Beaches
You're always 5 minutes from the lake in Miller Beach.
Miller Beach has the longest stretch of dune-backed public shoreline closest to Chicago — just 35 miles from the Loop. Five miles of free beaches, open year round, with the Chicago skyline directly across the water.
Miller Woods Beach at Indiana Dunes National Park
The westernmost beach in Indiana Dunes National Park, Miller Woods Beach is a quiet, uncrowded stretch of shoreline framed by windswept dunes and cottonwood trees. Shallow, calm waters make it ideal for walking and wading. Dogs welcome on leash.
Getting here:
Park at Lake Street Beach (860 N. Lake Street, paid, open seasonally) and walk west along the shore
Hike through Miller Woods from the Douglas Nature Center (free parking) via the Paul H. Douglas Trail
Take the South Shore Line to Miller Station and bike or walk north on Lake Street to the beach, then continue west
Parking: Lake Street Beach lot (paid, City of Gary) or Douglas Nature Center (free)
Lifeguard: None
Dogs: Welcome on leash
Lake Street Beach
Drive north on Lake Street from Miller Station and within minutes you will see Lake Michigan rising on the horizon. Located at the end of Lake Street, this beach stretches wide and features an iconic red chair facing the lake. A jet ski and small watercraft launch is available during the summer for watersports enthusiasts.
Hikers and bikers can walk east, parallel to the lake, to access the paved Chanute Trail leading to Marquette Park. Walk west along the lake to find the Miller Woods Trail in Indiana Dunes National Park. The Lake Street Bike Trail starts at Miller Station and ends right here at the beach. Dogs must be leashed.
Parking: Paid via downloadable mobile payment app via QR code. 860 N. Lake Street, Gary, IN. Managed by the City of Gary, open seasonally
Lifeguard: Seasonal
Watercraft launch: Seasonal
It's hard to capture just how stunning five miles of continuous shoreline truly looks. Watch this aerial view of the Miller Beach coastline and see for yourself!
[Watch the drone video →]
Marquette Park and Beach
Gary's most famous beachfront park and the jewel of Miller Beach's shoreline. The park features miles of walkable beach, a concession stand, playgrounds, hiking trails, picnic shelters, and an accessible ADA kayak lagoon launch. On clear days, see the Chicago skyline shimmering across the water.
The park is anchored by two rentable historic landmark buildings — the Aquatorium (1921, National Register of Historic Places) and the Marquette Pavilion (1924) — as well as memorials to Father Marquette, the Tuskegee Airmen, and Octave Chanute, the father of flight, who conducted early aviation experiments on these dunes.
[Learn more about Marquette Park →]
Parking: Paid via mobile app. Managed by City of Gary, open seasonally
Restrooms: Yes
Picnic shelters and tables: Yes
Lifeguard: Seasonal
Dogs: Must be leashed
Event rental: Aquatorium Society| Marquette Pavilion
Wells Street Beach
Wells Street Beach is a privately owned concession and parking area at the eastern end of the Miller Beach neighborhood that opens directly onto public Marquette Beach. Walk directly into the west end of Indiana Dunes National Park's West Beach from here.
The concession offers burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, and cold drinks. No pets allowed. For more information, click here.
Parking: Paid. Privately managed lot, open seasonally
Concession: Burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, cold drinks
Lifeguard: None
Pets: Not allowed
West Beach at Indiana Dunes National Park
West Beach is located in Indiana Dunes National Park on the eastern border of the Miller Beach neighborhood. The West Beach trail system offers sweeping views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline from the Dunes Succession Trail. The elevated trail with stairs allows visitors to experience various stages of plant succession as they walk through forested dunes, jack pine groves, blowouts, grassy dune ridges, and open beach. Dogs must be leashed.
Parking: Complimentary with payment of NPS entrance fee. 376 N. County Line Road, Gary, IN. [Pay online here →]
Restrooms: Yes
Lifeguard: Check nps.gov/indu for current hours
Fees: NPS entrance fees apply. [Check current fees at nps.gov/indu →]
Dogs: Must be leashed
Download the Miller Beach Map
-
Miller Beach in Gary, Indiana is one of the closest Lake Michigan beaches to Chicago — just 35 miles from the Loop and reachable by South Shore Line train without a car. Unlike most beaches near Chicago, Miller Beach is backed by coastal dunes and surrounded by Indiana Dunes National Park, with two national park beaches within walking distance of the neighborhood. Five miles of free public shoreline, no crowds, no parking hassles if you take the train.
-
All of the beaches are public. Miller Beach has five continuous miles of publicly accessible Lake Michigan shoreline — from Miller Woods Beach at the west end to West Beach at Indiana Dunes National Park in the east. All five miles are free and open year round. The entire shoreline is backed by coastal dunes, with no private beachfront development between the water and the dune line. Miller Beach sits within the longest stretch of dune-backed, publicly accessible, largely undeveloped shoreline closest to Chicago on Lake Michigan — just 35 miles from the Loop.
-
Yes — the South Shore Line from Chicago's Millennium Station stops at Miller Station, steps from the Lake Street Bike Trail which connects directly to Lake Street Beach and Miller Woods Beach.
-
Yes — both historic buildings at Marquette Park are available for private event rental. Contact the [Gary Aquatorium ] or the [ Marquette Pavilion ], managed by the City of Gary.
-
Yes — Lake Street Beach has a jet ski and small watercraft launch available seasonally. Marquette Park has an accessible ADA kayak lagoon launch.
-
Yes — water quality at Miller Beach is monitored by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Visit the IDEM Beach Alert Website for more information.