Beautiful spaces. http://www.edenspringspark.com/…read morehttp://www.israelitehouseofdavid.com/ http://www.maryscityofdavid.org/

Constructed in 1862 as a hops barn, this establishment was converted into a church in 1876. Then…read morere-sold in 1915 to a local farmer, the livestock barn existed on the site from 1915 to 1998 before it was purchased by members of the Pokagon United Methodist. Rev. George Bennard was visiting the area to take part in a series of revivals, and his famous hymn "The Old Rugged Cross" was first publicly performed in 1913. The hymn did not make Rev. Bernard rich. However, he sold the rights to the Rodeheaver Company of Winona Lake, Indiana, for $500, and the copyright was renewed years later for $5,000. The Old Rugged Cross Church is located on Vermont St. in Pokagon, about halfway between Dowagiac and Niles, where my partner's sister and I stopped off the beaten path before heading to Shipshewana.

My husband and I found out about this church by accident! We were simply searching for things to…read moredo in Niles, Michigan. We were determined to find something to do close to dark and finally found this on the Internet. The hymn, The Old Rugged Cross, was first performed in this church many years ago. The hymn is near and dear to our hearts because our grandparents used to enjoy singing this song and my husband has enjoyed playing it on the piano for our children. We decided to check it out! The outside of the church is stunning! We were not able to view the inside but if we ever make it back to this area of the country we will certainly stop to see it! You should do the same especially if you enjoy this old hymn!

What's not to like? Sprecher root beer, Chicago dogs (and brats), all in a gigantic, iconic barrel…read moresurrounded by picnic tables and woods. I loved it as much as my kids. They have some plaques around that I encourage you to read. This was a roadside attraction several decades ago that fell into disrepair. The local community rallied to save it by fundraising, then rebuilding it from community members. How sweet is that? That's the kinda thing that gives you hope for humanity. Food wise, it was good! I literally drink soda about once a decade, so this was it for the 2020s for me. I feel like you kinda have to get root beer at the root beer barrel, right? My kids had never had root beer, and they were more into the orange soda my wife got. I got a Chicago hot dog which is always a treat. My kid loves brats and devoured hers, and we enjoyed the nice picnic tables on a pleasant mid-July day. Spot that gets hyped, and to me is worth it and carries distinction beyond just a touristy roadstop.

Bought the root beer in the ice cold souvenir mug…read more A - mug came out of a box B - worst root beer I have ever tasted. It was all syrup and no fizz. C - root beer wasn't even cold. D - swarmed by Bees before we could even taste the root beer to find out how bad it was. Cool location and the mugs are a nice keepsake but that's about it.

The Washington Park Zoo is a relatively small city-owned zoo in Michigan City, Indiana on the…read moreshores of Lake Michigan. I typically head up to Lake Michigan about once a year for my trip to the lighthouse, but this zoo is relatively close so there's typically a visit here when it's open. The zoo opened in 1928. and has pretty limited hours with typical closure for the season in December. In addition to the varied zoo hours, features within the zoo can also have limited hours. For example, the observation tour is only open 10am - 3pm daily. Animal buildings close 1/2 hour before the zoo closes. The safari train is closed for the 2026 season. Other features vary. So, if you've got your heart set on a specific area, it may be best to check. This entire part of Michigan City is somewhat iffy in terms of accessibility. This includes the zoo. It's not dreadful - I can typically maneuver around, but there are definitely some inclines, stes in places, and other accessibility concerns. As one other review notes, they do have wheelchair rental for free, however, wheelchair users who have difficulty on inclines will want to make sure support is nearby. There's a discount for Michigan City residents. Prices otherwise include Adults ($12), Seniors 62+ ($10), Children 2-11 ($10), and Children 1 and under are free. The zoo, which encompasses 15 acres and is set on a hill, is also a wildlife sanctuary. It offers outreach, camps, pollination, etc. Overall, I'd call the Washington Park Zoo a solid local zoo and wildlife sanctuary. I'd be unlikely to call it a destination zoo of any type, however, it's a nice addition to a visit to the Michigan City area. I always like hitting the zoo when I'm at the nearby lighthouse. I'm a big fan of the Michigan City coastline, and while I wish Michigan City would build this up more (and make it more accessible) it's still a beautiful area. Again, in terms of of accessibility this is one of those features best experienced with a companion and I'd say due to the historic nature (like the tower) of certain areas you should probably expect not being able to do quite everything here. I'd still return and frequently do. If you do make it up the tower, definitely check out the views. Pretty amazing.

This place is not worth the drive. The cost to enter is…read morehigh. The parking is very unpleasant. Will never return again. Very disappointed by the recreational department that runs this area. There is something mentally deficient with these folks. A V O I D - at all costs.

