Central Avenue Beach

Central Avenue Beach is a sandy Lake Michigan shoreline near the Town of Pines, with a paved lot and an open stretch of sand. Come for a swim or to sit by the water; some visitors find it quieter than the nearby Indiana Dunes State Park beach, though this lot can still fill on summer weekends. The water is about a one-eighth-mile walk from parking.

The 68-space paved lot is one mile north of Central Avenue and U.S. 12. A park entrance pass is required, and the lot fills quickly during peak season from Memorial Day through Labor Day, so arrive early or later in the afternoon. Seasonal restrooms and potable water are at the lot; bring your own water outside the facility season. Two picnic tables sit at its west end, up stairs. The lot is listed with no accessible spaces; the beach and picnic tables are not wheelchair accessible, though the seasonal restrooms are.

There are no lifeguards. Rip currents, high waves and uneven lake-bottom drop-offs can make swimming hazardous; check current conditions and water-quality notices before going in. Leashed dogs are allowed with a leash no longer than six feet. Glass and fires are prohibited, as is taking plants, rocks, shells or fossils.

In spring and summer, Bank Swallows nest in the dunes and fly to and from their burrows. Stay on the beach instead of climbing the slope behind it; the dune habitat is fragile and protected.

The dunes along this part of Indiana date to different chapters of Lake Michigan's history. The earliest shoreline dunes are more than 10,000 years old, while today's beach-and-dune system began forming about 5,900 years ago. Beachgrass catches windblown sand, helping the foredunes grow.

For a sunset photo, include beach grass low in one corner and let the open water fill the frame; it gives the broad horizon a foreground. Stay on open sand instead of climbing the dunes for a higher view.