Lexus Top Local Driving Destinations near Merrillville, IN
Living in Merrillville puts you at the crossroads of some of the Midwest's most rewarding travel destinations. Whether you're craving the buzz of a world-class city, the serenity of Lake Michigan's shoreline, or the charm of small-town Indiana, everything is within easy reach. And there's no better way to experience the journey than from the driver's seat of a 2026 Lexus. Here are our favorite local getaways and the perfect Lexus models to take you there.
Chicago, IL — 40 Miles North
The Windy City is practically in your backyard. From Merrillville, you're less than an hour from Millennium Park, the Art Institute of Chicago, world-class dining along the Magnificent Mile, and the electric energy of Wrigleyville or Wicker Park. Whether it's a day trip to catch a Cubs game or an overnight escape for dinner and theater, Chicago never gets old. For urban adventures like this, we recommend the 2026 Lexus ES 350h. With its whisper-quiet cabin, available head-up display, and intuitive Lexus Interface multimedia system, the ES makes even stop-and-go city traffic feel effortless. Heated and ventilated front seats keep you comfortable no matter the season, and the refined exterior turns heads on Michigan Avenue as easily as it does on I-90.
Indiana Dunes National Park — 15 Miles NorthEast
One of Indiana's most treasured natural landmarks, Indiana Dunes National Park stretches 15 miles along Lake Michigan and draws visitors with towering sand dunes, pristine beaches, and over 50 miles of hiking trails. The 126-foot Mount Baldy dune offers sweeping views of the lake, while Cowles Bog Trail takes you through rare wetland ecosystems. It's a surprising wilderness experience hiding right in the shadow of Chicago's skyline. For a nature escape like this, the 2026 Lexus NX 350h is a natural fit. This refined hybrid SUV offers the fuel efficiency you'll appreciate on winding park roads and the confident all-wheel drive capability for navigating sandy parking areas or forest service roads. Its panoramic moonroof lets you soak in the scenery, and the spacious cargo area has plenty of room for beach gear, hiking packs, and picnic supplies.
Valparaiso, IN — 15 Miles East
Just a short drive from Merrillville, downtown Valparaiso is one of Northwest Indiana's most beloved small cities. The charming courthouse square is lined with boutique shops, local eateries, coffee houses, and a thriving arts scene. The Brauer Museum of Art at Valparaiso University houses a stunning collection of American works, and Central Park Plaza hosts live events and farmers markets throughout the warmer months. It's the perfect low-key afternoon destination.
Kankakee River State Park — 45 Miles Southwest
Cross the Illinois border and you'll find the peaceful Kankakee River State Park, a hidden gem offering kayaking, canoeing, horseback riding, and some of the best fishing in the region. Rocky Run Canyon and the river bluffs provide scenic overlooks that feel a world away from everyday life. For an adventure that blends comfort and capability, consider the 2026 Lexus GX 550. With its body-on-frame construction, terrain select system, and available off-road package, the GX is built to handle rougher terrain without sacrificing the luxury interior and advanced safety suite you'd expect from Lexus. Pack the cooler, load the kayaks, and let the GX handle whatever the road or the trail throws your way.
Wherever your adventures take you, whether near or far, our selection of models here at Lexus of Merrillville will be ready to carry you. If you haven’t yet gotten behind the wheel of one of our Lexus models, then feel free to stop by or view our online inventory. Our team of experts can’t wait to help you find your next vehicle, since it can open the door to a whole variety of new adventures.
