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Basics about Valparaiso, Indiana, (Valpo for short), a small city with some nice surprises. It’s located just an hour southeast of Chicago in Porter County.
I grew up in Valpo, went to high school in nearby Chesterton, and hated both at the time. There was rarely anything to do downtown and the square was often dead, but there’s been a revival of late and many great restaurants have opened their doors.
Getting to Valparaiso
If you don’t have a car, you can easily get to Valparaiso from downtown Chicago by bus. The ChicaGo Dash is an express commuter bus service thats runs from Valpo to Chicago in the morning and back in the evening. There are a few pickup points in Chicago and the terminal in Valpo is a parking lot on Brown Street, just a few blocks from downtown.
The South Shore Connect links Valpo and the South Shore commuter train at the same parking lot on Brown Street. It takes visitors between the city and the Dune Park South Shore train station in Chesterton.
Hotels in Valparaiso
Looking for a place to stay? You’ll find a handful of larger hotel chains along US 30 as well as the occasional bed and breakfast.
Eating in Valparaiso
Finding a great meal won’t be a problem in Valparaiso. The downtown area is full of a wide variety of great restaurants. You can also find a few in north Valpo and along US 30.
ValPLAYso
Have kids? They’ll love ValPLAYso. It’s an open play area with a playground, picnic tables, restrooms, swings, and more. ValPLAYso was originally built in 1994 and rebuilt in 2014. It’s located on the north side of town along Glendale Boulevard, just east of Roosevelt Road.
