Designated the 61st US national park in 2019, Indiana Dunes protects 15,349 acres of lakeshore, dunes, bogs, and savanna along Lake Michigan's southern shore. It is one of the most biodiverse national parks in the country — over 1,400 vascular plant species have been recorded here, ranking it eighth among all National Park Service units. The reason is its unusual ecology: the same dunes support Arctic plants from the north, desert species from the south, and eastern and western woodland species, all within walking distance of each other.
The 15 miles of beach are the main draw in summer. West Beach and the beaches near the Dorothy Buell Visitor Center are the most popular, with lifeguarded swimming, wide sand, and a view of the Chicago skyline on clear days. The water is clean but Lake Michigan stays cold well into July. The park also has 45 miles of hiking trails ranging from easy beach walks to more demanding routes through blowout dunes and into the interior wetlands. Dunewood Campground (78 sites) allows you to stay overnight, though it books up quickly on summer weekends.