Elkhart, IN is a great place to visit and explore, with lots of things to do and explore. It has been referred to as the \"City of Arts and Entertainment\" due to its cultural attractions, museums, galleries, theaters, and music venues. The city is also known for its abundant outdoor activities including biking trails, golf courses, canoe rental services, and parks. Visitors to Elkhart often enjoy fishing on the St. Joseph River or simply relaxing in one of the many restaurants or pubs along the river. With all these attractions and recreational opportunities available in Elkhart it's easy to see why so many people have positive reviews about their experiences here. People report that Elkhart is an affordable destination with plenty of things to do for both adults and children alike. The charming downtown area is filled with unique shops, restaurants, and art galleries giving visitors a real sense of what makes this city special.
based on 8 ReviewsGet to know Elkhart with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Elkhart
Hometown - 5/31/2013
I grew up in Elkhart and it's not the greatest city. My car had been broken into numerous times while living in northern Indiana (South Bend as well). I attribute to theft due to the economy here. My dad has had 3 plows stolen (1 included his truck). I never realized how horrible the weather is until I moved west to southern Utah, then Arizona. It's literally cloudy everyday here! Not to mention humid as hell. It's really noticeable when you remove yourself for awhile. But I do miss the grass and green. There are no jobs of any great quality to be found anywhere here. I would never come back if it wasn't for my parents and grandparents living here. My parents want out, and I hope they do get out. Kind of a depressing town really. People drink a lot because it's so uninteresting. Lots of chain restaurants and not a ton of unique places to eat like I've seen from other places. I hate to say this about my hometown but it's a dead-end. My parents were literally relieved to see me move
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Friendly Small Town - 10/10/2012
I moved away from Elkhart and returned 20 years later. During my time away I lived in many locations around the west coast - but mostly in Arizona. The last couple of years since I've returned have been just great. I found that most people who complain about Elkhart are the people who never do anything. There are things to do here and plenty of great people to meet. Our family has made more friends faster in this area than any other area we've lived. We've met some really wonderful people and made some good friends. Again, these people do things - they're involved in their community and they're active.
The parks here are beautiful. My favorite is OxBow park - it's gorgeous any time of year (yes you can go to this park all year round, hike, bike, ski, sleigh) , it is really well kept and they have a lot of activities year-round sponsored by Elkhart County parks. Bonneyville Mill is another park my family goes to often. There are plenty more in the area - plus rivers and
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Friendly Small Town - 10/9/2012
I left Elkhart 20 years ago, lived mainly in Arizona and returned recently. I have been pleasantly surprised at the wonderful people I've met here. I've made more friends in this area than in other places - I think people here are friendly and eager to meet others. Our family has also found a few hidden gems as far as good food and fun places to visit as well. The parks here are beautiful (my favorite is OxBow) and there are rivers and lakes-galore! You have to be proactive in getting out and experiencing what Elkhart has to offer. The people I meet who don't like it here don't do anything! It is a nice small town - plus it is very close to other places that have a lot to experience - Mishawaka, Goshen, Wakarusa, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Chicago... etc. etc.
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One year later... - 10/9/2012
Wow, such negativity from other reviews. Let me shed some light for anyone who wants to know what Elkhart and surrounding areas are really like in 2012. I'd disregard the outdated reviews from disgruntled, bitter people.
My family (wife and two toddlers) and I moved to Elkhart, the white hot center of the economic meltdown, a year ago (2011). We moved here from San Francisco, our home for the past 10 years. Yes, you read that right. Pretty much the complete polar opposite city from Elkhart, yet we are having a blast. (Why we moved here is another story).
Anyways, after a year here I can tell you with all honesty that Elkhart is a definitely an up and coming city. Well, check the history and Elkhart used to be thriving, but went down some after some of the big time medical industry went away. So maybe "experiencing a resurgence" is more appropriate.
There has been a lot money put into reclaiming downtown and doing a complete renovation
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Elkhart- A Smaller Version Of Detroit - 5/4/2008
Elkhart is segegrated as far as the class of people. There is a good side of town and a bad side of town; in which the bad side hosts most of the African-Americans. It reminds me of the Twilight Zone.
The type of life you life is based upon where you live and what type of job you have. If you are a professional and live in the good side of town, then you will do just fine. All other types of people live in the bad side of town. On the bad side od town, you will see a bunch of people sitting on porches (reminds me of the poor side of Alabama!). If you drive on the bad side of town, you will see people in their cars stopped in the middle of the road having a conversation; they don't care if you are waiting behind them. And don't think about confronting them or honking your horn; you better back up and find an alternative route.
A lot of drug activity is present as well as several streets that are known for purchasing drugs and hiring prostitutes.
On one side of town
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Too Cold. Too Humid. - 2/25/2008
Northern Indiana is not among the most pleasant places to live in terms of climate. The winters are cold with little sun. The summers are humid. I'd love to see Sperling allow users to search their database for the best places based on criteria they use in reporting.
Wouldn't it be great to review all cities with a climate index over 70, for
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