South Bend

South Bend is in Northern Indiana. The city's name is drawn from the fact that it's situated on the southernmost bend in the St. Joseph River. Together with neighboring Mishawaka they form a continuous urban area of about 325,000 (2020). South Bend is the home of the University of Notre Dame, but is also the former home of many large companies such as Studebaker, Oliver Chilled Plow, and Singer.

The area is now home to Crowe-Chizek, AM General (which makes military vehicles.), Bosch, Honeywell, and Woodwind & Brasswind. The city hopes to grow with the undertaking of a new nano-technology campus near the city, which has already brought new contracts for factories and businesses around the city of Southbend.

Understand
With a population just over 100,000 (2020), South Bend is often thought of as a "small town", perhaps increasingly so since former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg (known as "Mayor Pete" due to his difficult to spell last name) likes to tout his experience of being a "Small Town Mayor in a Red State" during the Presidential Primaries in the 2020 campaign cycle which ultimately propelled him to national fame and the post of secretary of transportation of the USA.

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. 2 State Road 2 runs directly through downtown on Western Avenue and connects to Michigan City in the west (see above).
 * S.R. 23 State Road 23 runs diagonally northeast-southwest through South Bend from the Kankakee area and turns into M-60 in Michigan (see above).

By plane


Other local airports include:

By train
Long distance trains and commuter trains serve South Bend at two different train stations, neither of which is near the city's center:


 * Train operator:
 * South Shore Line (SSL) has service from downtown Chicago, Gary and Michigan City. The full trips takes a bit over two hours with prices from $13. The trains are well equipped with restrooms and reclining seats.


 * Train operator:
 * Routes stopping at South Bend:
 * Capitol Limited operates daily between Chicago and Washington, D.C. including stops in South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Alliance, Pittsburgh, Connellsville, Cumberland, Martinsburg, Harpers Ferry, and Rockville.
 * Lake Shore Limited operating daily between Chicago and Boston or New York City. It makes stops at most stations along the route, though it does not stop at some of the smallest stations. Trains consist of train cars from both branches between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer).  The trains split into separate branches between Albany (Rensselaer) and both Boston and New York City.  Stops between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer) include South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Schenectady. Stops between Albany (Rensselaer) and Boston include Pittsfield, Springfield, Worcester, Framingham.

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.

Taxis and limousines

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

By car
Driving around yourself is the best way to navigate the city. St. Joseph County's road naming system 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, 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 Lafayette Blvd.

By bike
There are no bike shops that rent bicycles in South Bend, but the city is now home to a fleet of LimeBikes which can be rented by downloading the app. Riders can rent an available bike at a low price, (usually $1 per ride + $0.05 per minute), and don’t need to return it to a designated bike rack like other bike-share programs. Instead, they engage the locking mechanism on the rear wheel and the bike’s GPS system tracks the amount of time and distance they’ve traveled, charging them through an application on their phone.

