Spend a summer afternoon in Chesterton, Ind., and chances are you’ll leave having happily spent a few dollars, on little gorgeous things, tasty things, even hoppy or proofy things. But here’s an idea: Pack a picnic lunch, leave cash and cards at home, and enjoy Chesterton on the cheap.
For exactly $0.00 you can make a full day of it and have a blast.
Bringing the kids? Get them warmed up at Dogwood Park’s elaborate playground installation, featuring climbing, sliding, crawling, and overhead components as well as inclusive equipment for children of all abilities to enjoy. Now get them cooled down at Chesterton Park’s hugely popular splash pad, with its three- and four-bucket tilts, an arch, an umbrella, and 30 separate water jets.
Pickleball anyone? Don’t forget your paddles, because the Park Department constructed a dedicated four-court pickleball facility last year—also at Chesterton Park— and it plays like butter. No reservations required. No fees charged either.
Chesterton, of course, is home to both Indiana Dunes State Park and Indiana Dunes National Park. Each offers superb opportunities for hiking and birding. But save them for another visit, when you’re willing to open your wallet and pay admission. Instead, discover one of Chesterton’s secret jewels: the 157-acre Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve, with five miles of bowered trails, 400 native plant species, and some very nice birds. Watch for Indigo Bunting and Belted Kingfisher.
Or take in a sunset at the Westchester Migratory Bird Sanctuary, a former municipal dump painstakingly and lovingly restored to health—and verdant beauty— by an army of volunteers.
Open to the public and as free as air are the Chesterton Art Center and the Westchester Township History Museum, cultural institutions whose exhibitions are rich, smart, and expertly curated.
Don’t think of it as Chesterton on a budget. Think of it as Chesterton off the beaten track.
