Enchanted Forest
Enchanted Forest was a small amusement park operated in Porter, Indiana.
A theme park inside Westchester Township
Check the season before you go
Most theme parks this far north close for the winter. Check the park’s calendar for opening days. When to go ↓
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 19°, with about 40" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can stay in Westchester Township
Enchanted Forest is inside Westchester Township, which has 12 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep and Oct
May, June, July, August, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 63–82°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Westchester Township. Green months are the mild ones.
Enchanted Forest
Enchanted Forest was a small amusement park operated in Porter, Indiana. The park operated from 1957 to 1991. Many rides were moved to Little Amerricka amusement park in Wisconsin after the park closed on August 2, 1991. The park became Splash Down Dunes Water Park in 1994. Splash Down Dunes itself closed down in 2009 after an ownership dispute; the original owner regained ownership in 2010 but the park remained closed. Splash Down Dunes was bought by Seven Peaks Water Park and it re-opened on May 27, 2013, as Seven Peaks Water Park Duneland.
The location of the amusement park is at the intersection of U.S. Route 20 and Indiana State Road 49, north of Chesterton near the border of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
- Type
- Theme park
- Wikipedia readers
- 1.1K a year
Where to stay near Enchanted Forest
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Westchester Township (12) and Coolspring Township (19), and Chicago has the most rooms in the area (382).
Chicago
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
2,731,585 people
35 mi northwest of Enchanted Forest
Compare 9 towns
| Town | From Enchanted Forest | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westchester Township | in town | — | 12 7 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 21,022 | $266K | — |
| Porter | in town | — | 2 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B | 5,167 | $268K | — |
| Coolspring Township | 10 mi east | 15 min | 19 15 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 campgrounds | 15,408 | $199K | — |
| Portage | 7 mi southwest | 10 min | 13 9 hotels · 3 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 38,634 | $224K | B− |
| Portage Township | 7 mi southwest | 10 min | 13 9 hotels · 3 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 48,733 | $219K | — |
| Ross Township | 17 mi southwest | 25 min | 41 38 hotels · 3 motels | 49,726 | $225K | — |
| Chesterton | 2 mi south | 5 min | 8 5 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 14,635 | $301K | — |
| Michigan City | 12 mi northeast | 15 min | 18 16 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs | 31,338 | $143K | C |
| Chicago | 35 mi northwest | 50 min | 382 320 hotels · 20 motels · 20 inns & B&Bs · 9 lodges & cabins · 8 hostels · 3 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 2,731,585 | $334K | D |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Enchanted Forest
Other well-known places within 38 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw32 mi Stadium & arenaSoldier Field
Big draw37 mi Stadium & arenaWrigley Field
Big draw129 mi MuseumBarack Obama Presidential Center
22 mi National ParkIndiana Dunes National Park2.6M visitors a year
Big draw32 mi Stadium & arenaRate Field
Big draw36 mi Stadium & arenaUnited Center
Big draw33 mi MuseumArt Institute of Chicago1.5M visitors a year
33 mi MuseumField Museum of Natural History1.4M visitors a yearPhoto credits
Soldier Field: Photo by Joon Han Contact: [email protected], CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wrigley Field: Ryan Dickey, CC BY 2.0 · Barack Obama Presidential Center: AlphaBeta135, CC0 · Indiana Dunes National Park: J. Crocker, Attribution · Rate Field: User Enoch Lai on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · United Center: User:JeremyA, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Art Institute of Chicago: ajay_suresh, CC BY 2.0 · Field Museum of Natural History: Sea Cow, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Visiting Enchanted Forest
Is Enchanted Forest open in winter?
Most theme parks this far north close for the winter. Check the park’s calendar for opening days.
Is Enchanted Forest in Westchester Township?
Yes. It’s inside Westchester Township, IN.
When is the best time to visit Enchanted Forest?
May, June, July, August, September and October, with highs of 63–82°.
What is the closest airport to Enchanted Forest?
Michigan City Municipal (MGC), about 13 miles away. The nearest big hub is Chicago Midway (MDW), about 37 miles.
Where should I stay near Enchanted Forest?
Westchester Township (in town, 12 places to stay), Chicago (35 mi, 382 places to stay) and Coolspring Township (10 mi, 19 places to stay).
Tips from people in Westchester Township
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Westchester Township’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.