Chalet du Lac - La Porte, IN
- Moose's Golden Tails
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
Have you ever visited a vacation rental that you just knew you would want to come back to someday? I have many of times, but I want to tell you about this one in particular- it's a little hidden gem located less than 90 minutes from Chicago. Located in La Porte, Indiana is an Airbnb called Chalet du Lac that is located directly on Pine Lake. It's one of those rentals where you get can a lake and beach vacation all in one! You can spend the day right on the lake, or Lake Michigan is located nearby with plenty of beaches to visit. I first visited Chalet du Lac in August of 2024 with Austin. Our trip was perfect and included boating, fishing, swimming, floating, kayaking, finding the best food spots, and more. I knew it was a place that I would return to in the future. Just a year later, I found myself coming back to this place, but with three new guests! My sister, Moose, and Duke came along for a weekend on the lake.
I cannot believe how far away I felt from home, yet it was less than a two hour drive to get there. I did not know we could find such nice beaches in the Midwest. We visited two dog-friendly beaches nearby, one in Warren Dunes State Park and one in Indiana Dunes National Park. I felt like I was at the ocean visiting these beaches! Lake Michigan really is a spectacular sight.
About the property
This studio home is located in a quiet neighborhood on Pine Lake's peninsula, and you truly can't get any closer to the water! The lake is about 500 acres and is popular for boating, water skiing, wake-boarding, sailing, fishing, tubing, swimming, and kayaking. Pine Lake also connects to Stone Lake (140 acres) via a narrow channel.
Arriving at the home, you'll find plenty of space for free parking right out front. We entered into a beautifully decorated and clean house with immediate views of the water through the sliding patio door. To note, this home is about 450 square feet and is a studio. The host recommends groups to be close friends/family as there are no closed bedroom areas. On the main level, you'll find a fully stocked kitchen, dining area, coffee bar, living space, queen bed, and the bathroom. The house does have stairs that lead up to the small loft that has a queen and double bed. The stairs are more of a ladder type of stairs, and I would not recommend using if you have mobility issues. We found this home to be a perfect size for two people and two dogs.
Time to get to my favorite part! The pontoon boat! Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, there's a pontoon boat included in the nightly rate and is available for unlimited use. It's already at the dock upon arrival, and the host will send you an instructional video or meet you in person so you are comfortable operating it. We had a lot of fun cruising around and even caught some amazing sunrises and sunsets out on the water. The hosts also provides life jackets, kayaks, and floating tubes for guests to use.
I can tell the host truly cares and puts a lot of thought into making the perfect stay for her guests. There were a lot of little things that made our stay easier! I also love how dog-welcoming this place is. The host includes a toy box, dog bowls, towels for dirty paws, unopened dog treats, a dog ramp for the boat, gates to enclose the deck, and a cover for the couch. There's also a hose hooked up outside in case you need to clean up some dirty paws. There is a yard space to the right of the property I used to take the dogs outside. I did keep my dogs on a leash since we were in a neighborhood, and the host does ask that dogs be kept on a leash outside.
Dog-friendly patio
During our visit last year, Austin and I ate at 3rd Base Bar & Grill located in La Porte. We are not kidding when we say we had the best mozzarella sticks of our entire lives. Our meals were also delicious and I couldn't wait to come back to have another meal here. This year, our visit didn't turn out so well. We waited and waited at a table for service and didn't have any luck. We weren't able to eat here which was disappointing. I've had one great experience here, and one not so great experience. I really recommended the food, and you'll probably have a better service experience than us (hopefully). If you are dining with your dog, they do allow dogs on their outdoor patio.
A list of other pet-friendly dining in and around La Porte can be found here.
Nearby dog-friendly beaches + hiking
1. Indiana Dunes National Park is about 30 minutes away and includes more than 50 miles of hiking trails and beautiful sandy beaches. Dogs are allowed in the park and must be leashed. They are allowed on all trails and beaches except for West Beach lifeguard swim area, Pinhook Bog Trail, and Glenwood Dunes Trail System. Don't forget to stop by the Visitor's Center to pick up your Bark Ranger tags!
If you are looking to do one trail here, I would recommend Dune Succession Trail. It's a short yet challenging hike. We started this 1-mile loop trail going counter clockwise which takes you through four stages of dune development, and you'll also read about why this trail is known as Diana's Dune. The 270 stairs going up and down the dunes and the sandy surfaces is what make this hike challenging. The trail brings you out to West Beach where you can get spectacular views of Lake Michigan and even Chicago's skyline in the distance. Once you decide to leave West Beach, you'll continue on the loop trail that is paved all the way back to the parking lot.
2. Warren Dunes State Park also has dog-friendly hiking trails and a dog-friendly beach. We decided to visit the beach to watch the sunrise with the dogs. We parked at Weko Beach and paid the daily parking fee. Dogs are not allowed on Weko Beach, but you can follow the sign to the boardwalk that will lead you to the dog-friendly beach. It was a quick and easy walk, and we enjoyed a very peaceful morning walk, played some fetch, and the dogs did a little digging in the sand. Moose even got to dip his paws in the water!
3. There's some great walking trails at Luhr County Park in La Porte which was about a 15 minute drive from the Airbnb. This 94 acre park includes paved trails, a fishing pond, picnic shelter rentals, picnic tables, off-leash dog area, playground, restrooms, and more.
Chalet du Lac is a place your pups will love! Moose and Duke enjoyed their fun filled weekend and were sleepy pups all the way home. I've had two wonderful stays here and would recommend this Airbnb to anyone looking for a dog-friendly vacation at the lake. The host is truly a kind person, very responsive, gives clear communication, and has great local recommendations. Follow us on Instagram for more dog-friendly hiking, travel, and stays around the Midwest.