We usually stop by Michigan City every time we're driving through the area (usually on our way to somewhere in Michigan or on our way back), mainly to make two stops: Cool Runnings Restaurant and Bar (excellent jerk chicken and catfish) and FLUID Coffee Roasters (really good coffee). Both highly recommended.

The city itself seems like a relatively quiet city. There's some parts of town that seem kind of run down but not too bad, and the downtown area (where FLUID is) is nicer.

We went to their outlet mall once (which is all I knew about the place ahead of time, people would say how it's a great place to shop) and while there's a decent number of stores there, the courtyard was surprisingly bland and undecorated at the time, like it was never finished. We haven't had the urge to go back since. I've been more impressed with shopping centers in the Chicago suburbs (where I'm from), like the Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook, or the Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora.

Also stopped by their beach once, and it's fine, but I think other beaches not too much further away in SW Michigan or the Indiana Dunes are nicer (especially the Dunes).