Here’s What It’s Like To Sleep in the Only Lodging at Indiana Dunes National Park

Indiana Dunes National Park is a popular destination just 40 miles east of Chicago, boasting sand dune hikes, Lake Michigan beaches, and starry night skies. Yet until recently, the park had no overnight lodging options aside from campgrounds. As a frequent visitor, I was excited to learn that the Cypress Log Cabin offers a newly restored historic home as the only lodging within the Indiana Dunes National Park.

Architect Murray D. Heatherington designed the Cypress Log Cabin for the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago as a model of cypress design and construction. By the fair’s theme, “Century of Progress,” it was one of many homes on display demonstrating modern design and technologies. While the other homes in the Homes and Industrial Arts housing exhibit, like the Rostone House and House of Tomorrow, had a futuristic appearance, the Cypress Log Cabin resembled a rustic mountain lodge.

After the fair ended, the Cypress Log Cabin was among several homes from the exhibit that a developer purchased and moved to Beverly Shores, Indiana. While several of the homes were transported across Lake Michigan by barge, the Cypress Log Cabin was disassembled and transported by truck to its new location. Now, the cabin is one of five homes located within Indiana Dunes National Park’s Century of Progress District.

Anyone can view the homes from the street and read the interpretive signs outlining their history, yet few people get to see inside the homes. I have toured the homes as part of the annual Century of Progress Homes Tour with Indiana Landmarks, but it is only available one day a year, and the tickets sell out fast.  

Now, you can rent the cabin and enjoy the unique experience of staying overnight in a historic home that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. After serving as a private home, the Cypress Log Cabin was updated to function as a short-term rental. The cabin was modernized with amenities to accommodate up to 12 guests, yet its historic details were preserved. 

The Cypress Log Cabin is set on a dune overlooking Lake Michigan with access to the beach. With three bedrooms, this rustic accommodation maintains its historic charm, including the original bedroom used by the World’s Fair caretakers. A glass sitting room in the original exterior porch offers views of Lake Michigan, its beaches, and the Chicago skyline.

After a day of hiking in the national park or hitting the Lake Michigan beaches, you can look forward to relaxing in a steam shower or soaking tub at the cabin. Cook dinner in the modern galley kitchen or outside on the grill and gather together for a meal at the dining room table. The dark cypress walls serve as a timeless backdrop in the living room, where guests can gather around a massive stone fireplace. 

The lower level offers amenities that the World’s Fair caretakers could not dream of, including a wine cellar, movie theater, and vintage arcade games. While everyone else in the national park packs up to drive home, you can enjoy a tranquil evening on the outdoor patio or fire pit and watch the Lake Michigan waves roll in.

If you want to stay near Indiana Dunes National Park but prefer modern comfort over camping, this cabin delivers access to nature with stylish amenities. Whether you’re drawn to sleeping in a historic World’s Fair building, visiting an uncrowded Lake Michigan beach, or having a national park almost to yourself, the Cypress Log Cabin is a unique home base to visit Indiana Dunes National Park.