Only 45 minutes from our Chicago-suburban home in Illinois is a nice stretch of Lake Michigan beach over the border in Indiana.

We time the day to begin with lunch at Depot Dog, which we affectionately refer to as the “weenie wagon.”

Meet some of our faves: (l-r) the Razz-Do, chili dog, and Chicago-style Polish. This was a Monday, and we shared the patio with families, bikers, and construction workers on break. Food is great and reasonable. And what is better than eating outside with the smell of the lake mingling with your Polish?

The beach is just a couple more miles down the road. Parking is $6, but be prepared to share the load as it’s a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the beach. But a beautiful walk it is.

On a clear day, you can see the city’s skyline, (and if you look straight ahead, you won’t see the factories anchoring the north and south ends of the shoreline). Just an endless stretch of blue on blue.

This day turned out to be cool for mid-June, and the water was still chilly from the unseasonably cold spring, but we enjoyed playing in the sand, reading, taking photos, and hiking the dunes.