Whihala Beach
Whiting, IN
Whihala Beach is Whiting's lakefront beach, part of Whiting Lakefront Park just over the Illinois line, with a clear view of the Chicago skyline across the water. In summer it hosts WhoaZone, a floating inflatable water park anchored off the sand. The name blends Whiting, Hammond, and Lake County.
A skyline view and a floating water park kids love, though the industrial neighbors are never far from view.
How we score beachesBook WhoaZone passes ahead on summer weekends; the floating park sells out.
Paid parking at the beach, cheaper for Lake County residents than out-of-county visitors.
Paved paths in Whiting Lakefront Park lead toward the sand.
WhoaZone runs in the summer season. The southern tip of Lake Michigan warms earlier than beaches farther north, often by early July.
More Great Lakes beaches
Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach
Empire, MI · Great Lakes
Freshwater Lake Michigan surf below towering sand dunes, some over 400 feet tall, with water clear enough to rival a coastline and a hike back up the dune to burn it off.
New Buffalo City Beach
New Buffalo, MI · Great Lakes
New Buffalo City Beach is the first real Lake Michigan beach you hit crossing from Indiana, a wide stretch of sand at the end of Whittaker Street beside the harbor and the Galien River channel. Chicago weekenders fill it in summer. The town's shops and restaurants are a five minute walk back up the street.
Warren Dunes State Park
Sawyer, MI · Great Lakes
Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer has roughly three miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and some of the tallest dunes in southwest Michigan. Tower Hill rises about 260 feet above the lake, and climbing it and running back down is a rite of passage. On a hot July Saturday the beach feels like a small city.