been the gateway to the island’s historical sites, hotels, restaurants, beaches, and more since 1878. A limited number of seats have been reserved for priority boarding on each ferry and can be purchased anytime up to 30 minutes prior to ferry departure, at a cost of $43 for adults, $31 for children (ages 5 -12), and children aged 4 and under are free. Pets always ride free too!
At Stormcloud Brewing Company, both of their locations (our Downtown Pub and Parkview Taproom) have outdoor seating that accommodates pets. Additionally, their Downtown Pub location is just blocks from Frankfort Beach, which is also dog-friendly!
Traveling with your four-legged best friend is always a fun, yet challenging experience. If you need a pet-friendly place to stay, eat, and explore; then don’t worry because Visit Charlevoix compiled a list of some of their favorite places to visit with our fur friends.
Mission Point Lighthouse park is pet friendly for responsible pet owners and dogs can be off-leash if under control. We have 10 miles of hiking trails in the state land surrounding the lighthouse park. Mission Point Lighthouse is a nice reward for those that travel to the end of Old Mission Peninsula.
At Pickerel Lakeside Campground and Cottages, friendly pets on a leash are welcomed on the campground. Enjoy a quiet, family oriented campground with semi-rustic lakefront and pull-through sites. The night skies are fantastic and a great place to gather and roast s’mores with all your family members, especially the 4-legged ones!
Planning a trip with a four-legged friend can be “ruff,” but Marquette County has great pet-friendly places to stay and play that make adventuring with a pooch easy. Stay at one of Marquette’s many pet-friendly accommodations that spread across the county. For those staying downtown, be sure to take your furry friend on a walk along the city’s beautiful lakefront harbors or grab a bite at one of downtown’s dog-friendly breweries, shops and restaurants. For the more adventurous, Marquette County is home to a wide variety of dog-friendly trails to explore, including the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, Blueberry Ridge Trail and Sugarloaf Mountain, all of which are perfect for four-legged adventurers of all shapes and sizes.
Summer vacation doesn’t have to mean leaving Fido at home. Shanty Creek Resort recommends bringing your precious pup with and stopping into nearby Meadowpond Pet Resort. Just a few minutes down the road from Shanty Creek, Meadowpond is a full-service resort for Fido offering indoor/outdoor suites. In addition to being open 24/7, Meadowpond guests can enjoy the in-and-out privileges allowing Fido to join the family on day trips to nearby Torch Lake and other fun area destinations.
Once in a while, you find a place that fits. A place where everything feels natural. Familiar. Like it was made just for you. That’s the kind of experience you can expect at The Highlands, where you’ll feel right at home. It’s not just a perfect home away from home for you, but also your furry friends! The Highlands is pet friendly and you can learn more about their pet policies HERE.
Pet Friendly Traveling Options
All Aboard With Pets! Dogs and cats up to 20 pounds (combined weight of pet and carrier) are welcome on trips up to seven hours on most routes with Amtrak. The check-in process is simple, making traveling with your four-legged friend easy and enjoyable.
