Elkhart–Goshen

Around Elkhart–Goshen

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Metro area · Indiana · 207k people

Elkhart–Goshen

Locals say Michiana · “RV Capital of the World”, “Maple City”

Elkhart · Goshen

Where the road meets the heartland.

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Welcome to the heart of Michiana, where the Elkhart River winds through town and the quilt gardens bloom every summer. Whether you're here for the RV heritage or just passing through, you'll find friendly faces and plenty of trails to explore.

Clubs for Elkhart–Goshen

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The room

One room for everyone around Elkhart–Goshen. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.

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Marketplace

Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Elkhart–Goshen. Sign in to sell something.

Things to do

  • RV/MH Hall of Fame Museum in Elkhart celebrating the RV industry.
  • Wellfield Botanic Gardens 36-acre botanical garden in Elkhart with themed displays.
  • Elkhart Riverwalk Scenic walkway along the Elkhart River in downtown Elkhart.
  • Quilt Gardens Series of quilt-pattern flower gardens spread across the region.
  • Bonneyville Mill County Park Historic gristmill and natural area near Bristol.
  • Ox Bow County Park Popular for hiking, birdwatching, and picnicking.
  • Outdoors Hike the trails at Bonneyville Mill County Park
  • Outdoors Paddle or kayak on the Elkhart River
  • With kids Explore the RV/MH Hall of Fame
  • With kids Visit Wellfield Botanic Gardens
  • Evenings Catch a concert at the Lerner Theatre
  • Evenings Enjoy live music at local breweries
  • Locals love RV dealerships and showrooms
  • Locals love Farm markets and roadside stands

Through the year

  • Elkhart County 4-H Fair July One of the largest county fairs in Indiana, with livestock, rides, and concerts.
  • Quilt Gardens Summer Tour June–September Self-guided tour of quilt-inspired flower gardens across the region.
  • Goshen First Fridays First Friday of each month Monthly downtown art walk with galleries, music, and street vendors.
  • Elkhart Riverwalk Music Series Summer Free outdoor concerts along the riverwalk in summer.
  • Nappanee Apple Festival September Celebrates the apple harvest with cider, pies, and crafts.

Elkhart-Goshen has a continental climate with cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers. The best time to be out is late spring through early fall. Best: Late spring through early fall

Talk like a local

“Michiana”
The region spanning northern Indiana and southern Michigan.
“RV Capital”
Nickname for Elkhart due to its RV manufacturing.
“Hoosier”
A resident of Indiana, used affectionately.
“The River”
The Elkhart River.

Getaways

  • South Bend Visit Notre Dame's campus and the trendy Eddy Street district.
  • Niles Walk the riverfront and browse antique shops.
  • Sturgis Small-town charm with a historic covered bridge.
  • Warsaw Enjoy Winona Lake and the Kosciusko County lake country.

Local flavour

Rooting for Notre Dame Fighting Irish (college football), Indiana Hoosiers (college), Purdue Boilermakers (college), Chicago Bears (NFL), Indianapolis Colts (NFL)

Eat and drink

  • Shoofly pie
  • Whoopie pies Chocolate cake with cream filling, a Pennsylvania Dutch staple.
  • Pretzels

Where people go

  • RV factories and showrooms The industrial heart of the region, where RVs are built and displayed.
  • Quilt Gardens Seasonal quilt-themed flower gardens in Elkhart.
  • Riverwalk A scenic path along the St. Joseph River in Elkhart.

Heritage and traditions

Elkhart-Goshen is proud of its dual identity as the RV Capital of the World and a heartland of Amish and Mennonite culture, where small-town traditions and a strong work ethic thrive.

This time of year in Elkhart–Goshen

  • Apple harvest and cider pressing Fall Fall brings apple orchards and fresh cider.

Say it like a local: “The fair” — The Elkhart County 4-H Fair

Festivals

  • Elkhart Jazz Festival June A weekend of jazz performances in downtown Elkhart.
  • Mennonite Relief Sale August An annual sale of handmade quilts, foods, and crafts to support relief efforts.
  • Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival July Held at Amish Acres in Nappanee, featuring Amish crafts and food.

Landmarks with a story

  • Elkhart County Historical Museum Local history in Bristol.
  • Amish Acres Restored Amish farmstead in Nappanee.
  • Old Bag Factory Former factory in Goshen now houses artisan shops.
  • Elkhart County Courthouse Historic architecture in Goshen.
  • Mennonite Historical Library At Goshen College, a major collection of Mennonite history.

Food traditions

  • Maple syrup and maple cream Made from local sugar maples, a sweet treat from Wakarusa.
  • Amish family dinners Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and chow-chow, served in Amish homes and restaurants.
  • Apple cider and apple butter From Nappanee orchards, a fall favorite.
  • Mexican food in Goshen Taquerias and panaderías reflect the growing Latino community.

Music and arts

  • Band instrument manufacturing heritage Elkhart is known as the 'Band Instrument Capital of the World.'
  • Quilting tradition The Quilt Gardens and local quilt shops celebrate this craft.
  • Jazz scene The Elkhart Jazz Festival highlights local and national talent.
  • Mennonite choral music Goshen College and local churches have strong choral traditions.

A little history

  • 1875 1875
  • 1920s 1920s
  • 19th century 19th century
  • 1950s 1950s
  • 1980s 1980s

Rivalries

  • Elkhart vs Goshen high school football Friendly cross-town rivalry every fall.
  • Notre Dame vs Michigan College football rivalry that locals love to debate.
  • Indiana vs Purdue Statewide college basketball bragging rights.
  • Game day High school basketball
  • Game day Harness racing at the county fair
  • Outdoors Visit the Amish countryside
  • Outdoors Go apple picking at local orchards
  • With kids Go to the Elkhart County 4-H Fair
  • With kids Visit Amish Acres

People here speak with a typical Midwestern accent, saying 'pop' for soda and 'you guys' for plural you. In Amish communities, Pennsylvania Dutch is also spoken. There's a growing Spanish-speaking population in Goshen.

Only here

  • The RV/MH Hall of Fame
  • The Quilt Gardens
  • Band Instrument Capital of the World
  • One of the largest county fairs in the US
New here? A few tips
  • Prepare for cold, snowy winters.
  • Learn about the RV industry; it's a major employer.
  • Try local maple syrup and Amish baked goods.
  • Be respectful of Amish communities; don't photograph without asking.
  • Understand that 'Michiana' is the local name for the region.

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Part of South Bend area

Nearby

Every area
South BendIndianaWhere the Golden Dome meets the MidwestNilesMichiganWhere the lake meets the orchard.PlymouthIndianaLakeside living, small-town spirit.LaGrange CountyIndianaWhere the pace is slow and the pies are sweet.SturgisMichiganWhere country roads meet small-town charm.WarsawIndianaWhere lake life and healing hands come together.KendallvilleIndianaLocal rooms for Kendallville.KalamazooMichiganWhere the river runs and the hops flow.

Elkhart-Goshen, IN. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.

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