South Shore Blog

Thanksgiving week is full of activities between cooking, eating and starting your holiday shopping. But if you’re looking for more to do this week – either for grown up fun or just something to keep the kids busy during the long weekend – we got you covered!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored. However, I will always offer my readers an unbiased and honest account of my experiences. Your trust is very appreciated, and never taken for granted. ~Tonya, Dexter and Angel Nutter

Dexter The Dog and his travel companion Levi wrapped up their 2018 dog-friendly vacations with a visit to The South Shore along Lake Michigan. The South Shore along Lake Michigan is a perfect pet-friendly destination to relax and enjoy what the Midwest has to offer dog families.

If you’ve already binge watched every Netflix series you can possibly think of and the kids are pestering you to get out of the house - we have some ideas for you for those rainy days in Northwest Indiana:

Plan your visit along the South Shore with these tour itineraries. Choose one or all of the activities to make the most of your fall in Northwest Indiana!

Traveling through the South Shore, you’ll find homegrown foods and handcrafted drinks at local wineries, restaurants and attractions. 

Harvest season brings vibrant yellows, oranges and reds to the leaves and also juicy crisp apples. From early September to October the trees are ripe with dozens of varieties of apples including: Gala, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious and Pink Ladies.

When you have a four-legged companion during your stay in Northwest Indiana, you'll want to make sure he has enough exercise. Gabis Arboretum is the perfect place to let your dog stretch his legs. Hike through four miles of trails or enjoy the quiet gardens, woodlands, prairies and wetlands. Look for native and hybrid plants, flowers and trees during your visit and view Gabis's variety of formal gardens. 

When I was a youngster, few things brought thoughts of wild lands and far off places into my head than hearing and seeing a Vee-shaped skein of Canada geese winging their way south in the fall or heading back to their summering area in the springtime. If I was lucky, I’d witness this majesty two or three times each year. Nowadays, seeing a Canada goose is almost as common as seeing robins in a yard or gulls along the lakefront. 

July 14th-21st was Fair Week in Jasper and Newton Counties. My family and I took it as a sign that we should go to both fairs and compare them. We found an interesting contrast in county personalities and left with the impression that both fairs offer different but equally enjoyable experiences.

Looking for some summer fun? Mark these things to do in northwest Indiana this summer off your bucket list!

1. Scream for ice cream at Fair Oaks Farms! Creamy sweet treats are a must in the summer.
   
   
    
2. Hike the Dunes. Explore the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore or the Indiana Dunes State Park.
    
3. Fly through the skies at Edge Adventures at Deep River. This is the South Shore’s newest attraction, so be sure to cross it off your list this summer!

One of the best things about summer in the South Shore? Festivals! Plenty of food – from BBQ and gyros to funnel cakes and cotton candy and don’t forget about kids activities like parades, face painting and carnival rides. It seems that you can’t have a festival without amazing live entertainment!

We’ve put together a list of all of the great music you’ll hear this summer along the South Shore!