It receives a fair amount of tourism during the summer, especially by residents of Chicago and nearby cities in Northern Indiana.

[citation needed] The city was incorporated in 1836, by which point it had 1,500 residents, along with a post office, a newspaper, a church, a commercial district and ten hotels.

[6] The city has a usual weather pattern for a temperate region, with thunderstorms in the summer and snow during winter.

Due to its location next to Lake Michigan the city frequently experiences lake-effect snows and rain showers.

[9] Michigan City also houses a zoo, and art center, and also is the home of the Indiana State Prison.

Free concerts are performed for the public every Thursday evening at the Guy F. Foreman Amphitheatre located in Washington Park.

The eastern edge of Indiana Dunes National Park is also located in Michigan City.

A larger dune, Hoosier Slide, sat at the site of the current electrical generating station.

In 2009, the Blue Chip complex added a 22-story hotel, which is the biggest building in northwest Indiana.

[14] Michigan City has also added a new skatepark at Pullman Field to its tourism offerings.

[17] Most of the discussion centers on maintaining and expanding open and accessible park areas on Lake Michigan and along Trail Creek.

The Barker House, John H. Barker Mansion, Elston Grove Historic District, First Congregational Church of Michigan City, Franklin Street Commercial Historic District, Garrettson-Baine-Bartholomew House, Haskell and Barker Historic District, Michigan City East Pierhead Light Tower and Elevated Walk, Old Michigan City Light, Michigan City Post Office, SS Muskegan Shipwreck Site, and Washington Park are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

[24] Michigan City previously also had three parochial high schools – Marquette, La Lumiere, and Duneland Lutheran but, due to a lack of funds, Duneland Lutheran closed down at the end of the 2008/2009 school year.

Off the Water, a free weekly art and entertainment newspaper published by Niles, Michigan-based Leader Publications, primarily focuses on Niles-Benton Harbor Metropolitan Statistical Area, but it is distributed in downtown Michigan City.

[29] The city has one Government-access television (GATV) station, Access LaPorte County,[30] as well as one channel operated by the local school system (MCAS).

This rail line connects Michigan City with downtown Chicago westward as well as the South Bend Regional Airport to the east.

Prior to April 4, 2022, Amtrak served the city with Wolverine trains, which ran from Chicago to Detroit, and Pontiac three times a day in each direction, filling in several gaps in South Shore Line's weekday service and augmenting weekend service.

[32] Officially known as Michigan City Transit, it is made up of four routes that run on Monday-Saturday.

Coach USA's Indiana Airport SuperSaver service between The University of Notre Dame and O'Hare airport stopped at Michigan City at the La Porte County Convention and Visitors Bureau at Marquette Mall (4073 S. Franklin St).

[33] The service made stops at Notre Dame, South Bend, Portage, Highland, Crestwood and O'Hare and Midway airports.

On December 10, 2019, Coach USA announced it will cease operations of its Indiana Airport SuperSaver service effective January 1, 2020.

[34] Michigan City Municipal Airport has a 4,100 foot asphalt runway and averages 118 operations per week.