A great park with amenities for a picnic, a hike, a beach adventure and for just listening to the…read morewaves. We found parking quickly and we're able to download the app and pay for an hour to sit and have our picnic lunch near the water. They had plenty of pavilions and tables for eating, as well as benches along the paths. We loved the various play equipment and options for families and especially the green spaces right next to the dunes. Something for everyone! We only saw portapotties, so that might be the only small issue but we were also there before the official start of the season. A fun spot and will definitely return when in the area!

I decided to go to Gary Indiana's WindDown Wednesdays @ Marquette Park/ Beach to SUPPORT My Amazing…read moreCity. Full Bar, Live Music with both an Amazing Band and my cousin DJN4RED provided the perfect Music. This Is What Gary n the Summer Time is All About. They have Food Trucks , Full Bar and Great Music. Perfect Day in the Summer Time. I Love to have a Great Time with old Classmates, Family and Good Friends. Ambience was off the Chain; out in the Fresh Air right off the Lake Michigan. Great crowd and friendly staff. Overall experience is 5 Stars.

It was a pretty park. We only drove around it while looking at the town. I think we were looking…read morefor coffee. But I do remember it being pretty. Looked like a very nice place to walk and ride a bike.

It's beautiful out here. No wonder this is where we fell in love! I gotta spend some time with him…read more I would recommend.

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.]

I enjoy going to Festival Park to feed my feathered friends. The ducks and geese waddle and quack…read morewith joy as soon as they see me spreading out the cracked corn on the grass. The best time to feed them is in the winter or when it's cool outside. If the birds weren't there, I wouldn't even bother going to the park.

Absolutely beautiful beach & views of Lake Michigan. This national park is awesome. The trails were…read moreamazing & easily accessible. Lifeguards on duty, although there was a riptide warning & no swimming when we were there mid August. Concession stand had lots of choices. We got a Chicago dog & cheese fries.

Parking for twenty five is insane for in state, the views right and left of industrial waste…read moregenerators really adds to the Indiana, at least sand was cool for the cloudy weather and bathrooms clean.

This park is the direct neighbor of the town's Bicentennial Park. The two parks share an adequate…read moreprivate parking lot. This park was built in 2003 and is home to a very picturesque covered bridge that crosses the Deep River. At the entrance to the bridge, you will find a statue of a Native American on a pedestal made from rocks. The pedestal has a plaque that informs visitors who was responsible for its construction. Along the walkway, leading to the bridge there are a couple of benches situated across from each other, to sit and relax. The park has an Army M915 Heavy Truck you cannot get it and is discouraged from climbing on, but is ready to serve as a backdrop to your best selfie. The park also has a gazebo. It is nice, but it is also empty. No veterans park would be complete without a memorial of some kind. This park's memorial consists of 3 granite panels. The largest of the three and is centered and positioned in front of a flag pole. This granite panel has the POW/MIA and seals from the five branches of service. The lower banner of the panel reads "TO OUR HOMETOWN HEROES" and list the names of local veterans. To the left of that panel is a smaller panel that is dedicated to all emergency personnel. The smaller panel on the right is dedicated in memory of Lake Station Police Officers that died while serving. There is a walk way that leads to the memorial and there are two benches face the memorials for visitors to sit and reflect. The park is relatively well maintained and is a very simple park. It lacks a lot of the amenities that I look for in a park such as restrooms, trails, and playgrounds, but that is not its purpose. The park is a neat little park which is intended for reflection and to honor those that served. This is a nice pocket park that happened to spill over into neighboring Bicentennial Park. This is not a destination park by far, but still a nice place to visit, pay your respects, a soak in the sights and sounds of the flowing river.

If you haven't seen the beach at Marquette Park in person, you might be shocked by the expanse of…read morenatural beauty of the dunes, beach, and park. Friends and family who visit for the first time are amazed that a gorgeous public beach exists in the Midwest, let alone Gary. Renovations are almost complete on the Bath House, park, and concession stand. A biking/walking path around the perimeter of the park is great for walking the dog or a quick ride. The view of the Chicago skyline is phenomenal from the beach and even better from the Bath House. I've attended a few private parties and community events in the Bath House, which is an incredible venue for a summertime shindig.

Hosted a beautiful baby shower here back in July. Jan and her husband are good people.read more