Probably a 2 or 3 day trip actually. But, thinking of going to visit the beautiful beaches of Lake Michigan next weekend. Aside from the state park, are there better beaches to visit? Any good places to visit or eat? Any recommendations on where to stay and where to avoid? My wife found a place called Porter Beach. Good, bad, indifferent? Open to all suggestions except visiting Chicago. A few years back we went to St. Joseph, MI and had a great time, but they’ve got some health restrictions for the ‘rona that might be annoying.
-
Be sure to read this post! Beware of scammers. https://www.indianagunowners.com/threads/classifieds-new-online-payment-guidelines-rules-paypal-venmo-zelle-etc.511734/
Michiana day trip suggestions?
- Thread starter jsharmon7
- Start date
The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana
Member Benefits:
Fewer Ads! Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership Discuss anti-gun legislation Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses Discover free outdoor shooting areas View up to date on firearm-related events Share photos & video with other members ...and so much more!
Member Benefits:
If you visit the beaches it'll be just like visiting Chicago. They flock here in nice weather.
You could visit Chellburg farm and Bailley homestead. Pretty neat places to visit. Lots of trails to hike and nature paths if you're into that sort of thing.
My Baldy I believe is back open too
Michigan city has a zoo.
Dont eat out much so really cant help much there, other than last time I ate there, Flamingos Pizza had a pretty good thin crust pizza
https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/bc16.htm
You could visit Chellburg farm and Bailley homestead. Pretty neat places to visit. Lots of trails to hike and nature paths if you're into that sort of thing.
My Baldy I believe is back open too
Michigan city has a zoo.
Dont eat out much so really cant help much there, other than last time I ate there, Flamingos Pizza had a pretty good thin crust pizza
https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/bc16.htm
Lt Scott 14
Plinker
Good luck on your trip, OP. My last trip on a weekend, showed 2000 cars in parking lot of Indiana Dunes. Since Chicago beaches were restricted.... Illinois plates everywhere. I like St Joseph, Stevensville, or New Buffalo. All have to follow Michigan restrictions.
Again its a changing world, each place has eaterys, most carry out is ok, but you need a place to picnic or sit out to enjoy among lots of other people. Silver Beach in St Joe has a nice pizza place by beach, but again best to check or call before trekking there to find carryout only!
Off Rt 49, South of Indiana Dunes, is a little place called AJs Pizza Co, but I made an in car reservation, waited 20 minutes in my AC car, and went in. Food is good, service is too. They do social distancing, and employees wear masks.
Again its a changing world, each place has eaterys, most carry out is ok, but you need a place to picnic or sit out to enjoy among lots of other people. Silver Beach in St Joe has a nice pizza place by beach, but again best to check or call before trekking there to find carryout only!
Off Rt 49, South of Indiana Dunes, is a little place called AJs Pizza Co, but I made an in car reservation, waited 20 minutes in my AC car, and went in. Food is good, service is too. They do social distancing, and employees wear masks.
I work for Michigan City. Finding cheap 9mm and 5.56 ammo is easier than getting anywhere near the MC beach/zoo on the weekends unless you get there really early. The zoo currently requires reservations for visits due to capacity restrictions. It's IL plates as far as the eye can see and with that nutjob running Michigan we'll probably start seeing more of them too.
South Haven, MI was really nice last time I went. Not sure how much of it is open. Michigan City could be nice. Has Blue Chip casino/hotel, Lighthouse Outlet, South Shore brewery, Washington Park Zoo. But again, like Kozaturf said, weekends get packed. The marina is the attraction for most that cant afford the Chicago marinas and dont want to go to Dolton marina. The Beverly shores area is nice too. It's adjacent from Michigan City.
Really, theres not much worth a getaway thats west of MC. South of where I'm at is Cedar Lake. Nice small lake with restaurants and shops. Unsure about hotels though. Or what events may be taking place. I've been looking at houses out that way.
Really, theres not much worth a getaway thats west of MC. South of where I'm at is Cedar Lake. Nice small lake with restaurants and shops. Unsure about hotels though. Or what events may be taking place. I've been looking at houses out that way.
