Tezels on the Road

Indiana Dunes & a Chicago Night Out

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Day 7 | Wednesday, April 15 | Indiana Dunes National Park, Deep Dish & the Adler Planetarium

An overcast day, a national park adventure, Chicago Dogs, deep dish pizza, and a night under the stars. Day 7 had everything.

The weather wasn’t exactly cooperating as we picked up our rental car from National Car Rental and headed east toward I ndiana Dunes National Park. But a few clouds were not going to stop us — and as it turned out, we had a secret weapon waiting for us at the park: a friend who works there and was kind enough to show us around.

He met us at West Beach and pointed us straight to the Dune Succession Trail — and what a recommendation it was. The trail takes you up and over the dunes, through a hauntingly beautiful grove of Jack Pines, and down to the beach on the shores of Lake Michigan. The Jack Pines are one of those unexpected highlights — gnarled, resilient trees that thrive in the harsh sandy environment, giving the landscape an almost otherworldly feel.

At the beach, the overcast skies dampened the view across Lake Michigan toward Chicago — but even on a grey day, standing on that shore with the dunes at your back and the vast lake stretching out in front of you is genuinely impressive. The dunes themselves are enormous, and the scale of the place surprises you.

From West Beach we made our way to the Bally Homestead, one of the historic structures within the park — unfortunately closed for restoration, but still worth a look from the outside. Next up was the Dunes Learning Center, a great stop for understanding the ecology and history of this remarkable landscape.

By this point we had worked up an appetite, and lunch did not disappoint. We drove into Chesterton for Chicago Dogs at The Original George’s Gyros Spot. If you’re in the area and you haven’t stopped here — fix that immediately. Classic, delicious, and exactly what you want after a morning on the dunes.

Fueled up and ready for more, we headed to the Century of Progress Architectural District — one of the more unusual corners of Indiana Dunes. This quirky collection of homes was originally built for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair and later relocated to the lakeshore. It’s a fascinating little time capsule of modernist design hiding in plain sight among the dunes.

We wrapped up the park with a stop at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center and a peaceful hike on the Great Marsh Trail — a nice contrast to the dune climbing earlier, winding through wetlands teeming with bird life and spring color.

Back in Chicago for the evening, we kicked things off the right way: deep dish pizza at Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria. If you visit Chicago and leave without eating at Lou Malnati’s, did you even go to Chicago? Rich, buttery crust, chunky tomato sauce on top, and enough cheese to make you question all your life choices — in the best possible way. Worth every bite.

We capped the evening at the Adler Planetarium, spending a Wednesday night exploring the universe. The Adler sits right on the Museum Campus peninsula jutting into Lake Michigan, and the views of the Chicago skyline from outside are spectacular. Inside, the shows and exhibits did not disappoint. There’s something wonderfully humbling about ending a full day of earthly adventures by contemplating the cosmos. 🌌

One more day to go. Tomorrow we visit the Shedd Aquarium before pointing the car south toward home in San Antonio. It’s hard to believe this trip is almost over.