Indiana Dunes is a 15-mile stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline 50 miles east of downtown Chicago. The headline is the beach — wide sand, rolling dunes up to 200 feet tall, and warm freshwater swimming all summer. For Midwestern families, that's the simplest national park reunion in the country: train service from Chicago, no entrance fee, beach passes that fit any age and ability, and abundant rental cabins in the surrounding lakeshore towns. The park is unusual in that it's a patchwork of public beaches with the much larger Indiana Dunes State Park (with its iconic Three Dune Challenge) interlocked. For reunions, treat them as one destination.
Where it is
Things to do (with the family)
Hand-curated. Every entry links to its official source so you can plan without guessing.
West Beach
The largest park beach with full bathhouse, lifeguards (Memorial Day–Labor Day), and the Dune Succession Trail loop above.
Official source ↗Mount Baldy
The park's tallest "living" dune at 126 ft; ranger-led summit hikes only (the unguided summit is closed for safety). Beach access at the base.
Official source ↗Three Dune Challenge (Indiana Dunes State Park)
A 1.5-mile trail summiting the three tallest dunes — 552 vertical feet of climbing. The marquee challenge for active reunions.
Official source ↗Indiana Dunes State Park beach
A separately-managed state park (small per-vehicle fee) with the most-loved family beach in the area; pavilion, snack bar, lifeguards.
Official source ↗Cowles Bog Trail
4.7-mile loop through bog, dune, and forest — designated a National Natural Landmark. Quieter than the beach trails.
Official source ↗Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk
Accessible boardwalk along the Lake Michigan shoreline with a small beach; works well for older relatives and strollers.
Official source ↗Indiana Dunes Visitor Center
Modern visitor center with exhibits, ranger talks, and Junior Ranger booklet pickup — the best first stop on day one.
Official source ↗South Shore Line train from Chicago
The South Shore commuter rail stops at multiple beach towns — relatives can arrive carless from downtown Chicago in 75 minutes.
Official source ↗Junior Ranger program
Free booklet at the visitor center; complete the activities to earn a wooden badge — kids 5–12.
Official source ↗Chesterton and Beverly Shores towns
Walkable downtowns with restaurants, the famous Town Center pizzeria, and a handful of historic houses moved here from the 1933 Chicago World's Fair.
Official source ↗Find more things to do for your Indiana Dunes National Park reunion
The picks above are general. Inside the Reunly app, Rosi tailors local activities, meals, and printables to your actual dates, group size, ages, and budget — and saves them straight to your reunion plan.
Good for
- Beach reunions — warm freshwater, no riptides
- Chicago-area families (1 hour or less drive)
- Reunions that need an "easy" national park (small, walkable)
- Multi-generational groups — beach works for every age
- Reunions on a budget — cheap lodging, low fees
Practical logistics
- Closest Airports
- Chicago Midway (MDW) ~1 hr · Chicago O'Hare (ORD) ~1.25 hr · South Bend (SBN) ~45 min
- Group Lodging
- No in-park lodging. Chesterton, Porter, Beverly Shores, and Michigan City (IN) have cabin rentals and chain hotels. The Indiana Dunes State Park inn (Chellberg / Pavilion) is small. New Buffalo, MI is 15 minutes east and has bigger beach rentals.
- Cell Service
- Reliable everywhere — the area is suburban Chicago.
- Parking
- West Beach and Indiana Dunes State Park beach lots fill by 11 AM on summer weekends. Both have a per-vehicle parking fee ($6–$12 in season).
- Park Fee
- No federal entrance fee, but West Beach and Mount Baldy charge per-vehicle parking fees in season ($6 daily, $20 annual). The adjacent state park has a separate $7 in-state / $12 out-of-state daily vehicle fee.
- Accessibility
- The Portage Lakefront boardwalk is wheelchair-accessible. Beach wheelchairs are available at West Beach and the State Park. The Three Dune Challenge and most dune trails are not accessible.
- Official Site
- https://www.nps.gov/indu/index.htm
When to go
Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day for warm Lake Michigan swimming. June and August are the sweet spots — warm water without the July 4 crowd peak. Late September has empty beaches and good hiking weather but the lake gets cold quickly. Winter is dramatic but cold and most amenities close.
Best for your group size
Small group · 10–25
Groups of 10–25 fit in a single 5–6-bedroom rental home in Beverly Shores, Porter, or New Buffalo, MI — $400–900/night in summer.
Medium group · 25–60
Groups of 25–60 should book 2–3 adjacent rentals or a beach hotel block in Michigan City; reserve a State Park beach pavilion for a daily rendezvous.
Large group · 60+
Groups of 60+ are uncommon here — typically split between Michigan City hotels and 3–4 large beach rentals, with the State Park pavilion as the all-day meet point.
Sample 3-day Indiana Dunes reunion
A starter agenda you can copy into Reunly\'s Schedule and customize for your group.
