Becky Bewick
My name is Becky Bewick, born and raised in Valparaiso, Indiana. From a young age I had passion for art and photography. Photography has become a stress reliever. The Indiana Dunes and Lake Michigan always fascinated me since I was young. As a photographer I chose this as my canvas, nature at my fingertips. I’ve been able to capture the Indiana Dunes, and our national lakeshore, along with our state and local parks for their beautiful qualities.
I’m a proud mom. I enjoy spending time with my family and watching my daughter compete in her equestrian competitions. I love gardening, adventuring, nature, wildlife, etc. As a lifelong Indiana resident I’ve enjoyed exploring and capturing Indiana in many different ways. While on the cusp of empty nesterhood, I’m looking forward to presenting myself more challenges behind the camera.
Karen Cercone
My name is Karen and I would like to speak to your manager. Ha! I’ve spent the last decade living in Chesterton with my husband, daughter, son and two fur babies. We absolutely love living four miles from the beautiful dunes. There are so many trails for challenging hikes, places to kayak and spots to catch sunsets. I love to eat and drink locally - there are so many unique options around!!
I also work in Porter County as a nurse practitioner. It’s very rewarding to care for people in my community where I live. I’m passionate about capturing and editing photos after a day of exploring the region. All my photos are from iPhone Pro Max 12.
Joanna Cortes
I’ve always loved the outdoors. With working four days on, four days off and my daughter being a senior in high school, I have a lot more free time to explore NWI. I love hiking, camping, bike riding, watching sunsets on the beach and kayaking. Last couple of years I’ve also gotten into photography. There is a lot of beautiful scenery this area has to offer and I want to capture it all. I spend a lot of time with my friends and my husband hiking and trying out the local restaurants and coffee shops.
I’m always up for something new. I am a native of Poland and reside in LaPorte with my husband and daughter. I’m excited to share my adventures with everyone on here.
Cristy Doughty
Personal IG IG Reels & Hiking Notes
Feathers Found in Their Natural Habitat
Newly relocated to NW Indiana and celebrating a year of exploring a new landscape, Cristy enjoys amateur photography, leading nature hikes, traveling to new places, sharing nature observations for scientific research, and exploring new food opportunities. She has been active in the outdoors since childhood and her relocation to the area was prompted when she visited the Indiana Dunes National Park in 2021. Upon that experience, she knew she had found where she wanted to call home.
In addition to her exploring, she has four rescue pets. Her rescue dog Tucker is quite the explorer as well and has visited 18 states for hikes and camping adventures. The most anticipated festival in the region she looks forward to is the Pierogi Festival. Her favorite plant is the ethereal Monotropa uniflora and her favorite insect is the periodical cicada.
Charlotte Hernandez
Hi, I’m Charlotte! My dream job is to hike, drink coffee, and read books, but since no one is willing to pay me to do this, I teach middle schoolers instead. *sigh* But, seriously, I really love what I do and I love where I live. I really like to share the beauty that our area has to offer with others. We are so lucky to have the dunes and the lake in our backyard. We live in a truly amazing place! I try to spend as much time as possible outside hiking, kayaking, and searching for beach glass. I also really enjoy checking out restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops in the region. When I am not out exploring, I am spending time with my kids, obsessing over how cute my cats are, or reading.
Charlotte's Blog Posts
Flo Lawnicki
Photo by @Bryvisuals
Hi, I'm Flo, a proud Midwesterner currently living in Chicago. Learning to live in the moment and appreciate my surroundings has helped me treasure what was in my backyard and truly enriched my life! I started my blog, Flo's Favorites: Eat, Play, and Stay in the Midwest, while living in Chesterton, Indiana. I wanted an outlet for sharing the many gems and treasures of the Midwest in hopes that others would see the beauty and be inspired to visit or be a tourist in their city!
I love living in Chicago and exploring everything the city offers. In addition, I enjoy spending time along the South Shore exploring the many trails, beaches, eateries, and breweries. My favorite part is meeting the wonderful residents and business owners in these communities and hearing their stories.
Hopefully, you'll follow along and connect with me along the way!
