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A random road trip stop shows me the best of America
It’s quiet on the Elkhart Hotel rooftop — just James, me and the bartender, Katrina. Below us, Elkhart, Indiana spreads out in a kaleidoscope of greenery and restored 20th century buildings.
“Where are you from?” Katrina asks as she hands James my gin and tonic and his old fashioned.
“DC,” he says. “We’re driving to North Dakota to see our son.”
Katrina asks if we’ve seen the Botanical Gardens or know where to have dinner. She excitedly shares her favorite bits of Elkhart with us while I sip my drink and take in the view.
I’ve never been to Downtown Elkhart before and honestly, we would normally stop off the highway, sleep, and leave first thing in the morning, in a rush to get to our next stop. This time, however, James suggested we slow down and see things.
Elkhart was the perfect spot to stay — nine hours from home and nine hours from stop #2–and truly is a gem.
“The sunsets are gorgeous up here,” Katrina says. A few blocks away, a train whistle blows.
Two older men join our party of three, and I invite them to sit with us on the couches surrounding a fire table. I learn Mark is visiting from Long Island for a celebration of life. His cousin Jerry passed away during…
