Lake Station IndianaATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near Lake Station, Indiana.
1. Bellaboo's Play and Discovery Center
INTERACTIVE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
Bellaboo's Play and Discovery Center is a 23,000-square-foot play facility that offers numerous interactive activities for children of all ages. Visitors can participate in live cooking classes where kids become chefs creating their own culinary masterpieces. The center features various seasonal activities and play stations including bubble stations, magnetic tiles tables, and creative craft areas.
2. Lake Station Riverview Park and Pool
RECREATION AND SWIMMING
Lake Station Riverview Park and Pool is a sprawling 43-acre recreational area offering numerous outdoor activities for visitors. The park features amenities including a swimming pool, sand volleyball courts, and boating facilities. Visitors can enjoy a day of family fun in this beautiful natural setting with various recreational options.
3. Indiana Dunes
STUNNING NATURAL SHORELINE
Indiana Dunes encompasses both State and National Parks, welcoming nearly 4 million guests yearly to explore over 15,000 acres of diverse landscapes. Visitors can enjoy three miles of beaches along Lake Michigan's southern shore, perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and picnicking. The park offers 16.5 miles of trails, including routes that traverse Mount Tom, allowing hikers to experience dunes, oak savannas, swamps, bogs, marshes, prairies, rivers, and forests in one remarkable location.
4. Kankakee Sands Bison
PRAIRIE WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE
Kankakee Sands Bison offers visitors the rare opportunity to observe bison roaming freely in Indiana after nearly 200 years of absence. The Nature Conservancy reintroduced these majestic animals to benefit the prairie restoration project that took two decades of hard work to establish. Nature enthusiasts can witness these impressive creatures in their natural habitat while learning about conservation efforts and prairie ecosystems.
5. Fair Oaks Farms
MODERN AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE
Fair Oaks Farms provides an interactive experience showcasing modern farming techniques conveniently located just off I-65. Visitors can learn about cows, pigs, and crops through various adventure tours and seasonal activities like apple picking in the fall or the Forest of Lights in winter. The farm also offers culinary delights with blue-ribbon cheeses available in their café and farm-to-fork meals at the Farmhouse Restaurant.
6. RenArtWlk
CREATIVE CULTURAL DISTRICT
RenArtWlk is a vibrant arts and cultural district in Northwest Indiana showcasing local creativity and community expression. Visitors can explore art galleries, creative spaces, and public installations throughout this walkable area. The district regularly hosts events and exhibitions that celebrate diverse artistic voices and contribute to the region's cultural landscape.
7. Albanese Candy
SWEET FACTORY EXPERIENCE
Albanese Candy offers a delightful experience for sweet-toothed travelers with their famous gummy candies and chocolates. Visitors can tour the facility to learn about candy-making processes while enjoying the colorful and aromatic atmosphere. The attached retail store features an enormous selection of treats, allowing guests to create custom candy mixes and purchase freshly made confections.
8. Shrine of Christ's Passion
RELIGIOUS INTERACTIVE TRAIL
The Shrine of Christ's Passion presents a multi-media interactive prayer trail depicting the last days of Jesus Christ's life through 40 life-sized bronze sculptures. Visitors walk a half-mile prayer trail on a winding path through beautiful gardens and natural terrain. The experience is enhanced with background music and narrative reflections that play automatically as guests approach each scene.
9. Ride the South Shore Line
HISTORIC ELECTRIC RAILWAY
Riding the South Shore Line offers visitors a unique transportation experience on America's last interurban electric railroad. Travelers can journey between South Bend and Chicago, passing through picturesque Northwest Indiana landscapes and communities. The historic railway combines practical transportation with nostalgia, allowing passengers to appreciate the region's geography and urban development from a different perspective.
10. Deep River Waterpark
AQUATIC FAMILY FUN
Deep River Waterpark provides refreshing entertainment with numerous water attractions designed for visitors of all ages. Families can enjoy water slides, lazy rivers, wave pools, and splash pads throughout the expansive facility. The park offers food options, private cabanas, and special events during the summer season, making it a premier destination for cooling off in Northwest Indiana.
11. Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest
BOTANICAL GARDEN EXPLORATION
Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest spans 300 acres of gardens, woodlands, and prairies with over 160 acres of oak preserves. Visitors can explore specialized gardens including a unique Railway Garden featuring model trains running through miniature landscapes representing American railroad history. The arboretum offers educational programming, seasonal events, and miles of hiking trails that showcase native plant communities and conservation practices.
12. Mascot Hall of Fame
INTERACTIVE SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT
The Mascot Hall of Fame celebrates the entertaining world of professional and collegiate sports mascots in an interactive, family-friendly environment. Visitors can engage with hands-on exhibits exploring mascot history, design, and performance across three floors of colorful displays. The museum offers opportunities to create personal mascot designs, try on mascot gear, and participate in energetic activities that capture the spirit of these beloved sports characters.
13. Whoa Zone Lake Michigan
FLOATING WATER PARK
Whoa Zone Lake Michigan presents an inflatable sports park floating directly on Lake Michigan's refreshing waters. Adventurers can climb, slide, jump, and bounce on a series of interconnected floating structures designed for active water play. The attraction combines the natural beauty of Lake Michigan with engineered fun, creating a unique summer experience for visitors seeking aquatic challenges.
14. Lake Michigan Beaches
PRISTINE SHORELINE RELAXATION
Lake Michigan Beaches along Indiana's northern border offer visitors miles of sandy shoreline perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and water recreation. Visitors can experience dramatic sunsets over the lake's vast waters while enjoying the juxtaposition of natural dunes and industrial skylines that characterize this region. The beaches provide access points for fishing, kayaking, and paddleboarding during the warmer months, connecting visitors with one of North America's Great Lakes.
15. Marquette Park and Aquatorium
HISTORIC LAKEFRONT DESTINATION
Marquette Park and Aquatorium combines historical significance with natural beauty along Lake Michigan's shoreline in Gary. Visitors can explore the restored Aquatorium building, which honors aviation pioneer Octave Chanute and the Tuskegee Airmen while enjoying spectacular lake views. The surrounding park features gardens, lagoons, walking paths, and beaches, creating a multifaceted recreational area that connects Indiana's industrial heritage with natural landscapes.