Allison & Christopher
Things to Do South Bend & Restaurants
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs will be in town during our wedding weekend! If you’re looking for a fun way to kick off the festivities, there’s a Friday night game at 7:05 PM EST, complete with a fireworks show to end the night. If you’re staying for the weekend and want to soak up a little more South Bend fun, there’s also a Sunday afternoon game at 2:05 PM EST—the perfect way to wrap up your trip! The website is linked.
Saint Mary's College
Take a self-guided tour of Allison's alma mater! It's a beautiful and quaint campus. We recommend walking or driving down the iconic Saint Mary's Avenue, a street close to our hearts. Allison walked this way to every Notre Dame football game; it was our path to visit each other and the libraries on each campus. This road leads directly to the beautiful Grotto on Notre Dame's campus, about a 15-20 minute walk. Saint Mary's Avenue holds special memories for us, and we hope you'll enjoy this little piece of our story while you're here. Allison lived in LeMans Hall (the castle building) for half of her time as a Saint Mary's student. It is breathtaking in person.
University of Notre Dame
Explore Notre Dame with an official group or self-guided tour. The Eck Visitors Center offers free public tours showcasing campus life, including the Grotto, Basilica, Main Building (Golden Dome), and Hesburgh Library ("Touchdown Jesus"). Public tours are available at various times; groups of 10+ need private arrangements. Register in person at the Eck Center within 30 minutes of the tour (limited to 25 people; no advance or phone reservations). Friday tours are at 10 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM. A mobile tour is accessible anytime via the free Notre Dame app (my.nd.edu, use the guests persona and then tours icon). Notre Dame Stadium tours are scheduled separately; see https://und.com/stadium-experiences for details.
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
An art museum on Notre Dame's campus mixes classic and contemporary works, with twenty-three galleries full of paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, works on paper, and textiles. Entry is free. Monday-Thursday, the Museum is open from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Friday, the Museum is open from 10:00 AM - 7:30 PM, and Saturday/Sunday, the Museum is open from 12:00-5:00 pm (could be a great stop to stroll and get some pictures in between the ceremony and reception!)
Warren Golf Course
A beautiful golf course, tee times open up on the website 14 days in advance. https://warrengolfcourse.com/the-course/tee-times/ Proper golf attire is required at all times while on the property.
Four Winds Casino South Bend
Take a short trip to where Allison and her twin brother Tom celebrated their 21st birthday. It was the night before Allison had a huge nursing exam, so she remembers all of it!
Potawatomi Zoo
Hours are 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM! They have super cute red pandas! :)
South Bend Farmer's Market
For our early birds, the Farmer's Market will be open on Saturday from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Again, please be mindful that our Mass begins promptly at 1:00 PM!
Indiana Dinosaur Museum
This is another neat thing to check out for those traveling with their littles! Open 10 AM-5:00 PM on weekdays, and 9:00 AM-5:00 PM on weekends.
South Bend Chocolate Factory & Tours
A close 2nd to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory... Connected to the Indiana Dinosaur Museum, offers tours of just the chocolate factory, or you can combine and tour both!
South Bend Chocolate Cafe Downtown Storefront
Super yummy chocolate located in downtown South Bend!
East Race Waterway
Before you hit the road on Sunday, why not add a little excitement to your departure? The downtown South Bend whitewater rafting course opens at noon and offers unlimited rides for just $20 – a fantastic way to make some waves! (Note this is only open Saturday and Sunday, from Noon-5:00 PM)
Studebaker National Museum
This is a 55,000-square-foot museum dedicated to the automotive industry—a fantastic stop for any car fan! It is open 10-5 Monday through Saturday and 12-5 Sunday.
University Park Mall
Allison was a regular at the Lululemon for her retail therapy fixes.
Evil Czech Brewery and Public House
Location of the Bride and Groom's first date (October 13th, 2021). Incredible craft beer selection (specifically the Evil Czechmunk and Static Chipmunk)!
Jay's Lounge
Divey sports pub just over the Michigan border about 15 minutes from campus. The couple spent many football Sundays (including 3 Super Bowls) and the groom's 21st birthday here. They especially recommend the wings, onion rings, and fried chicken sandwich! The most up-to-date menu/specials are on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jaysNiles/
Rocco's Restaurant
Timeless pizza/Italian restaurant famous for being a postgame destination. A must try. The couple promises your life will be changed by the Julia's Salad. Closed on Sunday/Monday so consider stopping here Friday!
Carmela's Restaurant
Enjoy one of the finer restaurants in South Bend! Many celebratory meals were spent here! The couple's wedding cake is even from Macri's Bakery, a part of Carmela's! It's closed on Sunday and Monday, so it's a great option for Friday.
Howard Park Public House
Local spot for fresh ethically sourced food, great drink selection, and nice outdoor seating area! This became a favorite during Chris’s senior year!
O'Rourke's Public House
Right on Eddy Street, great walking distance (taking 3 minutes or less) Irish Pub for folks staying at the Fairfield, Embassy Suites, or a brief 5-minute walk from the Morris Inn!
Ho Ping House
The Bride and the Groom go wild for the crab rangoons. This is also where Allison and Chris introduced each other to a friend for the first time (shout out to Anna and Sam for being good sports through that dinner).
Papa Vino's Italian Kitchen
Cute Italian spot where the Groom and his parents would always eat during move in weekend and where the Groom celebrated graduating from Notre Dame with his family and college friends. Also where the parents of the Bride and Groom met for the first time!
Corndance Tavern
Fancy restaurant, where the Bride celebrated her Nursing White Coat ceremony, also where the Bride and Groom celebrated their first Valentine’s Day. The steak fondue bites, alligator bites, and the Sword of John Adams are wonderful.
Fiddler's Hearth
Traditional Irish Pub located in downtown South Bend. Live music lots of nights!
Metro Diner
Cute breakfast/lunch spot (also by the Super Target and Costco….)
PEGGS
Downtown South Bend’s staple breakfast place.
Bar Louie - Granger
Amazing cocktails, great bites, bar and kitchen are open late!
Wings Etc.
Great wings! Driving home from this particular location was when Allison realized Chris was the One for the first time. There's another location in Mishawaka as well!
Linebacker Lounge
Dive bar, lots of fun memories! A well-known bar to stop for a drink at with light bites!
Corby's Irish Pub
Part of the iconic movie "Rudy" was filmed here, and it's also where Allison celebrated her senior formal. More recently, it was the spot where Allison, Chris, and friends cheered on Notre Dame during the National Championship, and while it was good company, it was not a good result ):