Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:Indiana Dunes Sate Park, Indiana
Enjoy three miles of Lake Michigan, 1,800 acres of woodlands, beautiful flowers, birds, and unique dunes, all at Porter County's Indiana Dunes State Park Beach! With so much to do at this park/beach, you'll have trouble deciding just where to start. Start by visiting the gatehouse, park office or nature center to receive information about the area. Check the lifeguard schedule and plan accordingly: Swimming is prohibited when lifeguards are off duty. There are also bathhouses open between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Enjoy swimming, sunbathing, beachcombing, and fishing in Lake Michigan!
So that takes care of the beach bums and aquatics…but what about all you hikers and naturalists out there? Well Indiana Dunes State Park has got stuff for you as well! There are free hikes (check for times), picnic areas abound, and camp sites (open only in the summers). Visitors are also welcome to explore the area on their own. They'll encounter wetlands, dunes, woodlands, and other ecological and historical scenery. Pay attention to the interesting ecological development of new forests growing on the dunes themselves – a treat for the environmentally inclined! Birdwatchers will also feel right at home when peering out the bird observation tower that overlooks a marsh community filled with birdlife. A nature center, which is open year round, also provides observation windows.
And the best part of all, is that Indiana Dunes State Park Beach is located just 17 miles east of Chicago, so it couldn't be more convenient!