The visitor center is named after environmental activist Dorothy Buell, a former educator whose grassroots advocacy work was instrumental in saving the dunes from industrial development and creating the National Lakeshore in 1966. Learn the Lay of the LandĪfter exploring Chesterton, stop at the Indiana Dunes National Park Visitor Center to plan the rest of your visit and gain a deeper appreciation for your surroundings. On Saturday mornings between May and October, more than 60 local vendors flock to Chesterton’s European Farmers Market in Thomas Centennial Park to sell vegetables, baked goods, artwork, artisan crafts, and much more. Newer buildings in the downtown area also house an array of boutiques, small galleries, and homey restaurants. Much of Calumet Road, Chesterton’s de facto main street, is a historic district, and today is home to a classic diner, an ice cream shop, and a winery, among other things. There are also quaint little towns nearby worth visiting, including Chesterton, a small town with a big arts community.

A Small Town with a Big Market Activist Dorothy Buell’s grassroots advocacy work was instrumental in creating the National Lakeshore in 1966. That fact – coupled with the area’s more than fifty miles of hiking trails, expanding array of local restaurants and breweries, and accessibility – make it a prime spot for Chicagoans in search of a day-long or weekend getaway. That’s right: in terms of biodiversity, the National Park Service ranks the Indiana Dunes number seven among its more than 400 properties. Situated between the nation’s largest steel plant in Gary and a coal and natural gas-fired power plant in Michigan City, the Indiana Dunes nevertheless contain some of the most biodiverse wild spaces in the U.S.

Octave grill