Top 10: Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore’s West Beach

ABOVE: Indiana Dunes in Porter County. Photo provided by Indiana Dunes Tourism.

Guest Blogger:
Ken Kosky, Indiana Dunes Tourism

Parents magazine has picked Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore’s West Beach as one of the “Top 10 Best Family Beaches” in the nation. West Beach and the other top beaches are featured in the June edition of Parents, which has 15 million readers nationwide.

Colleen Schwartz, publicity manager for Parents, said the top five beaches (West Beach is number five) will also be featured on the Today Show on NBC during the fourth hour on June 8.

Schwartz said Parents magazine did extensive research and dug deep to pick the best family beaches. Parents wrote that West Beach has great views of the Chicago skyline, but what draws families are the normally calm water and the Junior Ranger program. Kids can earn a “beachcomber badge” by completing about a dozen family activities on a sheet handed out by park rangers, Parents wrote. The magazine also pointed out that visitors can enjoy nature hikes and see forests and marshes, and it directed readers to DunesWalk Inn, a new boutique hotel located in a renovated mansion in the Chesterton area.

Lorelei Weimer, Indiana Dunes Tourism Executive Director, said West Beach is certainly deserving of being named a top 10 beach. She said three million people visit the National Lakeshore and Indiana Dunes State Park each year, and the return rate is high because The Indiana Dunes provide inexpensive fun for families.

Weimer said Indiana Dunes Tourism calls the dunes  “Nature’s Masterpiece” — a natural wonder that people come from all around to see.

Indiana Dunes Tourism Marketing Director Christine Livingston said Northern Indiana is a popular destination for visitors from areas like Chicago and Indianapolis. It’s a short drive away, but people can find a lot to do for a day, a weekend or an extended trip.

“We encourage people to come for the Indiana Dunes experience and then stay, shake off the sand and enjoy the many other experiences available beyond the beach and throughout Northern Indiana,” Livingston said.

Parents magazine’s top five beaches are North Beach at Fort DeSoto Park in Tierra Verde, Florida; Coligny Beach Park in Hilton Head, South Carolina; Kama’ole Beach Park III in Maui, Hawaii; Coronado Central Beach in San Diego, California; and West Beach.

Other magazines — including Shore, Cincinnati, and AAA Travel — have also featured Indiana Dunes sites in recent editions. For more information about Indiana Dunes, visit http://www.IndianaDunes.com/, or call 219-926-2255.