Seven Swans-a-Swimming (Near Indiana Dunes)

When we discovered the 61st National Park was opening up in the USA, we were beyond excited. Finally, another National Park added to the Midwest!

The park was so new during our visit there was not an official sign, however the visitor center, Dorothy Buell, had a new sign in the front. Indiana Dunes State Park is a park within a park.

Driving through the park has some amazing views, and we were able to make a quick stop and take some photographs. We also came across these homes that were mass produced and transported across the lake; super unique and cool!

Our trip was over The Fourth of July weekend, so we had difficulty finding parking and managing around the crowded park. However, we spent the day hiking, viewing the water and then watched fireworks for the holiday. 

For dinner, we ended up eating Wendy’s because, well, everything was closed for the Fourth. We laughed at ourselves while we sat in Wendy’s on the Fourth of July eating our Frosty’s and talking about what to do with our second day at the park.

Day 2 was quite an adventure; full of hiking and black flies on the Cowles Bog trail. Our advice is to not travel to this location during the fly season, or at least bring a head net.

Despite the flies, we made it to the end, and the view was definitely wonderful. We swam in Lake Michigan to cool off before we had to complete our fly invested trek back to our car.

Eventually we made our way to lunch and coffee and enjoyed the rest of our trip doing our favorite things, eating and maintaining full caffeine capacity.

We are so happy we were able to experience the National Park in its' inaugural year as the new designation. It was a lesson and adventure all in one, and something we both will never forget.