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    Whihala Beach Co Park

    4.4 (27 reviews)

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    Stacy K.

    This place is ABSOLUTELY beautiful & it is definitely a hidden gem, not too far from Chicago. Since it's so hot outside everyone is looking for somewhere to hangout and enjoy the weather without having to spend a ton of money. This place definitely fits that description! Imagine being on a island with beautiful blue water .. ok now imagine not having to catch a plane to experience it. At this beach you get to experience the most beautiful view of the Chicago skyline, clear blue water, without the hustle and bustle of the busy city. This is a great place to bring your children and enjoy the warm weather with your family and friends. Their is plenty of parking nearby and plenty of amazing photo opp's within the beach. Bring your camera, blankets and sun tan lotion and prepare for a great time with a beautiful view.

    Richard M.

    Sunrise sunrise sunrise go here to see the sunrise!! Mosquitoes get bad towards the pier but worth it!

    beach where you will lay down. awful.
    Micaeh J.

    not worth the drive. small so quickly overcrowded. rocky. about 10 feet of *sand* between water and grass behind us. $23/hour/person + $11 for each additional hour for the whoa jumpy park. seriously. the worse beach ever. 2 stars only because the sun was shining. they can do so much better. they should take the money from the rip off whoa park and clean this beach up.

    12.1.14
    Courtney O.

    If you've read any of my recent past reviews, you know I: A. Loathe summer B. Love, love, LOVE beaches in the offseason Whihala Beach, I just can't quit you. #hearteyesfordays Here's the deal: first & foremost, yes...yes, it is a blustery day--the kind where your fingertips ache from taking one million pics of the water and your eyes feel like they might be a bit frozen. While I can't speak to this spot in the summer, I can tell you that it's worth bundling up and checking it out now. It's unreal--so peaceful, so beautiful. There are about a zillion places to walk and parking for the masses (we were the only car there today, but still). The grounds are SO clean--Whiting takes great care of this beach. There are currently a bunch of lighted holiday decorations up and probably look amazing after dark (although I cannot confirm this...yet). My standard word-to-the-wise for beach visiting in the cold: dress warmly, bring your fully-charged cell phone, and watch your step. The last one is really important if you're down by the water. I hit a "soft spot" & sunk to my ankle at one point, so just tread lightly and be aware. Also, seagulls are EVERYWHERE, or at least they were today. They hover very closely but are friendly enough (read as: *not* like Hitchcock's famous "Birds" ;). Stay warm out there and watch out for the icy patches on the sidewalk closest to the water. :)

    Whoazone
    Dee B.

    I ABSOLUTELY love this place. Perfect place to chill & take a great walk along the water.

    You get a beautiful view of downtown Chicago,  clear,  clean water!
    Megan H.

    This is an amazing beach! Great for those with physical limitations! Awesome beach front parking, great amenities. Clean bathrooms, competitive parking rates and fantastic lifeguards!

    Emily C.

    This is one of my favorite beaches to go to when the temp starts to warm up in Chicago. It's a great alternative to the crowded beaches in the city and it's an easy walk to and from downtown Whiting, IN, which I also recommend checking out. So if you want a nice day at the beach without the large crowds, head to Whihala beach!

    Jeana C.

    Absolutely perfect. I have only compliments about this beach and the amenities. Incredibly clean, great facilities, lots of beautiful lookout areas, places to picnic, take a walk, and let the kids play. We brought our bicycles and rode into the downtown area to make the most of our trip. It was very cute and quaint.

    Sweet!

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    7 years ago

    Small, but fun beach. Only advise, wear beach shoes because it's quite rocky. Other than that, my daughter (8) and I had a blast!!!!

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    Ask the Community - Whihala Beach Co Park

    Review Highlights - Whihala Beach Co Park

    First time here and what a surprise on the Lake Michigan lakefront in Whiting, Indiana.

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    Whiting Lakefront Park

    Whiting Lakefront Park

    (2 reviews)

    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.

    Indiana Dunes State Park - Shore

    Indiana Dunes State Park

    (198 reviews)

    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!

    Community Veteran's Memorial - Community Veterans Memorial

    Community Veteran's Memorial

    (4 reviews)

    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.

    Whihala Beach Co Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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