Perhaps you would like to take the family to the beach, but you don’t want to make a 10-12 drive to get to one? We found somewhere to go, that is less than 5 hours from Louisville, KY!
Recently the Inside Louisville team made a trip up to Washington Park and Beach, located in Michigan City, IN. It only took us about four and a half hours to get there from the Louisville, Kentucky area!
On our first day of vacation, we made a stop at Deep River Waterpark, located in Crown Point, Indiana. We loved this waterpark! It was very family-friendly. My daughter loved the wave pool and the lazy river the most. We loved that there were lifeguards in every area, free life jackets available for use and that it was a cooler-friendly water park meaning we could bring in our own food and drinks! It was definitely a great choice to make this stop on our way to Michigan City. For more information, you can visit www.deepriverwaterpark.com
We found a cozy and accommodating hotel located in Michigan City, Indiana, that is just minutes from Washington Beach, The dunes, and New Buffalo Beach. We were also near a selection of tourist attractions, restaurants, and local businesses! 4411 Inn & Suites surpassed our expectations of a comfortable place for our team to stay for three nights. We stayed in a King premium room which comfortably accommodated 2 adults and our three year old! This hotel is in a wooded area, and has additional space to relax with a wooded view on the back patio. The view was BEAUTIFUL, with lots of greenery surrounding the building. Our group got to spend a lot of time at the beach, but when we did not have the time to go back to the beach, we were able to relax outside our hotel, and curl up by the propane fire pits . The hotel also had corn hole boards, a grill, and a large flat screen with Roku installed! More information about 4411 Inn & Suites at http://4411innandsuites.com
We went to Washington Park & Beach during our stay and spent a lot of time at the beach. We were amazed by how big and beautiful it was! It truly felt as if we were at the ocean. Also, just right on the other side of the beach parking lot was the Washington Park Zoo. They were open from 10am-4pm during the week, and it was only $8 per person to get in! This little zoo was well worth it. The zoo had over 90 different species of animals. My daughter’s favorite was the tigers, and she loved feeding the birds! This zoo also had beautiful views of the beach. We had so much fun. You can find more information about Washington Park Zoo at www.washingtonparkzoo.com
On our last night of vacation, we visited Harbor Country Adventures. Our family went on the Emita ll Sunset Cruise and had an excellent time. This was a 2 hour cruise from 7pm-9pm. The Emita ll held approximately 75 passengers, and we got to capture beautiful sunset views from Lake Michigan. This cruise had live music, a full bar, and good vibes. This cruise was very family friendly, and our three year old loved it so much. Harbor Country Adventures also offers wine tours, classic lake tours, coach rentals, kayak rentals, and more. We look forward to trying out other things they have to offer during our next trip. You can find more information at www.harborcountryadventures.com
The town of Michigan City had a small-town vibe to it, but it still had a variety of options for families like ours. 4411 Inn was only minutes away from anywhere we wanted to go to during our stay.
Our stay ended too quickly. We plan to return to visit Michigan City again. Our only regret is not staying longer than we did! When we return, without question, we will be staying at 4411 Inn and Suites. The staff was amicable and had a wealth of information for us regarding attractions and dining in the area. The rooms were clean. The hotel had a home-like feel to it!
On our way back home, we decided to split up the 4 and a half hour drive and make a stop in Indianapolis, IN. We spent the day at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and had the best time. This museum really exceeded our expectations. It was way bigger than we imagined. We spent over 5 hours there and definitely could have stayed longer to see everything. This museum had something for every age. They had everything from dinosaurs, Barbie, super heroes, Dora the Explorer, and more. Our three year old especially enjoyed the playscape area meant for children 5 and under. In this area they had a water table, sand tables, and a jungle gym to climb in. The outdoor sports exhibit was also a favorite! We’ll definitely be visiting the children’s museum of Indianapolis again next time we’re in the area! www.childrentsmuseum.org
