Category Archives: Lake Michigan

Diana Of the Dunes Explained Online
More than 100 years ago, Alice Mabel Gray left her city life in Chicago, choosing instead to live in an abandoned shanty along the wild shoreline of the Indiana Dunes. For the next 10 years, as she explored her beloved dunes, she withstood both natural hardships and those created by a relentless, sensation-driven press. She…

Indiana Dunes Movie Premieres In Valparaiso
Indiana Dunes Tourism, in partnership with the National Park Service and Smith Donovan, is celebrating the new film at a nature-themed outdoor movie night fundraiser at the 49er Drive-In on October 8, 2020. The premiere of the new Indiana Dunes National Park documentary film, Indiana Dunes: Nature’s Masterpiece takes place on…

Portage Brewfest Takes Place Outside
Portage Brewfest is one of the few remaining Festivals that have not cancelled in 2020 in Portage Indiana. To keep it open, promoters continued to have the venue to be outside at the Portage Lakefront park Open Air Pavilion on Lake Michigan. The following changes have been made to keep the Special Event…

Whiting Adds Emergency Boat to Their Fleet of Vehicles
The City of Whiting Parks Department is excited to announce the addition of a new emergency boat to their fleet of vehicles. The Wing Inflatables 13’9” PR.4 boat is constructed in Northern California from “the most advanced materials on the planet,” according to the company’s website. It will be used primarily by lifeguards and the…

Miller Beach Farmers Market Remains Open During Covid
The Miller Beach Farmers Market has a new schedule for summer. They are more than just fruits and vegetables. The Market opened June 7th, 2020. The Sunday market now runs 11am-3pm, every week, June through August 30th. Thank you to everyone who has been supportive of the Market and our 2020 Pandemic Edition…

Disney’s Moana Jr Comes to Indiana Dunes State Park
Seedlings Theatre Company presents Disney’s Moana Jr as part of NIETF’s Park Plays series at Indiana Dunes State Park August 6 & 13, 2020 @ 6:30 pm What better place to enjoy Moana Jr with your family than sitting beachside? Grab your camp chairs or beach blanket and join Seedlings Theatre Company for a fun,…

Whiting Builds a ADA Compliant Boardwalk on Lake Michigan
by Mary Lowry If you’ve walked down the bike path behind Whihala Beach in Whiting Indiana and wondered about the construction at the West End, you can finally go check out the completed project! The work has been the result of a $16,000 matching grant from the Lake Michigan Coastal Program, which is administered…

New Paved Trails at Friendship Gardens
Over 2,900 feet of trails at Friendship Botanic Gardens were paved during the week of June 15th, 2020, which was made possible by a grant provided by the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte. The goal was to provide more access to people that require mobility assistance, such as wheelchairs and walkers. The natural green…

Lack of Social Distancing Closes Porter Beach
The National Park Service has closed the Porter Beach area of Indiana Dunes National Park. This closure includes both the national park beach and associated parking lots due to unsafe health conditions related to overcrowding, unsafe sanitation practices, and lack of social distancing pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. The park reminds visitors to…

Fishing Essentials
If you’re looking to get into fishing, you’ll need to learn new skills and acquire the right equipment. Your approach and tools may also change depending on where and how you fish as well. The following items are fishing essentials every beginner needs. Fishing License In order to fish legally as an adult, you’ll need…