Visit Cedar Lake Lake Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover the beautiful Cedar Lake in Indiana! Enjoy nature and friendly animals on a boat trip. Walking or bathing in the lake is also possible. Near Chicago is a great destination for families and nature fans.
What makes Cedar Lake sights so special is the unique mix of quiet suburban area and a history that you can hardly find in the guides. I remember driving over the old railway bridge that dates back to the 1880s for the first time, and I thought: “Here someone has long thought about whether to make the water an anchor for a new life.” The area was originally the Potawatomi hunting area, before in the early 19th. Century pioneers from Ohio divided the country into pieces and formed today's Hanover Township. In 1908 Cedar Lake was officially declared a city – a date that I celebrate every time I see the small town square, because it marks the official “Yes, we exist”.
A short trip to the State Road 2 takes you to the heart of Lake County, and when you come from Chicago, the I‐94 is a children's game – no wonder that the city is a popular retreat for commuters. I don’t understand the hype around the “Lake-Life” completely, but the quiet plunder of the lake of the same name on the edge of the city is really great, especially at sunset, when the fishermen throw out their nets and dig the children on the shore to shells. And yes, if you ask yourself where you can park, there are enough small parking spaces along the main road, which almost seem like a silent promise: here you can just arrive and throttle the speed.
Already at the first glance at the sparkling water level of Cedar Lake it becomes clear why I stumbled here every time, although I was actually just looking for a quick coffee – the water simply has this unharmed soothing shine that gives you the feeling that you would have found the perfect Instagram image before you even bred the camera.
The first stop I recommend to every newman is the Cedar Beach. Yes, this is really a beach, and yes, the water is not exactly the Caribbean, but the sandy shore zone is perfect to bury the toes in the mud and observe how the local ducks comment on the whole spectacle with a mixture of boredom and royal sovereignty. Parking is usually a Klacks as long as you don't come on Saturday night – then the small parking lot turns into a battlefield of caravans and barbecue smell.
A short walk (or a quick sprint, depending on the mood) leads to Cedar Lake Marina. There you can rent boats that squeak more than an old refrigerator, but this is part of the charm. I tried a small rowing boat there and almost all the water was written about the word “detension” because I spent more time hovering the row than enjoying the lake. The marina has a small kiosk where you get lemonade that is so sweet that you ask yourself if it consists of sugar water or pure optimism.
If you want to sniff a bit of history – and I don't mean it in the sense of dust and dusty museum posters – then look at this Cedar Lake Historical Society Museum on. The museum is housed in an old school building that has more chalk spots than modern exhibits, but the local stories about the establishment of the place and the legendary “Cedar-Lake-Fisch-Wettbewerbe” are really entertaining. I discovered an old photograph there that shows how the city arrived with a horse car in 1905 – an image that reminds me that progress is sometimes only a new touch for the same old road.
Another highlight I don't want to conceal is that Cedar Lake Golf. The place is not just a paradise for beginners, but the fairways are so well maintained that you almost feel you play on a set of films. I once tried to hit a birdie there, and instead landed in the bunker – a classic moment that showed me that the word “golf” actually originates from the old English “golf”, which means so much as “blow and still continue”.
For those who prefer to find something quieter, there is Cedar Lake Community Center. Local events take place regularly, from bingos to artisans markets where you can buy handmade ceramics that are so unique that you almost don't want to use them because you're afraid to ruin the work of art. I visited a yoga course where the instructor talked more about the history of local cheese than about the Asanas – a real cultural shock, but somehow suitable for this city.
A short detour to Cedar Lake Water Tower is also worth it. The tower is a landmark that can be seen from almost everywhere, and it shines at night in a subtle yellow that almost looks like a lighthouse for lost drivers. I once made a picnic there because I thought that was romantic, and then I was overrun by a group of teenagers with loud speakers – a moment that showed me that romance in Cedar Lake is more a concept that you think of yourself.
Of course you can Cedar Lake Park not forget a small green piece with a playground that has more squeaking swings than one would expect for a place of this size. My niece spent the whole afternoon while I was sitting on a bank and thinking about why I actually came here – probably because I read the word "deceleration" in a guidebook and thought it would be here.
