A few issues

The facility is very pet friendly. Pictures of dogs in the hallways. The person or persons above me were very loud, I could hear thudding all day and night. One morning while walking my dog, I found two guys sleeping in the parking lot with a 12-pack of Bud Light next to them.

Jul. 02, 2023

Great place to pass time with friends and your dog.

First thing in the door, you are asked if you would like four free samples of their spirits and cocktails. Yes please. This place is not just dog-friendly, they are dog-loving, including serving dog treats and providing water bowls. Their martinis were excellent, which was an improvement over two years ago, when we kind of had to instruct the bartender how to make one. The porch faces the highway, but it is not busy. Rather it is very pleasant.

Jun. 19, 2023

Excellent beach!

Echoing what has already been said, this is an excellent beach and a great place for dogs to run and swim. Off-leash. It is clean and well-signed. If you park in the main lot, it is a short two-block walk along the path to get to the dog area. Alternatively, you could park on the street two blocks north at Michigan and Miami, and the dog beach is right there. (No camper or RV parking on the street.)

Jun. 19, 2023

Okay

The room was okay. The dog owner next door left their pet in the room alone barking all morning. Mediocre hot breakfast. I wouldn't recommend it, except that you don't have a lot of other options in Saugatuck/Douglas.

Sep. 14, 2022

Shady, small.

The space is small, so if you were think of human exercise you would be walking around in circles. About 40% of the space is shaded. There were nearly 10 dogs on a weekday summer afternoon. Water provided.

Aug. 31, 2022

Uncrowded.. and expensive.

Visited the park after lunch on an overcast December weekday. Plenty of paid parking available, and I'll tell you why. Unlike Clearwater metered parking, where you pay for the amount of time you want, in Sand Key you pay $5 for all day. Now, if you are staying all day, that is better value than Clearwater. But if you're only going to spend an hour or less at the dog park, it isn't. The big dogs section of the park was almost empty, just one (friendly) guy with two dogs. He was cleaning up other dogs' messes. As has been noted elsewhere, there is a water station. Not much shade.

Dec. 14, 2021

Lovely, shady spot.

Not a lot of negatives here. Lots of shade, large in size, winding trails, and friendly, responsible owners from what I can see from our two visits. Easy to get to (right off the US-19 highway). Multiple water stations. I think we have sampled seven dog parks in Pinellas County (excluding dog beaches, they are a different animal) and this one is the best of the lot.

Dec. 14, 2021

Nice space.

Two large, open parks side by side. We went there at 11:30 am on a Saturday morning and no one else was there!

Aug. 15, 2020

Not really off -leash.

This is a Federal Park with signs that read, "Dogs must be on leash at all times." The beach is covered with bags of shells; not really romp-able. The trails are nice, but the figurines along the trail frightened my puppy and she barked at them.

I think many of the positive reviewers confused this place with Fort De Soto across the bay in Pinellas County.

Mar. 05, 2019

Excellent beach

Drive to the end of the road and park by the airport. Don't enter the beach there; there will be other people there and you will be expected to keep your dog on-leash. Rather, walk a mile or so along the service road running along the airport fence, then head to the beach. You will be alone and your dog can frolic off-leash.

Aug. 02, 2020

One bad experience, one good.

Weekday morning, visited and there was only one other dog in the park, a Pit Mix who did not heed its owner's commands and ran straight to the gate, snarling and barking. We left.

It is a public park, not "resident's (sic) only."

One year later, another weekday morning, we decided to give it another chance. Sill only one other human, with two dogs, but all were friendly and we had a nice romp.

Mar. 05, 2019

Long beach

This is the rare Lake Michigan dog beach that is not crowded or tiny, and leashes are optional. Like a lot of Lake Michigan beaches in Michigan, there is not much actual beach, but there is enough to walk on, and you can walk a long way, as it is a long beach.

Jul. 08, 2019

Dogs banned in the summer

Dogs are not permitted between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Jul. 08, 2019

Aggressive dogs and chumbelone owners

Walked in and my 40-pound puppy was immediately set upon by two larger aggressive dogs. One owner could not control her pet and the other owner was MIA. We left. A nice venue spoiled by idiots.

Mar. 05, 2019

Mind the mud puddles.

I visited some 4-5 hours after a rain storm, and there were multiple large mud puddles where the pups were getting filthy.

I did not encounter any owners with attitude. Not the best park, but not the worst, either. Handy if you live downtown or intend to visit the Dalí museum after.

Mar. 04, 2019

Decent little beach.

About half a dozen big dogs racing around on a weekday afternoon. There is no surf, which suited my ridgeback. She will fetch until dinner in calm water, but she hates waves.

Mar. 04, 2019

Disappointed

N.b. you can't get into this park without becoming a member. I stopped by on my way from Minnesota to Florida to find a combination lock on the gate and a phone number to call to inquire about membership. When you're travelling, you don't have time for that.

Mar. 03, 2019