Public Beaches in Northwest Indiana 🏖️🐚

📍 NWI Beach Directory

Please visit individual beach website for alerts, closures, amenities, parking, directions & more.

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🌊 Wave Conditions & Forecast
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🌡️ Water Temperatures
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🦠 E. Coli Beach Monitoring
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🎯 Not sure what beach is for you?
Check out our "Choosing the Right Beach" Guide
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🌊 Indiana Dunes State Park Beach
1600 N. 25 East, Chesterton, IN 46304
(219) 926-1952
🕜 7am–11pm
🅿️ 1,800 total spaces, ADA parking
💵 $7 for Indiana vehicles, $12 out-of-state
🛟 Lifeguards on duty 11am-6pm, Memorial Day weekend through early August, then on weekends through Labor Day
♿ An accessible beach mat is seasonally installed and allows wheelchair/pedestrian-friendly, rigid and non-slip access to the water’s edge from both the main parking lot and the West lot. All-terrain wheelchairs are available to borrow from the nature center or lifeguards
Click for Details
🐕‍🦺 Pets must be leashed, even while swimming, and leashes must not exceed six feet in length. Leashed pets are welcome on all trails, in the picnic areas, campground, and on the beach east of the life-guarded area. Pets are not allowed on the swimming beach.

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🌊 Indiana Dunes National Park Beaches

West Beach
376 North County Line Road, Gary, IN 46403
(219) 395-1882
🕜 6am–9pm
🅿️ 655 total spaces, 20 ADA
🛟 Lifeguards may be present, call to confirm
🐕‍🦺 Pets are prohibited on the beach within the lifeguarded area, Memorial Day through Labor Day. Although not allowed on the swimming beach, if you walk east, you’ll see a sign that indicates where the pet friendly section of the beach begins. They must remain on a leash shorter than six feet at all times.
♿ An accessible path brings visitors to the beach area; a beach wheelchair can be checked out from the lifeguards.
Click for Details

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Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk
100 Riverwalk Road, Portage, IN 46368
(219) 395-1882
🕜 6am–11pm
🅿️ 3 lots, 97 total spaces, 8 ADA
🛟 No lifeguards, swim at your own risk
🐕‍🦺 Pets are allowed year-round, but must be on a leash at all times, even when swimming in the lake.
♿ A wheelchair accessible beach mat provides access to the beach area. It is installed in late spring and removed in early fall.
Click for Details

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Porter Beach
3050 Wabash Avenue, Porter, IN 46304
(219) 395-1882
🕜 6am–9pm
🅿️ 65 total spaces, 6 ADA
🛟 No lifeguards, swim at your own risk
🐕‍🦺 Pets are allowed year-round, but must be on a leash at all times, even when swimming in the lake.
Click for Details

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Kemil Beach
27 North East State Park Rd, Beverly Shores, IN 46304
(219) 395-1882
🕜 24/hours
🅿️ 96 total spaces, 2 ADA
🛟 No lifeguards, swim at your own risk
🐕‍🦺 Pets are allowed year-round, but must be on a leash at all times, even when swimming in the lake.
Click for Details

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Dunbar Beach
300 West Lake Front Drive, Beverly Shores, IN 46360
(219) 395-1882
🕜 6am–11pm
🅿️ 24 total spaces, 2 ADA
🛟 No lifeguards, swim at your own risk
🐕‍🦺 Pets are allowed year-round, but must be on a leash at all times, even when swimming in the lake.
Click for Details

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Central Avenue Beach
(219) 395-1882
🕜 6am–11pm
🅿️ 68 total spaces, 0 ADA
🛟 No lifeguards, swim at your own risk
🐕‍🦺 Pets are allowed year-round, but must be on a leash at all times, even when swimming in the lake.
Click for Details

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Mount Baldy Beach
101 Rice Street (US Hwy 12), Michigan City, IN 46360
(219) 395-1882
🕜 6am–11pm
🅿️ 89 total spaces, 0 ADA
🛟 No lifeguards, swim at your own risk
🚨 The beach is open, but the dune is closed for public safety and dune protection
🐕‍🦺 Pets are allowed year-round, but must be on a leash at all times, even when swimming in the lake.
Click for Details

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Lake View Beach
50 West Lake Front Drive, Beverly Shores, IN 46301
(219) 395-1882
🕜 6am–11pm
🅿️ 25 total spaces, 2 ADA
🛟 No lifeguards, swim at your own risk
🐕‍🦺 Pets are allowed year-round, but must be on a leash at all times, even when swimming in the lake.
♿ The picnic shelters and overlook are accessible
🚨 Do NOT Park in the Town of Beverly Shores' beach parking lot, which is located just to the east of the Lake View Beach lot.
Click for Details

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Miller Woods Beach
860 N Lake St, Gary, IN 46403
(219) 395-1882
🕜 6am–11pm
🅿️ Lake Street Beach public parking lot ($) is at the east edge of this beach
🚶‍➡️ Hike to this beach through Miller Woods and the Paul H. Douglas Trail
🚴 The Lake Street Bike Trail starts at the South Shore Miller station and ends at this beach
🐕‍🦺 Pets are allowed year-round, but must be on a leash at all times, even when swimming in the lake.
Click for Details

