If you’re sitting in a booth at Redamak’s with a burger in front of you, or maybe wandering through the New Buffalo Farmstand, your phone is probably lying to you. Or at least, it’s deeply confused. I’ve seen it happen dozens of times. You cross the state line from Indiana into Michigan, and suddenly your digital clock jumps forward an hour. Then, five minutes later, it jumps back.
So, what time is it in New Buffalo Michigan right now?
Technically, New Buffalo is in the Eastern Time Zone (ET). If it is 2:00 PM in New York City, it is 2:00 PM in New Buffalo. However, because the town sits just a few miles from the Indiana border—and because Northwest Indiana stays on Central Time to match Chicago—the "real" time here feels like a suggestion.
The Eastern vs. Central Tug-of-War
Most of Michigan is Eastern Time. That includes Detroit, Grand Rapids, and the state capital, Lansing. But New Buffalo is the "Gateway to Michigan." It’s tucked into the extreme southwest corner of the state.
Geographically, it’s further west than almost anywhere else in the Eastern Time Zone. This creates a bizarre scenario where the sun sets incredibly late in the summer. We’re talking 9:30 PM or 10:00 PM. It feels like the day never ends.
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But here is where it gets tricky for travelers.
If you’re coming from Chicago, you’re coming from Central Time. Chicago is always one hour behind New Buffalo. You leave the Loop at 10:00 AM, drive for about 75 to 90 minutes, and you arrive in New Buffalo at... 12:30 PM? Your brain says you've only been in the car for an hour, but the clock says you've lost half your afternoon.
Why Your Phone Can't Decide
Modern smartphones are smart, but they aren't always "border-smart." Cell towers in the area are a mix of Michigan and Indiana signals.
- The Switch: As you drive along I-94, your phone might ping a tower in Michigan and show 4:00 PM.
- The Glitch: A minute later, your phone catches a signal from Michigan City, Indiana (which is Central Time), and suddenly it’s 3:00 PM again.
- The Pro Tip: Honestly, if you have a dinner reservation at The Stray Dog Bar & Grill, check your "Network Provided Time" settings or just mentally commit to Eastern Time. The restaurant definitely runs on Eastern.
Daylight Saving Time in New Buffalo (2026)
We still do the "spring forward, fall back" dance here. In 2026, the dates are pretty standard for the U.S., but they matter immensely if you're trying to coordinate a boat rental or a tee time at a local golf course.
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- March 8, 2026: Clocks move forward. This is the start of Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).
- November 1, 2026: Clocks move back. We return to Eastern Standard Time (EST).
During the summer months (EDT), New Buffalo is UTC-4. In the winter (EST), it’s UTC-5. This is exactly the same as NYC or Miami.
The "Chicago Time" Myth
You might hear locals or long-time summer residents talk about "Chicago Time." Back in the day, some businesses in Southwest Michigan supposedly operated on Central Time to cater to the massive influx of Chicago tourists.
Kinda makes sense, right? If all your customers are from Chicago, why confuse them?
But today, that’s basically a myth. Every official business, school, and government office in New Buffalo follows Eastern Time. If a shop says they close at 6:00 PM, they mean 6:00 PM Michigan time. If you show up at 5:30 PM Chicago time, they’ve been closed for half an hour. You've been warned.
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How to Handle the Time Jump Like a Pro
I’ve spent enough time in Harbor Country to know that the "time zone anxiety" is real, especially for first-timers.
- Trust the Car, Not the Phone: Usually, your car's built-in clock (if it's not GPS-linked) stays on whatever you set it to. If you’re coming from Chicago, leave your car on Central Time so you know how long you’ve actually been driving, but keep a mental "+1" for Michigan.
- Confirm Your Reservations: When you book a table or a hotel, double-check if the confirmation is in Eastern Time. (Spoiler: It always is).
- The Beach Factor: If you’re planning to watch the sunset at New Buffalo City Beach, remember that because we are so far west in the Eastern Time Zone, the sun sets "late." It’s one of the best parts of being here. You get more daylight than almost anywhere else in the region.
Is it Annoying? Sorta.
Is it annoying to live on a time zone border? Yeah, it can be. If you live in New Buffalo but work in Michigan City or Chesterton, Indiana, you are constantly gaining and losing an hour. You "gain" an hour of sleep on the way to work and "lose" an hour of your evening on the way home.
But for most people visiting, it’s just part of the charm of the "Third Coast." It makes the trip feel like you’ve actually gone somewhere far away, even if you only drove 70 miles.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
- Check your manual override: If your phone keeps flipping back and forth, go into your settings (General > Date & Time on iPhone) and toggle off "Set Automatically." Manually select "New York" or "Detroit" to lock it into Eastern Time while you're in town.
- Plan for the "Lost Hour": If you have a 1:00 PM check-in at a rental, you need to leave Chicago by 10:30 AM at the latest.
- Enjoy the Late Sun: Take advantage of those 9:45 PM summer dusks. It's the perfect time for a late walk on the pier without needing a flashlight.
The "New Buffalo time warp" is real, but once you accept that you're an hour ahead of the Windy City, everything gets a lot simpler. Just keep your eyes on the Michigan clocks, and you won't miss your dinner.