Discover 35 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in South Bend (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame Stadium, and St. Adalbert Parish. Also, be sure to include Four Winds Field in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in South Bend (Indiana).
Table of Contents
Basilica of the Sacred Heart
Chapel in Notre Dame, Indiana. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Notre Dame, Indiana, USA, is a Roman Catholic church on the campus of the University of Notre Dame, also serving as the mother church of the Congregation of Holy Cross in the United States. The neo-gothic church has 44 large stained glass windows and murals completed over a 17-year period by the Vatican painter Luigi Gregori. The basilica bell tower is 230 feet high, making it the tallest University chapel in America. It is a contributing building in Notre Dame's historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Basilica is a major tourist attraction in Northern Indiana, and is visited annually by more than 100,000 tourists.[1]
Address: 101 Basilica Dr, 46556 Notre Dame
Notre Dame Stadium
Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana. Notre Dame Stadium is an outdoor football stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana, the home field of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team.
It was built in 1930 under the guidance of Knute Rockne, regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history, which gave rise to the stadium's nickname "The House that Rockne Built". Prior to the stadium's construction, the Fighting Irish played in Cartier Field. The stadium seating capacity was nearly 60,000 for decades, until a major renovation between 1994 and 1997 added an upper bowl and more than 20,000 additional seats, which increased the capacity to over 80,000. In 2014, the Campus Crossroads renovation decreased the seats to 77,622. The stadium has sold out regularly for home games since 1964.
It is one of the oldest, most recognizable and iconic venues in college football. It is also famous for its view of the "Touchdown Jesus" mural. The playing surface was changed to artificial turf in 2014, after 84 seasons on natural grass. The playing field has a conventional north–south alignment at an approximate elevation of 730 feet (225 m) above sea level.
In 2014 the $400 million Campus Crossroads expansion renovated the structure and added three buildings onto the stadium: the Duncan Student Center, which hosts student recreational and dining facilities, O'Neill Hall, which houses the university's music department, and Corbett Family Hall, which hosts the psychology and anthropology departments. In addition, the three buildings house premium stadium seating, press boxes, and event spaces.
The stadium also hosts the university's commencement, and has also been the venue for a concert, the 2019 NHL Winter Classic, and hockey, soccer, and rugby matches.[2]
Address: South Bend, 2010 Moose Krause Circle
St. Adalbert Parish
St. Adalbert Parish - dubbed the "Cathedral of the West Side" - is a Catholic parish in South Bend, Indiana, United States. The parish was gounded in 1910, and is one of the Roman Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.[3]
Four Winds Field
Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium is a baseball stadium in South Bend, Indiana, home to the South Bend Cubs, a minor league baseball team which plays in the High-A Central. The stadium opened in 1987, and its open concourse is considered the template for many later minor league ball parks built in the 1990s. It has a capacity of 5,000 spectators.
The park is named for Stan Coveleski, the hall of fame pitcher who once lived in South Bend. It is colloquially known as "The Cove".
Coveleski Stadium is located on South Street in downtown South Bend.[4]
Address: 501 W South St, 46601-2724 South Bend
Studebaker National Museum
Museum in South Bend, Indiana. The Studebaker National Museum is a museum in South Bend, Indiana, United States that displays a variety of automobiles, wagons, carriages, and military vehicles related to the Studebaker Corporation and other aspects of American history.[5]
Address: 201 Chapin St, 46601-2521 South Bend
Snite Museum of Art
Museum in Notre Dame, Indiana. The Snite Museum of Art is the fine art museum on the University of Notre Dame campus, near South Bend, Indiana. With about 30,000 works of art that span cultures, eras, and media, the Snite Museum's permanent collection serves as a rich resource for audiences on campus and beyond. Through programs, lectures, workshops, and exhibitions, the museum supports faculty teaching and research and provides valuable cultural opportunities for students and visitors. Students play an active role in programming in their capacities as gallery guides and as student advisory members.[6]
Address: 100 Moose Krause Circle, South Bend
Morris Performing Arts Center
Theater in South Bend, Indiana. Morris Performing Arts Center is a 2,564-seat concert hall located in South Bend, Indiana. It opened in 1922 as a vaudeville house and later became a movie palace. It was developed along with the neighboring Palais Royale Building by the Palace Theater Corporation. It is a four- to five-story, rectangular, Spanish Renaissance Revival style brick building with finely crafted terra cotta ornamentation. It was planned for demolition in 1959 but was saved from demolition, and between 1998 and 2000, it was restored and remodeled.