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💎 Hidden Gem National Park Beaches

Cowles Bog Trail Beach
1450 North Mineral Springs Road, Dune Acres, IN 46304
(219) 395-1882
🚶‍➡️ Located at the end of the Cowles Bog Trail, approximately 2 miles from either trailhead
Click for Details

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Crescent Dune Beach
101 Rice Street (US Hwy 12), Michigan City, IN 46360
(219) 395-1882
🚶‍➡️ Crescent Dune is a 37-acre area bordering Mount Baldy and the NIPSCO power plant in Michigan City. To access this quiet stretch of beach, you will need to park at the Mt. Baldy parking lot and follow the trail toward the beach. Once arriving at the beach, head east. NIPSCO’s cooling tower looms ahead, but as you near it, sit on the sand and you will see nothing but sand and Lake Michigan. This is a long and arduous walk on sand so travel light and enjoy!

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🌊 Other NWI Lake Michigan Beaches

Marquette Park Beach
1 North Grand Boulevard, Gary, IN 46403
(219) 938-7362
🕜 dawn to dusk, Memorial Day-Labor Day
🅿️ 324 spaces in West lot, 34 spaces in East lot
💵 $3 Gary resident, $5 non-resident, when attendants are present
🛟 Lifeguards on duty 10am-6pm
🐕‍🦺 Leashed dogs permitted
Click for Details

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Wells Street Beach
​9501 Lake Shore Drive, Miller Beach, Indiana 46403
(219) 938-8275
🕜 Open seasonally & weather dependent, 9am-varies
💵 $13 per vehicle/weekday, $15 per vehicle/weekend
🛟 No lifeguards, swim at your own risk
🐕‍🦺 No animals allowed
🚨 Privately owned parking & concessions, CASH ONLY
Click for Details

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Lake Street Beach
860 North Lake Street, Gary, IN
(219) 938-7362
🕜 Open Memorial Day-Labor Day, dawn to dusk
💵 $7 Gary resident, $10 non-resident, via app
🛟 Lifeguards on duty 10am-6pm
🐕‍🦺 Leashed dogs permitted
Click for Details

Jeorse Park Beach
🕜 Open May-September, 10am-7pm
🛟 No lifeguards, swim at your own risk
🐕‍🦺 No animals allowed
Click for Details

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Whihala Beach
1561 Park Road Whiting, IN 46394
(219) 659-0860
🕜 Open Memorial Day-Labor Day, 10am-7pm
💵 Metered parking, credit card only
♿ Ramp for beach access
🛟 Lifeguards on duty 10am-7pm
🚨 Swimming prohibited unless lifeguards are on duty
Click for Details

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Washington Park Beach
6 on the Lake, Michigan City, IN 46360
(219) 873-1400
🕜 Sun-Th, 5am-10pm, F-Sat, 5am-12am
💵 Hourly rates via ParkMobile App (new in 2026)
🐕‍🦺 Service dogs only
Click for Details

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Hammond Lakefront Beach
🕜 Memorial Day-Labor Day
💵 Hammond/Whiting residents free, Indiana residents $10, out of state $20
🛟 Lifeguards on duty daily, 11am-7pm
🐕‍🦺 Leashed dogs are welcome on the west end of the beach
Click for Details

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Ogden Dunes Beach
156 Shore Dr, Ogden Dunes, IN 46368
(219) 762-4125
🕜 Beach is closed from 12:00am - 5:00am daily
🅿️ Parking near the beach From May 1-Sept 30 is for Ogden Dunes residents only. See seasonal parking restrictions at Click for Details
🚶‍➡️ The beachfront can be accessed via Portage Lakefront or West Beach National Parks.
🐕‍🦺 Dogs not permitted Memorial Day-Labor Day
Click for Details

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🌊 Inland Lake Beaches

Stone Lake Beach
300 Grangemouth Rd, La Porte, IN 46350
(219) 326-9600
♿ ADA accessible
🛟 Lifeguards on duty 10:30am-4pm Memorial Day weekend through the end of La Porte schools summer break
Click for Details

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Pine Lake Ski Beach
Waverly Rd, La Porte, IN 46350
(219) 362-0151
🕜 10am-6pm, Memorial Day-Labor Day
🅿️ Parking is available inside Soldier's Memorial Park
🐕‍🦺 Not allowed on the swimming beach
Click for Details

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Cedar Lake Beach
7408 Constitution Ave, Cedar Lake, IN 46303
🅿️ There is limited parking next to the beach, but a large lot is located in the center of the Town Complex. Please refer to the prohibited parking areas in red at the link below.
🛟 No lifeguards, swim at your own risk
🐕‍🦺 No pets permitted
🚨 Water shoes recommended
Click for Details

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Bass Lake Beach
5837 South State Road 10, Knox, IN 46534
(574) 772-9181
💵 $5.00 per vehicle with 1 person, $10.00 per vehicle with 2 or more
🛟 No lifeguards, swim at your own risk
🐕‍🦺 Dogs are welcome on the north and south ends of the beach and on the grass, but they’re prohibited from the sandy beach.
Click for Details