Holly's cheat sheet
Move here, then live like a local.
When you move somewhere new, it helps to feel like a local. I put together custom welcome books for my clients so they land already knowing the good spots, and this is that same content, adapted for the web. My own cheat sheet of the places and traditions I send my clients, so it always sounds personal. No rankings, no gatekeeping. Just the Northwest Indiana I know and love.
A letter from Holly
Why Northwest Indiana is home to me.
Northwest Indiana isn't just where I sell real estate. It's where my story began.
I grew up in Schererville and graduated from Lake Central, but some of my most important lessons were learned at our family's flower and gift shop, Brumm's Bloomin Barn in Highland. My mom and dad founded the business in 1972, and together with our family and an incredible staff, they operated it for more than 53 years.
I grew up in that business, and I truly learned it from the bottom up. I learned about personal service and attention to detail, marketing and merchandising, taking care of customers—and yes, even cleaning the toilets. No job was beneath anyone when it came to taking care of the business and the people who supported us.
But what stayed with me most were the relationships.
We didn't just sell flowers. We journeyed through life with our customers. We created their wedding bouquets, helped celebrate their baby showers, made flowers for their daughters' proms, and were trusted to help honor their parents when they passed away. Then, before we knew it, we were serving the next generation. Some families stayed with us for more than three generations, and many of those customers became like family to us.
That experience shaped the way I approach real estate today.
I've lived in Crown Point, moved back to Schererville, and now call Lowell home. I've experienced different Northwest Indiana communities at different stages of my own life, and the genuine people and relationships I've built here are a huge part of why I can't imagine calling anywhere else home.
In some ways, I feel like I'm still doing what I grew up doing—just in a different way.
At Brumm's Bloomin Barn, I helped families celebrate the important moments in their lives with flowers. Today, I help families find the homes where those moments and memories will happen.
A first home. Bringing a baby home. Birthday parties in the backyard. Proms and graduation pictures on the front porch. Holidays around the kitchen table. And eventually, sometimes, helping that same family move into their next chapter.
That's what home means to me, and it's why real estate has never felt like it's simply about selling houses. It's about people, relationships, community, and being trusted to be there for some of life's biggest moments.
Holly
A note from Holly
Consider this your welcome book.
Every client of mine gets a custom welcome book built around their new town: where to eat, where the kids can run, which parades to put on the calendar. This page is the greatest hits, organized so you can skim it over coffee or hand it to a visiting relative. It is the stuff I actually tell people, not a tourist brochure.
And one honest disclaimer up front: hours, prices, memberships, event dates and contact details change. Confirm before you visit, and if a place is closed the day you go, text me and I will give you the backup plan.
A. How each community feels
Ten towns, ten personalities.
A lifestyle snapshot, not a ranking. Every town here has its own rhythm, and the right one for you is the one that matches your Saturdays. Read these like a conversation starter, then let's talk about which one sounds like home.
Crown Point
Vintage, historic, and active.
The square, restaurants, markets, Bulldog Park, festivals and community events. It is the town that feels like a postcard and still has plenty going on.
Cedar Lake
Lake life.
Casual food, coffee, boating, paddleboard rentals and easy summer days. The lake sets the rhythm here, and the rhythm is slow and sunny.
St. John
Fancy and polished.
Newer neighborhoods, home decor, dining and recreation. It is the town that always looks freshly pressed.
Schererville
Family and practical.
Everyday shopping, restaurants, services and errands. Everything you need is close, and close counts for a lot.
Dyer
Transient and convenient.
Established neighborhoods, local businesses and quick Illinois access. Easy in, easy out, easy living.
Lowell
Historic and slower paced.
Independent businesses, traditions and the Labor Day parade. The kind of town where people wave from the porch.
Valparaiso
Eclectic.
A walkable downtown, distinctive food, vintage shopping, parks and events. There is always something interesting happening here.
Chesterton
Granola and nature-first.
Artsy energy, the European Market and a gateway to the dunes. Birkenstocks are welcome, and so are you.
Highland
Metropolis.
Busy, convenient, full of local classics, antiques, trails and parades. Small-town heart with big-town energy.
Munster
Exquisite.
Polished parks, healthcare, dining, civic amenities and Illinois access. It is the town that has thought of everything.
Snapshots from around the region
A few of my favorite frames.
