Elkhart to Michigan City, Indiana – 16 October 2023

We were only allowed access to our VRBO accommodation in Michigan City at 3pm so to fill the time, we decided to check around the area. There was a large outside fashion outlet mall called Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets featuring about 120 different stores which we walked around. We had Jax with us so we stuck to window shopping – there was nothing urgent that we needed, so we stopped at a little coffee shop and had a hot drink instead.

After that, we took a drive to Washington Park. Along the way we passed a field with a powerful art installation in the middle which simple stated – You are beautiful. I found out that in 2002, artist and designer, Matthew Hoffman, lovingly placed 100 stickers saying “You are beautiful” throughout Chicago. This simple gesture evolved into a renowned art movement, captivating millions of hearts around the world. The You are Beautiful art movement is now depicted in block long murals, to enchanting public installations and prestigious exhibitions globally. This You are Beautiful installation in Michigan City not only showcases the City’s continued commitment to redevelopment but also provides a beacon of hope in the City. The interesting part is that the installation isn’t confined to one spot , apparently it’s designed to move to new public locations, creating an ongoing, evolving inspiration to the community. It’s amazing how these three simple words can do so much to brighten someone’s day, and remind us to appreciate each other and ourselves.

We parked near the beach at Washington Park and walked up the embankment to look out at the jetty and lighthouse in the distance. There were very few people as it was quite windy. We enjoyed the solitude as we took in the turquoise lake water and a gorgeous clean pink sand beach.

Finally, it was time to check into the house and we were pleasantly surprised at how tastefully decorated and clean it was. So nice to be in a house as opposed to a hotel. That night Derek struggled to sleep because the pillowslips on the bed smelled so scented from their washing liquid. The following day we tried to get rid of the smell by soaking the pillowslips and then washing them a couple of times.

Keen to see the Dunes which is what Michigan City is known for, we headed to the Indiana National Park Tourist Information Centre to get info about the types of walks in the area before driving to the State Park. We chose the trails which led to the top of the highest sand dunes which tower about 200 ft above Lake Michigan. It was quite tough trying to walk uphill in thick sand. Thank goodness for Jax who helped to pull me up to the top of the dune. From there we could see across the lake to the Chicago skyline.

Lake Michigan was formed as a result of glacial action about 11,000 year’s ago. When the Wisconsin Glacier began to slowly melt and recede it left behind a variety of different natural landscapes including the dunes. The sand in the Indiana Dunes is mostly made out of quartz and silica left behind by glaciers. Its composition creates an interesting sound when you walk on it, which is why it is called “singing sands.” Quick fact about dunes – there are two types. The Fore dune is closer to the beach and has vegetation like grass growing on it. So more stable. The Blowout dunes are caused by intense winds that rip the dunes apart. The loose sand makes a “living dune,” that can move up to several feet every year. Tough to walk on in places.

That evening I couldn’t sleep as the strong smelling bedding started to get to me. Eventually I covered everything with towels we had brought with us, which helped to smother the smell. The following morning we washed the entire bedding again, with hope that we could sleep ok that night. Another annoying thing was that there was a gas leak in the bathroom, small leak but definitely noticeable. Closing the door helped but we ended up calling it the gas chamber.

After visiting the Indiana Dunes State Park the day before, we decided instead to check out the Indiana National Park. The National Park is much larger than the State Park which is 2182 acres. It has over 15,000 acres of dunes, oak savannas, swamps, bogs, marshes, prairies, rivers, and forests and runs 32 km along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. There are over 50 trails to choose from. The Park is also a haven for birds with as many as 350 species, and also thousands of plant species, many of them endangered. Having walked the dunes the day before we opted for a forest walk instead and chose the Heron Rookery trail. The trail was stunning with fall colours – the scenery looking like something out of a Monet painting. The trail ran along the Little Calumet River through a hardwood forest.

With so many trails in the area, I would have loved to extend our stay in Indiana but before we knew it it was was time to move on to Chicago.