Area Attractions

Elkhart’s Gateway Mile.
Live. Work. Play. Learn

It’s fitting that Wellfield Botanic Gardens leads visitors into downtown Elkhart’s Gateway Mile. Both are packed with infinite options for fun and fitness, immersive learning and hands-on fun.

Gateway MileThe Gateway Mile marks a city that’s becoming … a center for the arts, a magnet for families, a hub for entrepreneurship. It’s flanked by Wellfield Botanic Gardens at the northern end and the National New York Central Railroad Museum at its southernmost point. Along the way, this walkable stretch of pedestrian-friendly city streets and waterside paths invite endless opportunities.
Downtown Elkhart’s Gateway Mile. Our invitation to explore a city infused with renewed energy and enthusiasm. Your chance to experience…

  • RiverWalk Culture Trail – A set-your-own-pace walking tour lined with inviting sites & stops RiverWalk Culture Trailincluding museums, parks, gardens and creative spaces.
  • Dining – from cafés to coffee houses, Elkhart ‘s eateries range from Riverfront dining to outdoor casual and family-friendly. You’ll find everything from cupcakes and craft beers.
  • Shopping – From vintage clothing to up-cycled finds, to art galleries and antique shops, there’s something for everyone nearby!
  • Outdoor adventure – Elkhart’s RiverWalk connects scenic vistas, two rivers and a necklace of greenways.
  • Eclectic events year-round, including Elkhart ArtWalk
  • An entrepreneurial spirit that drives locally owned and innovative businesses
  • Living spaces that creatively mix modern amenities into century-old settings

Wellfield Botanic Gardens is a must-see along the nationally-recognized Heritage Trail. The Trail’s lined with historic stops, bustling cities & towns and popular attractions and highlights:

Amish Country: Their traditions date back centuries, but the Amish creatively embrace the present and welcome visitors to their backroads shops packed with exceptional craftsmanship, from quilts to cabinetry.

Supersized Quilt Gardens:  Ever-changing and always free, this brilliant patchwork blankets the communities of Bristol, Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury, Nappanee, Shipshewana and Wakarusa with color-fused quilt-patterned gardens and murals.

Cities & Towns: Stroll the Main streets along the Heritage Trail lined with gift-filled shops, hip boutiques, modern-day mercantile items, galleries and intimate spaces for music and theatre. Distinctive stops include the communities of Bristol, Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury, Nappanee, Wakarusa and Shipshewana.

Eclectic Eats: Taste an endless array of foods inspired by fresh-from-the-farm finds, a just-baked bonanza of pies & pastry and flavorful favorites like Neapolitan pizza and goat cheese guacamole.

Heritage TrailThe Heritage Trail Audio Driving Tour

Our acclaimed self-guided Heritage Trail driving tour is your personal guide to that Amish furniture shop hidden away on a peaceful rural road, the city gallery with one-of-a-kind jewelry and that shady riverside park just-right for a picnic.

As you explore, the free audio guide entertains you with colorful stories of the region’s settlement and growth, its heroes and scalawags. All the while, providing detailed directions on your vehicle’s CD player – or your mobile device-so you reach every hidden corner of a region that the editors of LIFE® named “one of the top places to see in your lifetime.”