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

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.

A fantastic park is on the far South Side with some cool scenery including a beach. Calumet Park is…read moreone of my lesser appreciated favorites. It just about is as close as you can get to Indiana. Beach of course is the best part about here. The rest of the park has some gardens and hiking trails. Either in summer or winter it's a beautiful place for hanging. It has a few big parking lots. There's plentiful parking meaning it's usually easy to find somewhere. Beach is the most notable feature. This goes along a few miles. Certainly it isn't always pretty around here. There's some ugly old factories, including those across the lake in Gary, but besides that it's beautiful mostly. Be warned about the nuisances here, which include birds and bugs. It's especially bad in the summer. This park is most happening then and has features such as athletic facilities and other fun things.

Beautiful park! Plenty of stone walkways, views of the lake, and trees for a relaxing experience…read more The park is huge and plenty of open space and various amenities, and kiddie playgrounds too. We enjoyed walking the dog and the views

Big park with a lot going on in and around. Dawes Park is one of the best things about Evanston. It…read morehas lots of facilities and green space. Can spend a few hours just chilling. There's also events and programs. A popular thing here is the beach. It's a park right next to the lake so of course it would have one. This isn't that good of one but the area is beautiful and there's some great views. Be sure to go to the pond in the middle. Seems to be the main centerpiece of the park. It also has a fountain. There's of course lots of athletic fields including for soccer. Also plenty of walking paths so you can get exercise. There's a snack window by the beach so you can get things like ice cream and junk. For sure it's a great place when the weather is warmer and you can hang around. It's located by the lake. There's lots of programs for children and families such as music and theater.

I recently walked through a variety of parks in Evanston and I think Dawes was my favorite. It's…read morealong the lakefront and provides access to the beach and amazing views. But there's also a gorgeous water fountain and seating to enjoy both the water and the park. Not to mention all the squirrels, ducks, and dogs everywhere. There was just a hustle and bustle from all creatures with this great park as a backdrop.

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!

I'm surprised that seemingly so few people know about the Indiana Dunes State/National Parks! This…read moreis a beautifully unique park, and a must visit for anyone who loves hiking and is looking for a fun challenge. We visited for my husband's birthday, and it was a little tricky to determine which trails were located in the State Park and which trails were located in the National Park. We actually ended up paying for a National Park pass first, but then realized the trail we wanted to hike was in the State Park and so we ended up having to pay for access to that as well. It doesn't make much sense to me that there's not one main visitors center with a flat rate for both parks, but oh well. Let this be a reminder to your research if you're planning a visit soon! We hiked the Three Dune Challenge around 4 PM on a Friday, and there was no one else on the trail! We were shocked to have the whole hike to ourselves. It is indeed a challenge, but the view was well worth it. After making our way down hill and through the campsite (where they could use a bit more signage, especially since that's how they recommend exiting), we drove to the beach and enjoyed the sunset. This park is definitely worth a stop!

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.]

It's ok for Indiana. It's small, next to steel mills. Water kinda gross. Too bad Indiana doesn't do…read moremore with their shoreline compared to Illinois and Michigan.

A huge, beautiful memorial, focusing on 20th century American wars and vets. Great landscaping…read morethat leads you along paths past tributes to vets from each era. Almost a combination art display and memorial. Plenty of historical information, plus commentary evoking the feelings and trauma. A war memorial isn't a celebration of war, but a remembrance of the struggle, loss, and sacrifice. This one, more than most, evokes the horrors- it's a beautiful place, but parts are jarring. I might not bring kids here till they are old enough to understand history and war fairly well- some of the sculptures are fairly vivid. I could also see a vet having flashbacks- for example, from the Huey helicopter landing (crashing?) into reeds, the sculpture of a soldier near a dead comrade, etc. Definitely not whitewashed history.

I had to come here before going to bed today. If you know me, you KNOW I'm not religious in the…read moreleast bit but, looking back at all the lives lost- not just 11 years ago today but, ever since then - to this war on terror. It demands a certain respect to be shown to our citizens and military members. I thank each and every service member for the sacrifices they have made, some gave their lives so that we may live ours in happy, blissful ignorance of the threats to our livelihood. Because of those brave souls we have freedoms most other nations citizens could only dream about! We are lucky to be part of such a great nation, truly we are. On to the review though, This place is very well maintained, clean and a real joy to walk through. The brickwork on the paths is beautifully laid and has a certain elegance to it. Plenty of benches for you to sit on and think or relax. Night lighting could be better, the exhibits are lit well however, the path could benefit from a wee bit more. I do like the fact that the flag is ALWAYS in good repair, nothing pisses me off more than a tattered flag. I'd definitely recommend stopping by to see it a least once.

What a great hike! So calm and peaceful. And the elevated walkways by the canopies are awesome…read more Try and come here if you can. So close to New Buffalo!

What a beautiful spot! The trails aren't very long but provide a great view of the river and the…read moremarshland. One takes you down the hill from the parking lot out onto a boardwalk through the marsh area, which is full of plants, flowers, and animals in the summer, and out onto an overlook to the river. Heading up takes you to a 60 foot high marsh overlook that sways just a little bit and gives you a great view of the area. Fishing is permitted from the lower deck. The park is free to enter. A very enjoyable walk.

Loved this park! Kids 3 and older will enjoy the fort and surrounding area. The splash pad was not…read moreopen when we were there

I came here for a 5 year old's birthday party. Its a very spacious play area. Nice water area, lots…read moreof water related activities for the kids. There is also a playground, if you prefer to stay dry. It is even a picnic area, but no glass is allowed, which is understandable.