Last updated on December 20, 2023.

Chesterton, Indiana, is a small town that is also the gateway to the Indiana Dunes National Park and State Park. I went to high school there and of course I hated it, but after 20 years I realized it’s not so bad for a such a small place.

 

Downtown Chesterton

Chesterton is located in Porter County and has a historic downtown. Many of the buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Thomas Centennial Park is in the heart of downtown and has a band shell from 1924.

Downtown Chesterton Indiana
Downtown Chesterton
Thomas Centennial Park in Chesterton, Indiana
Thomas Centennial Park

Every Saturday from May through October, the European Market takes place downtown. It features a wide array of breads, pastries, cheeses, spices, jewelry and more, combined with live entertainment.

 

Brown Mansion

The Brown Mansion, situated next to Chesterton Middle School (which was the high school when I was around), was built in 1885 by George Brown, a farmer from Cumberland County, England. It’s now the Westchester Township History Museum.

Brown Mansion in Chesterton, Indiana
Brown Mansion

The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 1pm to 5pm. Admission is free and tours of the home are available, although you don’t see much. The entire building is used as the offices for the historical society, so the tour is more a history of the home and about what the rooms were used for. That being said, it’s worth doing if you’re interested in hearing the stories about the home, its former occupants, and a little about the history of Chesterton.

Brown Mansion in Chesterton, Indiana
Brown Mansion

The museum is excellent and I was pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t expecting much but I really enjoyed the exhibits and timeline of the township’s history. I learned many new things that made me change my perspective about the area. The displays about Chesterton High School were my personal favorite and brought back a lot of memories.

Westchester Township History Museum at Brown Mansion in Chesterton, Indiana
Westchester Township History Museum
Westchester Township History Museum at Brown Mansion in Chesterton, Indiana
Westchester Township History Museum

 

Lustron Home

A Lustron Home is also located in Chesterton. This all-steel porcelain enameled kit home was built in 1950. Sold by the Lustron Corporation, only about 3,000 were built before the company went bankrupt in 1950. Only a handful remain. A sign out front announces the home’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lustron Home in Chesterton Indiana
Lustron Home

 

Coffee Creek

For nature lovers, Coffee Creek Preserve has some hiking trails through wetlands, woods, and prairies. It boasts over 500 species of plants and animals. The park is open daily and is free of charge. It’s a great place to go for a run and is pet friendly.

Coffee Creek Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana
Coffee Creek Preserve
Coffee Creek Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana
Coffee Creek
Trail at Coffee Creek Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana
Trail
Boardwalk at Coffee Creek Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana
Boardwalk

A pavilion is located on the north side of the preserve. It has picnic tables and bathrooms as well as grills.

Pavilion at Coffee Creek Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana
Pavilion

The smaller Coffee Creek Park is closer to downtown and has a small boardwalk trail. There’s also a playground and small pond in the park.

Coffee Creek Park in Chesterton Indiana
Coffee Creek Park

 

Lucrezia

For food, an absolute must is Lucrezia. This is one of the best restaurants in the region and features northern Italian cuisine.

Lucrezia in Chesterton, Indiana
Lucrezia
Lucrezia in Chesterton, Indiana
Lucrezia

On our first visit we started with the calamari appetizer. For our main course we had the linguine pescatore and bucatini with Italian sausage. Prices were reasonable.

Calamari appetizer at Lucrezia in Chesterton, Indiana
Calamari appetizer
Linguine pescatore at Lucrezia in Chesterton, Indiana
Linguine pescatore
Bucatini with Italian sausage at Lucrezia in Chesterton, Indiana
Bucatini with Italian sausage

On another visit for dinner, we had the steamed mussels as a starter. For dinner, I had lobster ravioli while Marisol had salmon with vegetable risotto. Again, it was a delicious meal.

Mussels at Lucrezia in Chesterton, indiana
Mussels
Lobster ravioli at Lucrezia in Chesterton, indiana
Lobster ravioli
Salmon at Lucrezia in Chesterton, indiana
Salmon
Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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