100 Things to Do in Gary and Northwest Indiana Before You Die

by Joseph S. Pete

Overview

The sweeping sandhills, expansive beaches and endless horizon of Lake Michigan draw countless visitors to the Indiana Dunes National Park and the Indiana Dunes State Park, two of the Hoosier State’s top attractions. But there’s more to Gary and
Northwest Indiana than just the “salt-free” beaches where many Midwesterners soak in the sun. 100 Things to Do in Gary and Northwest Indiana Before You Die is packed with insider tips for delicious dining, stimulating arts and culture, outdoor adventures, and one-of-a-kind shopping in the Calumet Region. Tackle the 3-Dune Challenge or try your luck at one of the many casinos. Explore the National Mascot Hall of Fame, and find hidden gems like fine arts galleries and the best farmers markets. Save room for sampling local delicacies like lemon rice soup or lake perch—then wash it all down with the elusive Zombie Dust beer. Local author Joseph S. Pete takes visitors and locals alike on this detail-rich journey through The Region. Let his energized ideas fuel your imagination for your next visit to Northwest Indiana.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681062693
Publisher:	Reedy press, LLC.
Publication date:	09/15/2020
Series:	100 Things to Do Before You Die
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Calumet Region native Joseph S. Pete is an award-winning journalist, Iraq War veteran, and frequent guest on Lakeshore Public Radio. He edits The Northwest Indiana Literary Journal and writes for The Times of Northwest Indiana, including the popular Business Ins and Outs Sunday column. His freelance work has appeared in many publications such as The Washington Post, The Seattle Times, Nuvo Newsweekly, VFW Magazine, and Harness Racing Update. His literary work has been published in more than 100 publications, including McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Proximity Magazine, and Yale University’s The Perch Magazine. He hosted the That’s So Region Podcast, serves on the Indiana Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists board, and also authored the book Lost Hammond, Indiana. He can often be found at places around the Region like the Grindhouse Cafe in Griffith, the Gabis Arboretum outside Valparaiso and the Lubeznik Center for the Arts by the lakefront in Michigan City. You can follow him on @nwi_jsp on Twitter and Instagram.

