| Route 66 | Cities | Beaches |
Restaurants |
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Overnight accommodations here are kind of interesting. No other amusement
park offers the variety of charming, family oriented, middle class, close
in lodging that you find at Indiana Beach. Holiday World offers an adjacent
campground. Cedar Point has cabins and RV sites and the upscale Beaches
Hotel, and Carowinds (Holiday Inn) and Kentucky Kingdom (Executive Inn)
have major hotels across the mile wide parking lots. But they don't even
offer shuttle service, and it's a long walk, especially with kids, or
on the way back after a long tiring day. |
It sure doesn't touch facilities right inside the park, where you park once and don't touch the vehicle for three days, and can come back to the room or the tent for a mid day nap. Plus, at Indiana Beach the lodging itself is part of the adventure. You gain a little insight into what your grandparents experienced when they travelled, because this whole complex is a time warp. You just to have a sense of humor and a tolerance for midcentury conditions. If you insist on modern service, convenience and prices, you should stay 45 minutes away on the interstate. |
| If you’re bringing a youth group, the low cost option
is to stay at the Indiana Beach Campground. It’s
very comfortable, has a pool and the best miniature golf course in the area,
and welcomes schools, Scouts and churches. There’s a ferryboat that
shuttles continuously from the campground down to the park. During July
and August it’s a lot cooler up there on the hill, in the trees, than
down at the waterfront. |
| If you’re coming with a family or a few friends, or if you’re a great amusement park enthusiast, you really ought to consider the Indiana Beach Motel. Built in 1930, this classic is inside the park boundaries, in fact right up under the coasters. There are both cottages ($40 a night) and rooms ($64 a night for a small double). And you’re right across the drive from the famous Sky Room restaurant. Just realize these are prewar accommodations. By modern standards they are incredibly small and Spartan. Phone 1-574-583-4141. They fill up, so call early, especially for weekends or holidays. |
| If you just want to be near the action, but not
immersed in it, cross the swinging bridge by the Giant Wheel, and check
out the 1930 Spear’s Lodge, which was actually a
fishing retreat before an amusement park blossomed across the water. The
fishing’s still pretty good, but now you can soak in the Jacuzzi or
relax on one of the waterfront benches and watch the Hurricane. There are
lighted basketball and shuffleboard courts and a small store. If you have
a canoe or kayak, bring it. You can put in from the private dock and paddle
all around the park, a truly unusual opportunity. You can also touch a little
history. Back when it was called the Beach Vue Resort, this was Al Capone’s
secret getaway that Elliott Ness tried unsuccessfully to find. Capone would
sneak down here for long weekends. He actually built one of these guest
cabins for his mistress. They danced in the pavilion that stood in the yard
here during the 1920s. Today, you can stay in the lodge or in one of the
cottages. Like the Indiana Beach Motel, this is a very 1930ish experience.
Phone 219-583-8918. |
But if you want a romantic getaway, try the 1887 Black Dog Inn, America’s only amusement park bed and breakfast. In addition to a heated swimming pool, boat dock and fishing, The Black Dog offers croquet and badminton and a great sitting porch. Double rooms are $79, quads $109. Phone 1-574-583-8297. |
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