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backTour FAQs

This tour has 22 stops. Check out the itinerary here for a complete list of stops and if you’re looking for more information to help plan your trip, here’s what you need to know before you go!

  • Hiking shoes
  • Water shoes
  • Bug spray
  • Sunscreen
  • Hat 
  • Sunglasses
  • Windshield sun shade
  • Binoculars (for bird watching)
  • Water bottle
  • Snacks/lunch
  • National Park pass
  • Cooler with drinks and snacks (if relaxing at the beach)
  • Beach towel
  • Beach umbrella

What you spend depends on the activities you do, but here’s a list of entry fees for the tour: 

  • Entrance to the park is $25 per vehicle.
  • Entrance to Indiana Dunes State Park is $7 for noncommercial vehicles with Indiana license plates and $12 for noncommercial vehicles with out-of-state license plates.

Although the park is open daily from 6:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., the park’s facilities have varying hours of operation. Some of the major attractions are listed below: 

  • Century of Progress Historical District: 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
  • Visitor Center: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; winter hours (September 4–May 27) 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
  • Bailly Homestead: 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
  • Chellberg Farm: 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
  • West Beach: 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
  • Marquette Park: Beaches are open from dawn to dusk daily - Sunday before Memorial Day through Labor Day. Lifeguards are on duty from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; The Aquatorium is open 24 hours a day.
  • Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education: Summer hours are every day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (Friday of Memorial Day weekend through the Monday of Labor Day weekend); winter hours are from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday only; trail is open daily from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.

Yes! The tour has three starting points: I-94 West, next to the town of New Buffalo; 80/90 West, near Sherwood Forest Paintball; and US 421 North, near the Bed & Biscuit Pet Resort. Or, if you’re taking the tour in the reverse direction you can start from  80/90 East, near the Ramada by Wyndham Hammond Hotel & Conference Center; I 94 East, near the intersection with Calumet Ave; 65 North, near the intersection with E 109th Ave; and 30 West, near Burke's Outdoor Equipment. 

Just make sure that you follow the numbers in chronological order from where you are starting from. 

If you don’t begin at one of the tour starting points you’ll miss a few stories, but you’ll still have a great experience.

Yes, the tour is available in two directions - east to west and west to east!

Still have questions? Send us an email at aloha@shakaguide.com or give us a call at (808) 201-8138.

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