Dairy Belle at golden hour
Lemon Lake in the fall
ValPLAYso, the kids’ kingdom
The Crown Point square
Parlor Doughnuts, obviously
The Bugaboo’s deck
B. Come hungry
Restaurants, coffee and treats. The good stuff.
This is the list I hand to every new client, organized by mood. Whether you need a kid-proof dinner, a date night with a view, or a doughnut that justifies the drive, it is here.
Family-friendly
- Journeyman Distillery, food plus an outdoor play space
- Miner-Dunn, burgers and vegetable soup
- Aurelio's or Arrenello's in St. John for pizza
Casual favorites
- Bugaboo's in Cedar Lake for burgers near the paddleboard rentals
- Sip for coffee and lunch
- Butterfingers Deli for chicken salad
- Carpathia for Polish comfort food
Date night
- The Lighthouse for waterfront dining
- Lucrezia for Italian
- Stacks in Valparaiso for a trendier atmosphere
- McVey's in Lowell for the three-entree deal
Unexpected choices
- Don Quijote in Valparaiso for Spanish food
- Casa Balbina for authentic Mexican food plus pancakes
- Bedarra for a classy bar
- The Book Club for a speakeasy-style night
Coffee and tea
- Parlor Doughnuts
- Sip Coffee House
- Smalltown Coffee
- The Spice and Tea Exchange of Valparaiso
Sweets
- Morkes Chocolates in Cedar Lake
- Azucar homemade ice cream
- Dairy Belle by the lake
Specialty grocery
- La Gaviota Supermercado
- Rob's in Dyer or Welch's in St. John for meat
- Carpathia for prepared Polish meals
Holly's signature five
If you only try five things from this whole page, make it these. They are the places I send everyone, including my own family.
- 1 Parlor Doughnuts
- 2 Sip Cedar Lake
- 3 Moms Nation at Faith Church
- 4 Lucrezia in Crown Point
- 5 ValPLAYso
C. Only a local would know
Shopping and unusual finds.
The places that do not show up in the brochures, and the ones worth a deliberate drive. Bring patience, bring a tape measure, and bring an open mind.
Bailey's Discount Center
North Judson. Closeouts, cabinets, furniture, home-project materials and random finds. Measure first and expect the unexpected.
Second Life Resale
Crown Point. Clothing, furniture, gifts and decor, all with a second life to give.
TML Deals
Pallet, freight and liquidation auctions. Review the condition notes and pickup deadlines before you bid.
Vintage and antiques
Picked Vintage, Alley Kat’s Curiosity Shoppe, America’s Antique Mall in Highland, and Antiques on Main in Crown Point.
Home decor
Urban Decor and Sweet Home Indiana in St. John for the finishing touches.
Three perfect day plans.
The Cedar Lake day
- 1 Coffee at Sip Coffee House
- 2 Burgers at Bugaboo's
- 3 Paddleboard rentals on the water
- 4 Ice cream at Dairy Belle
- 5 Soak in the lake-life scenery
The Valparaiso day
- 1 ValPLAYso for the kids
- 2 Downtown shopping
- 3 The Spice and Tea Exchange of Valparaiso
- 4 Dinner at Don Quijote
- 5 Drinks at Stacks and eclectic local energy
The North Judson treasure hunt
- 1 Make Bailey's Discount Center the destination
- 2 Bring a tape measure and a sense of adventure
- 3 Expect the unexpected
- 4 Come home with the best story of the week
D. Room to roam
Parks, play and fitness.
Rain or shine, there is somewhere to run, splash, fish, hike or just sit. This is the outdoor (and indoor) lineup I keep in my back pocket.
Playgrounds and parks
- ValPLAYso
- Prairie West Park
- Bulldog Park splash pad and winter ice skating
- Lemon Lake trails, playgrounds and picnic areas
Trails and gardens
- Gabis Arboretum
- Friendship Botanic Gardens
- Oak Ridge Prairie
- Paved sections at Lemon Lake for stroller-friendly movement
Fishing
- Centennial Park in Munster
- Lemon Lake
- Fancher Lake at the Lake County Fairgrounds
Beaches
- Indiana Dunes National Park
- Marquette Park beach in Michigan City. Start early, pack shade, and bring extra clothes.
