As a Notre Dame student, you'll find a home away from home both on and off campus. Adjacent to South Bend, Indiana, Notre Dame is interwoven with the surrounding community—and we couldn't be prouder of our hometown.
Get to know the South Bend area, where we live, work, and play.
Good Eats
You don't have to be a foodie to appreciate a good meal. Lucky for us, there are many stellar restaurants in Michiana (oh, that's the term for the region of Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan where Notre Dame is located). Eddy Street Commons, which is right next to campus, features 10 eateries including Five Guys and Blaze Pizza.
The local area features different cultural fare, from Latin-fusion at Jesús Latin Grill, to Lebanese at Elia’s Mediterranean, to Chinese and Taiwanese food cooked to order at JW Chen’s, or authentic Irish cuisine at Fiddler’s Hearth—featuring live music every night.
Looking for local produce, meat, and more? Check out our Farmers Market open every Saturday morning year round.
Fun Venues
See a movie, catch Wicked while it's in town, or enjoy some live music. Our performance venues include Notre Dame's DeBartolo Performing Arts Center and the Morris Performing Arts Center in downtown South Bend, which attract international acts and artists.
You can find live music in our area any night of the week, like a periodic all-ages Punk and Pizza night, jazz ensembles, and acoustic guitar. Karaoke nights abound.
Check out this list of upcoming events.
Cultural and Recreational Attractions
Step back in time at the Studebaker National Museum or The History Museum. Visit the Potawatomi Zoo or the South Bend Museum of Art, just minutes away from campus. During baseball season, you can take in a South Bend Cubs game, a Class A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Take a walk downtown to see the River Lights or check out First Fridays.
The Great Outdoors
Looking for more of an adventure? You can raft on the East Race or hike, bike, or innertube at one of our awesome local parks. If you're a runner, we've got races. You can also canoe, snowshoe, cross-country ski, and disc golf in our area. Chicago is 90 miles away and the great beaches of Lake Michigan are even closer.