You can walk along the beach to get a closer view of the big Friend in House from across the water…read more The area to get access to the lighthouse is a private area. It's smaller than I would've expected to hand simpler. It's at least nice to watch the boats going in and out and there's a nice breeze. $20 per car entry fee. It does give you access to all the Michigan State park for the rest

Go at sunset and see this beauty while standing on the jetty. The view of the lake, the lighthouse…read moreand the beach are spectacular by the light of the setting sun. There's lots of parking but note that everyone will be leaving at the same time after the sun sets so it may take a bit of time to get out of the lot, park close to the exit.

123 year old monument to Civil War veterans. Incredible little piece of history that still stands…read moretoday.

To look at the Soldiers & Sailors Monument now, you might think it looks a lot like the monument in…read moreIndy. The reason is that back in 1903, sculptor Rudolf Schwarz created the five bronzes for this monument after having completed many of the bronzes down in Indy. You might also think that this monument must have been here for over a hundred years. But it wasn't. It was originally located on the south east corner of the courthouse and was dismantled in 1967. After sitting in storage for five years, the monument was reconstructed at this location and dedicated in 1973. The bronzes that you see include a 10' flag bearer on top, and statues of Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, and Navy on a lower ring. When this monument was reconstructed, it displaced the miniature bronze Statue of Liberty that was built in 1951 as part of a Boy Scouts of America program. There are six of these mini statues around northern Indiana. The South Bend mini was moved to the east side of the courthouse. This is one of many stylish memorials erected over 100 years ago that commemorates those who fought to save the Union. South Bend's is in remarkable condition and is worth visiting the next time you are downtown. Review #3108

Can you turn the freaking air on? Maybe at least the fan to circulate air. If you want to watch a…read moremovie in great seats but hot stuffy air and warm and musty this is your place. I get times are tough but it makes for a miserable experience

When we were looking for a local cinema to see Ne Zha 2 for the second time, this time with English…read moredubbing, we were happy to find Landmark at the Glen! It replaced Arclight which was in a decline. The cinema had been renovated 2 years ago. It was a Thursday afternoon, and the cinema was pretty quiet. There were big kiosks for ticket purchases, and the process was quick and easy. We got a small bag (which was not too small) for $10 plus tax, a little pricy for popcorn, but it was good. The popcorn guy was friendly, and he also doubled as the guy to collect our ticket stubs, and informed us which cinema room to go to. We were there for the preview of the movie, and we got the entire cinema #5 to the 3 of us! While the lobby and hallways of the cinema was nice and cool, this room was a little too warm. We totally understood that they would not cool down an entire room when there was no audience inside. I went to talk to the popcorn guy about the air temperature issue, and he promised to have it adjusted. As I went back to the cinema room. We could feel that cool air started to come out, and it was comfortable for the rest of the showing. The chairs were big, clean, and comfortable. Sound and picture were great. The movie itself was enjoyable just like the first time, and the English dubbing was perfect. The entire cinema was very clean. I was especially pleased with their restrooms being spotless clean. There is a bar in the lobby, and across from it was the biggest poster I've ever seen in a cinema lobby, it was a colorful digital poster of Ne Zha 2, very appropriate for such a spectacular movie. When we left the cinema after seeing the movie, there was another guy at the hallway collecting ticket stubs, and there was obviously more audience coming in. We enjoyed this cinema experience very much, and would definitely return to see other movies in the future.

Super SUPER cool theater and great prices (if you go on Tuesday). Love that the box office is on…read moreone of the upper levels, and you have to keep going up the ramp to get to the theaters! Never seen a movie in a place like that before and it's pretty unique. Saw a movie there last Tuesday with family. We signed up for the membership and go tickets for about $7 each which is pretty good. There's a lot more space that I was expecting in each theater, and our movie was packed. Definitely going to consider getting tickets online next time so we can get better seats. I recommend this spot if you live in the area and want to see a movie!!

This theater is fine. I'm a bit biased towards the one closer to my place that has newer seats and…read morean imax screen but this one has a nice retro charm. It's hidden away inside a semi kind of shopping mall? The escalators were broken so it took a maze of elevator and going to the wrong place to find it. Popcorn was yummy and salty, seats were not great, but the employees were friendly.

I've driven past Gary, IN soooo many times but never stopped to see Michael Jackson's childhood…read morehome. On our way back from Indiana Dunes, we decided why not just check it out since it's on our way back to Chicago anyway. I was honestly surprised how many people were there when we came, but maybe it's because of the recent movie. It looks like people bring gifts and sign their names on the sidewalk and street. There's not much else to do besides look at it. It's surrounded by a fence, which is understandable. It's a neat stop if you're on the way to or from something, but probably not something to go out of the way for unless you're a huge fan. The street is on has a few abandoned houses and right behind his house is what looks to be an abandoned high school. People do live in the nearby houses so visitors should all try to be respectful and keep noise down!

We made the trek to the city of Gary for this house. It's not just anyone's house, it's The Jackson…read more5's house! We didn't see much in the area outside of people just coming to this home. It was gated, so there wasn't much you can see except for knowing that this was once a house that the Jacksons lived in.