4.5Michigan City Beach(99 reviews) - So close to Chicago! Spent 2-3 hours Beaches
Compared to the beaches in Chicago - it is worth the hour drive to go to the Michigan City Beach! It was my first time to this beach and I was very impressed! We went on a Sunday so it did not seem crowded at all! I'm sure other days of the week it can get very busy! Guess we just picked the right day and time! The beach was AMAZINGLY clean and the water was crystal clear. Sand was soft to walk on. If you did not know it was a lake it felt like an ocean! We walked the beach in both directions. Lots of cool shells and slate to pick up and explore! See more..
We had a wonderful experience. If you park on Diana where it says no permit needed make sure you park all the way out of the street. Got a ticket for 72 dollars for our tire being a millimeter on the road. We were so mad Because there was no visible sign giving us this warning but we will know for next time. Children had a great experience as well. Went memorial weekend. It was nice because it was crowded but you could still find a place to set your stuff down and distance yourself since it is in quarantine time. The farther down you went the more secluded it was.See more..
4.0Whihala Beach(37 reviews) - Beautiful Beach, Park and Pier! Beaches
This park and lakefront is a jewel and I am SO glad that the City of Whiting treats it that way! Putting care into accommodating visitors, there is no area of this park that isn't visitor friendly. Take a stroll through the park or down the pier, or kick off your shoes and wiggle those toes in the sand- Ah! And, you don't even have to get out of your car to enjoy the lake view that boasts a a- on clear days - a spectacular view of the Chicago skyline. Well worth a walk, stroll, jog or drive through!See more..
4.5North Shore Beach(14 reviews) - The First Place I Saw Lake Michigan Beaches
Our first stop in Indiana Dunes National Park was the recreation area for the beach. It has restrooms and a viewing platform with picnic tables. So this was the first place I saw Lake Michigan and it was so beautiful. I was also amazed to see both the skyline of Chicago and a surfer in the lake. Again this is a really nice beach area in Beverly Shores with amenities. It was a cool but beautiful summer day and we practically had the beach to ourselves which was awesome. I will say it was strange to a beach with industrial factories. Still really good beach.See more..
Before you visit anything at Indiana dunes state park or the national park go to visitor center first. This is where I found out that park ranger(free) will lead you on a guided tour of mount baldy. Due to incident in 2013 you are not allowed to climb on the actual dune but a closer one with views of mount baldy. The actual tour guided hike takes about 15-20 minutes but your giving 1.5 hour for teaching about the dunes, picture taking, and any additional questions for the ranger. Wear comfortable shoes with good support due to walking in the sand is difficult you also climb about 20 stairs to get to the actual trail. Parking lot is nearby with available restrooms and a snack machine. Please obey the signs and stay off the protected parts of the dunes so future generations can enjoy this beautiful area.See more..
4.0Jeorse Park Beach(6 reviews) - Located by Casino Thursday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Beaches
I don't regard this place as a family beach. It is for me a beach for adults since it is located between two Casinos. I don't want to have kids too close to such establishments. They should be exposed to hazard addictions and spending money habits.See more..
4.5West Beach(3 reviews) - Great beach. Nice facility and picnic area too. Beaches
We ended up on West Beach after completing the Dune Succession Trail and relaxed for a bit before heading back through the beach entrance area to the parking lot. On a beautiful Saturday in mid-September the beach had many visitors, but was not crowded by any means. The picnic area near the parking lot is ample and nicely shaded and was a great place to eat before we began our hike and beach visit. Dogs are allowed on West Beach.See more..
This is a big surprise for anyone who has passed through Gary on I-90 and just seen rusting industrial facilities and urban decay. This is a really nice beach just a few miles from Chicago and except for the view of the steel mill to the east is a beautiful spot. There is a trail from the beach that connects to the Paul Douglas Environmental Education Center that runs behind the beach and into the oak savanna and forest. For being so close to such urban areas it was pretty quiet (except for a few jet skis on the lake) and the trail ran through beautiful wild dunes. There is a $7 entrance fee ($5 for Gary residents). There is a boat rampSee more..
5.0Brown Bay(1 review) - Teeming with sea life Beaches The trial to Brown Bay Beach starts on the left side of Hwy 10 just over a mile from the Hwy 10/107 split in Coral Bay and is marked by a sign. There's room to park either on the south side of the road or at the start of the trail itself. The hike can be arduous if you don't wear the right kind of shoes (NO flip-flops!) or decide to haul too much stuff with you. It's an easier hike out as the north side has a gentler incline than the south. Watch out for cacti, especially on the southern side of the hill. Brown Bay Beach is narrow yet mostly white sand. There's lots of shady spots afforded by the close foliage. Much of the bay bottom is covered in sea grass, but there are lots of places where the grass doesn't grow. Snorkeling is quite easy here thanks to a long and gentle slope to the bay floor. You can be a hundred feet from shore and still only have water up to your thighs. The plentiful grass means prime turtle habit, though we didn't see any the day we went. There's a nice bit of coral to the west (and apparently also to the east, though we didn't go over there). Of course, there are NO facilities of any kind. The headline for Brown Bay Beach is the wildlife. A trip there reminded me of visiting tide pools as a kid in Southern California. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of conch roaming the shallows, munching on whatever it is they munch on, along with crabs of various sizes, and the biggest schools of baby fish I've ever seen. Giant clouds of them along the east edge, away from sandy parts of the beach, along with the larger fish attracted to the potential feast. We even saw a bright orange and red starfish. We've been to many St John beaches over the years, but none of them have ever felt as *alive* as this one. Bring a small cooler with snacks and beverages and stay the day at this unspoiled gem of a beach!See more..
This is a nice, easy beach to visit when touring Indiana Dunes National Park. It shares a parking lot with the Dune Ridge Trail. We had no problems parking and it was an easy walk to the beach along the road. The beach is dog friendly.See more..
