Cracker Barrel — Hammond

Heading east or west on I80 / 94 in and around where Illinois fades into Indiana but just a stone’s throw before Michigan City gives way to the state of Michigan sets this South of the Mason-Dixie Line eatery made famous for offering up comfort food to highway sojourners just like you. Whether you are looking for a place to grab a bite to eat or layover for a spell, this Cracker Barrel gets high marks for making it off the expressway and enjoying some stationary bliss as easy and quick as can be. Within less than a minute after exiting the highway, you’ll be taking the right that will wind you around into this restaurant’s parking.

While the sign beckoning you here isn’t all that noticeable, you almost don’t need any help finding this place – it’s that EZ. Once you arrive, you’ll access the store’s northern flank, which is certainly less busy and might be a good spot to consider, do keep in mind that all of the restaurant traffic coming and leaving this place will pass by you here. The storefront on the eastern flank is and will be jam-packed, so you’ll want to consider the eastern perimeter, which is spacious or, if you are able to snag the BEST place to park, you’ll find just 2 long spots on the restaurants rear / westernmost flank. The parking pad is quite level, somewhat spacious, not terribly busy and seemingly well-maintained. The restrooms were clean when we stopped by and the staff super friendly, but hey, you’re in the Midwest, so that just comes with the territory.

While scoring criteria may vary from one person to the next, here are the 5 most important criteria that informed my rating of this overnight location: convenience (EZ on- and off-access), safety & security, quality (of facilities), peace & quiet and amenities (either on-site or nearby). Here’s how I ranked this particular overnight spot:

Convenience: 5 

Safety & Security: 4 

Quality: 4 

Peace & Quiet: 3 

Amenities: 3 

Overall, I scored this location a 4.

Happy Overnighting!