What a fun visit. I wasn't sure what to expect, however the park proved to be a very good visit. We…read morestopped by one of the beaches, interesting to see how the dunes looked like they were advancing in on the parking lot. Sand, sand everywhere! The walk to beach looked like you were going for a walk to the ocean! The beach itself was a pretty beach, the water was a glistening blue. We also took a ranger led hike at Pinhook bog located in the park. The only way to hike in the bog area itself, is through a ranger led hike. This was definitely a very fun and very educational hike! We learned the history (and folklore) of the bog. There were carnivorous plants there- like the pitcher plant!! This hike is definitely worth taking. Another interesting side trip, when in the area, is the 1933 Chicago Word's Fair - Century of Progress homes. They are along the lake. Just a short trip from the park proved definitely worth a visit. There are some very interesting architecture in those homes.

Oh I do love the National Park's beauty with the lake, beach, dunes, hiking trails, picnic and…read morecamping areas, etc. The crowds in the summer are horrific. I do appreciate the park trying to help locals a bit by giving us a better deal than non-residents. Hope it helps this coming summer. I miss going here and often hit one of the less crowded/less known beaches in the area just to take it in and relax. The last thing u have to say is this: please clean up after yourself. Do not litter our beautiful lakeshore. It makes me so sad to see. I always take a bucket along to clean up trash, but there is so much I can't possibly get it all when I'm there. Please do your part, and keep it clean. Thanks so much!

This is my favorite beach to go to on Lake Michigan in Indiana. I find it to be an especially…read more*cozy* spot to go to if you want a beach date, as the beach is on the south edge of a small baylike projection of Lake Michigan into the surrounding land. So you can see land to the left and right while on the beach, and there are dunes on all of that land. There are also dunes to the rear when you are on the beach; it is a 40 foot decent from the parking area to the beach. All of these dunes make the area feel like it is surrounded like cliffs, giving this place a unique feel. There is also the riverwalk to go on that is alongside the Little Calumet River as it drains into Lake Michigan, a path through through the dunes going south from the visitor center, a small boardwalk jutting out into the lake that you can walk on, and a visitor's center with a concession stand, so it's still good to go to if you can't swim! Unfortunately, beach access has been off for most of 2019 due to a collapsed portion of the walkway down the dunes to the beach, but the rest of the park is open. HOPEFULLY they will have this repaired by next season. By the way, it is a little tricky to get to this beach. Make sure you get off on EXIT 19 when coming here from I-80! Head north on State Road 249 at this point. Travel about 5/6 of a mile north at this point, and get off on U.S. Steel Road which branches to the north, MAKING SURE TO STAY IN THE LEFT LANE so you can CROSS OVER U.S. 12 and make your way to the beach. Once you cross the overpass, it will at first look like you are entering an industrial area. The path to the beach winds northward through this area and will require crossing over the Little Calumet River on a small bridge.

I was here for the lighthouse and enjoyed much of the walk. I would have gone the whole way but the…read morewind was too strong for my comfort. And also, I hadn't purchased a park pass and didn't want to stay long enough that they might notice. The park and the riverwalk are lovely. The view of the lake is amazing. Well worth the visit. If you're planning on buying an annual park pass, it's even better. [Review 20619 overall - 150 in Indiana - 1600 of 2023.]

This is a very nice national park. The sand dunes are amazing, and Lake Michigan is beautiful…read more There are plenty of short trails, and you are able to experience all the different types of landscapes. There are the beaches, or sand dunes, marsh areas, and a prairie trail. There are even historical buildings. Some of the slopes are steep, so be careful. It was very beautiful and wasn't too busy at all. There is a $25 fee, and you can totally do the park in a day or two.

When my wife and I discovered that Indiana Dunes had become a new National Park, we were very…read moreexcited to come visit. We immediate made plans to drive up from Central Indiana the next time we came to see family. This past week was the first chance we got, and we jumped at the opportunity. A welcome surprise was finding out that the National Park was FREE. Wow! Free is a pretty rare thing these days. (The nearby state park has a fee, if you decide to go there, but not the National Park). We enjoyed the Houses of Tomorrow, explored the beachfront, and even dipped our feet in the cold water. My only regret is that I wish we could have stayed longer. Next visit, we will probably spend more time at the sand dunes themselves.

State park is $7 per car for Indiana residents and $20 for all other. Great nature views. Dunes…read moreare fun to climb and run/walk down. Beaches are beautiful and water is cold early in the season. The day I went there was a high wave advisory so they didn't let people in the water. Best views of the lake are from observation tower located west of the pavilion. Waves are loud if the wind is blowing from the north. You can see the City of Chicago skyline from anywhere on the beach when it is clear weather conditions. No pets on the beach and it does tend to get crowded when the weather is nice. Walking/hiking paths are available and some go the the highest points in the park where the views are breathtaking.