Today, Morris Performing Arts Center's interior features a rose, blue and cream color scheme, as it originally did when it opened. The theater's stage, which measures 56 feet by 57 feet and contains a red and gold main curtain, dates from the 2000 restoration. The theater is home to the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and also hosts Broadway shows, concerts, and other special events, including Marian High School's annual commencement ceremony. The theater's interior is notable for borrowing from European architectural styles. More than half of the seats at Morris Performing Arts Center — 1,282 are in the balcony. The remainder of the seats are in the lower level.
In 1985, the center was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It qualified for historic designation both because of its place in the area's history and because of its historically significant architecture.[7]
Address: 211 N Michigan St, 46601-1202 South Bend
City Cemetery
Cemetery in South Bend, Indiana. The South Bend City Cemetery is a historic cemetery in South Bend, Indiana. It was established in 1831, when Lathrop Taylor and Alexis Coquillard donated the land upon which it was built. The Miller Mausoleum was built in 1882 and the Studebaker-Milburn Mausoleum in 1884. The sexton's cottage, designed by Parker & Austin, was built in 1899, the same year that the cast iron entrance gate was installed. A monument in memory of the veterans of the American Civil War of 1861-1865 was added in 1914 thanks to a donation from Union Army colonel Norman Eddy.
Notable burials include Schuyler Colfax (1823–1885), who served as the 17th Vice President of the United States from 1869 to 1873. Joseph and Mary McKinley, the paternal grandparents of William McKinley, who served as the 25th President of the United States from 1897 to 1901, were also buried here. US Representatives Norman Eddy (1810–1872) and Samuel Sample (1796–1855), and Indian Campaigns Medal of Honor recipient Enoch R. Weiss (1848–1917) are buried there as well.
The cemetery has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since December 4, 2018.[8]
Address: 214 Elm St, 46616-1036 South Bend
Frank Eck Stadium
Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana. Frank Eck Stadium is a baseball stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana. It hosts the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish college baseball team. The stadium holds 2,500 people and was built in 1994. The stadium was named after Frank Eck, an alumnus, benefactor and advisor to the university.
Since its construction, the stadium has hosted three NCAA Regionals, 1999, 2001 and 2021.[9]
DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
The Marie P. DeBartolo Performing Arts Center is a performing arts venue located on the south end of the University of Notre Dame campus and open to the South Bend, Indiana, and wider community. The 150,000 square foot facility, which opened in September 2004, was financed in large part by a gift from Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. and the building was named in honor of his wife. The current executive director of the facility is Ted Barron. In addition to performance spaces, the building also contains offices, teaching spaces, and production facilities for Notre Dame's Department of Film, Television, and Theatre, as well as for the Department of Music, the Department of Sacred Music, and the Shakespeare at Notre Dame program.[10]
Address: 100 Performing Arts Ctr, 46556-4600 South Bend
Century Center
Convention center in South Bend, Indiana. The Century Center Convention Center, designed by architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee, broke construction in 1974 and opened in 1977, has been managed by SMG since July, 2013. The center, built on the banks of the West Race canal, overlooks the St. Joseph River in downtown South Bend, Indiana, United States. It features over 75,000 sq ft. of convention space and is home to Island Park, an 11-acre riverfront park attached to the convention center via a cross walk over the West Race canal.
Century Center includes a 25,000 sq ft (2,300 m2) Convention Hall that can be split into two smaller halls. This level also offers a 12,000 sq ft (1,100 m2) Discovery Ballroom that can be separated into two equal halls.
Century Center Convention Center's 16,000 sq ft (1,500 m2) Great Hall is includes a 30 ft (9.1 m) glass wall which overlooks the St. Joseph River. Eighteen meeting rooms, with over 35 combinations, complement the overall space. A pre-function area is located on the lower level adjacent to the Great Hall. A two-story high glass wall encompasses the Great Hall, with a view of the St. Joseph River.