4651feeder
Expert
https://www.southbendtribune.com/ne...cle_171b09b0-c78d-11ea-af7e-4f54a88d4718.html
Michigan City closes beach access
Michigan City closes beach access
I'm going to second the Studebaker Museum in South Bend.
BTW- Michiana is more St. Joseph County and points east. LaPorte County is its own thing and an associate member of Northwest Indiana (NWI). Porter and Lake (and those other southern counties) are not Michiana, but are NWI. I grew up in Michiana (Cass County, MI) and live in NWI. I know my northern Indiana regional nicknames.
BTW- Michiana is more St. Joseph County and points east. LaPorte County is its own thing and an associate member of Northwest Indiana (NWI). Porter and Lake (and those other southern counties) are not Michiana, but are NWI. I grew up in Michiana (Cass County, MI) and live in NWI. I know my northern Indiana regional nicknames.
Since health issues make long-distance travel difficult, we often vacation in the area around the Dunes.
+1 Chellburg farm. Good historical location with many aspects of an active farm of the period... kids always loved it, we found it interesting the first time through.
We always went off season (late September to late October), so beach crowds weren't an issue. If you can figure out a way to use the beach at Beverly Shores, you'll likely not have a crowd, though parking is for town residents by permit only, and you'd likely get towed. We used to rent a house in Beverly Shores for a week at a time... in the woods on the dunes, a 5 block walk from the lake... a slice of paradise when the leaves have turned. Sadly, their town council passed an ordinance prohibiting rentals for a period shorter than a month.
If the beach is your main reason for going, check VRBO, as you may be able to find a decent place close to or even right on the beach. That's how we found our Beverly Shores rental.
If you'd prefer a hotel, I'd strongly recommend checking the Blue Chip. We've stayed there a few times, though we don't gamble. The rooms are nice, if you get something high in the spa tower you can get a decent view of the lake (and the power plant), and during the week, their rates are about 1/2 price, making them cheaper than most other options.
Also, Lighthouse Place is a few blocks away if you want to do some standard outlet shopping (it's Simon - concealed means concealed - never had an issue).
Between the hotel and Lighthouse Place are several cool restaurants
* The Polish Peasant - traditional Polish fare
* chickpea - Mediterranean - we love everything there
* fiddlehead - Good burgers and other entrees, decent beer selection on draught and in bottles
There's also a great Jamaican place (awesome jerk chicken + red beans & rice) between the hotel and the lake - Cool Runnings (yes, like the movie)
If you like cigars, you must check out the Golden Leaf, which is basically across the street from the mall. There used to be a discount tobacconist with a decent walk-in humidor in Chesterton (gateway to the park) as well.
There's also at least one winery about half an hour south that has (had) free tastings, though that has been over a decade and the memory fades.
Note that the Indiana State Penitentiary (maximum security) is in Michigan City... if you hear "escape" sirens (you know, like in Shawshank - happened once when I was a kid), get your head on a swivel
, it's less than a mile from the mall as the crow flies (or as the convict runs)
There's lots of other stuff to do in the area all over the internet. Whatever you choose, enjoy your trip.
Also, if you choose to go to MI, remember it's a must inform state. I seem to recall you being LEO, OP, so YMMV.
+1 Chellburg farm. Good historical location with many aspects of an active farm of the period... kids always loved it, we found it interesting the first time through.
We always went off season (late September to late October), so beach crowds weren't an issue. If you can figure out a way to use the beach at Beverly Shores, you'll likely not have a crowd, though parking is for town residents by permit only, and you'd likely get towed. We used to rent a house in Beverly Shores for a week at a time... in the woods on the dunes, a 5 block walk from the lake... a slice of paradise when the leaves have turned. Sadly, their town council passed an ordinance prohibiting rentals for a period shorter than a month.
If the beach is your main reason for going, check VRBO, as you may be able to find a decent place close to or even right on the beach. That's how we found our Beverly Shores rental.
