Vivid, personal snapshots of the Indiana-Michigan coastline from a Chicago transplant who fell in love with the region. 

When longtime Chicagoans Jan Parr and her husband bought a midcentury ranch in Beverly Shores, nestled on the southern shoreline of Lake Michigan amid the Indiana dunes, they expected to visit on weekends for short trips to the beach. But they quickly found the lake only tells part of the story. The landscape unfolded with more and more discoveries: glacial sand dunes softened by marram grass, quiet wooded trails, an expansive marsh boasting one of the most diverse ecosystems in the country.

Two years later, they had moved to Harbor Country full time, and with her phone in her pocket, Jan always had a camera on hand during her explorations. The result is this deeply personal, carefully observed love letter to the stretch of shoreline between Miller Beach and Michigan City and its neighboring communities. With abundant wildlife and nature preserves sitting alongside open farmland, towering steel mills, Century of Progress architectural marvels, and a growing collection of wineries and shops, the area is full of surprises best seen through the eyes of a local. 

Along the Dune Coast’s rich selection of photographs brings readers on an unforgettable journey through the scenes and seasons of Harbor Country—and for those lucky enough to visit, the book makes a perfect travel companion. Tuck it into your beach bag and set out for a day of wandering.