I visited a national park in the Midwest that felt like a coastal getaway — even though it’s near a major city

When most people think of a beach vacation in the US, they probably imagine a coastal destination in places like California, Hawaii, or Florida.

However, I recently visited a beautiful beach at Indiana Dunes National Park — a hidden gem right in the heart of the Midwest.

This sandy oasis combines the charm of a coastal getaway with lush landscapes and abundant wildlife, making it the perfect escape.

Indiana Dunes doesn’t feel like a typical national park

Located less than an hour from Chicago, Indiana Dunes is made up of 15,000 acres of dunes, swamps, forests, and prairies. However, it’s a bit different than other popular national parks.

Although parts of the park do indeed feel remote and peaceful, it’s located near one of the Ports of Indiana, a major industrialized shipping port system.

The park is also made up of scattered sections of land, which means visitors often have to leave one area and drive through towns — or even past industrial zones — to reach another.

Though we passed towering smokestacks with steam billowing out of them, we also found beautifully quiet stretches of sand.

The park offers a variety of trails and unique beaches

Indiana Dunes features over 50 miles of diverse trails, from short strolls through the sand to long hikes through wetlands.

The park is also known for its plant and animal diversity, so there’s a chance to see something unique on every path. During our visit, we saw many different kinds of birds, both in the wooded area of the park and on the beach.

My favorite hike was along the Dune Succession Trail, which is a roughly mile-long loop with a network of boardwalks and wooden steps.

We began by climbing a tall wooden staircase to the top of a dune, where we were rewarded with a beautiful view of the shoreline. This clear line of sight disappeared quickly, however, as we ventured into the heavily forested area of the woodlands.

Hidden beneath the shade of oaks, sassafras, and dogwoods, it was easy to forget that we were just a few hundred feet from a beach.

We made our way through the trees until we reached the open dune area, where the dense trees were replaced with shrubs and tall grass sticking up from the sand. From here, it was just a short descent to the beach.

What really blew me away about the park, however, was listening to the sounds of the sand. Yes, you read that right.

Indiana Dunes is one of the few places in the world with “singing sand.” On certain days, if the conditions are just right, you can hear the grains of sand make a strange, almost squeaky sound beneath your feet.

We were lucky enough to hear it during our visit — I was surprised by how loud it was.

Overall, I was blown away by this park — and how close it really was to Chicago

When I was standing on the dunes looking out at Lake Michigan, it truly felt like I was gazing into an endless ocean. So, when I spotted a skyline across the water, it almost didn’t seem real.

However, Chicago is less than 40 miles away from the park. Because it was a clear day, I could clearly see the Windy City’s skyscrapers rising high in the distance. In my photos, that faint skyline was the only clue that I wasn’t on a coastal beach.

Although I wasn’t sure what to expect from this Midwestern national park, I was impressed by its offerings.

From serenading sands to a unique blend of metropolitan and natural landscapes, I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a beach getaway in America’s Heartland.

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