Duneland Beach, Indiana

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Welcome to our lakefront communities! The Indiana Dunes is home to several communities that can only be described as simply authentic. These aren't your typical cookie-cutter tourist towns—they're unique communities with their own local flavor. If you're looking for a taste of lake life, head to our Lakefront Communities. The five towns of Beverly Shores, Ogden Dunes, Burns Harbor, The Pines and Dune Acres ring the lakeshore and are a stone's throw from Lake Michigan. Beverly Shores is located about 50 miles east of Chicago. We get a lot of visitors from Chicago to visit the lakeshore. The Lakefront Communities are known for beautiful vistas, scenic lake view sights and amazing architectural structures. The most well-known landmarks are the Century of Progress Homes, five structures built for the 1933 Chicago World's Fair that were relocated to the portion of Beverly Shores that is now within the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Today, you can drive or walk along Lake Front Drive to see the homes' exteriors year round, or stop by during the annual architectural tour in October. Citizens of Indiana Dunes Country know the beach communities of Ogden Dunes and Dune Acres as exclusive, private areas where residents can enjoy quiet beachfront living. Where we are standing now is approximately 100 or so feet within the national lakeshore park with on the east and western borders of town. This is west beach we are looking at. My wife and i have been out here a number of times walking through in the late fall or winter or cross country skiing. We would be out here two hours and not see a soul. One of my favorite things about Ogden Dunes, about the NWI beaches is the singing sands. It's one of the few places on earth where you go on a walk and the sands sings, it makes a sound. It has cords in it and it makes a sound. It's a rare and unique thing. In Burns Harbor, visitors can enjoy green-style activities, like fishing for salmon, trout and other fish on the Little Calumet River, or enjoy swimming, fishing and outdoor sports at the 29-acre Lakeland Park. I never did catch the biggest fish, I never did and I tried. I even had on of my little scouts, we was a weebler back then and he came up and said here Mr. McGee take my pole." For an example of how modern industry can co-exist in green spaces, drive by the nearby ArcelorMitel Steel mill. They Environmentally they attempt to make accomplish everything in their power to satisfy us here. It's very enjoyable to have steel mill, especially this large, to have concerns. The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore runs throughout the Lakefront Communities, and makes a picturesque backdrop for striking out and exploring nature. Enjoy great hiking and bird watching along the Great Marsh Trail and Lake View Picnic Area in Beverly Shores, or at West Beach and Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Park near Ogden Dunes. Right here at the south end of the lake the birds go to and from Florida and Canada as their passing through it's just a wonderful diversity of birds. Or spend an afternoon hiking along the CowlesBog trail at the entrance of Dune Acres. The spectacular views that line the roads of Beverly Shores and The Pines mean the area is custom-made for scenic drives. Grab your favorite car or bike and take a turn through county streets and Indiana State Road 520 — which, at two tenths of a mile, is the shortest state highway. Lake Front Drive is also a great place to cruise along Lake Michigan in Indiana Dunes Country. It runs through miles of coastline and is a breathtaking vantage point for viewing nature in all seasons—including the magnificent fall colors, and the lake's otherworldy-looking winter shelf ice. There is so much shelf ice that forms usually in the winter and it changes and it has blow holes of water coming out. It looks like a mini-mountain and many different mini-mountains. It is absolutely magical. The Lakefront Communities are also a great place to pick up Dunes-centric souvenirs. The Schoolhouse Shop is a former schoolhouse-turned-department store in old Furnissville that carries unique, fashionable items. The Depot of Beverly Shores Museum and Art Gallery is both a tribute to the area's history and a great place to catch the South Shore line into Chicago. Learn about the lakefront's fascinating history, visit the gallery filled with works from local artists, and pick up a souvenir in the gift shop. Feeling hungry after a day on the sandy shores? At the funky, totally casual Bartlett's Gourmet Grill and Tavern in Beverly Shores, you'll feast on family favorites with a gourmet twist. Or you can chow down on a pizza from the Rolling Stonebaker. The Rolling Stonebaker is a 1952 and a 1949 studebaker fire truck that has been converted to having a wood pizza oven on the back. So they have fresh wood fired pizzas made to order. And it's parked right at the entrance to Beverly Shores. There are plenty of fun adventures waiting for you in our Lakefront Communities, and it'll take more than a day to experience them all. Fortunately, you'll find all sorts of lodging options to help you extend your stay: from posh bed and breakfasts to family-friendly motels to retro motor lodges and more. Visit Indiana Dunes Tourism at IndianaDunes.com to start planning your trip to the Lakefront Communities.