Nickel Plate Beach

Nickel Plate Beach is a hidden gem offering a beautiful and well-kept park/beach area. Dogs are allowed at this on-leash beach only before 10 am and after 6 pm. It is a super clean, wide, sandy beach with beautiful views of Lake Erie. For a second, you may forget that you are on a lake until you enter and see that blue/green water and that you can’t see through.

You will like Nickel Plate as a pet parent and as such, your dog and kids will love the beach. Avoid sitting next to kids who are throwing chips and other food items for seagulls –hundreds of scavenger birds will flock for the food scraps and there’s a good chance you will get bird-bombed.

In addition to picnic shelters, tables, and grills, Nickel Plate Beach also has a play area, ping pong table, and beach volleyball courts. You can also rent a kayak, paddle board, and other beach gear from 11 am to 6 pm. It is easy to find a spot in the hot sand. The water is mild to cold. There is no lifeguard, so swimming is at your own risk. Overall, it is a peaceful place with people lying on rafts a common sight. You can be one of them, provided someone is on the beach to watch Fido.

Daily parking is $6 per vehicle and is free after 5 pm. You can get food near the beach - some places will be a bit pricey while others more reasonable. You can bring a cooler of beverages and just enjoy relaxing on the beach for a few hours. Make sure to bring cash. Even on sunny weekends, the beach is hardly crowded. It can accommodate quite a lot of people. Remember to keep the beach clean by cleaning up after your dog.