Located about 40 mi/64 km northwest of South Bend, Indiana Dunes State Park is on the shore of Lake Michigan. This area encompasses 13,000 acres/5,265 hectares of wilderness and developed sites. The area offers beaches, hiking trails, fishing, cross-country skiing, and diverse plants and wildlife. A portion of the area is also designated a National Park.
The back dunes, which are thousands of years old, are stable, but the front dunes shift continually because of winds off the lake. If you want to climb the huge sand dunes, take along a pair of sneakers: The sand is often too hot for bare feet. (Be aware that small areas of the dunes have been fenced off for erosion control.)
You can also go for a swim, but remember that the cold temperature of Lake Michigan can take some getting used to, even in the heat of summer.
A small, primitive campground is available for tents in the national park, and larger sites with electricity are down the road at Indiana Dunes State Park. There are also cabins along the lake for rental, as well as a number of activities and facilities—camping, cross-country skiing, a nature center and a wildlife observation tower.
The visitors center offers maps, exhibits and a 10-minute slide presentation tracing the development of the dunes, foliage and wildlife.
Just east of the dunes on Highway 12 is the small resort colony of New Buffalo, Michigan. It's a charming town—the first in a lakeside string running up to St. Joseph known as "Harbour Country"—with galleries, antiques, lakeside bed-and-breakfasts and several good restaurants, as well as Lake Michigan beaches.
To request access to the full version of this destination guide, please provide your email address below. Your email address will only be used for verification purposes and will not be used for marketing purposes.