Closest airports
| Airport | City | Drive to the park | Straight-line miles | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan City Municipal Airport (MGC) | Michigan City, IN | 22 min (17 mi) | 15 | Regional |
| Gary/Chicago International Airport (GYY) | Gary, IN | 34 min (23 mi) | 16 | Regional |
| Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) | Chicago, IL | 1 h 15 min (48 mi) | 35 | Large hub |
Drive times run from the airport to Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center (Indiana Dunes Visitor Center), estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.
Regional airports have fewer flights, so compare fares with the larger hub.
Directions from the park service
Visitors can access the national park via Interstate 94, the Indiana Toll Road (Interstate 80/90), U.S. Highway 12, U.S. Highway 20, Indiana State Road 49, and various other local roads. The Indiana Dunes Visitor Center is located on Indiana State Road 49, between U.S. Highway 20 and Interstate 94 (1215 IN-49, Porter, IN 46304). For a driving map to the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center or other locations, check out our maps page.
Hours
Daily, 6:00AM - 11:00PM. The general areas of the park are open year-round. Please check individual areas for specific hours of operation.
Visitor centers
- Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center (Indiana Dunes Visitor Center): Daily, 8:00AM - 6:00PM. The Indiana Dunes Visitor Center is open daily with the exception of Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
- Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education: Mon Closed; Tue Closed; Wed 9:00AM - 4:00PM; Thu 9:00AM - 4:00PM; Fri 9:00AM - 4:00PM; Sat 9:00AM - 4:00PM; Sun 9:00AM - 4:00PM. The Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education open 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Central Time with the exception of Mondays, Tuesdays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, Veterans Day, and New Year's Day.
Last gas, groceries and EV charging
Places mapped in OpenStreetMap within 5 miles (straight line) of Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center (Indiana Dunes Visitor Center) and Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education. Fill up before you head deep into the park: most parks have little or no fuel inside.
Gas stations (66 within reach)
| Place | Where | Miles | Fuel extras and hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas station (unnamed) | See map | 0.5 | |
| Gas station (unnamed) | See map | 0.5 | |
| Gas station (unnamed) | See map | 0.7 | |
| Speedway | 750 South Lake Street, Gary | 0.7 |
Grocery stores and supermarkets (7 within reach)
| Place | Where | Miles | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miller Market | See map | 0.9 | |
| Jewel-Osco | 747 Indian Boundary Road, Chesterton | 1.3 | Mon to Fri 6 am to 12 am, Sat 6 am to 12 am, Sun 6 am to 12 am |
| Aldi | 750 Indian Boundary Road, Chesterton | 1.4 | Daily 8:30 am to 8 pm |
| Strack & Van Til | 1600 Pioneer Trail, Chesterton | 2.7 | Daily 6 am to 11 pm |
EV charging (6 within reach)
| Place | Where | Miles | Plugs and spaces |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla, Inc. | See map | 0.0 | Tesla (NACS), J1772 · off |
| ampUp | See map | 0.4 | J1772 |
| Tesla Supercharger | 704 Plaza Drive, Chesterton | 1.2 | Tesla (NACS), 12 spaces · Open 24 hours |
| GOEVIN | See map | 2.9 | 4 spaces |
Opening hours and fuel types are what local mappers have recorded, so call ahead in winter or off season. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License.
Getting around
Most parks are best seen by car. Fill up before you enter, since gas inside parks is limited or absent. Parking at popular trailheads fills early in summer.
Sources
- National Park Service Data API: directions, hours and visitor centers (public domain)
- OurAirports: airport list and locations (public domain)
- OSRM drive-time estimates on OpenStreetMap road data (ODbL)
- OpenStreetMap: gas stations, grocery stores and EV chargers (ODbL)
Last checked 1 November 2026.