Growing up in the northwest corner of Indiana—colloquially known as “The Region”—I learned early how to make the best of the Midwest’s frigid temperatures and blanketings of snow. One of the perks of a childhood spent in this sleepy pocket of the state was regular trips to Indiana Dunes National Park, which stretches across 15 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. Known for its rolling sand knolls, expansive beaches and diverse flora, the park slips easily into winter wonderland mode by year’s end.
Lucky for Chicagoans, the Indiana Dunes are remarkably easy to reach by car or train. It’s just a one-hour ride on the South Shore Line or a quick drive along I-90/94. With winter still firmly in residence, there’s no better time to climb snow-dusted dunes and snap photos of Chicago’s icy skyline from across a frozen Lake Michigan.
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If you’re taking the South Shore Line, there are two prime ways to access the Indiana Dunes—one of which is the Miller Beach stop, stationed in a historic lakefront neighborhood in Gary, Indiana. The area offers plenty to explore, from the Japanese bridge at Patterson Island to the black oak-packed savannah of Miller Woods and a smattering of midcentury architecture. Literature lovers can hike the Nelson Algren & Simone de Beauvoir Trail, which begins just steps from the house where the two writers carried on their affair—and where Algren penned The Man with the Golden Arm. When hunger inevitably strikes, build your own pie at Miller Pizza Company, then wash it down with the dangerously drinkable Best Patio Pils at neighboring 18th Street Brewery.
For a more outdoorsy day, hop off at the Dune Park station. Ease into things on the Calumet Dunes Trail, a short paved path that traces what was once the shoreline of Lake Michigan more than 12,000 years ago. Feeling ambitious? Take on the Three Dune Challenge, a 1.5-mile trek over Indiana’s three tallest dunes—Mount Jackson, Mount Holden and Mount Tom—adding up to 552 vertical feet of climbing. The reward: sweeping views, sore calves and bragging rights. Cap off the day with a stop at Wagner’s Ribs in Porter, Indiana, where the barbecue holds its own against some of Chicago’s best.
Whether you’re chasing fresh air, a bit of Midwestern nostalgia or simply an excuse to escape the city for a day, Indiana Dunes National Park delivers—especially in winter, when the crowds thin and the landscape feels quietly cinematic. Bundle up, pack a thermos and let Lake Michigan do the rest; sometimes the best cold weather getaway is hiding just beyond the state line.