South Bend, Indiana. Probably not the first place you think of when you are planning a family vacation. But with a beautiful university campus to explore, a bevy of affordable restaurants, and one of the best playgrounds we have ever seen, South Bend can be a worthwhile excursion for the whole family!
Founded in 1831, it got its name from the southernmost bend in the river. Industrial vibes started kicking in with Studebaker wagons and carriages, and eventually, they upgraded to making cars. Think of it as the Detroit of carriages before Detroit became the Motor City. Today, it seems to be a mix of blue-collar pride, Midwest friendliness, and a touch of that college-town energy. It gives off a community vibe where everybody’s got a story to share, and they’re more than happy to share it.
But why in the world would you want to visit this college town if you aren’t in college yourself? I think South Bend is a lovely place to spend time in nature, move your body and get in some steps of the day, and slow down a little. It’s not an overly exciting place to visit but we loved the lowkey day that we spent walking around and enjoying the mild summer weather in South Bend.
I can’t say that I would go out of my way to visit South Bend, but it was less than an hour drive from where we were staying and was easy to get in and out of. So if you have the opportunity to stop by this welcoming, charming midwest town, you should. Bring the kids and your walking shoes!
Howard Park playground and splash pad
This may be one of the BEST playgrounds we have ever seen. And we go to a lot of playgrounds. A lot. As parents know, playgrounds are a great place to let kids run wild and exert all of that pent up energy. When traveling, we find that this is even more important, since we often drag our kid along on activities that WE want to do – riverboat tours, campus campuses, historic old buildings, dinners at nice restaurants. So we balance our itineraries with as many playgrounds as we can find. And this one is well worth the trip to South Bend.
The Howard Park playground is an all-abilities playground, meaning that it is ADA accessible and provides play equipment appropriate for kids who may have mobility issues or use wheelchairs. With more than 13,000 square feet of innovative playground equipment mixed in with more traditional play structures, our kid would have been happy to spend hours here.
Off to the side of the Howard Park playground, right in front of the classy little Public House restaurant, is a set of water fountains and jets which functions as a splash pad. At night, they light the fountains with a water show, but during the day, kids run freely through the water. Our son splashed around for nearly an hour while we sat several yards away, watching from our table at the Public House, eating lunch and sipping a mid-day cocktail.
We didn’t explore all of Howard Park, but it seems that there’s no shortage of fun to be had! Howard Park provides a large lawn ideal for festivals or other big community events, firepits, ice skating (winter only), an events center, memorials, and access to the Riverfront trails
Notre Dame campus
I attended 4 universities throughout the 5.5 years that I was in college. (Don’t even ask me how many credits I had when I graduated…. With one B.A.) And not a single one had a gorgeous college campus. You know what I mean, the ones you see in the movies, the Ivy League schools with tree-lined sidewalks, covered in autumn leaves, groups of co-eds lounging on the vast lawns, the old brick and stone buildings. My schools were not like that. Which is maybe why I enjoy exploring those styles of campuses when I get the chance.
When I first proposed the idea of a day trip to South Bend, my husband looked at me like I was a puzzle. “Why?!” When I said “so we can walk around Notre Dame!”, his confused look did not leave his face. “Why?!” he asked again.
I dont know. Because it’s pretty? Because I like walking? Because I like imagining other lives where I did attend a picturesque institution worthy of being in a movie. Because someone told me about Touchdown Jesus and I wanted to see it for myself?
And let me tell you, it does not disappoint! We didn’t get to see most of the campus, but the parts we did see were absolutely stunning.
My son could have cared less about it (hence the time spent at the playground!) and we may have forgotten to pack the stroller (whoops!) so he was in a bad mood for nearly our entire visit, which lasted less than 90 minutes. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Grotto of our Lady Lourdes, and Touchdown Jesus (the Word of Life mural) were the three “must sees” that we made it to before the child’s temperament demanded that we leave. You could easily spend a few hours meandering the pathways and going inside the various buildings, learning the history of the school and the Fighting Irish. Unless you have a tired, crabby 4 year old who refuses to use his legs. (“My legs are so tired!”)
Restaurants we enjoyed
The Public House in Howard Park is a full-service, local restaurant open year-round for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The outdoor patio (heated during the winter) is a perfect spot for parents to watch their kiddos run around on the playground and splash pad. The indoor space is also lovely, with floor-to-ceiling windows and lots of natural light so you never forget you’re in a park.
We had a”linner” (lunch/dinner) at Evil Czech Brewing after our walk around Notre Dame. If this place were in Nashville, we’d be there often. Breweries are great places to bring kids, in general; they’re usually loud and super casual, often providing indoor and/or outdoor games and are often pet-friendly. The food is usually accessible and kid-friendly. And all of that was true of Evil Czech Brewing in South Bend, Indiana. The service was friendly and no one cared when our kid passed out in the booth. The food was also tasty and well-priced, really satisfying!
Have you visited South Bend?
Pass along your tips and tricks so we can learn from one another! Any can’t miss restaurants? Other amazing playgrounds in the area? Favorite spots on the Notre Dame campus? Leave any and all recs for your fellow travelers!