Where to stay in Chicago for easy access to Kendallville, Indiana?

March 27, 2013 8:39 AM

Asking for a friend... just what it says on the tin. She's visiting her partner while he's on an extended work trip; he's in Kendallville, Indiana, but there are no decent accommodations there. His office suggested she stay somewhere in Chicago. Where's someplace nice in the Chicago area, not too spendy, and within easy reach of Kendallville?
posted by kythuen to Travel & Transportation around Chicago, IL (7 answers total)

Best answer: Chicago native here. Looking at the map, Kendallville is pretty darn far from Chicago. It's not exactly a scenic drive either (hello Gary, IN!). I'd consider going to the city as a fun day trip, but not as a place to stay while visiting someone.

If I had to visit someone in that location, I'd be looking at maybe staying in Michigan somewhere, either along the coast (Benton Harbor?) or up in the central area. Maybe a local of that region will chime in with better specifics.
posted by Wulfhere at 8:55 AM on March 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

I'd try Fort Wayne, way closer.
posted by Max Power at 9:03 AM on March 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: The Potawatomi Inn at Pokagon State Park (in Angola, Indiana) is about 30 minutes from Kendallville. It's too late in the season for the toboggan run to be open, but it's still a nice park.
posted by steinwald at 9:05 AM on March 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Yeah Chicago is not close at all. Fort Wayne is nearby, so there are certainly some options there, or at one of the chain hotels along the 80/90 toll road.

If you do want to stay in the (very nice) Michigan Harbor country area you will get great rates because it is off-season. The Marina/Harbor Grand is beautiful. You can also stay very inexpensively at the Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo. That's still going to be like 2 hours away though.
posted by theuninvitedguest at 9:06 AM on March 27, 2013

Best answer: What's the goal here? Are they looking for someplace interesting to stay where they can pop off for a few-days' rendezvous? Because Chicago (the interesting parts) are going to be like 3 hours away and in general "spendy" compared to anything you might find closer to Kendallville. The parts of Chicago that would be marginally easier to get to (by which I mean, 2.5 hours away instead of 3) are mostly poor/working class/industrial, unless they just so happen to be into casino gambling.

If, for example, she's flying in to Chicago and they have a long weekend really want to see the city, get a hotel someplace centralish (no specific recommendations) and he can drive up I guess. 30 minutes one way or another is not going to make a difference in terms of the ease of the drive up.

If they mostly want to spend time together, though, I don't see what's wrong with some of the standard hotels in Kendallville or nearby (check out Auburn) (Holiday Inn Express and the ilk). Then if they need to get out and about, use it as an exercise in finding interesting things to do in out-of-the-way places.
posted by drlith at 9:10 AM on March 27, 2013

I stayed in the Hampton Inn in Auburn last fall. It was new, clean and perfectly pleasant. FWIW there's a decent brew pub in Auburn just off the town square.
posted by plastic_animals at 9:31 AM on March 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks all - great answers, I'll pass them along. I think the idea is to spend time in Chicago, but The Marina Grand sounds awesome. And I know they like casinos - maybe Four Winds will win out.

I used to live in Chicago, which is why she asked me - but living and touristing are different things. All I can really tell her is what grocery stores are decent and where to get lunch cheap close to Millennium Park. :)
posted by kythuen at 10:56 AM on March 27, 2013