If you now think that this is too much, let me tell you that the Cedar Lake Attractions not only consist of these points. There is still the local outdoor swimming pool, which is crowded in the summer, and the small café on the main street, which serves the best apple cake in the region – a cake that is so dry that it could go through almost as a building material, but for that it tastes better if you eat it with a proper serving of cream.
At the end of the day, when the sun goes down above the lake and the ducks fall back into their nightly rituals, I often sit on the shore and wonder why I come back again and again. Maybe it's the mix of light cynicism and real love for this little spot Indiana that keeps me here – and perhaps, quite honestly, it's just the promise that I always have a little more time here to lose my own thoughts while the world around me continues to whistle in front of itself.
The first stop of my little Odyssey was Indiana Dunes National Park, a piece of untamed nature that stretches directly at the southern tip of Lake Michigan – a short but steep trip from Cedar Lake, which almost made me sweat because I caught the parking lot at West Beach only in the early morning. I spent a couple of hours stabbing over the sandy dunes while I wondered why so many people call the whole “dual feeling” romantic when they usually only walk around with their picnic blankets and Instagram filters. The view over the water is really great, and if you're lucky, you'll see a few gulls that make up the fish remains of an unfortunate angler – a natural spectacle that you shouldn't have missed.
A couple of miles further Indian Dunes State Park, which looks a little more well-kept compared to the national park, almost like the chic counterpart to a rustic cousin. There is a well-marked hiking trail that leads directly to the famous Mount Baldy – a small hill that is almost a sacred Grail for the locals. I made the ascent on a windless afternoon, and the panorama over the lake was so clear that I almost thought I could see the Chicago skyline if I look a little further north. Parking is usually easy, except for the weekends when the garage is full and you can find yourself between a family picnic and a group of joggers that all listen to the same playlist.
A short trip after Miller Beach brought me to one of the few places where the water is actually a bit warm – at least for Indiana. The sand is finer here, the water is clearer, and the atmosphere has a slightly nostalgic vibe, as if it were a relic from the 70s, which somehow did not quite pass. I have seen an old fishing boat that has been on the shore for years and wondered if this is not the perfect photo for the next social media post. The beach is easily accessible, and parking is almost always free as long as you don't arrive with your friends on Saturday night, then the whole thing becomes a small fight for the last free place.
A little further I'll land Bailly Homestead, a historical property that the history of the French merchants in the 18th century The century is alive. I have to admit, I was skeptical if an old wooden house can be really exciting, but the tour of the museum was surprisingly captivating – especially the old tools that still smell a bit after adventure. The place is well signposted, and parking is a small field behind the house, which is usually free as long as you are not there for the high season in the summer, then you have to hit around with a few tourist hearts that all swing the same selfie sticks.
Just a stone's throw away Michigan City Lighthouse, a lighthouse that knows more about the weather and shipping than most locals. I made the ascent to the top because I thought that would be romantic, and indeed – the view over the lake is breathtaking, especially at sunset, when the light dips the water into a golden band. The entrance is free, but parking is a bit tricky: there is a small car park right at the lighthouse, which is quickly full, so better to come early if you don't want to stand in jam while waiting for a truck to release the place.
A little further south, but still in the vicinity of Cedar Lake, this is Porter County Museum in Valparaiso. The museum is a collection of local artefacts, from ancient land machines to photographs that live in the region in the early 20th. document the century. I found an old typewriter that still works – a small treasure for anyone who loves clicking buttons. The museum has a small parking lot behind the building, which is usually empty, unless you visit it on the first Saturday of the month when the “Historical Weekend” takes place and the visitor numbers are rising abruptly.
A last but not less interesting stop was that Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve, a piece of pristine grassland that has become rare in this area. I spent a few hours wandering over the wide fields and admiring the rare wild flowers that still grow here. The area is not overflowing, parking is a simple gravel path that is almost always free, and the silence there is almost meditative – a perfect counterpart to the crowded beaches and the loud tourist centers.
Next time you drive to Cedar Lake, don't forget that the environment has more to offer than just the water. The above objectives show that Cedar Lake Attractions cover a wide range of nature, history and local culture – all with a portion of charm you can only find here.
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