This lakeside town, just one hour from Chicago, features miles of beach, beautiful lighthouses and a variety of tasty fruit farms.
Michigan City is a small, rural town where Chicago locals go to relax. Lounge on the lake, hike the dunes and enjoy the fresh produce of the area’s farms.
Spend a day at Washington Park which features several miles of sandy beach along Lake Michigan. The sand here is nicknamed “singing sand” after the high-pitched whine it makes blowing off the dunes. Come by the park in the evening to watch the sun set on the water. There is a parking fee.
Walk along the pier out to the old lighthouse which rests 40 feet (12 meters) above the water. Known as Old Michigan City Light, this is one of the oldest lighthouses in Indiana. Climb to the top for a wide panorama of the coastline and the town.
Head to the beach on the northwest side of town to climb Mount Baldy, a wandering sand dune. This hulking mass of sand moves about 5 feet (1.5 meters) south every year.
Visit one of the many farms in the area to enjoy a range of fresh produce. Blueberry farms and apple orchards are located all around the area. Take a delicious daytrip traveling from one to the next and sampling the fruit. Go apple picking in an orchard to enjoy fruit just off the branch. Drop by a farmers market, which is held on the main square in town, to taste some of the area’s other products.
Most tourists come to Michigan City during the summer to tan on the beach but Michigan city is a delightful destination year-round. In fall the weather is mild and the trees are at their most vibrant and in the winter, Lake Michigan freezes over making a beautiful winter panorama.
Michigan City can be reached by car, bus or train from Chicago. The city has a local bus service but to see the surrounding countryside, it is best to have access to a car.