The Century Center Convention Center provides access via an enclosed, climate-controlled skywalk to a 300-room DoubleTree hotel. It houses the South Bend Museum of Art and is connected by a tunnel to the former College Football Hall of Fame.[11]
Address: 120 S Saint Joseph St, 46601-1902 South Bend
Joseph D. Oliver House
Museum in South Bend, Indiana. The Joseph D. Oliver House, also known as Copshaholm, sits on 808 W. Washington Street, at the corner of Chapin Street in South Bend, Indiana. The mansion was built for the Oliver family, founders of the Oliver Chilled Plow Works, and named after the Scottish village of the patriarch. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Built in 1895–96, Copshaholm is a 38-room Romanesque Queen Anne house designed by New York architect Charles Alonzo Rich. The furnishings on all three floors are original, giving visitors a glimpse of how the mansion appeared during the 72 years the Oliver family had occupancy.
Oak, cherry and mahogany woodwork are found throughout Copshaholm. Leaded glass windows and 14 unique fireplaces add to the beauty of the house. The furnishings include porcelains, glass, silver, prints, and bronzes, including some by Bartolozzi and Lorado Taft. The furniture is all original and display beautiful antiques.
Surrounding Copshaholm are 2.5 acres (10,000 m2) of landscaped gardens, including a garden tea house, formal Italianate garden, rose garden, pergola, tennis lawn, and fountain.[12]
Address: 808 W. Washington Street, South Bend
Clarke Memorial Fountain
War memorial in Notre Dame, Indiana. The Clarke Memorial Fountain is a large public fountain on the campus of the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States.
The fountain, originally known as the War Memorial, was dedicated in 1986. Designed by University of Notre Dame alumnus John Burgee and Philip Johnson, the fountain was intended as a memorial to the approximately 500 Notre Dame alumni who died in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The memorial's dedication led to some protests by anti-war student activists, and today it is officially known as the Clarke Memorial Fountain, named after alumnus and benefactor Maude Clarke. Clarke, along with John Schuff, had dedicated the fountain in honor of Clarke's husband John, an officer in the United States Army.[13]
Darden Road
Bridge. Water Street/Darden Road Bridge is a historic Pratt through truss bridge located in Clay Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana. It was built in 1885 by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, and is a double-span steel bridge. It measures 328 feet long and 20 feet wide. It was originally located at Water Street in nearby South Bend, and moved to its present location in 1906 on Darden Road, where it crosses the St. Joseph River. The bridge has experienced multiple closures since being moved, the last in 1970; it remains closed to vehicular traffic. Darden Road now crosses the river on a bridge opened in 1999. The Water Street/Darden Road Bridge lies along the Darden Road Trail, part of the larger Indiana–Michigan River Valley Trail.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.[14]
Address: 20547-20687 Darden Rd, South Bend
Potawatomi Zoo
Indiana's oldest animal park. The Potawatomi Zoo is a 23-acre zoological park located in South Bend, Indiana, United States. The Zoo is nestled in Potawatomi Park between the St. Joseph River and the Grand Trunk railroad in the east side neighborhood of River Park. Founded in 1921, it is Indiana's oldest Zoo. It features over 400 animals and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The zoo has over 200,000 visitors each year.[15]
Address: 500 S Greenlawn Ave, 46615-1341 South Bend
Main Building
Administrative building in Notre Dame, Indiana. University of Notre Dame's Main Administration Building houses various administrative offices, including the Office of the President. Atop of the building stands the Golden Dome, the most recognizable landmark of the university. Three buildings were built at the site; the first was built in 1843 and replaced with a larger one in 1865, which burned down in 1879, after which the third and current building was erected. The building hosts the administrative offices of the university, as well as classrooms, art collections, and exhibition spaces. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[16]
St. Casimir Parish
Catholic church in South Bend, Indiana. St. Casimir Parish is a Catholic parish in South Bend, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1898. It is one of the Roman Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. It is a central contributing property in the St. Casimir Parish Historic District.
