In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · United States
Merrillville
Skip unless you need a hotel near I-65 or a shopping stop. Half a day for Southlake Mall and a meal; no overnight needed.
Merrillville is a retail and highway hub in Lake County, Indiana, 45 min southeast of Chicago. The main draw is Southlake Mall and the US 30 corridor of big-box stores and chain restaurants. Most travellers pass through on I-65 without stopping.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (snow and cold)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $50–80 excl. bed · Mid $80–150 excl. bed · High $150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a chain café | $2–5 |
| Fast-food meal | $8–12 |
| Sit-down dinner (per person) | $15–30 |
| Gas (per gallon) | $3–4 |
| Taxi from Gary airport to Merrillville | $30–50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GYY · Gary/Chicago International Airport
- check
- ORD · Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- about 1 h 15 min drive
- MDW · Chicago Midway International Airport
- about 50 min drive
Typical fares
- Barons Bus Chicago → Merrillville
- about $20–30, check schedule
- Taxi from Gary airport to Merrillville
- $30–50
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car is essential. GPTC bus Route 17 runs along Broadway (SR 53) and US 30, but service is limited. Taxi and rideshare available.
See and do
Known for
- Southlake Mall
- US 30 retail corridor
- Lincoln Highway history
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Gary | I-65 north, about 15 min | About 20 min |
| Hobart, Indiana | I-65 north to US 30 east, about 10 min | About 15 min |
| Crown Point, Indiana | I-65 south to US 231, about 15 min | About 20 min |
| Chicago | I-65 north to I-80/94 west, about 45 min | About 1 h |
Sleep
- US 30 corridor
- Most hotels are here, near I-65 exit 255; walkable to chain restaurants and Southlake Mall.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is Southlake Mall? | Where is Southlake Mall? |
| How far to I-65? | How far to I-65? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- US 30 is congested during peak shopping hours; use side streets like 73rd Avenue.
- No direct public transit from Chicago or Amtrak; you need a car or a bus to Gary then a transfer.
- Winter storms can close I-65; check weather before driving.
Merrillville is generally safe. The main risks are traffic on US 30 and winter road conditions. Keep valuables out of sight in parked cars.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Merrillville yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Southlake Mall
- US 30 retail corridor
- Lincoln Highway history
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Merrillville, revision 5042149 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5042149
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Merrillville
Take me to this address
Take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
English is the primary language; no phrasebook needed.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/merrillville). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.