Driving between Cleveland and Chicago, we like to make time for a stop at Indiana Dunes State Park…read more This time it was a blustery chilly day (Nov 2025), so it wasn't going to be a swimming or hiking day. But we didn't mind the $12 vehicle fee just for the view. South of the park on SR-49, you'll see a Visitors Center, and if we were staying longer, it's a nice stop for local park info, campground reservations, souvenirs, and refreshments. The drive into the state park to Porter Beach takes you through thick woods, and we saw a buck crossing the road, which was a real treat and a reminder that these parks are wild enough. At the end of SR-49, there's an ornate pavilion, and it was closed due to the upcoming holiday, even the cafe and store were closed. The restrooms outside on the boardwalk were open. And we brought our lunch in from Culver's down by I-80. There were only a couple other cars during the time we were there. We pulled up and braved the blowing sand to get a look at the thrashing waters of Lake Michigan. With gusts up to 40mph from an approaching storm, the eaves were spectacular! But it was difficult to stay upright in that wind, not to mention the light sand-blasting we were getting. And we were on the road heading for a holiday visit, so we didnt stay long, only an hour or so. It's a beautiful park, even in the winter. We want to sled down the 170ft dune-canyon known as Devil's Slide!

Beautiful clean park! Nice neighborhood, very well taken care of and the equipment was very fun for…read moremy kids!

This is a very good park to visit and spend time. It has a little bit of everything. You do have to…read morepay an entrance fee during the summer months. There is ample parking once you get in though. The park has a little lake that you can swim in (if a lifeguard is precent). Around the beach/lake is a walking path, that does get a bit narrow in some parts. It is paved and well maintained. There is also covered pavilions around the park there are 4 decent sized ones with grills. One even has a patio that overlooks the beach/lake.In addition to the large and medium sized pavilions, there are a few personal sized ones scattered about the park. At the front of the park is an adequate baseball field. It is well groomed and ready to play on. Next to the ball field is a full basketball court. It is nice and has a smooth new looking deck. The rims are in good repair and have adjustable heights. I would love to shoot a few airballs here. In the back of the park is a dog park that is basically a fenced in area with a bench placed in there for you to sit and watch your pooch frolic. Behind the entrances to the lake is a sand volleyball court that needs a little TLC. The net was down while I was there, but did not look like it would take much to get the court back up and running. The park has two playground areas. The bigger of the playground areas is next to the baseball field. It has some pretty updated and newer equipment including, see-saws, merry go rounds, rock climbing walls, swings, rocking animals, a saucer swing and slide. The ground is covered in wood chips and has rubber mats in high traffic areas such as under the swings. The playground is very impressive. The other playground is by the lake entrance and is ok, but not as nice as the one on the other side. It has a set of the older style swings and a small jungle gym with a slide. Both play areas are accessible though, which is cool. I really like this park and was surprised that this is the first review. You can spend an entire day here and not even know it. There is a lot to do and it is a very relaxing place. It is well maintained and has a friendly staff. definetley a must visit.

A long weekend with the Kid...short flight from Minneapolis and off to relaxation. I can't say…read moreenough about the Crystal Clear Water and great sand bars enabled this chicken to get on the paddle board. The equipment such as the lily pads, kayaks, paddle boards, beach chairs, etc were available for free usage (bonus). You definitely get to utilize your calf muscles as our cabin over looked the lake so easy walking down to beach and little harder coming up but I am going keep up the great exercise when I get home, right? If you really want a work out hit the trails and the dunes. I would say the cabins are old style with great finds from garage sales. I say I'm cool with this, I could really relax and not worry about cleanup and the stuff I wanted to forget in the City.

This is my absolute favorite beach. It is quiet and secluded. However, there is very little…read moreparking. The views are spectacular. A great place to spend the day. Bring some snacks, cold drinks and your favorite person.

This is a nice beach. It has restrooms, rinse stations, and very clean sand. It is small and not…read moremany places to park for how nice it is. They have a picnic area that is kept very clean as well. We went mid week at sunset and it was perfect. Easy walk down and nice beach area. Could have also viewed from platforms at parking level.

Nice little spot to camp, we stay two nights. Camp was quite and not two packed. There under new…read moremanagement and finished up working on new septic system. Next will be the pool in a few months. Not a bad spot for an overnight or a few days.

If you really need a one night to get off the road , be prepared to accept this cg. No pool…read more Restrooms in need of help, some electricity works, some doesn't. Paid 72.12 a night for 3 nights. The couple that owned it were elderly but nice. Our dog had lots of space as the campsites were quite large.

It was a busy day, list of people in line for paddling or kayaking as it was a perfect day at…read moreWarren Dunes. The person working today Sunday 7/31 was doing his best. He is friendly and helpful. We rented to paddles and we had a grate time

After a small snafu with staffing and getting our kayak day started, everything was worked out, and…read morewe had a fantastic time. The site was at Warren dunes, State Park, and Will, the person on duty, did a great job of getting it set up and taking care of us for the afternoon. It was a great experience and well worth the money. Kayaking on Lake Michigan and along the shores of Warren Dunes is great experience.