Beverly Shores

Beverly Shores is a small town on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Porter County, Indiana, about 36 miles east of downtown Chicago. In 2014 it became the world's seventh International Dark Sky Community, a rare distinction for a town so close to a major metropolitan area.

Why Beverly Shores is a top stargazing spot

Beverly Shores earned its International Dark Sky Community status through decades of deliberate work. The Town Council first adopted outdoor lighting regulations in 1983, then significantly expanded them to meet the accreditation standards set by DarkSky International. Residents and businesses retrofitted and replaced fixtures across the town, cutting stray light at the source rather than simply reducing streetlights. A Sky Quality Meter reading of 20.47 has been documented in the evening under fair, fast-moving-cloud conditions, and the town has been ranked among the top five stargazing spots in the United States based on cloud cover, population density and accessible accommodation. The town is also bordered on its east, west and south sides by Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, giving it a buffer of protected land that helps keep the surrounding night sky darker than the wider Chicago metro area.

What you can see

Because Beverly Shores sits within an hour of Chicago's light dome, its skies are not wilderness-dark, but the town's shielded, community-wide lighting makes a real difference against nearby suburbs. On a clear night away from porch lights and passing cars, the effort put into responsible lighting pays off with noticeably more stars overhead than you'd see from most towns this close to a major city. Kemil Beach, inside neighbouring Indiana Dunes National Park, is a well-regarded spot for an open lakeside horizon.

Visiting Beverly Shores at night

The town's Lake Michigan shoreline and its position alongside Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore make it easy to pair a stargazing evening with a day of hiking or beach time. Beverly Shores has a year-round population of around 600, which swells to roughly 1,500 in the summer months, so quieter shoulder-season visits tend to mean fewer lights and less foot traffic after dark. Check the town's official website before you travel for any local guidance on lighting-friendly viewing spots.

Best time to go

The Milky Way's core is highest and brightest from this latitude between March and September, while the clearer, drier air of winter nights favours the bright stars of Orion and its neighbours. The Perseids in August and the Geminids in December are the meteor showers most worth planning a trip around, with the Quadrantids in January a colder alternative. As with anywhere, aim for a night near the new Moon, give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adapt to the dark, and use a red flashlight rather than white light to protect your night vision.

Getting there

Beverly Shores sits just off U.S. Route 12 in Porter County, Indiana, about 36 miles east of downtown Chicago, making it an easy evening trip from the city or a stop on a longer drive around the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The South Shore Line commuter rail also serves the town, an option for visitors coming from Chicago without a car.

See your named star from here

A recognised Dark Sky Community like Beverly Shores reveals far more of the night sky than any city block, which makes it a genuinely good place to track down a star you've named. Once you've named a star, you'll get its exact coordinates, and a stargazing app paired with a clear Beverly Shores night is often all you need to find it for yourself. Browse the full star catalogue to see what's been named so far, or check nearby observatories for other places to look up.