Marquette Park House
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Marquette Park House
It's Miller Beach Time
 
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While You’re Here

 

We love pleasant surprises and Miller Beach is full of them. The New York Times recommends you “consider taking a visit” and calls the Indiana Dunes National Park near our house “lulling and lovely.” The Travel Channel visited, too, but we think we know the area a lot better than they do and wanted to share some of our pleasant surprises with you:

Dining

 

Miller Beach offers standout dining experiences and satisfying mainstays. Be sure to visit links below for updated hours, specials, and delivery options:

  • Miller Pizza Co (622 S Lake St - 3/4 mile away) has been serving love for years - and the pizza is very cheesy! Try the Italian beef sandwich or the lunch special.

  • Flamingo Pizza of Miller (8341 Locust Ave - 3/4 mile away) is much more than pizza. They also serve yummy bar food from a full-service kitchen.

  • Depot Dogs (5016 Melton Rd, Portage IN - 4 miles away) seasonally offers traditional regional hot dogs and snacks in a picnic setting.

  • Dari-Dip (5469 Central Ave, Portage IN - 7 miles away), (soft)serves up chocolate frozen bananas, slushee floats, hurricane ice cream freezes, ice cream sandwiches, and all the fun.

  • Paragon Restaurant and Pub (1701 East 37th Ave, Hobart IN - 7 miles away) is our favorite of the handful of local diners because it’s truly an all-day, full-service family restaurant (yes, good steaks) catering to every request. We prefer the Greek-inspired items, like the Gyro feta breakfast skillet… with pancakes on the side.

Provisions

 

We enjoy cooking when gathering with friends and family, and depending on guests and occasions, these are the places we love to shop:

  • Lake Street Meat Locker (434 N Lake St - 1/4 mile away) is a convenience store, emphasize convenience.

  • Miller K Market (5019 E Dunes Hwy - 2 1/2 miles away) is a local grocery store with a consistent selection of dry goods, snacks and dairy. The jams they pipe in are a cut above and will have you head-bobbing through the aisles along with us locals.

  • Tarimoro Fresh Produce (4294 Central Ave, Lake Station IN - 6 miles away) is a fantastic Mexican market with extensive meats and produce. The tamales are muy bueno!

  • Strack & Van Til (7760 E 37th Ave, Hobart IN - 7 miles away) is a regional supermarket with well-stocked sections of fresh vegetables, deli, bakery, meats, dairy, wine and beer, and some international foods.

  • Meijer (6050 US-6, Portage IN - 9 miles away) is a national super store with both a department store and extensive supermarket, featuring a wide variety of herbs, international vegetables, and high-end meats and cheeses.

  • LiqGo! (3533 Central Ave, Lake Station IN - 5 miles away) is a local chain offering a wide selection of libations, including some imported wines and many craft beers.

Activities

 

From biking and beaching to hiking and apple-picking, Miller and the surrounding areas provide lots of opportunities to enjoy nature and a variety of seasonal and cultural events at some really fantastic places, including:

  • Marquette Park (adjacent to our house!) has beaches, trails, a kayak launch, a playground, banquet facilities, picnic shelters, and more.

  • Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education (100 N Lake St - 1/2 mile away) offers seasonal programing and serves as the gateway to the Miller Woods Trail.

  • Nelson Algren Museum (541 N Lake St - 3/4 mile away) celebrates the life and work of the acclaimed writer, including his relationships with other writers and authors, especially his affair with writer/feminist Simone de Beauvoir. Yes, their love shack is across the street from Marquette Park House, wink.

  • Indie Indie Bang! Bang! (625 S Lake St - 3/4 mile away) is our premiere gift shop chock-full of high-end cards, candles and special things we love to share. Support local business.

  • West Beach of the Indiana Dunes National Park (376 N County Line Rd, Portage IN - 3 miles away) features a fun Dr. Suess-like hike which begins with you climbing up 250 steps for a spectacular view of the shoreline then winding your way into the dunes through several ecosystems before spilling out onto West Beach and back through a bathhouse featuring the Brutalist architecture. Best of all, there’s an incredibly beautiful bike trail through park lands that takes you there from our house.

  • Johnson’s Farm Produce and Marilyn’s Bakery (8960 E Ridge Rd, Hobart IN - 8 miles away) has seasonal activities, locally grown vegetables, and delicious foods - and the Very Berry Pie is truly outstanding.

  • County Line Orchard (200 S County Line Rd, Hobart IN - 9 miles away) is a choice seasonal family destination for Halloween and beyond. Pick apples straight from the tree, check out some bee yurts, enter the corn maze at your own risk.