Beautiful lakefront! I loved every moment of it, I was able to capture some really nice pictures.read more

I had the opportunity recently to visit Whiting, Indiana, a community of just under 5,000 people in…read moreLake County and less than 20 miles from Chicago. It's a beautiful community that weaves together the wonder of Lake Michigan, the skyline of Chicago, and a historical vibe with a strong industrial influence. When most people think of Lake County, they think of Gary or maybe East Chicago. Crown Point, another underrated and beautiful community, is actually the county seat. I've done three of my Tenderness Tour events to Chicago and have wheeled through Whiting. I'm a huge Lake Michigan fan and always make a point of getting as much time near the lake as possible. Whiting Lakefront Park is, you guessed it, actually on the lakefront of Lake Michigan. It encompasses around 15 acres and includes play areas, walking paths, picnic facilities, a concessions area, two sand volleyball courts, a fishing pier, flower gardens, and a wonderful fish pond that is idea for peaceful contemplation. Because this is on Lake Michigan, it's a popular spot for events both private and public. As is true of nearly every public park in Lake County, it's also within view of some industrial scenes and, yes, this does somewhat detract from the entire experience. That said, it's still really amazing. The park is located adjacent to Whihala Beach, a public beach in Whiting. Whihala Beach has a floating water park, standup paddle boards, kayaks, fishing, restrooms, swimming, a public boat launch and ramp, and much more. Whiting Lakefront Park is open daily from 7am-8pm. It's my understanding that they definitely enforce the times and are known to tow unauthorized vehicles unless arrangements are in advance or there's a rental agreement. The park, and in fact the city, is named after Herbert L. "Pop" Whiting, a trainman who apparently was actually killed in a crash here. A little bit about the city - scenes from the movies "Rudy" and "Four Friends" were shot in Whiting. There's lots of historic buildings here including a Carnegie Library and the Hoosier Theatre. The community was developed largely out of the railroads and Standard Oil Company. It is considered a Southern Shores community. The park is a landing place for migrating birds and has Purple Martin houses. The park is friendly to both vehicles and pedestrian traffic. While accessibility isn't quite perfect, it's surprisingly good. Most parking is metered and dogs are allowed on the trails if leashed. It is important to note that dogs can only be on the beach during the off-season from after Labor Day to Memorial Day. They must be leashed. The park does have bathrooms, as well. The trails are all well cared for and quite wheelchair friendly I found. I also felt like the play areas were quite child-friendly, though not perfectly accessible. This park is the most popular park in Whiting with a combination of history, beautiful views, and great amenities. I definitely recommend giving Whiting a visit if you're in the Lake County area. Of course, you're also quite close to Indiana Dunes National Park.

Nice small beach yet crowded because of the air show. Parking is plentiful and you can bring your…read morejet skis here. Lifeguards on duty and there are tables for eating along with benches scattered everywhere to take in the views.

My family and I love this beach! Super clean safe and…read morefun!!!! I can't wait to go back in the summer!!!

This is a nice park to have a wedding especially if you are on a budget. The ambiance is beautiful…read moreand tranquil. If you're not getting married it's a great place to take pictures.

Do NOT golf at this place unless you enjoy paying for parking at a golf course. I checked in my…read moreplates in the "pro" shop by adding to their check in kiosk at a PC.....what a joke. and then I received this in the mail. I called the golf course and they referred me to a Caleb, who when I called, sent me to voicemail and texted me asking who this was. I sent him a picture of this ticket. Replied he would take care of it. When I replied the next business day asking if it was "taken care of", no response. My dad golfed here for 20 years before he passed in 2020. If he were alive, he would blow his top. Have you ever paid for parking at a public golf course?

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.

Such a beautiful park and the Japanese garden it's so beautiful and I suppose in May when the…read morecherry blossoms. I totally recommend to visit this little and gorgeous park .

I can't believe this amazing garden in the middle of the city considering that we have eight months…read morebad weather to have this many beautiful plants is amazing.

A quaint but pretty oasis in the middle of Hammond. A great spot for a quick walk and some nice…read moreviews. In the winter everything is golden in the dead kind of way. Dogs aren't allowed on the trail, but you can still enjoy the soothing sounds of the neighborhood dogs barking away. We saw the tree in this picture, and thought it looked like a walking stick left by a giant. There is probably a good amount of non-mythical wildlife to see the in the spring and summer.

Absolutely beautiful and serene. It's an actual nature trail. No pavement! You can easily get in…read moreabout 3 miles. For longer you'll have to loop through the different trails.

Attended the first Thursday concert series in the park. The venue is great as everyone just brought…read moretheir own chairs or blankets. They had alcohol for sale inside the venue plus a food truck to get dinner. It was pretty crowded which was nice to see. They have bathrooms inside which is another plus. Definitely something that people should check out. They have a show every Thursday night this summer.

I always go here for the pathway and to ride my bike. The pathway is 2 miles long with a golf park,…read moreplay ground and mini water park for kids for the summer. There are a lot of shelters for parties, volleyball nets and good parking. It's good for pets as well. People come here all year long and it's fairly relaxing. There are a few entrances 1) near the golfing center and 2) roughly near the volleyball nets 3) one off the pathway that leads to a nearby neighborhood. There is also this random pathway that is also right off the pathway but I do not know where that leads to. Nonetheless, you can travel up there with the exception of motor vehicles. It's also surrounded by a nearby busy intersection which really doesn't interfere with anything. Just a surrounding area. Overall, I'd recommend this place to anyone who likes the outdoors.

Came to this park for a photo shoot and was so amazed. It was such a quiet and ducked off park…read more They have a rock climbing wall, lots of greenery near the water and I saw a lot of people fishing. The photographer was telling me about the history of the area and it all seems so interesting. Definitely on my list of parks to come crochet when I need peaceful surroundings

Love walking and biking to this spot every weekend and weekday. It is such ha tranquil place to get…read morethe best views of the lake and watch nature here. It is undoubtedly the best trail and park to see natural surroundings, rock climb on the all, get great views fo the city and Indiana, see the past from the boards, and understand Chicago's steel manufacturing contribution to America.

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.

Nice quiet area known for the migration of swan and geese. With a scenic bike route that extends…read morefrom Wolfe lake to Whiting park.