Weekend masses are at Saturday 5:00 p.m. (English, 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month only), Sunday 9:30 a.m. (English) and 11:15 a.m. (Spanish)[17]
Hesburgh Library
Academic library in Notre Dame, Indiana. Theodore Hesburgh Library is the primary building of the University of Notre Dame's library system. The present-day building opened on September 18, 1963, as Memorial Library. In 1987, it was renamed Hesburgh Library, in honor of Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C. who served as the university's president from 1952 to 1987. The library's exterior façade that faces the university's football stadium includes a large, 134-foot by 68-foot mural called The Word of Life, or more commonly known as Touchdown Jesus. As of 2009, the library ranked as the 61st largest collection among research universities in the United States, with an estimated 3.39 million volumes.[18]
Howard Park
The Howard Park Historic District is a national historic district located at South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana. It encompasses 27.6-acres and includes 51 contributing buildings, 2 additional contributing structures, and 1 further contributing site. It developed between about 1880 and 1947, and includes notable examples of Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Renaissance Revival, Prairie School, and Bungalow / American Craftsman style architecture and works by architects Austin & Shambleau. Notable buildings include the Sunnyside Apartments, Studebaker / Johnson House, Zion Evangelical Church, the Works Progress Administration built Howard Park Administrative Building, and Lister / Plotkin House.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.[19]
Address: Jefferson Blvd. and St.Louis Blvd., 46614 South Bend
Cathedral of St. James
Cathedral in South Bend, Indiana. The Cathedral of St. James is an Episcopal cathedral in South Bend, Indiana, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Northern Indiana. The cathedral church and the adjoining parish hall were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.[20]
Address: 117 N Lafayette Blvd, 46601 South Bend
St. Patrick's Farm
Farm in St. Joseph County, Indiana. St. Patrick's Farm is a historic barn and farm complex located in Clay Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana. The barn was built about 1925, and is a large, "T"-plan, multi-story, high gambrel roofed frame building. It is sheathed in shiplap siding and has two attached wood silos with conical roofs. Also on the property are the contributing concrete silo, gas pump, windmill, pole barn, and a fenced lot. The farm was originally developed by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, then converted to a park in 1966.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.[21]
Saint Mary's College
Liberal arts college in Notre Dame, Indiana. Saint Mary's College is a private Catholic women's liberal arts college in Notre Dame, Indiana. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, the name of the school refers to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Saint Mary's offers five bachelor's degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. Additionally, Saint Mary's College offers two graduate degrees: a Master of Science and a doctorate. The graduate programs include a MAST, MSSP, DSCI, & DNP. All programs that fall under the graduate degrees are co-educational.[22]
Howard Hall
Howard Hall is one of the 32 Residence Halls on the campus of the University of Notre Dame and one of the 14 female dorms. It is located north of South Dining Hall on University of Notre Dame's South Quad, and is immediately surrounded by Badin Hall on the east, Morrissey Manor on the west, and Bond Hall on the north. Built in 1924-1925, it is dedicated to Timothy Edward Howard, and hosts 145 undergraduates. The coat of arms is based on that of the Howard family adapted to fit Howard Hall, changed to match those of the hall, and the lions were substituted with ducks.[23]
South Bend Civic Theatre
City in Indiana. South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total of 103,453 residents and is the fourth-largest city in Indiana. The metropolitan area had a population of 324,501 in 2020, while its combined statistical area had 812,199. The city is located just south of Indiana's border with Michigan.
The area was settled in the early 19th century by fur traders and was established as a city in 1865. The St. Joseph River shaped South Bend's economy through the mid-20th century. River access assisted heavy industrial development such as that of the Studebaker Corporation, the Oliver Chilled Plow Company, and other large corporations.
The population of South Bend declined after 1960, when it peaked at 132,445. This was chiefly due to migration to suburban areas as well as the demise of Studebaker and other heavy industry. Today, the largest industries in South Bend are health care, education, small business, and tourism. Remaining large corporations based in the area include Crowe, Honeywell, and AM General. The city's economy and culture are influenced by the nearby University of Notre Dame.
In the 2010s, the city's population started to increase for the first time in nearly 50 years. The old Studebaker plant and surrounding area, now called Ignition Park, is being redeveloped as a technology center to attract new industry.
The city was featured in national news coverage of former mayor Pete Buttigieg, a candidate in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries and current Secretary of Transportation in the Biden administration.[24]
Address: 403 N Main St, 46601 South Bend
Leeper Park
Park in South Bend, Indiana. Leeper Park is a historic public park and national historic district located at South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana. The district encompasses four contributing buildings, nine contributing structures, and one contributing object in a public park. It was designed by landscape architect George Kessler, who issued the master plan for the park in 1915. Later improvements to the park were made by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s.
