Mishawaka

Mishawaka is in Northern Indiana. The town is named after Princess Mishawaka of the Potowatomi tribe. Its adjacent twin city is South Bend, Indiana, which is west of the city. The St. Joseph River runs through downtown where a new riverwalk is still being constructed. Though South Bend has a great deal to offer in terms of tourist attractions, Mishawaka also has quite a few things to see and do. Notre Dame and South Bend are a short drive away if boredom begins to take over.

Between South Bend and Mishawaka, Mishawaka has more wealth and business despite a smaller population. AM General has a plant on the south side of town and there are many suburban-style strip malls and outlet malls along north Grape Rd. and Main St.

By car

 * I-80/90 (Toll Road) Connects to Toledo, Ohio in the east and Chicago, to the west.
 * US 31/S.R. 933 Connects to Indianapolis in the south and runs through downtown South Bend and then 3 miles north to the Michigan line, where it becomes M-51 North.
 * US 20 The bypass around the city which connects to SR 2 (west to Michigan City), US 12 in Michigan (to Sturgis and Detroit to the east and Michigan City and Chicago to the west), SR 23 (a main artery through the city and through St. Joseph County), the I-80/90 toll road, and all other major roads from Elkhart to South Bend and into Michigan.
 * S.R. 23 State Road 23 runs diagonally northeast-southwest through South Bend first, then through the north side of Mishawaka from the Kankakee area and turns into M-60 in Michigan (see above).

By plane

 * South Bend International Airport Just northwest of the city center., South Bend International is Indiana's second busiest airport and receives flights from Chicago Midway & O'Hare, Cleveland, Las Vegas, Orlando-Sanford, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis. The airport has an eatery (Cafe SBN), a coffee shop, business center, Wi-Fi access, a candy store (Sugar and Spice), free air museum, Military Honor Park, travel agency, valet parking, a chapel, limousine and car rental services, freight service, bus terminal (Greyhound and Coach USA, see below) and a commuter rail line to downtown Chicago (see below).

For general aviation but no scheduled flights:
 * Elkhart Municipal Airport, 2246 Airport Dr., Elkhart, Indiana, +1 574-264-5217.
 * Jerry Tyler Memorial Airport, 508 E Main St., Niles, Michi.

By train
Neighboring South Bend is served by long-distance and commuter trains. Amtrak via its Capitol Limited, running between Chicago and Washington, D.C., as well as the Lake Shore Limited, linking Chicago with New York City and Boston. Slower commuter trains from Chicago via the South Shore Line are available too.

By bus

 * Coach USA Offers shuttle service between South Bend Regional Airport, Notre Dame and Chicago airports.
 * Greyhound Offers service to and from destinations around the country via Indianapolis and Chicago.

Public transportation

 * Transpo +1 574-234-1188. The local bus system that serves South Bend and Mishawaka.  A service called the "Transpo Trolley" makes stops at all of the tourist attractions.  Rides are $.75 each way and $.25 for a transfer.

Taxis

 * Shamrock Cab +1 574-243-5500.
 * Yellow Cab +1 574-233-9333.

By car

 * St. Joseph County Road System Driving around yourself is the best way to navigate the city. Luckily, St. Joseph County makes it easy to find your way around.  If you get lost or lose your bearings, remember that the main county roads running east-west are named after presidents and other famous figures (but mostly presidents) and begin, alphabetically, with Adams Rd. in the north near Michigan and end with Taylor in the south, near Marshall County.  North-south roads are named for trees and plants, beginning with Ash (called West County Line Rd. on the Elkhart County side of the road) in Eastern St. Joseph County and ending with Redwood in the west.  There are exceptions to this rule, however, such as Washington St. downtown, and Mishawaka has numbered streets.  Also, Lincoln Way is renamed LaSalle Ave. in downtown South Bend between Ironwood Dr. and Laffeyette Blvd.

Outdoors & landmarks

 * Kamm's Island An island park on the St. Joseph River near the 100 Center.
 * Lake Michigan Just under 40 miles from Mishawaka lie the cities of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, Michigan, popular locales for beachgoers. New Buffalo, MI is the closest waterfront (at under 30 miles away) and is home to Redemack's famous burgers. Michigan City is due west about 30 miles or so and features shopping, dining, and, of course, more beaches. The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is also near Michigan City. New Buffalo and St. Joe/Benton Harbor are the best sunset viewing locations.
 * North/South Continental Divide Sure, it's not that exciting, but just driving down the US 20 bypass you can see a sign that alerts you to this fact. And it's true, South Bend lies on the North/South Continental Divide, which is why the St. Joseph River flows north into Lake Michigan while the White River in Indianapolis flows south.
 * Saint Joseph River Though still fairly polluted, the riverfront along South Bend is an interesting walk through the former dam system that used to power the city's electrical supply. This walk leads (or starts from) the Century Center, which is South Bend's convention center. The Mishawaka riverfront has also come a long way near its downtown.
 * Saint Joseph River Though still fairly polluted, the riverfront along South Bend is an interesting walk through the former dam system that used to power the city's electrical supply. This walk leads (or starts from) the Century Center, which is South Bend's convention center. The Mishawaka riverfront has also come a long way near its downtown.

Outdoor activities

 * Mishawaka River Walk and Trail, along the St. Joseph River offer more than five miles of paved and lighted walking/running paths along the scenic St. Joseph River.

Outlets and malls

 * Mishawaka Grape Rd. and Main St. are the main drags for shopping in the area. Several outlet plazas exist up and down both roads and most major retailers are represented, as are many national and regional restaurant chains (some from California).
 * Michigan City Many South Bend residents travel by train to Michigan City to visit their large array of outlet stores and malls. The South Shore Line has a designated station adjacent to this shopping area, and the fare is less than $6 each way.
 * South Bend Erskine Plaza on the South side is a hub for shopping in South Bend, and you can drive past the mansions of Twyckenham Hills on your way back through the city.
 * University of Notre Dame Shop the Notre Dame bookstore - the largest in the country - or shop the ND Varsity shop located in the Joyce Athletic Convention Center (JACC).
 * University of Notre Dame Shop the Notre Dame bookstore - the largest in the country - or shop the ND Varsity shop located in the Joyce Athletic Convention Center (JACC).

Coffee

 * Starbucks Multiple locations throughout the area.

Bars and clubs
Indiana State Law prohibits alcohol sales after 3AM Monday - Friday and after midnight on Saturday (though bars may stay open until 3AM on Saturday night into Sunday morning). No alcohol sales are permitted on Sunday (beginning at midnight until 7AM Monday morning) or on Christmas, Easter, or New Year's Day. Luckily, you opted to go to South Bend instead of Indianapolis, so you can easily cross the state line into Michigan in mere minutes and purchase alcohol 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Go next
South Bend is not too far away.