Al & Sally's Motel
3221 W Dunes Hwy
Michigan City, IN
A 1955 motel at the edge of the Dunes. The neon is still on.
This property is an Honorable Mention. It has been vetted and approved for our highest standards of cleanliness, safety, and operational excellence. While it is still evolving toward our full design-led designation, it is a proven, reliable anchor for any road trip. We recommend it with confidence.
About Al & Sally's Motel
Al and Sally's has been at this address on West Dunes Highway since 1955, less than a mile from the Indiana Dunes and the southern shore of Lake Michigan. Mike and Rudy Conner, longtime Michigan City residents, bought the property in 2021 and rebuilt a highway motor lodge that needed attention: fresh boho-meets-mid-century interiors, new paint, and the original neon sign doing exactly what it was designed to do. Rooms are single-story with parking directly outside each door. Indiana Dunes became a National Park in 2019. Beverly Shores, a quiet lakeside enclave, is minutes east. Chicago is about an hour west.
What Al & Sally's Motel Is Known For
Mike and Rudy Conner bought a motor lodge on West Dunes Highway in 2021 and renovated it back into something the Indiana Dunes region actually deserved: clean, considered, specific, and a short walk from a National Park that most of the country still has not discovered. The neon sign stayed. The bones stayed. The boho color palette and the fire pit and the s'mores kits are theirs. Four-point-three stars from guests who came expecting a highway motel and found something they came back to describe in specific, affectionate terms. That gap, between what was expected and what was actually there, is the whole story.
Amenities
- Pets Welcome
- EV Charging
- WiFi
- Fire pit with Adirondack seating
- Picnic tables
- BBQ grill
- EV charging
- S'mores kits provided
What Guests Love
- Local owners Mike and Rudy Conner renovated the property from the ground up in 2021, keeping the original motor lodge bones and adding boho interiors, a fire pit with Adirondack seating, and s'mores kits that signal what they think your evening should look like.
- Indiana Dunes National Park is less than a mile away, with 50 miles of trails and direct Lake Michigan beach access that Chicago has been driving to for generations.
- EV charging on site, self-guided check-in via door code, and parking directly outside every room: a motor lodge that has figured out exactly what it needs to be.
Worth Knowing
- A freight train runs near the property and has been noted by light sleepers in reviews. Worth requesting a room away from the tracks if sensitivity matters.
- Self check-in via text-delivered door code. No traditional on-site front desk, though owners are responsive by phone and text.
- Indiana Dunes National Park trailheads are less than a mile north. Chicago is approximately 60 miles west, about an hour by car.
- Pets are welcome. A pet fee applies; contact the property directly to confirm current amounts and any restrictions before booking.
The Room
Each room with its own color and character. The renovation kept the original proportions of a 1955 roadside motor lodge and added to them: fresh paint in deep, contrasting tones, mid-century inspired furnishings, in-room coffee maker coffee makers, mini refrigerators, microwaves, and TVs. Each room opens directly onto the parking area, no interior corridors. Self check-in via text-delivered door code. The beds are comfortable and the rooms are genuinely clean, two things guests mention consistently and independently. S'mores kits are provided, which signals something about what the owners consider the right priorities.
The Grounds
A fire pit with Adirondack seating anchors the outdoor space, with picnic tables and a BBQ grill alongside. The property is shaded by mature trees and feels more like a family resort than a highway motel, which is the effect the Conners were after. EV charging is on-site. Parking is directly outside each room door. The original neon sign lights the entrance at night. Lake Michigan is less than a mile north, and the Indiana Dunes trailheads start just beyond that.
The Experience
The routine here is easy to find: wake up, walk to the Dunes before the heat of the day, come back and light the fire pit in the evening. Indiana Dunes National Park has 50 miles of trails, including the three-dune challenge and the Cowles Bog Trail through a rare inland dune ecosystem. Lake Michigan's beaches are cold enough to be refreshing and clean enough to matter. Beverly Shores, a few miles east, has remnant structures from the 1933 Chicago World's Fair: a dozen modernist homes transported by barge that remain in use on a street that has barely changed. Downtown Michigan City is minutes away for dinner. Chicago is close enough for a day trip and far enough to feel like a different world.
