Arts & Adventure

Art and culture enthusiasts have several options just around the bend from Chicago along the South Shore. 

South Shore Arts (formerly the Northern Indiana Arts Association) has open gallery space in Munster, Hammond and Crown Point and hosts regular exhibits from local, national and international artisans. Additionally, the White Ripple Gallery & Co. in Hammond has professionally curated shows that rotate monthly and features artist-made jewelry, clothing, crafts, furniture, and modern and vintage goods. A leisurely stroll through one of the Northwest Indiana's many downtowns will uncover some of the many smaller art galleries, public art exhibits and community art projects.

The Chicago-style Equity Theater Company, housed in the Theatre at the Center, regularly performs classics by Rodgers & Hammerstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Northwest Indiana's local resident company, Indiana Ballet Theatre, has been providing timeless ballet and dance classics to the area for more than 30 years. Sold out audiences have been able to enjoy full-length productions such as The Nutcracker, Thumbelina, Swan Lake and Cinderella performed by IBT's professional dancers.

Many visitors to the South Shore include a day-trip to Chicago in their plans. Tommy Gun's Garage, a roaring 20's speakeasy featuring dinner, theater and audience interaction, is the perfect way to end a day in Chicago.

Enjoying the outdoors along the southern shores of Lake Michigan is as easy as a mid-summers breeze. Boating, sailing, fishing and swimming are just some of the activities you can enjoy on South Shore beaches. For the more adventurous, you can dive right in to Great Lakes maritime history. Lake Michigan is the final home of more shipwrecks than all other Great Lakes combined! The southern end of Lake Michigan was recently named by Scuba Diving Magazine as one of the top 10 destinations for scuba diving in the United States.

Interested in a little Las Vegas style gaming? See what lady luck has in store by visiting your choice of our four casinos. Horseshoe in Hammond is the closest casino to Chicago, followed by Ameristar Casino and Hotel in East Chicago, Hard Rock Casino in Gary and Blue Chip Casino and Hotel in Michigan City. Hundreds of games, thousands of slot machines, live entertainment, gourmet steakhouses and expansive buffets are just some of the excitement that can be found on these lakefront casinos.