Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Pristine, rugged dunes 90 minutes from Chicago

Noteworthy for: The Indiana Dunes offer 15 miles of beautiful, largely unspoiled lakeside scenery.
Talk of the town: The dunes possess "singing sands" that howl and ring as they shift in the wind.

With rugged, shifting sands stretching as far as the eye can see, the Indiana Dunes are one of the most beautiful spots along southern Lake Michigan. Filled with rare plants and animals, this national park founded in 1925 makes an ideal escape from the city, its patchwork of marsh, dunes, woodland and prairie unspoiled and perfectly peaceful. And while its skyscrapers still rise mirage-like in the distance, Chicago feels miles away.
The Indiana Dunes are also easy to get to for the car-less, as trains run regularly to and from Chicago's Millennium Station and take less than 90 minutes. Of four stations along the National Lakeshore, perhaps the best stop is Dune Park, which is within half a mile of the state park's entrance and near its visitors centre. The small, slightly artsy beach community of Beverly Shores, one stop further down the shore, is another possible destination.