Details
Michigan City, IN 46360
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Al & Sally's Motel have WiFi?
Yes, Al & Sally's Motel has WiFi.
What is there to do near Al & Sally's Motel?
Indiana Dunes National Park: 0.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Beverly Shores: 3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there. Michigan City: 6 miles, about a 10 minute drive.
How far is Al & Sally's Motel from Indiana Dunes National Park?
0.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is Al & Sally's Motel from Beverly Shores?
3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is Al & Sally's Motel from Michigan City?
6 miles, about a 10 minute drive.
Is Al & Sally's Motel pet friendly?
Yes. Al & Sally's Motel welcomes pets. A pet fee applies; contact the property directly to confirm current amounts and any restrictions before booking.
How close is Al and Sally's Motel to Indiana Dunes National Park?
Indiana Dunes National Park is less than a mile from the motel. The park's fifteen miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, its trail system through the dunes, and beach access are all within walking distance or a very short drive. It is one of the most biodiverse national parks in the country, with over 1,100 plant species documented within the park.
Does Al and Sally's Motel have EV charging?
Yes. EV charging stations are available on site.
How does check-in work at Al and Sally's Motel?
Check-in is self-guided. A door code is sent by text before your arrival so you can go directly to your room at any hour. The owners are reachable by phone and text throughout your stay.
How far is Al and Sally's Motel from Chicago?
About 60 miles east of Chicago, roughly an hour by car or by the South Shore Line commuter rail. Indiana Dunes has been a Chicago-area getaway for generations, and the train connection makes it genuinely practical without a car.
What is there to do near Al and Sally's Motel beyond the dunes?
The Indiana Dunes State Park sits within the national park boundary and has three of the tallest dunes in the Midwest. Chesterton, five miles east, has independent restaurants, a Saturday farmers market, and a genuine Wizard of Oz museum that has been drawing fans since 1975. Michigan City, ten miles east, has lighthouse beach and a strong outlet shopping district.
What is the best time of year to visit Indiana Dunes?
The dunes are genuinely four-season. Summer brings Lake Michigan swimming and the full beach experience. Fall is the best season for hiking, with migrating birds along the lakeshore and color through the inland trail system. Winter dune hiking after a snowfall is a specific and memorable experience. Spring wildflower blooms through the park are documented by botanists and worth timing a trip around.
Does Al & Sally's Motel have a pool?
Al & Sally's Motel does not have a pool. The property has a communal fire pit area.
Is parking available at Al & Sally's Motel?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available at Al & Sally's Motel.
Does Al & Sally's Motel include breakfast?
No. Breakfast is not included at Al & Sally's Motel.
How can I give feedback on a property I stayed at?
If you are a guest that stayed at the property, we would love feedback about your experience. Boutels listed on this site do not pay to be included nor can they pay to be sponsored or promoted. Your feedback matters. Please .
I’m affiliated with this property and have feedback on this listing.
We’d love to learn more about your property. To provide images, simply log in as a member (it’s free), find your listing on the map, choose “Visited,” and you’ll be given the option to upload images and leave a note. You can also and we’ll be in touch, just be sure to provide us with contact information in that form. Thanks!
Things to Do Near Indiana Dunes
Indiana Dunes National Park
0.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
Fifty miles of trails through a rare inland dune ecosystem, wetlands, and hardwood forest, with direct Lake Michigan beach access. The three-dune challenge climbs Mount Tom, Mount Holden, and Mount Jackson before a final descent to the water -- a 1.5-mile loop most guests do at sunrise before anyone else arrives.
Beverly Shores
3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
A quiet lakeside enclave with a remarkable origin story: a dozen modernist homes were transported by barge from the 1933 Chicago World's Fair and remain on their lots today as part of an active National Register district. Worth a slow drive-through on any afternoon.
Michigan City
6 miles, about a 10 minute drive.
Independent restaurants, the Michigan City lighthouse at the end of a breakwater on Lake Michigan, and Washington Park beach at the north end of town. The city has more going on than first appearances suggest.