Leeper Park is named for David Rohrer Leeper who was elected Mayor of South Bend in 1892.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.[25]
Walker Field Shelterhouse
Historical place in South Bend, Indiana. Walker Field Shelterhouse is a historic park shelter located at South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana. It was constructed in 1938 by the Works Progress Administration. It is a one-story, "T"-shaped fieldstone building. It consists of a gable roofed section with attached hipped roof arcades enclosing space for a wading pool. The central section features three wide segmental arched openings.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.[26]
La Salle Street Bridge
Bridge. La Salle Street Bridge is a historic Spandrel Arch bridge located at South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana. It was built in 1907, and is a three-span, reinforced concrete bridge that crosses the St. Joseph River. It measures 279 feet long and 51 feet wide.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.[27]
First Presbyterian Church
Church in Mishawaka, Indiana. The First Presbyterian Church at 101 S. Lafayette in South Bend, Indiana is a former Presbyterian church building of First Presbyterian Church. It was built in 1888 and is a Richardsonian Romanesque style building constructed of fieldstonewith limestone trim. It has a cross-gable roof and features arched entrances, a massive Palladian window of stained glass, and a corner bell tower.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 as Former First Presbyterian Church.
The congregation of First Presbyterian Church is currently located at 333 W. Colfax Ave in downtown South Bend. The current church was completed in 1952.[28]
Address: 333 W Colfax Ave, 46601 South Bend
Tippecanoe Place
Building in South Bend, Indiana. Tippecanoe Place is a house on West Washington Street in South Bend, Indiana, United States. Built in 1889, it was the residence of Clement Studebaker, a co-founder of the Studebaker vehicle manufacturing firm. Studebaker lived in the house from 1889 until his 1901 death. The house is one of the few surviving reminders of the Studebaker automotive empire, which was the only major coach manufacturing business to successfully transition to the manufacture of automobiles. In 1973, the Richardsonian Romanesque mansion was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was further recognized by being designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977. It is located in South Bend's West Washington Historic District.[29]
Address: 620 W Washington St, 46601 South Bend
Federal Courthouse
Courthouse in South Bend, Indiana. Third St. Joseph County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located at South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana. It was designed by architecture firm Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge and built in 1897. It is a 2+1⁄2-story, Classical Revival style stone and granite building. It features a large dome at the cross-axis of the gable roof, a paired column portico, and center pavilion and clock in the tympanum of the pediment.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. It is located in the West Washington Historic District.[30]
Address: 204 S Main St, South Bend
St. Matthew Cathedral
Cathedral in South Bend, Indiana. St. Matthew Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in South Bend, Indiana, United States. Along with Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne, it is the seat of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.[31]
Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes
Shrine in Notre Dame, Indiana. The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes is located at the University of Notre Dame and is a reproduction of the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.[32]
Blackstone-State Theater
Theatre. Blackstone-State Theater is a historic theatre building located at South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana. It was built in 1919, and is a four-story, Classical Revival style brick and terra cotta building. The first floor has four storefronts and the theatre entrance. The upper floors form a loggia that rises to the fourth floor and supported by four pairs of fluted columns. The theater originally sat 2,500 patrons.
The theater was closed between 1977 and 1994, and it closed again in 2016.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.[33]
Sorin Hall
Building in Notre Dame, Indiana. Sorin Hall, also known as Sorin College, is the oldest of the 32 Residence Halls on the campus of the University of Notre Dame and one of the 16 male dorms. It is named after Edward Sorin, the founder of Notre Dame. Sorin is located directly north of Walsh Hall and is directly south of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Sorin houses 143 undergraduate students. Sorin Hall is, along with other building on the Main Quad of Notre Dame, on the National Register of Historic Places. Sorin Hall was the first Notre Dame residential hall established as such, although St. Edward's Hall is housed in an older building.[34]
Address: Corby Dr, 46556 Notre Dame
Marine Corps League
Nature, Natural attraction, Valley
Address: 539 Parry St, 46617-3214 South Bend