Elkhart Travel Information
Elkhart, population 51,874, has a thriving RV manufacturing economy
and entrepreneurial spirit. It is a great starting point for an
exploration of northern Indiana’s Amish neighborhoods. Here autos and
horse-drawn buggies share the road. The Elkhart County Visitors
Center offers two audio driving tours of Amish country. The Heritage
Trail follows a 90-mile loop through seven towns. The Furniture
Crafters Tour showcases furniture shops and major attractions along
the way. Along the way Amish restaurants and inns serve up homemade
hospitality. Crafts and goods can be purchased straight off the front
porch of many area farmhouses. Nappanee, Shishewana, Middlebury,
Goshen and Wakarusa are a few of the main stops along these routes.
Amish Acres in Nappanee is a restored Old Order Amish farm listed on
the National Register of Historic Places. The 80-acre farm has 18
historic buildings, restaurants, shops, an inn and theater.
Shipshewana’s downtown offers more than 90 specialty shops. The
Shipshewana Flea Market has more than 1,000 vendors. Das Dutchman
Essenhaus in Middlebury is famous for pies and breads. Goshen is a
college town with eclectic restaurants, art galleries and hiking
trails. Wakarusa’s Maple Syrup Festival in April features
maple-flavored Jumbo Jelly Beans. In downtown Elkhart, the
Riverwalk provides biking, in-line skating, hiking and picnicking. A
footbridge connects the walkway to Island Park at the meeting of the
Elkhart and St. Joseph rivers. This area hosts many of Elkart’s
festivals including the three-day Elkhart Jazz Festival each June.
Elkhart’s RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum displays recreational vehicles
dating from 1913. Elkhart is 15 miles east of South Bend and 100
miles northwest of Fort Wayne. It is accessible via U.S. Highways 20
and 33. Lodging is available in Elkhart and many of the surrounding
towns and includes bed and breakfasts, inns, national chain hotels, RV
parks, cabins and campgrounds.
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