If you'd prefer a hotel, I'd strongly recommend checking the Blue Chip. We've stayed there a few times, though we don't gamble. The rooms are nice, if you get something high in the spa tower you can get a decent view of the lake (and the power plant), and during the week, their rates are about 1/2 price, making them cheaper than most other options.
Also, Lighthouse Place is a few blocks away if you want to do some standard outlet shopping (it's Simon - concealed means concealed - never had an issue).
Between the hotel and Lighthouse Place are several cool restaurants
* The Polish Peasant - traditional Polish fare
* chickpea - Mediterranean - we love everything there
* fiddlehead - Good burgers and other entrees, decent beer selection on draught and in bottles
There's also a great Jamaican place (awesome jerk chicken + red beans & rice) between the hotel and the lake - Cool Runnings (yes, like the movie)
If you like cigars, you must check out the Golden Leaf, which is basically across the street from the mall. There used to be a discount tobacconist with a decent walk-in humidor in Chesterton (gateway to the park) as well.
There's also at least one winery about half an hour south that has (had) free tastings, though that has been over a decade and the memory fades.
Note that the Indiana State Penitentiary (maximum security) is in Michigan City... if you hear "escape" sirens (you know, like in Shawshank - happened once when I was a kid), get your head on a swivel
, it's less than a mile from the mall as the crow flies (or as the convict runs)There's lots of other stuff to do in the area all over the internet. Whatever you choose, enjoy your trip.
Also, if you choose to go to MI, remember it's a must inform state. I seem to recall you being LEO, OP, so YMMV.
I used to travel up to Michigan City to fish for steelhead and salmon a couple of times a year and the lighthouse was always a nice walk/view. It usually wasn't as crowded as the beach (unless the fish were really biting) but still better through the week than on the weekend. We always stopped at Matey's for all you can eat perch for lunch and frequently got pizza at Albano's Villa both of which were really good.
Other than Michigan City I've always preferred the NE side of the state better than the NW or South Bend area. FT. Wayne has a lot of good places to eat (especially one of the Casa or other Hall's restaurants) plus the zoo and botanical gardens are both nice. Plenty of other things to see or do nearby as well like the Deusenberg Museum in Auburn.
Other than Michigan City I've always preferred the NE side of the state better than the NW or South Bend area. FT. Wayne has a lot of good places to eat (especially one of the Casa or other Hall's restaurants) plus the zoo and botanical gardens are both nice. Plenty of other things to see or do nearby as well like the Deusenberg Museum in Auburn.
4651feeder
Expert
Wait a minute, I was always led to believe anything north of Juno Lk was considered SW Michigan.
We spent a few days in Saugatuck on the Kalamazoo River a couple weeks ago. Relaxed a little, took the paddle boat ride, rented a little 1950’s boat for a couple hours (don’t remember the name, but it looked like a ‘57 Chevy). Walked the town and let the wife shop. Had some real good pizza (if I can remember the name I’ll edit). Took pics of some cool old boats.
You can get a fishing charter right there in town, actually next door to where we stayed. We stayed with the people who run the paddle boat operation. Very friendly people! Had lunch at what we were told was the oldest root beer stand in Michigan. The place was a giant barrel. Good hot dogs and root beer.
cannabis is legal there and there is a couple shops close by if you’re into that. They looked very busy.
nice relaxing long weekend.
You can get a fishing charter right there in town, actually next door to where we stayed. We stayed with the people who run the paddle boat operation. Very friendly people! Had lunch at what we were told was the oldest root beer stand in Michigan. The place was a giant barrel. Good hot dogs and root beer.
cannabis is legal there and there is a couple shops close by if you’re into that. They looked very busy.
nice relaxing long weekend.
My condolences.
Interesting point. Our TV was from South Bend...but I apparently grew up "north of Juno Lake". See below:
4651feeder
Expert
Think I knew that from a prior auction discussion, that's why I didn't say Painter Lk...
All this does cause me to wonder where the line is between SW MI and Michiana.
In any event we were on Christianna creek across from Four Lakes for a decade, so I've always been a Michianaganderrer.