Table of Contents

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xv

Food and Drink

1 Feast on Starch at Pierogi Fest 2

2 Imbibe Rare Beer at Dark Lord Day 3

3 Warm Up with Lemon Rice Soup 4

4 Devour Some Big Fat Greek Gyros 6

5 Munch on Gummi Bears at Albanese Candy Factory Outlet 8

6 Savor the Queso Fundido at El Taco Real 9

7 Get Squared Away with Tavern-style Pizza 10

8 Settle the Schoop's vs. Miner-Dunn Debate for Yourself 12

9 Fuel Your Grind at Grindhouse 14

10 Splurge on Surf or Turf at Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake 16

11 Stuff Your Face with a Stuffed Serbian Burger at a Gary Truck Stop 17

12 Indulge Your Sweet Tooth on Paczki Day 18

13 Load Up on Cevaps or Roast Lamb at a Serb or Greek Fest 20

14 Imbibe at a Distillery 22

15 Taste the Terroir on the South Shore Winery Trail 24

16 Pop by Valpo Popcorn Fest 25

17 Get Hooked on Lake Perch and Frog Legs 26

18 Dip or Dunk an Italian Beef in Gravy 28

19 Dine in Downtown Valpo 30

20 Get Hip to Square Doughnuts 31

21 Run a Hot Dog through the Garden 32

22 Cruise into a Drive-in 34

23 Take a Cooking Class at ArtHouse: A Social Kitchen 35

24 Get Your Dupa to a Polish Restaurant 36

25 Hit Up a Region Craft Brewery 38

26 Sink Your Teeth Into a Legendary Burger in a Southwest Michigan Roadhouse 40

27 Get Hooked on Calumet Fisheries 41

28 Knock Back Some Brews at Crown Beer Fest or Munster Ale Fest 42

Music and Entertainment

29 Moonwalk into Music History at the Michael Jackson Home 46

30 Appreciate the Musicality of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra 47

31 Catch a Midnight Train to Nostalgia at Union Station 48

32 Get All Cinematic at the Hoosier Theatre in Whiting 49

33 Try Your Luck at Region Casinos 50

34 Rock Out at Festival of the Lakes 52

35 Ride the South Shore Line 53

36 Get Spooked at a Haunted Hospital 54

37 See a Show at the Hobart Art Theatre 55

38 Take In a Play at the Towle or Theatre at the Center 56

39 Get in the Christmas Spirit at Petey ville 58

Sports and Recreation

40 Soak Up Some Sun at the Indiana Dunes National Park 62

41 Watch the Sun Set over Marquette Park 63

42 Hike through the Woods at Gabis Arboretum 64

43 Cruise along the Lake Michigan Shoreline 65

44 Watch Baseball against the Fiery Backdrop of an Oil Refinery 66

45 Bounce by the ARC for a Valparaiso University Men's Basketball Game 67

46 Splash Around at Deep River Waterpark 68

47 Catch Some Gary SouthShore RailCats Baseball 70

48 Kayak down the Little Calumet River to See Bald Eagles 71

49 Pedal the Erie Lackawanna Trail 72

50 See Your Reflection at Gibson Woods 73

51 Ice Skate in Downtown Valparaiso or Crown Point 74

52 Behold the Shock and Awe of a Bison Stampede 76

53 Snap Instagrammable Lighthouse Photos at the Michigan City Lakefront 77

54 Sate Your Need for Speed at the Great Lakes Grand Prix 78

55 Travel Back in Time with Deep River Grinders Baseball 80

56 Watch Sandhill Cranes Migrate at Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area 81

57 Saddle Up for a Midnight Bike Ride 82

58 Hike the Miller Woods 83

59 Windsurf on Wolf Lake 84

60 Break Out the Binoculars at the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival 86

61 Spend a Day at Whihala Beach 87

62 Tee Off for Disc Golf at Lemon Lake 88

63 Swing for the Fences at Hoosier Bat Company 89

64 Shoot a T-shirt Cannon at the Mascot Hall of Fame 90

65 Sink Slowly at the Dam Duck Tape and Cardboard Regatta 91

66 Take the Three-Dune Challenge 92

Culture and History

67 Let Your Imagination Take Off at the Challenger Learning Center 96

68 Swing By the Washington Park Zoo 97

69 Improvise Your Way through the Valparaiso Jazz Fest 98

70 Take the Stage at a Paul Henry's Open Mic 99

71 Retreat to the Peacefulness of the Friendship Botanic Gardens 100

72 Park on the Sidewalks and Stroll in the Streets in Marktown 101

73 Rewind Time at the Barker Mansion 102

74 Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Nelson Algren Museum 103

75 Mingle with a Glass of Wine on a Marshall Gardner Arts Center Opening Night 104

76 Delve into History at the PoCo Muse in Valpo 106

77 Patronize the Lubeznik Center for the Arts 107

78 Brush Up on Art History at the Brauer Art Museum 108

79 Expand Your Mind at the Paul Douglas Environmental Education Center 109

80 Stroll through Art Galleries on a First Friday 110

81 Dig Deep at Thornton Quarry 111

82 Ride the Nostalgia Train with South Shore Line Posters 112

83 Appreciate the Majesty of the Chapel of the Resurrection 113

84 Celebrate a Homegrown Holiday Classic at the Christmas Story Exhibit 114

85 Puzzle Through the Mystery of Shoe Corner 116

86 Attend the Labor Day Parade in Lowell 117

87 Journey through the Shrine of Christ's Passion in St. John 118

88 Ponder in Silence at a Polish Grotto and Monastery 119

89 Read a Robert Frost Poem in the Woods on the Darkest Night of the Year 120

90 Ride a Train at the Hesston Steam Museum 121

91 Get Down on the Farm at Fair Oaks Farms 122

92 Marvel at the Century of Progress Homes 123

93 Get Cultured at South Shore Arts 124

94 Tap into Maple Syrup at Chellberg Farm 125

Shopping and Fashion

95 Spin the Racks and Check Out the Cosplay at NWI Comic-Con 128

96 Shop and Dine in Downtown Miller 129

97 Get Cosmopolitan at the Chesterton European Market 130

98 Pick Rare Apples at County Line Orchard 131

99 Bust Out the Credit Card at Southlake Mall 132

100 Browse for Bargains at the Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets 133

Suggested Itineraries 135

Activities by Season 139

Index 141