Friday — Arrival & welcome
- Most relatives fly into Chicago Midway (MDW) ~1 hour
- 3 PM check-in at the Beverly Shores or New Buffalo rental house
- 5 PM short walk to Kemil Beach for the welcome sunset
- 6:30 PM group dinner — pizza at Town Center in Chesterton (private room reservation)
- Hand out Junior Ranger books and the State Park parking passes
Saturday — Beach day + family photo
- 9 AM arrive at the Indiana Dunes State Park beach (parking fills by 11 AM)
- All-day pavilion rental: lunch, family photo, swimming
- 11 AM Three Dune Challenge for the active branch
- 2 PM beach time + ice cream from the pavilion concession
- 6 PM group BBQ at the rental house lawn
Sunday — Quieter morning & goodbyes
- 8 AM rental-house breakfast
- 9:30 AM split: Cowles Bog hike for the active group · Portage Lakefront boardwalk for older relatives
- 12 PM lunch in Chesterton or Michigan City
- 1 PM Junior Ranger badge ceremony at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center
- 2 PM travel home
Reunion organizer tips
Book lodging in Chesterton, Porter, or New Buffalo, MI for summer reunions. Six-bedroom rental homes within a 5-minute drive of the beach are the dominant choice; book 6–9 months out for July/August. New Buffalo (15 minutes east in Michigan) has bigger beach houses and an actual downtown.
Plan around the parking fill. West Beach and the State Park beach lots are full by 11 AM most summer Saturdays. Either arrive by 9 AM or use the South Shore Line train from a beach-town stop and walk in. Several lots have shuttle service in peak season.
Use the State Park beach as your reunion home base. It has the biggest pavilion, the longest swimming beach, lifeguards, food concessions, and is the easiest place to corral 30 relatives with kids. The national park beaches (West Beach, Kemil Beach) are quieter but smaller.
Build the Three Dune Challenge into the agenda — even if not everyone does it. The 1.5-mile trail with 552 ft of cumulative climbing is the local rite of passage. Active cousins will love it; grandparents can wait at the beach pavilion with a thermos.
Day-trip into Chicago. Most reunions here do at least one Chicago day — the South Shore Line train makes it carless. Navy Pier, the Bean (Cloud Gate), or a Cubs/White Sox game pair well with park days.
Check Mount Baldy access. The unguided summit is closed for safety (collapsed sand pockets) but rangers run guided summit hikes seasonally. Beach access at the base is open whenever the parking lot is.
How Reunly helps you plan it
Reunly is the all-in-one app made for family reunion organizers. Free to start. No credit card. Cancel anytime.
Smart guest list
Drop in any spreadsheet — Rosi (our AI) reads multi-sheet, color-coded family groups, even handwritten exports. RSVP, dietary, T-shirt, paid status all in one row.
Open in Reunly →Public RSVP link
Share one link with the whole family. They RSVP per event (Friday BBQ, Saturday dinner) without making an account. You see live counts.
Open in Reunly →Budget that adds up
Track estimated vs. actual, who paid, who still owes. Auto-creates per-guest fee rows from your registration cost.
Open in Reunly →Day-by-day schedule
Friday welcome BBQ, Saturday photo, Sunday brunch — with location, meal flag, and per-event RSVPs.
Open in Reunly →Name tags + printables
Avery 5160 sheets color-coded by family, programs, welcome packets, packing lists — auto-filled from your data.
Open in Reunly →Rosi the AI helper
Stuck on a reminder email? A budget? A timeline? Click Rosi anywhere in the app — she drafts it from your live data.
Open in Reunly →Plan your Indiana Dunes National Park reunion with Reunly
Free to start. Build your guest list, share an RSVP link, track payments, and print name tags — no spreadsheets.
Frequently asked
When is the best time for an Indiana Dunes reunion?
Memorial Day through Labor Day for warm Lake Michigan swimming. June and August are the sweet spots — warm water but smaller crowds than July 4. Late September has empty beaches and great hiking weather, but the lake gets cold by mid-month.
Where should we stay?
There's no in-park lodging. The dominant choice is rental homes in Beverly Shores, Porter, or Chesterton (IN), or 15 minutes east in New Buffalo, MI which has bigger beach houses. Michigan City has chain hotels for hotel blocks; the State Park inn is small.
Are the beaches safe for kids and grandparents?
Yes — Lake Michigan has no tides and West Beach plus the State Park beach are lifeguarded Memorial Day through Labor Day. Be aware of occasional rip currents on windy days and supervise young kids. Beach wheelchairs are available for older relatives at both major beaches.
Is Indiana Dunes worth visiting from Chicago?
Absolutely — many Chicagoans treat it as their summer beach park. The South Shore Line train runs from downtown Chicago to multiple beach towns in 75–90 minutes, making it accessible without a car. For a reunion, plan at least one overnight to avoid the same-day round-trip.
Do we need to pay any fees?
No federal entrance fee. West Beach and Mount Baldy parking is $6/day in season ($20 annual). Indiana Dunes State Park has a separate $7 in-state / $12 out-of-state daily vehicle fee. Pavilion rentals at the State Park run $50–150/day depending on size.
Can older relatives or strollers enjoy the park?
Yes — the Portage Lakefront boardwalk, the State Park beach pavilion area, and short interpretive trails near the visitor center are accessible. Beach wheelchairs are available. Skip the dune-climbing trails (Three Dune Challenge, Mount Baldy) for low-mobility relatives.