Museums, art galleries, and indoor activities

 * South Bend Table Tennis Center The 7th ranked table tennis club in the United States. Led by the 2000 Men's Olympic Coach and 5-time U.S. Men's Singles Champion, Dan Seemiller, the club is open to all. SBTTC is a large club with activities from beginners to seasoned Loopers and Choppers with 14 professional tables. Weekly Round Robins provide lively competition and club rankings.
 * South Bend Table Tennis Center The 7th ranked table tennis club in the United States. Led by the 2000 Men's Olympic Coach and 5-time U.S. Men's Singles Champion, Dan Seemiller, the club is open to all. SBTTC is a large club with activities from beginners to seasoned Loopers and Choppers with 14 professional tables. Weekly Round Robins provide lively competition and club rankings.
 * South Bend Table Tennis Center The 7th ranked table tennis club in the United States. Led by the 2000 Men's Olympic Coach and 5-time U.S. Men's Singles Champion, Dan Seemiller, the club is open to all. SBTTC is a large club with activities from beginners to seasoned Loopers and Choppers with 14 professional tables. Weekly Round Robins provide lively competition and club rankings.
 * South Bend Table Tennis Center The 7th ranked table tennis club in the United States. Led by the 2000 Men's Olympic Coach and 5-time U.S. Men's Singles Champion, Dan Seemiller, the club is open to all. SBTTC is a large club with activities from beginners to seasoned Loopers and Choppers with 14 professional tables. Weekly Round Robins provide lively competition and club rankings.
 * South Bend Table Tennis Center The 7th ranked table tennis club in the United States. Led by the 2000 Men's Olympic Coach and 5-time U.S. Men's Singles Champion, Dan Seemiller, the club is open to all. SBTTC is a large club with activities from beginners to seasoned Loopers and Choppers with 14 professional tables. Weekly Round Robins provide lively competition and club rankings.
 * South Bend Table Tennis Center The 7th ranked table tennis club in the United States. Led by the 2000 Men's Olympic Coach and 5-time U.S. Men's Singles Champion, Dan Seemiller, the club is open to all. SBTTC is a large club with activities from beginners to seasoned Loopers and Choppers with 14 professional tables. Weekly Round Robins provide lively competition and club rankings.
 * South Bend Table Tennis Center The 7th ranked table tennis club in the United States. Led by the 2000 Men's Olympic Coach and 5-time U.S. Men's Singles Champion, Dan Seemiller, the club is open to all. SBTTC is a large club with activities from beginners to seasoned Loopers and Choppers with 14 professional tables. Weekly Round Robins provide lively competition and club rankings.

Outdoor activities

 * East Bank Trail/Riverwalk along the St. Joseph River. The banks of the East Race offer more than of paved and lighted walking/running paths along the scenic St. Joseph River.
 * Howard Park Ice Rink Public ice skating rink located in Howard Park. Viewing Park (where you can get a good view of the skyline) is nearby as well.
 * Rum Village Park and Nature Center The of natural woodland in Rum Village Park is a designated nature area. Many excellent specimens of native trees and a wide selection of flowering and herbaceous plants may be found here. Such a wooded tract is unique within an urban community. It is a remnant of the land that once was.... a source of food and shelter for a variety of wildlife and a haven for renewal of the human spirit.
 * Howard Park Ice Rink Public ice skating rink located in Howard Park. Viewing Park (where you can get a good view of the skyline) is nearby as well.
 * Rum Village Park and Nature Center The of natural woodland in Rum Village Park is a designated nature area. Many excellent specimens of native trees and a wide selection of flowering and herbaceous plants may be found here. Such a wooded tract is unique within an urban community. It is a remnant of the land that once was.... a source of food and shelter for a variety of wildlife and a haven for renewal of the human spirit.
 * Rum Village Park and Nature Center The of natural woodland in Rum Village Park is a designated nature area. Many excellent specimens of native trees and a wide selection of flowering and herbaceous plants may be found here. Such a wooded tract is unique within an urban community. It is a remnant of the land that once was.... a source of food and shelter for a variety of wildlife and a haven for renewal of the human spirit.
 * Rum Village Park and Nature Center The of natural woodland in Rum Village Park is a designated nature area. Many excellent specimens of native trees and a wide selection of flowering and herbaceous plants may be found here. Such a wooded tract is unique within an urban community. It is a remnant of the land that once was.... a source of food and shelter for a variety of wildlife and a haven for renewal of the human spirit.
 * Rum Village Park and Nature Center The of natural woodland in Rum Village Park is a designated nature area. Many excellent specimens of native trees and a wide selection of flowering and herbaceous plants may be found here. Such a wooded tract is unique within an urban community. It is a remnant of the land that once was.... a source of food and shelter for a variety of wildlife and a haven for renewal of the human spirit.
 * Rum Village Park and Nature Center The of natural woodland in Rum Village Park is a designated nature area. Many excellent specimens of native trees and a wide selection of flowering and herbaceous plants may be found here. Such a wooded tract is unique within an urban community. It is a remnant of the land that once was.... a source of food and shelter for a variety of wildlife and a haven for renewal of the human spirit.