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Testimonials
“ Douglas was extremely helpful and stayed with my husband and I during the entire sales process - and has been our "go-to" even after the sales process - when we had questions on the car or registration, etc... ”
“ Great service!! In and out in a timely manner!!! ”
“ It was a very pleasant experience overall. Noelle, Joe, and Rick were all very attentive and went out of their way to provide a really positive customer experience. ”
“ Chris, as usual was very professional but personal. He made me feel comfortable and explained everything in detail. Thank you Lexis of Merrillville ”
“ I had a great experience at Lexus of Merrillville. The entire process was smooth and stress-free, and I received a great value for my trade-in. I’m extremely happy with my new Lexus. A special thank you to Rafael for his professionalism, patience, and excellent customer service. He has continued to help even after the purchase, which says a lot about how much he cares about his customers. If you’re looking for a new vehicle, I definitely recommend Lexus of Merrillville—and ask for Rafael! ”
“ Douglas made my purchase experience smooth and easy. He kept in touch with me each step of the way, from my custom order to the showing me how to use the various IT features. His excellent customer service was why I purchased my car from Lexus of Merrillville. ”
“ This is the 2nd vehicle we have bought from Johnny V. We simply can't say enough good things about this guy he is the best. Very professional and personable. Very knowledgeable about the cars, and had answers to everything we asked. They didn't have the car combo we wanted and he took the time to find it. Other "big" dealers don't/won't offer the service to locate what you need. We then met with Joe to sign the papers, he was helpful without the hard sell. Very professional as well. One last thing... they offered great advice on local pizza! We will be back! Thanks! ”
“ Best car buying experience ever! Customer service was top notch from start to finish. I was in and out quickly, and my salesman was knowledgeable without being pushy. The entire process was smooth, professional, and stress-free. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a dealership that truly takes care of their customers! ”
“ I had a great experience buying from James. The whole process was comfortable and easy from beginning to end. ”
“ FANTASTIC crew and experience! ”
“ Really appreciated the Lexus team doing all they could to get me the best deal. ”
“ I've gotten my car serviced here multiple times. I've also have gotten my car washed here. Everyone very nice and professional. ”
“ Very happy with the service I received when buying my pre owned vehicle! From the front desk receptionist which was very nice and helpful to the sales representative James Tucker who helped me with purchasing a new vehicle. I already knew what I was looking to buy walking into the Lexus Dealership. But James made the process simple and easy and I cannot recommend him enough to anyone looking to buy a car. When the time comes again to upgrade my ride I will be returning to Lexus of Merrillville. ”
“ Unbelievable service, care, and experience at Lexus in Merrillville. Treated like Family, very reasonable negotiators, and a great product at a great price. This will be my new family dealership. Thank you, Raf and Joe for your work! ”
“ Talk about a breath of fresh air!! I, like everyone else, am not a fan of the car search process, however, Noelle and Joe at Lexus of Merrillville made this process PLEASANT!!! I got a call from a website inquiry and they played ZERO games! Noelle has been with Lexus for almost 2 decades and it shows in her professionalism, knowledge, and grace! It was a pleasure chatting with her let alone doing business with her. I was confident that she was taking good care of me and being transparent. Speaking of transparency, the business manager Joe S played no games! He knows his stuff! He advocated for what I felt comfortable with but also gave me transparency! He answered my question and made sure I understood the process and wasn’t just signing papers! If you want a seamless process, GO TO LEXUS OF MERRILLVILLE!! ”
“ Was a good experience! ”
“ Car shopping was a great experience here. We worked with James in sales. He was knowledgeable, down to earth, and presented things fairly. The same holds true for the sales manager. Although this was a luxury dealership, it was not pushy nor pretentious, everyone was kind and fair. ”
“ Got me in and out for a pretty straightforward service visit ”
“ I am in the process of purchasing an electric vehicle with Lexus of Merrillville. I am waiting for the vehicle to arrive at the dealership. I had to write this review to tell you about the AMAZING experience I had with Douglas Onyekachi! I came in uneducated about the difference between electric vehicles and Plug-in Hybrid vehicles and when I left, I understood things so much better. Douglas made the experience unlike car buying experiences I have had in the past. During the test drive, we talked and laughed like we were old friends. Douglas was patient with me. He made sure I got the exact vehicle I wanted. I am a return Lexus customer. It is really nice to see the service I was accustomed to in the past is still in place! My old salesperson was Mark Lovejoy who I purchased two Lexus vehicles from (Marck unfortunately passed away). Many thanks to Douglas, my new salesperson, for my wonderful buying experience! ”
“ Sales person was extremely helpful. Answered all questions asked and was helpful with working with financial questions. ”
“ My husband and I would like to send a HUGE thank you to Joseph Schultz for helping us with our purchase of 2018 Audi Q7. We understand he is new and training and we were his first customers! We left with a vehicle for our trips with new brakes and rotors to boot!!! I didn't realize when looking at the vehicle it came with Boise subwoofer and amplifier because, I love listening to my music loud!!! Thank you Lexus of Merrillville!!!! ”
“ Great experience! Rafael was very helpful and kind! Very good service 💯 ”
