Resting on the southern shores of Lake Michigan, Burns Harbor has a humid continental climate that is moderated by Lake Michigan. The warmest months, July and August, can be very hot, peaking at 38°C (100°F), and summers are humid and rainy. Winters can be extremely cold, with a few days falling below -18°C (0°F). Winters in the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor see a lot of snow and occasional blizzards. Temperatures range from an average high of 29°C (84°F) in July to an average low of -10°C (14°F) in January.

Visitors to the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor will enjoy a visit to the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve where they can enjoy races, concerts, hikes, picnics, special public and private events, and environmental education programs. The Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve has four miles of trails that offer natural beauty while respecting preserve ecology (trail materials are determined by both traffic and ecosystem). Paths wind through native prairie, wetlands, and the Coffee Creek riparian corridor.

The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor is also in the heart of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. With dunes over 38 meters (125 feet) tall and short marram grass-topped dunes, the Lakeshore welcomes bank swallows that nest there and Karner Blue butterflies that adorn the wild lupines. Popular activities at the dunes include swimming, boating, fishing, picnicking, bird watching, horseback riding as well as a variety of winter activities.

The US National Park Service manages the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore which runs for about 40 kilometers (25 miles) along the southern shores of Lake Michigan from Gary to Michigan City and surrounding the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor. The weather at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor and the Lakeshore changes rapidly, but visitors will enjoy many days of sunshine and comfortable dry weather. There are also some 15 days per year of temperatures below -18°C (0°F).

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