Marianne Lee
Exploring the outdoors has always been a passion of mine. As a lifelong resident of Northwest Indiana, I've hiked and cycled throughout most of the region. You can discover so much beauty and wildlife off the beaten path on our area's many bike trails. Come ride with me as I document life along the Erie Lackawanna and Oak Savannah Trails.
When I'm not cycling, I enjoy exploring the Indiana Dunes National Park and hiking the Indiana Dunes State Park trails. In my spare time, I enjoy gardening and crocheting. I work at a local high school helping students catch up on their credits so they can graduate on time.
Marianne's Blog Posts
Biking Around Wolf Lake to Whihala Beach and Downtown Whiting
Kara Mackey
My name is Kara. By nature, I am incredibly curious. Which is why I get along with kids so well! By day, I manage Bellaboo's and the Lake County Purdue Extension's Mini 4-H program. By life, I mom two kiddos alongside my theater teacher husband. Nature, yoga, books, creating and kids (of course!) are my passions.
It would be my honor to share the dirt I've collected and learn together as we dig into all things parenting, play and kids! Learn more about me (she/her/hers) and follow my blogs and recommendations at dirtonkids.com.
Kara's Blog Posts
Conan, Bentley and Molly McGuirl
Hi all! My name is Conan and this is my mom Molly. We are just your average dog and dog mom duo living in NWI! My mom is a part-time LDH who loves walking, reading, spending time with her husband (my dog dad) and finding cool new eats in the area, while I am a spoiled rotten corgi who is also an avid fan of walks. I also really like playing tag, chasing rabbits, munching on all the noms and playing with my two fur siblings, Bentley and Karah.
We love all things local and make it a daily habit to go find a new trail to hike and explore whether it be a path in the Indiana Dunes National Park or roaming around downtown Chesterton. My mom also has a thing for a photography, so for even more good local finds, check out @mmcguirl.photography.
Conan, Bentley and Molly's Blog Posts
Christine Olson
After raising two sons in the South suburbs of Illinois, my husband and I headed East to Northwest Indiana for new adventures! Since 2019, we have enjoyed concerts in the park, festivals (yum pierogis!), Indiana Dunes for sunset watching, the bicycle trails, antiquing, plays, great restaurants, and the breweries, my favorite!
We love when our out-of-state friends come to visit and have the opportunity to show them around NWI! There is still SO much more to explore! We recently became grandparents and now I look forward to checking out all the area has to offer for children, too! I am excited to be a South Shore Ambassador and can’t wait to share my adventures as a Hoosier.
Christine's Blog Posts
Rainy Day Fun along the South Shore Brewery Trail with Out of Town Friends
Julia Perla Huisman
I'm a working mother of three who writes about parenting, faith, health, fashion, and culture in general. I live in Crown Point and love Northwest Indiana for the hidden gem that it is.
Carrie Steinweg
As a freelance writer and photographer for 24 years, I’ve covered all kinds of people, places and events in this special part of the Midwest - Northwest Indiana. I was born and raised in Chicago’s south suburbs and spent three decades living just a few minutes over the Illinois border where I had easy access to the beautiful landscape, recreational opportunities, food and entertainment in the Region. I recently moved to NWI and became an official Hoosier and am exploring even more each day, which I love sharing in articles, blogs or on social media.
A big focus of my writing is travel and food and I especially love sharing foodie adventures on the blog ChicagoFoodieSisters.com, that my sister and I started 12 years ago. I’m also a farmers market manager and love connecting consumers with farmers and artisan producers. I’m a author of 8 books, including four that are children’s books. I enjoy spending time with my family (my husband and our 5 sons) and our two dogs.
Carrie's Blog Posts
Breanne Stover
Hi my name is Breanne, a mother of 6, a wife, an entrepreneur, and a hometown girl. I’ve spent my adulthood allowing life take me on my adventures. My goal everyday is to be happy, be healthy, and have fun with my family. I’ve learned to let go of planning and trying to have that perfect life. And instead enjoy each moment as it happens and turn it into a positive.
I hope together we can share ideas, give support and keep on making the world a better place. Creating fun, wholesome adventures for my family and sharing tips along the way. Thanks for taking the time to be a part of my day! Bee Happy, Bee healthy, Bee adventurous!