“ Bob was incredibly kind and made this one of the best car-buying experiences I’ve ever had! He was genuine, knowledgeable, and truly gifted at what he does. He made the entire process smooth, comfortable, and stress-free. I truly appreciated his honesty, professionalism, and willingness to help every step of the way. Highly recommend working with him! ”
“ My sales person and his manager work hard to make sure that my knees will cared for ”
“ Excellent service, timely and friendly. Cleaned my car inside and out. Very pleased. ”
“ Perfectly accommodating. More than just a vehicle purchase. Look forward to a Long term relationship. ”
“ Darryl was great to deal with. He made the purchase seamless. ”
“ I worked with Noelle to purchase a vehicle online and I could not be happier. She was incredibly responsive, helpful, and made what could have been a complicated process feel easy. Her attention to detail and willingness to answer every question and go above and beyond really stood out! Highly Recommend!!!!!! ”
“ Johnny is a top 10 auto salesman Pete, the auto manager is honest and a perfect businessman that you can trust ”
“ Good experience, no sales pressure..Noelle was wonderful thru out the process, thank you! ”
“ I would like to start by saying this place is amazing from customer service to closing the deal. I came in because I wanted to upgrade my mother's car. Mother's Day is next week, and I wanted to give her her dream car. The sales associate was welcoming from the time I pulled in the lot. The sales associate took the time out and listened to what I wanted to do for my mother. He showed us every car we wanted to see. The crazy part is the very car I wanted my mother to have, I didn't even ask to test drive. But it worked out because it was the very car I drove off the lot in. The GM and finance team where total amazing. I would come back here for every car moving forward. Don't walk, please run here to buy your Lexus. Lexus of Merrillville, you guys rock. Thank you for the GREAT experience. ”
“ Thank you so much for not only doing the maintaince on my car, but getting it ready for my grandson to take to his senior prom. ”
“ I am really enjoying my pre-owned Lexus! Rafael was great to work with and answered ALL my questions patiently and honestly, and was a total professional After a family member took in my car, he said it was a pleasant experience, and the work was done as requested. ”
“ Very nice and professional business. Did not pressure to buy. James Tucker was awesome. ”
“ Staff at Lexus Of Merrillville were very friendly, gracious and very professional. Took my car in for service exactly at the appointment time I set up. Explained everything that they did and completed the work in a relatively quick amount of time. ”
“ James Tucker was our sales person. He was such a joy to work with. He made buying a car a pleasant experience. James explained everything on the car and set everything up for us. I would highly recommend James Tucker and Lexus of Merrillville. ”
“ Great place to buy your next luxury vehicle! Process was quick easy and non pushy. We were greeted with a smile and everyone was friendly from sales to finance. I will definitely recommend Lexus of Merrillville to anyone I know shopping for a Lexus in the future. ”
“ I was looking for a 2026 Lexus IS 350 F sport with specific options and finish and Lexus of Merrillville came through for me. They did some research, were able to get the vehicle that matched my preferences, and installed an additional option I wanted. The customer service when I took delivery was top tier. Douglas Onyekachi was my salesman from the start and was outstanding to work with throughout the buying experience. I will certainly look him up when I ready for another vehicle. ”
“ Got my Lexus RX serviced here. Ethan helped me, he was really good! ”
“ I highly recommend doing business with Lexus of Merrillville. They were absolutely great. Joe (the finance manager) and Doug (sales consultant) went over and beyond to make sure my experience was the best. 10/10! ”
“ Once again ….. Great Service! ….. CU next time! ”
“ I had a great experience working with Rafael Cartagena ! After visiting several Lexus dealerships in Chicago, I can honestly say that none of the sales associates were as attentive and helpful as Rafael. He was professional, patient, and made the entire process smooth and comfortable. I truly felt supported throughout and would highly recommend working with him! ”
“ Fantastic buying experience with Lexus of Merrillville. Darryl, my salesperson, was communicative, concise and straight to the point. We finished everything up via phone in less than two hours and I was in and out of the dealership in less than an hour. Amazing purchase experience. Zero tricky margin products being sold, just a straight forward purchase. I highly recommend this dealership and Darryl if you want to get straight to business. Thank you! ”
“ Highly recommend, purchased a car from them and had no issues. Rafael was my salesman and he was great. Pete and Joseph were also very helpful! Thank you! ”
“ James was fabulous! After 2 years of me wanting a certain car, color and trim… we finally did it! Made the trade in easy and financing as well. Thank you so much. ”
“ Great service, very professional and respectful to potential buyers, lays everything out in front of u involving exact pricing and what ur getting out of ur purchase. ”
“ I had the best experience ever with the purchase of my vehicle. I saw the car online and spoke with Stacy who was amazing. Noelle my super woman sales person, is totally AMAZING! Joe in finance, Willie the GM, Pete the owner and even the valet made me feel welcome and at ease. I highly recommend that this is the place to go. Thanks again for being you. ”
“ The sales guy was really nice and easy to work with. And we loved the red bow! Thank you for make our new car purchase so easy. ”
“ Great customer service. Joe & James were very nice and attentive they helped me get into my new car with a fast and easy process. I would definitely recommend coming here to purchase a new vehicle ”
“ Darryl Jones was very informative, knowledgeable, and courteous as we were shopping for our new Lexus. We appreciate the pleasant experience in shopping for our new car! ”