Outlets and malls
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.

Budget




Bars and clubs
Indiana State Law prohibits alcohol sales after 3AM Monday - Friday and after midnight on Saturday (though bars 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. However, you can easily cross the state line into Michigan in mere minutes and purchase alcohol on Sunday before 2AM.



Wineries
The following are plucked from the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail:

Stay safe
Like many post-industrial cities, South Bend has some trouble spots. To be safe, lock your vehicle when you plan to leave it unattended anywhere downtown, but especially in a parking garage or low lit area after dark. Places to be careful during the day and not walk through after dark include areas on and around Lincoln Way West between William St. and the airport, SR 23 and Madison St. on the East Side of downtown and the river, Western Avenue between William St. and Mayflower, and US 31 between Monroe and Donmoyer Ave. to the north and south and Miami St. and Olive/Locust Rd. to the east and west. Essentially, the south and west sides of downtown and a small portion of the east side can be dangerous, but the majority of neighborhoods are safe. Portage Road and going north towards Cleveland is also known for crime. Take care as you would in any major city after dark.

One natural threat to be aware of are tornadoes: if you hear a siren or there is a tornado warning issued, take it seriously. Because South Bend/Michiana is so far North of the tornado belt, there are very few twisters in the area, even during tornado season. However, the tornadoes that do occur are usually F0s which, though comparatively weak, are often low to the ground and very difficult to spot with doppler radar, making advanced warning more difficult. Though much smaller events, their winds speeds can reach as high as 90 miles per hour and they can cause very localized damage in a short period.

Stay healthy
Drinking water is as safe in South Bend as anywhere else in the country. Do not swim in the St. Joseph River or accidentally ingest river water as the Western half of the St. Joe is still quite polluted. A 5-phase project to reroute old stormwater pipelines out of the river is nearly halfway finished, and is the primary remaining obstacle toward relative purity.

Go next
Northern Indiana has several recreation areas that highlight the interesting topography and natural features of the area.


 * Chain O' Lakes State Park Located in Northeast Indiana, Chain-O-Lakes is a series of glacially-formed interconnected lakes and tributaries surrounded by thick, relatively hilly forest.  The area has a vast array of wildlife and canoeing is available.
 * Dr. T. K. Lawless County Park Located in Cass County, Michigan (approximately 40 minutes from downtown South Bend), this park features over seven miles of biking/cross-country skiing trails with peaks that overlook two small lakes and feature views of the surrounding county. The park also houses a soccer field, baseball diamond, two picnic houses, horseshoe pits, a disc golf course, children's play equipment, fishing in park-managed lakes and streams, a one-mile paved total access trail, modern restroom facilities, and inner-tubing in the winter (tubes provided).  A modernization effort has been established to update facilities and add a dog park.
 * Indiana Dunes National Park The first national park in Indiana, Indiana Dunes is a popular attraction in which visitors may see swales, bogs, and other prehistoric natural features of Northern Indiana as well as massive sand dunes and a clean lakeshore.  Chicago's skyline can be seen on clear days.  Camping is available. The South Shore Line takes you right to the park for less than $7 each way
 * Pokagon State Park Located in Indiana's lake country (extreme Northeast Indiana), Pokagon State Park features rare, ancient glacially-formed bogs, marshes and lakes.  The park also boasts a luxurious and historic inn/lodge (book ahead as it's usually full!), hiking trails, dense forests, ample wildlife, great fishing, a nature center, bicycle, boat and ski rental, and a nationally popular refrigerated toboggan-run that plunges riders down a moderate hill at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour.
 * Lake Michigan Just under 40 miles from South Bend lie the cities of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, MI, popular locales for beach-goers.  New Buffalo, MI is the closest waterfront at 35 miles away and is home to Redemak's famous burgers.  Michigan City is due west about 40 miles and features shopping, dining, and Indiana Dunes National Park.  New Buffalo and St. Joe/Benton Harbor are excellent sunset viewing locations.