Riley’s Railhouse Bed and Breakfast located in the heart of downtown Chesterton is the perfect location for your next stay while visiting the Indiana Dunes National Park.  It’s within walking distance of shopping, restaurants, two wineries, and minutes away from the Indiana Dunes National Park, beaches. The South Shore Train Station, which takes you right into downtown Chicago is also nearby.

Besides, the uniqueness of the Bed & Breakfast makes it an enjoyable and memorable experience.

History

The building, constructed in 1914 by the New York Central Railway, is situated on the Norfolk Southern double mainline and once served as a freight station.

Extensive labor has gone into restoration and renovations while preserving as much as possible.

The main lounge displays antiques, railroad memorabilia, art, and the original, functioning freight scaled once used in the train depot. The building is large, but the Rileys have made it comfortable and welcoming. A kitchen in the middle of the lounge serves as a gathering space as well as the bar.

Riley’s Railhouse Bed and Breakfast Accommodations

Two rooms in the depot serve as guest rooms.  The lower berth sleeps up to two, and the upper berth sleeps up to 5.  The upper berth also has a balcony for train enthusiasts to step onto for a view of the passing trains on the Norfolk railway.  Up to 90 trains pass each day.

No need to worry about excessive train noise.  The installation of triple-pane soundproof windows greatly diminishes the sound.  I was amazed at how much they cut down on it as I watched one train pass with the windows shut.

Outside of the depot sits renovated vintage railway Boxcars that serve as guest quarters. Much attention has been given to detail in the beautifully decorated, warm, cozy spaces. The New York Central Boxcar has two guest rooms that each sleeps up to 4.

My family and I stayed in the renovated New York Central Boxcar recently. The mattress, as well as the bedding, was very comfortable.  I slept like a baby!

The next morning we enjoyed delicious breakfast and lovely conversation with the owners and other guests in the lounge.

The warmth and hospitality shown to us made it difficult to pack up and leave.

Memorable Experience

You don’t have to be a train enthusiast to stay at Riley’s Railhouse Bed & Breakfast. Beach visitors stay at the Railhouse too. Many guests who weren’t necessarily fans of the railroad upon arrival have departed with a new appreciation for the importance of the railroad in history. Mr. Riley’s knowledge of the virtues of the railroad and the history of the building, coupled with his enthusiasm, prompts you to want to learn more! His love of trains started with his father’s hobby of purchasing and restoring railroad lanterns. There are some on display in the restored depot.

There’s no other space like Riley’s Railhouse Bed and Breakfast in the area. This place is a gem!

Hopefully, you’ll check it out for yourself!

Click here for another overnight option while visiting Indiana Dunes National Park.

Noteworthy Mentions:

• Railfans can request a room with a view of the tracks
• Soft earplugs provided for guests in each room.
• The lounge is available for rent

INTERESTING NOTE:
Outside of the building, there are two cameras supplied by Railstream.biz that are positioned facing the tracks east and west allowing viewership of passing trains 24/7 through the camera’s stream.  These are 2 of 10 cameras situated throughout the United States.  People from all over the world including Peru, Germany, England, and Ireland have seen the railstream videos and visited Riley’s Railhouse as a result. You can view the livestream by visiting www.railstream.biz and selecting Riley’s Railhouse from the live video page.