Hammond

Located along the border of Illinois and Indiana, Hammond is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.

The city is home to attractions such as Horseshoe Hammond Casino, Purdue University Northwest, and the Indiana Welcome Center, which features an annual holiday exhibit dedicated to the movie A Christmas Story. Residents enjoy parks with trails, playgrounds, sports courts, and picnic shelters, as well as outdoor destinations including Lost Marsh Golf Course, Hammond Marina, and Wolf Lake Memorial Park. The park is also home to the annual Festival of the Lakes, featuring live performances, a carnival, and boat rides.

Citywide sports and recreation programs offer everything from boating, windsurfing, and sailing to visual and performing arts. The Jean Shepherd Community Center features 12 indoor pickleball courts, while the Hammond Sportsplex & Community Center offers an indoor track, basketball and volleyball courts, and hosts regional and national tournaments. Hammond is also home to the largest YMCA in the country, with an aquatic center, fitness floors, gymnasiums, and youth and family spaces.

The Civic Center Stadium hosts sports events, concerts, tradeshows, and other large functions, while the Towle Theater features plays, musicals, and youth theater ensembles.

Hammond residents have access to I-90, I-80, and I-94, as well as three stops on the South Shore Line. Amtrak provides service to Chicago and other cities, and Midway International Airport is about 25 miles away.