Whihala Beach Co Park

One of the better places in Whiting! They have remodeled the park tons in the last two years, making it more touristy– but in a positive light. The pier, park itself, and the beach were finally given much needed attention and can finally reflect the nice neighbor hood whiting has turned into.
The only thing that isn’t as great is how they recently put in parking meters around the park. If you live in whiting you can get a sticker voucher so you don’t have to pay– but if not its just like Chicago.
If you are visiting, it’d be worth your time to roll through and enjoy the scenery — and the Chicago skyline from our side of the pond.

This is an amazing beach! Great for those with physical limitations! Awesome beach front parking, great amenities. Clean bathrooms, competitive parking rates and fantastic lifeguards!

If you’ve read any of my recent past reviews, you know I:
A. Loathe summer
B. Love, love, LOVE beaches in the offseason
Whihala Beach, I just can’t quit you. #hearteyesfordays
Here’s the deal: first & foremost, yes… yes, it is a blustery day – the kind where your fingertips ache from taking one million pics of the water and your eyes feel like they might be a bit frozen. While I can’t speak to this spot in the summer, I can tell you that it’s worth bundling up and checking it out now. It’s unreal – so peaceful, so beautiful. There are about a zillion places to walk and parking for the masses (we were the only car there today, but still). The grounds are SO clean – Whiting takes great care of this beach. There are currently a bunch of lighted holiday decorations up and probably look amazing after dark (although I cannot confirm this… yet). My standard word-​to-​the-​wise for beach visiting in the cold: dress warmly, bring your fully-​charged cell phone, and watch your step. The last one is really important if you’re down by the water. I hit a «soft spot» & sunk to my ankle at one point, so just tread lightly and be aware. Also, seagulls are EVERYWHERE, or at least they were today. They hover very closely but are friendly enough (read as: *not* like Hitchcock’s famous «Birds» ;). Stay warm out there and watch out for the icy patches on the sidewalk closest to the water. :)

The park has been beautifully redone, it’s not the park I remember from my childhood. We were there for the fireworks the other night and it was a wonderful experience.

This is one of my favorite beaches to go to when the temp starts to warm up in Chicago. It’s a great alternative to the crowded beaches in the city and it’s an easy walk to and from downtown Whiting, IN, which I also recommend checking out. So if you want a nice day at the beach without the large crowds, head to Whihala beach!

So its mid-​November. The hat, scarf, and glove box has been pulled out of storage. I’ve spent the day shopping online for the pair of winter boots that I knew I was eventually going to need. And I’m officially longing for the days of summer once again!
But I’m ESPECIALLY longing for the summer days I would spend at Whihala Beach! I absolutely ADORE this park. Its extremely picturesque and clean and just a fifteen minute drive from my house! Great location for the days when I don’t feel like driving to Northside to utilize their beaches nor driving all the way to the dunes!
Yeah, it sucks because non-​Indiana residents have to pay $ 7 but you get parking, lifeguards galore (whom I truly value ever since the summer of 2004 when I lost my then 6-​year-​old nephew for exactly 5 minutes and they scoured the entire beach and surrounding areas until they found him goofing off in the parking lot with another group of kids… yeah, it was no bueno!), and a super clean beachhouse with a café and pristine restrooms! Also, if you have a boat or jet ski, they have several launching pads to accomodate all your boating needs :)
Their park is also perfect for hosting large barbecues since they have plenty of picnic tables and covered picnic areas, as well as a very large beach volleyball courts! Be sure to check out the super cute goldfish pond on the path towards the volleyball courts. Whihala Beach park also hosts a huge fireworks show every 4^th of July!
Okay, I’ll stop now. It is STILL mid-​November. But summer will be here before I know it, and then it’ll be time again to waste away my days at Whihala!
tip: sometimes (okay, more often than I really should) I park in the surrounding neighborhoods of Whiting and just walk (its usually a three to five block walk) to save on the parking fee, since they don’t charge pedestrians to enter :) but BE CAREFUL: Whiting police usually like to ticket «non-​residents» who are do this!