The city of Valparaiso, a residential community with a population of 26,000, and is well-known for its annual Popcorn Festival in honor of the late Orville Redenbacher, famed Popcorn mogul and former Valparaiso resident. Valparaiso is 15 miles from Merrillville's large Southlake Mall, movie theaters, and restaurants complex; 15 miles south of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan; and 55 miles from the city of Chicago.

Links:

City of Valparaiso Home Page

Porter County Home Page

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Indiana Dunes State Park