Field Trip Kit Zoo, aquarium, museum & park days

National Park · Porter, IN

🏖️ Indiana Dunes National Park

Indiana Dunes — lake beach and dune trail near Chicago.

Indiana Dunes National Park park day
  • Timehalf day
  • SettingSand is hard work for little legs; sun and wind.
  • TicketsSome beach lots have day fees; check NPS.
  • Get thereNear Chicago; parking fills summer weekends.

Local shortlist · confirm on arrival · 2026-08

Who
Time
Style

No printer? Open the sheet on your phone, or print later. Classic · Bonus · Alpha (extra-hard cool finds).

Talk cards Find on map

Park map Visitor map Map: NPS via NPMaps (public domain) · tap to enlarge Open on official site ↗

Short on time? Start here

Do these 3 in order if you can — enough for a short visit. Tap a stop for talk tips & photos. Create and print your mission is above.

🌊 Lake Michigan beach Waves and shore — careful footing. 🪵 Dune boardwalk / path Stay on the path — fragile ground or wet edge. 🌄 Dune ridge lake view One big view — stay behind rails.

More if you have energy

More stops if you have the energy.

Indiana Dunes visitor center — shortlist photo

🏛️ Indiana Dunes visitor center

Maps, restrooms, questions — start here.

 Beach or dune trail sign — shortlist photo

🥾 Beach or dune trail sign

Read distance and rules before you go.

 Indiana Dunes Junior Ranger desk — shortlist photo

🎖️ Indiana Dunes Junior Ranger desk

Ask at the visitor center — hours and ages vary.

 Dune grass openings — shortlist photo

🌾 Dune grass openings

Worth a look if you have time.

  • 🏛️ Indiana Dunes visitor center — Maps, restrooms, questions — start here.
  • 🥾 Beach or dune trail sign — Read distance and rules before you go.
  • 🎖️ Indiana Dunes Junior Ranger desk — Ask at the visitor center — hours and ages vary.
  • 🌾 Dune grass openings — Worth a look if you have time.

What the sheet may include

Print from the button at the top of this page. No app at the venue.

Example finds
  1. Find: Indiana Dunes visitor center
  2. Visit: Lake Michigan beach
  3. Read a sign at Indiana Dunes
  4. Stand still 10 seconds — what do you hear?
  5. Find something tiny next to something huge
  6. Point to a safe edge (rail, boardwalk, stay-back)
  7. Spot water, rock, or a living thing
  8. Pick your favorite Indiana Dunes stop — draw it later

Official site: Indiana Dunes National Park website. Always check hours and tickets before you go.