Central Avenue Beach is a beach in Porter County, Indiana. It lies in or next to Indiana Dunes National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 4.5 km (2.8 mi) W of Michigan City.
From the National Park Service
Getting There Central Avenue Beach Parking Lot One mile north of the intersection of Central Avenue and U.S. Highway 12 in the Town of Pines.
GPS Coordinates 41.701488, -86.948473 (Decimal Degrees). Need to Know Hours – Open daily from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm. Facilities – Seasonal restrooms and potable water. Pets – Permitted on a leash (6' or shorter). Prohibited – Glass and fires on the beach, littering. Prohibited – Removing plants, rocks, shells, and fossils. Parking lot is paved. There are two picnic tables at the west end of the parking lot up the stairs. Safety Please stay on the trail and respect closed area signs. Going off trail damages fragile habitat. Visitors are strongly urged to safely remain on the beach area and not to climb up on the dune slopes directly behind the beach. Ticks are present year-round. Take precautionary measures to prevent bites. Poison ivy can be present on the edges of the parking lot and on the trails to the beach. In case of an emergency or to report a crime, call 1-800-PARK-TIP. Accessibility The restrooms are wheelchair accessible. The beach and picnic tables are not wheelchair accessible. Visitor Activities Swimming. No lifeguards. Swim at your own risk; rip currents and waves can make swimming hazardous. During the spring and summer, watch the Bank Swallows come and go from their nests in the dunes. Nearby Beaches Lake View Beach Dunbar Beach Mount Baldy Beach
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Central Avenue Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:14 AM | 57° ENE | 8:27 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:47 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 122° ESE | 4:21 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 09m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:16 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:40 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:57 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 4:57 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 32m |
| June | 4:39 AM | 5:14 AM | 5:56 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:59 PM | 15h 11m |
| July | 4:54 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:27 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:08 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:19 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:29 PM | 4:59 PM | 9h 51m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:50 PM | 9h 10m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Central Avenue Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:18 AM – 5:18 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:19 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 3:27 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 2:56 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:26 PM – 1:36 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 11:36 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:34 PM – 9:34 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.48 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 62 | 66 | 81 | 80 | 92 | 101 | 105 | 96 | 98 | 86 | 76 | 67 |
| Low °F | -16 | -10 | -4 | 22 | 25 | 36 | 44 | 45 | 38 | 26 | 13 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 2.4 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this beach
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Central Avenue Beach, closest first.
Sand Dunes
Dark Sky Place
Sand Dunes
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Sand Dunes
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Central Avenue Walk-In Sites66 m · reservable
- Dunewood Campground4.4 km (2.7 mi) · reservable
- Dunbar Group Site4.9 km (3.0 mi) · reservable
- Chellberg Farm Picnic Shelters14.6 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- West Beach Picnic Shelters23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Central Avenue Beach?
What time is golden hour at Central Avenue Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Central Avenue Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Central Avenue Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Central Avenue Beach?
How far is Central Avenue Beach from Michigan City?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.