The 5 Best Things To Do In South Bend, Indiana (That Have Nothing To Do With Notre Dame)

Located near Indiana's northern border with the St. Joseph River winding through it, South Bend is a small city with a quaint downtown and pockets of historic charm. Some might recognize South Bend as the city ranked America's cleanest in a 2025 study, but most probably know it as the home of the historic Notre Dame University. The university is, no doubt, a major draw, with its impressive neo-Gothic Sacred Heart Basilica and Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. But South Bend is more than a Notre Dame satellite town, and it boasts some great attractions to make it worthy of a trip on its own.

Come in winter, when South Bend becomes a snowy winter wonderland, and you'll find shops and museums to linger in. The warmer months, meanwhile, bring river walks and cafe seating spilling onto the sidewalks. The city is within a drivable distance from other major Midwestern hubs — under two hours from both Chicago and Fort Wayne.

We picked five of the best things South Bend has to offer beyond its Notre Dame reputation, based on three criteria: local distinctiveness, visitor accessibility, and consistent praise from past visitors. A full methodology breakdown will come at the end of this article. Most of the city's main attractions are within close distance to one another (the farthest drive between two of the experiences we selected is around 20 minutes), making it perfect for a day trip, or a few days if you plan to add on a visit to Notre Dame or nearby lakes.

Studebaker was a crucial thread in American transportation development over the course of a century, starting in the 1850s as a horse-drawn wagon manufacturer to making its first motorized car in 1902, to eventually cement its legacy with its iconic 1950s car design. Its industrial history and innovative designs are all chronicled at the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, the city where its founders and production were based. The museum is a traveler favorite: It holds 4.7 stars and a 2025 Travelers' Choice award on Tripadvisor.

One reviewer said, "I could have spent considerably more time exploring all the information and exhibits offered. Exhibits are presented nicely and the facility is clean and well maintained." The museum is spread across three floors that incorporate some of the original car factory's design, with over 100 historic cars on display. One of the highlights of the museum is the Presidential Carriages collection, which features the carriage Abraham Lincoln rode in the day he was assassinated. Most reviewers say to allot at least two hours to take in the full scope of the museum.

The Studebaker National Museum is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Sundays when it opens at noon. A ticket comes with the option to add on admission to The History Museum (located on the same campus) for a surcharge. The combination ticket lets you visit the Oliver Mansion, too, a stunning 19th-century house with its original furnishings intact.

One of the great natural features South Bend has is the St. Joseph River coursing right through its downtown. If you're looking for some light recreation in the city without having to spend money, a trail aptly named the East Bank Trail provides views along the river and connects through some downtown highlights. "Sidewalk makes it easy to walk/run on the trail. Scenic views of the St. Joseph River," one Yelp reviewer described of the trail.

The whole trail is 1.7 miles long, according to TrailLink, though it connects to a couple other local trails on the southern end if you want to make it a longer hike: the Northside Trail (3 miles) and the West Bank Walkway (0.6 miles). The north end of the East Bank Trail starts at the Holy Cross College campus, following an old rail path for about the first half-mile. At the northern section, the trail also passes the South Bend welcome sign, a charming photo-op. It then winds along the river, which creates a calm winter scene as the water moves past frozen banks, making the East Bank Trail a pretty, easy winter hike option outside of Indianapolis (roughly 2.5 hours away by car).

Along the trail, you'll have access to lots of dining and shopping, too, as it runs through the East Bank Village, which the South Bend visitor's website lists as one of the city's most lively neighborhoods. The Lauber — open for lunch or dinner — is one of the top-rated restaurants close to the trail, with 4.5 stars from Google reviews. Alternatively, you could cross a bridge over to the Cat Lady Café, a well-rated option for coffee and light bites.

One of South Bend's most highly rated attractions on Tripadvisor, with five stars, is the Indiana Dinosaur Museum, about a 10-minute drive from the South Bend International Airport. It opened in 2024, with the intention to provide both fun and education to visitors, per the South Bend Tribune. One thing that makes the museum unique is the eclectic variety of experiences available on the campus, which includes, among other things, real dinosaur fossils, a farmers market, a chocolate factory, and park grounds with roaming bison.

Admission costs $20 to $25, as of this writing — on the pricier end of things to do in South Bend, but some argue the price is justified. "A little pricey on admission but we really enjoyed it. Spent about 90 minutes or so in the museum," a Reddit user said. With the general admission ticket, you can see exhibits like a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil and live caiman and turtles. It also covers access to the Continental Divide Park, where the buffalo live and which has some walking trails. "The prairie trails out to the buffalo are an easy, pleasant walk," a Tripadvisor reviewer said.

After exploring the dinosaur bones and walking some trails, you can stop by the Public House for a meal — it's a separate building but part of the same museum complex, with 4.1 stars from Google reviews. The restaurant menu's specialty is the "upside-down burger," but sandwiches, steak, and pasta are also options.

Howard Park is one of the oldest attractions of South Bend, established in 1899, but a redevelopment in 2019 turned it into one of the coolest places in the city. The park now has a huge playground, restaurants, an event space, walking paths, fire pits, and an ice skating rink. The park gets lots of positive reviews, especially for its design; one Google reviewer said, "Such a nice and pretty place with a fountain and fire pits. The children's playground with a rock climbing is the bomb."

However, it's the ice skating experience that really makes Howard Park something special to South Bend. Ice skating at Howard Park isn't a typical, circular rink, but rather consists of a 16,000-square-foot "trail," which loops around with gentle slopes and an ice pond. The park takes it a step further with some fun scheduled ice skating events, including DJ skate night every Friday. Skate rentals are available on site, and ice skating is open every day during the cold season. Also, if you come on Tuesday, the price for admission is cut in half.

When it's warmer, the ice skating trail is open as a regular walking trail and patio. There's another walking and cycling trail, the Riverwalk Trail, through the park, too. Summer means the park's interactive fountain is turned on, which transforms into a light show at night. The park's event lawn hosts summer festivals, including the multicultural event Fusion Fest.

Anyone interested in the arts should consider attending an event at the Morris Performing Arts Center. It's received national acclaim, winning an Outstanding Historic Theatre Award in 2015 for both its community impact and historic preservation, ABC57 reported. It's also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and getting to step foot in the gorgeous building is a memorable experience on its own.

"The place itself was a stunning sight to see, not even taking in anything else. ... The seats were comfortable, and honestly the view from anywhere within that theater is spectacular," one Google reviewer wrote. The theater was built in 1922, originally to stage vaudeville acts, with an ornate, palace-like design, which was restored to its glory in the late '90s. Its interior features elaborate moldings, embellished balconies, and a grand vaulted ceiling. In the past, it hosted such legends as Houdini and Frank Sinatra.

Events at the Morris Performing Arts Center range from plays to symphony orchestras. The theater hosts touring productions from Broadway, plus more niche events, like the Rock Orchestra by Candlelight. If you're more interested in the history of the building than seeing a show (and want to save on costs), it also offers tours by appointment from Tuesday through Friday. The tour lets you into the venue's Palais Royale ballroom as well.

We selected five attractions in South Bend that get strong, consistent praise from travelers across Google reviews, Tripadvisor, and Yelp. We started by identifying the places and activities that had the best reputations from past visitors, then narrowed down our picks to those that are both unique to South Bend and are accessible to most travelers, excluding Notre Dame-centered sites. These activities highlight how South Bend isn't interchangeable with another Midwest city, working well as stand-alone destinations or part of a longer trip itinerary.