Published: March 28, 2008 08:58 am            

Spring break in Indiana? Life can still be a beach

Indiana Dunes not warm, but scenic

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Ahh, spring break. Pack some 45 SPF sun block, swimsuits, sandals, a sweater and a helmet.



The sweater will come in handy if the winds blowing over the beach turn chilly. The helmet will help when your family realizes the beach is actually 190 miles north of Terre Haute along Lake Michigan. (The sun block, swimsuits and sandals are decoys, and might keep them peaceful until they notice “Chicago” popping up on the mileage signs.)



If the kids are begging to see “the beach,” but you can’t swing a trip to Florida when schools begin spring break, look to the Indiana Dunes.



This beach experience will contrast sharply with that of, say, Panama City, Fla., a mecca for spring breakers. But life doesn’t have to be an obsession with amenities like hot sunshine, tans, beachside watering holes, sandy walks, playing in the ocean … (Sorry, back to the point.) Spring break at the beach Indiana style has upsides, too.



Aided by folks in both places — Brady Calhoun, the spring break beat writer for the News Herald in Panama City, Ryan Koepke of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Park and Brandt Baughman of the Indiana Dunes State Park — we’ll count the ways visitors could enjoy themselves in those destinations.



Temperatures: Florida tops Indiana on the thermometer. Next week’s Panama City forecast calls for highs in the upper 70s and lows in the 60s. The high temperatures at The Dunes should hit nearly 50, with lows around 31 or 32. Yes, that’s freezing. As Koepke put it, “Nobody’s going to do any swimming” at The Dunes.



But who really swims at the beach anyway? There’s also the view to consider.



The towering sand dunes nearly 200 feet tall, created by winds off Lake Michigan, overlook the area, which includes 16 miles of shoreline in the National Lakeshore Park and another three miles of contiguous shoreline in the state park. Just last week, The Dunes offered a vista that Panama City tourists will never see. Floating in, chunk by chunk, was shelf ice, sent toward shore by the gusty breezes.



“Basically, it looks like an arctic environment,” said Baughman, property manager at Dunes State Park. “If you’ve never seen that, it’s very surreal to think you’re seeing that in Indiana.”



Next week, though, should be warm enough that shelf ice won’t be present. The winds won’t disappear, though. But, again, that’s not bad, because the harder the wind blows, the higher the waves get, Baughman explained.



“If you just wanted to sit on The Dunes and watch the waves, the Chicago skyline is in the background,” he said.



The Dunes State Park is 47 miles east of Chicago. A Bluesmobile with a full tank of gas, a half pack of cigarettes, darkness and sunglasses are optional.



Wildlife: Again, quite a contrast.



If you’re adventurous, a fantastic system of trails throughout the National Lakeshore Park features the third-most species of plants of all U.S. national parks. More than 1,100 flowering plants and ferns grow there and may begin sprouting next week. “So it’s definitely one of those very rare types of places,” Koepke said.



Park rangers lead hikes from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays along those trails. The next two weekends should be ideal for those walks because “everything’s not trampled down and things look very fresh,” Koepke said.



At Panama City, visitors themselves often serve as the wildlife. When contacted on his cell phone Wednesday, Calhoun was on his way to cover Hulk Hogan, who’d come to that Florida hotspot to film a segment of his reality TV show. MTV’s spring break and “Real World” crews hit the beach three weeks ago. Kenny Chesney performed a surprise concert at a local club. Meanwhile, college students flock in “looking for their own special thing, obviously to drink and to party,” explained Calhoun.



Calhoun regularly covers the News Herald’s police beat, but shifted temporarily to spring break duty this year. The newspaper includes daily coverage of spring break on its Web site. Curious parents can enlighten themselves on the activities through its stories, photos and videos from the beach.



This week, though, the crowds begin to transition from college kids to families, Calhoun observed.



Traveling: Panama City is 12 hours away by car from central Indiana. If the kids say, “Are we there yet?” every minute, you’ll hear that refrain 720 times. The Dunes, however, is a mere three-hour drive from Terre Haute. Let them bring a portable DVD player, and you’ll be there in two runnings of “Anchorman.”



Florida hotel prices range from about $70 up. But if you’re looking for adventure, camping costs just $17 a night in Dunes State Park, with admission to the park free on weekdays and $5 per carload on weekends.



The National Lakeshore Park, which is free, includes a spot called Lake View. “We have a great place where you can drive right up to the lake, and it’s a perfect place to sit and watch the water,” Koepke said, “and you can stroll along the beach.”



Dress in a sweater and jeans, but wear a swimsuit underneath … just in case.



Mark Bennett writes for The Tribune Star in Tere Haute, Ind. He can be reached at mark.bennett@tribstar.com.





Getting there





Indiana Dunes State Park: Take Indiana 63 North (63 miles) to U.S. 41 North (30 miles); follow U.S. 24 East (17 miles) to I-65 North (58 miles); exit onto I-80 East (4 miles); take Indiana 49 North (2 miles) to North County Road 25 E in Chesterton. Park is on the left.



Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Park: Follow the same directions to Chesterton, and access the 16-mile-long park via I-94, the Indiana Toll Road, I-80/90, U.S. 20, or Indiana 12.



Fees: Entrance to Dunes State Park is free on weekdays and $5 on weekends; camping is $17 per night. Entrance to National Lakeshore Park is free; camping at its Dunewood Campground is $15 per night.



More details: For Dunes State Park, call (219) 926-1952 or visit www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/properties/park_dunes.html. For National Lakeshore Park, call (219) 926-7561, Ext. 225, or visit www.nps.gov/indu.

        

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