Indoor and weather-proof play
- Little Scouts Play Cafe
- Bellaboo's
- Sky Zone
- Washington Park Zoo's Wild Winterland
Summer adventures
- Deep River Waterpark
- Lake County Fairgrounds
- Cedar Lake activities
- Innsbrook social or pool membership options
Fitness
- Dean and Barbara White Southlake YMCA: childcare, pools, indoor track, classes and youth programs
First sports
- Crown Point Youth Soccer starts around age four. Check the season dates each year.
E. Little-kid life
Finding your village.
Moving with little ones is really about finding your people. These are the programs, play spaces and communities I point families to first.
The Schoolhouse
St. John. A fall 2026 early-learning option with toddler and preschool programs. Ask about part-time schedules, openings and waitlists.
Bulldog Buddies
Crown Point. The school district preschool option, a familiar place to start.
Little Scouts Play Cafe
Open play, children’s classes and coffee. 550 N Indiana Ave, Crown Point, 219-356-2010.
Moms Nation at Faith Church
Faith, friendship and moms who understand life with little ones. My kind of people.
Crown Point Library
Storytimes, children’s spaces and family programs. Free and always welcoming.
NW Indiana Learning Community
A local co-op for homeschooling and enrichment, if that is your path.
Churches worth exploring
- Faith Church in Cedar Lake
- Bethel Church
- CrossPoint Church in downtown Crown Point
Holly's tip for every program
Ask each program about ages served, part-time schedules, Mother's Day Out options, childcare, registration windows and waitlists. The details change every year, and the friendly phone call is always worth it.
F. Holly's seasonal list
Traditions worth putting on the calendar.
Northwest Indiana runs on seasons and festivals. Here is the annual rhythm my family and my clients look forward to, in order.
Spring
- Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum butterfly haven in Chicago
- Tulips at Harvest Tyme
- Little Scouts Play Cafe
Summer
- Indiana Dunes National Park
- Deep River Waterpark
- Valparaiso Popcorn Festival
- Hometown Jams and local summer music
Fall
- County Line Orchard
- Chesterton European Market
- Fair Oaks Farms
- Porter County Fair
Winter
- Chicago Christmas windows and lunch under the tree at Macy’s Walnut Room
- Sky Zone
- Bellaboo's
- Wild Winterland Day at Washington Park Zoo
The Christmas tradition
Hensler Nursery to see Santa and cut down a Christmas tree. This one is a family favorite for a reason.
New Year’s Eve
Grand Bear Resort at Starved Rock. A Holly favorite for celebrating with little kids, and worth every minute of the drive.
Festivals
Pierogi Fest, Crown Point Corn Roast, Porter County Fair and the Valparaiso Popcorn Festival.
Parades and markets
Crown Point St. Patrick’s Day parade, Highland Fourth of July Twilight Parade, Lowell Labor Day Parade, and the markets in Crown Point, St. John, Munster and Chesterton.
G. Worth the drive
Easy day trips and how to find more.
The best part of living here is how much is within an hour. These are the trips I recommend over and over.
The day-trip list
- Valparaiso
- Indiana Dunes
- Michigan City and Washington Park Zoo
- Chicago, for the butterfly museum or the holiday windows
- Fair Oaks Farms
- County Line Orchard
Faith and music: watch Olivet Nazarene University's calendar for Christian concerts and family programming. It is a favorite of mine.
Where to find events
My go-to event-finding resources, plus the individual town social pages, which are honestly the fastest way to know what is happening this weekend:
- PanoramaNOW
- Crown Point Special Events
- Lake County Parks
- South Shore events
- Individual town social pages
The perfect first weekend
Your first weekend here, planned.
Friday
Easy dinner and children’s rooms first
Land, unpack the essentials, order something easy, and set up the kids’ rooms before anything else. Everyone sleeps better in a made bed.
Saturday
Coffee, the square, Bulldog Park and library cards
Start with coffee, wander the square, let the kids burn energy at Bulldog Park, and grab library cards. You will feel official by lunch.
Sunday
Church, lunch and a Lemon Lake walk
Find a church that feels like home, have a slow lunch, and take the Lemon Lake walk. That is the whole weekend, and it is a good one.
One last thing
A friendly reminder from Holly.
Hours, prices, memberships, event dates and contact details change, so confirm before you visit. And if you ever want a local opinion, reach out anytime. I love being the local resource, and I love pointing new neighbors to their new favorite spot.