Things to Do in South Bend Indiana

I have always wanted to go to South Bend, Indiana. I guess you could say it is because my stepmother attended Saint Mary’s but really it is because I am a huge football fan. I mean huge! I also have a teenage son so this was on his bucket list. I was surprised that South Bend offered more than college. It does have a lot of colleges in a small geographical location. The real-estate is well priced. Yes, I looked just in case our son wanted to go there.

What I didn’t expect was the number of activities that were available for kids. I wanted to share with you Things to Do in South Bend Indiana.

This was my itinerary and I should note we were hosted at the Inn and some of our activities were paid for by the tourism department. We did pay for all of our meals and a couple of the fun activities we had.

We stayed at The Inn at Saint Mary ’s located at 53993 State Rd 933, South Bend, IN 46637 and I loved it since we had a suite it was perfect. I had a king size bed and then there was another room with two twins. It looked like a college dorm. Then we had a family room with a pull-out couch. The staff was friendly and the hotel even had a laundry. We needed it after our adventures below. The best part was the free breakfast. The kids were able to fill up on anything they wanted which made for a great start to our day. I would suggest this hotel because of the location and how convenient it was and the atmosphere. It was reasonably priced and a great place to book.

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Once we unloaded the car. We decided to go to the downtown area and out for dinner. We ended up a tapas restaurant called Tapastrie located at 103 W. Colfax South Bend, IN 46601. The food was just what we needed. You can read more about it in my Amazing Places to Eat in Indiana

Then we went to Bowling, Go-Karts, and Mini Golf at Strikes & Spares Entertainment Center located at 5419 N, Grape Rd, Mishawaka, IN 46545. The kids had a great time playing glow int he dark golf, driving go-carts, and bouncing. We like that you could buy a combo pass. We didn’t bowl because they didn’t want to bowl.

We tired them out and sent them to bed!

We woke up and had Breakfast at the Inn at Saint Mary’s. They all wanted the waffles and fruit so that was an easy fix.

   Then we went to visit the Potawatomi Zoo – Indiana’s First Zoo located at 500 S Greenlawn Ave, South Bend, IN 46615. we loved the petting zoo and enjoyed watching the monkey. We liked that it was a small zoo so you could see everything and not feel like you were in a hurry. The weather turned on us and we didn’t get to go on the carousel but it looked like a lot of fun.

Lunch at The Yellow Cat Cafe located at 808 East Colfax  South Bend, Indiana 46617 offered a hearty lunch complete with delicious sandwiches and soup. The walls are filled with humor and our bellies also lefted happy.

 White Water Rafting on the East Race Waterway (written by Liv Fender)

book your trip East Race Waterway

What to know-

• Rubber soled shoes a with heel strap are required. Flip flops and sharp jewelry/objects are not permitted.
• All equipment is provided.
• Required height for rafting is 54″.
• Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult in the raft.
• The East Race runs at a Class 2 rafting and is 1,900 feet. (Class Two: Some rough water, maybe some rocks, small drops, might require maneuvering.)
• It is recommended you bring an extra set of clothes and towels – you will get wet! Note: There are no changing rooms, but a handicap accessible restroom facility is available along with an outdoor rinse shower.
• Kayakers are welcome on the East Race but must supply their own equipment.

Next, we went back to the hotel to change and take showers. This is where having a washer and dryer came in handy. We were wet and smelly! and we needed to get ready for our  South Bend Cubs vs. West Michigan Whitecaps experience at  Four Winds Field. it is located at  501 W South St, South Bend, IN 46601. It was a wonderful experience. The best part is at the end of the game the kids are allowed to run around the bases. It was a cool experience and the stadium is designed with families in mind. The kids enjoyed the splash pad and the playground. I enjoyed great seats, music, and a fun game to watch. I appreciate baseball and was happy to include this experience on our trip. 

Once the game was over our adventure wasn’t. We went to the  South Bend River Lights – Seitz Park340 E Colfax Ave, South Bend, IN 46617. I want to apologize now to all the “lovers” that my children interrupted. They were so excited to see the river that they ran loudly to its edge. The light show was beautiful and it really was a nice place to take the kids. This art installation changes colors with the holidays and other events. It is the brainchild of artist Rob Shakespeare. It also features motion technology and it is currently using electricity but it will eventually be powered by the dam. We put the children to bed after all this excitement. 

We had breakfast the next morning at the Inn at St. Mary’s which again was good. I had scrambled eggs with salsa and toast. The kids all got hot tea to go. They love to be fancy when we let them.

Did you say chocolate? Did you say chocolate on sale? If those things say your name if they speak to your soul you need to try the salted caramel chocolate at the at South Bend Chocolate Factory. 3300 W Sample St, South Bend, IN 46619 they offer a tour and a factory outlet. I would say this in one place that I could have stayed at all day. It was incredible and I may have bought a lot of chocolate.

 Rum Village Aerial Adventure Park – Rum Village Park. 2626 S GERTRUDE STREET
SOUTH BEND, IN 46614  This was our last adventure and it may have been the best one yet. It was an incredible ropes course. I thought that my kids would be scared but they weren’t. They really enjoyed trying out the different level course and testing their abilities. This was a fantastic activity. The property features 160-acre park for mountain biking, hiking, disc golf, a playground, nature center, and picnic shelters.  You could fill the entire day with adventure! I do suggest making sure you have food and water and the right shoes. You also need to sign waivers which can be completed online. If you have children that aren’t the right height for the ropes course there are plenty of things to do with your little ones. You can see your older children and they are being watched by the staff to make sure they are safe.

We left South Bend exhausted and thrilled with everything we tried. We enjoyed South Bend, Indiana. It was much more than a town with an incredible college.

Other things to do in South Bend Indiana

• Jump around at Sky Zone in Mishawaka, an indoor trampoline park
• Practice your home run swing in the South Bend Cubs Performance Center
• Take a road trip back in time with the Studebaker National Museum
• Climb the rock wall, float down the lazy river, and travel down the winding water slide at Kroc Center

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