I grew up in northwest Indiana, I spent 20 years there.
The cost of living is great,
Especially housing and food is cheap.
Taxes are not bad.
Beaches! Indiana dunes is not bad. I went there every summer in July and August growing up. There are however better beaches in Michigan, less than an hour north of you. As of 10 years ago, Grand Haven and South Haven were very nice.
There is a big classic car scene if you are into that. Indiana has a lot of auto factories and auto component manufacturers.
The people are mostly very nice, and even the ones that are not nice are genuine.
The pace is slower than the east coast. traffic is not bad in most places.
The people do lean conservative, but not like they south, they are more libertarian than conservative. If you did ok in Alaska you will do ok there.
Hunting is big, bit deer is about all people hunt for. Fishing in Lake Michigan is ok, lake perch and catfish mostly. catfish and trout in all the rivers.
The is an ice skating rink in Elkheart we love, you aren't too far from that.
There are hikes, believe it or not in Indiana. Yes its nothing like you are used to, but if you go to southern Indiana in the fall, (try late october) and go to McCormick's Creek or Turkey Run State park you can do a great budget vacation, especially if you camp. There are miles of hikes through hardwood forests (mostly oaks, sugar males, elm, ash, and hickory. and canyons and even a few caves to explore.