University Park Inn

Packing List

by dzni

Summer is hot and humid. Pack accordingly. Winters are frigid and there is NOT a lack of snow. They get perpetually dumped on here in north-central Indiana, thanks to nearby Lake Michigan and thus lake-effect weather.

Shipshewana, Indiana

by meteorologist1

Located east of South Bend in the heart of Amish Country, Shipshewana is a unique community where you can see Amish buggies everywhere and experience the lives of the people in the Amish countryside. Attractions in Shipshewana include buggy rides, carriage rides, a large auction and flea market, the Blue Gate Theater, and the Menno-Hof where you can learn about the history, life, and faith of the Amish and Mennonites.

Shipshewana can be reached by the Indiana Toll Road (I-80/90). The community is located on Indiana State Road 5, just north of U.S. Highway 20.

Sacred Heart Bascillica

by dzni

Beautiful (and ornate) bascillica (higher level than a cathedral). Step inside if you can. It took me 4 visits before I could find a time when the door wasn't locked or there wasn't some mass or wedding occuring!

What Is Michiana?

by Ischyros

One of the biggest reasons it has taken me so long to create a page about South Bend and the surrounding area was trying to decide how to do it, especially South Bend/Mishawaka. North central Indiana and southwestern lower Michigan is usually referred to as Michiana and almost considered one large community, especially the area surrounding South Bend, Mishawaka, Elkhart, Goshen, and the small communities just across the state line in Michigan. The areas are so integrated it can sometimes be hard to tell when you leave one city and enter another.

One issue I've wrestled with is the idea of shopping and dining. South Bend is the more well-known city and the largest city in the region; however, much of the shopping and dining options are next door in Mishawaka. Thus I believe what I will do is use South Bend to cover the entire Michiana area. I'll still build individual pages for other cities, such as Mishawaka and Elkhart, but they will have the same tips the South Bend page has. Think of it as a large metro area like Chicago. Would you build a seperate page for each of the hundreds of suburbs? Not likely, you'd place it all under Chicago. If any of this seems confusing, I apologize, but hopefully it will work!

"So What Is Michiana?"

Michiana is a region. As mentioned, the South Bend area is so vast and includes literally hundreds of thousands of people in many smaller cities and towns that it is often easier to just refer to the area as Michiana. The centerpiece of Michiana is the South Bend/Mishawaka metro area. These areas, combined with Granger and Osceola, occupy the entire northeastern quarter of St. Joseph county in Indiana. It spills right into Elkhart which takes up much of the northwestern part of Elkhart county and that in turn spills right into Goshen, which occupies the exact center of Elkhart county. Not to mention the fact that South Bend spills over the state line into Niles, Michigan, and you can see how it's hard to refer to the area by all the different city names. Michiana typically includes the counties immediately surrounding St. Joseph county, including the counties across the state line in Michigan.

"Weather Forecast for South Bend"

From the National Weather Service, Last updated Tuesday August 1, 2006 6:00 PM EDT:

A Heat Advisory is in effect until 8PM EDT Wednesday night. Hot temperatures in the mid-90s combined with very high humidity will create heat index values of 105-110 degrees.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Warm and muggy with a low around 78.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy and continued hot. High around 92. Heat index values around 100-105 degrees.
Wednesday night: Partly cloudy with a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Low around 71.
Thursday: Partly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. High around 83. Chance of rain 50%.
Thursday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms early. Otherwise partly cloudy. Low around 63. Chance of rain 30%.
Friday: Partly cloudy. High around 82.

Extended Forecast
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 80s and lows in the lower 60s.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the middle 80s and lows in the lower 60s.
Monday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the middle 80s and lows in the lower 60s.
Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the middle 80s and lows in the middle 60s.

Normal High for Wednesday: 83
Normal Low for Wednesday: 63
Normal High for Thursday: 83
Normal Low for Thursday: 63

Sunrise Wednesday: 6:40 AM
Sunset Wednesday: 9:02 PM

For more information, vist the National Weather Service website

For a look at current webcams from Notre Dame, 2 miles from me Click Here

SURFIN7TH's new South Bend Page

by SURFIN7TH

"The Fighting Irish"

I had to include South Bend in memory of my father. He was one of the biggest Notre Dame fans I've ever known. He took me to a few games there when I was a kid. I still have the old pennants, scarfs, hats, and seat cushions. I remember the stadium being very exposed to the elements and the seats being hard and cold. We each had Notre Dame seat cushions with the ND fight song words on it and the Fightin' Irish with his fists up. I still pay more attention to Notre Dames standings than my local teams. I'm searching everywhere for old pictures of the stadium. I know I have them somewhere. I'll at least put a picture of my father wearning ND garb. I have plenty of those. Great sports town! Lots of tradition! Go There and watch a game!

"Geography"

South Bend is located 5 miles (8 km) from the Michigan border, approximately equidistant from Illinois and Ohio. The city is 93 miles (150 km) driving distance from Chicago. The nearest shore of Lake Michigan is 20 miles (32 km) away. The cities coordinates are 41¡Æ40¡Ç21¡ÈN, 86¡Æ15¡Ç19¡ÈW (41.672597, -86.255157)GR1.

The St. Joseph River flows from the east end of the city turning north near the city center, giving South Bend its name because it is at the south bend of the river. Since South Bend sits on the North-South continental divide, the river flows north into Lake Michigan.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 101.3 km©÷ (39.1 mi©÷). 100.2 km©÷ (38.7 mi©÷) of it is land and 1.1 km©÷ (0.4 mi©÷) of it (1.10%) is water.

South Bend is a city in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total of 107,789; its metropolitan area had a population of 316,663. It is the fourth largest city in Indiana. The city is the county seat of St. Joseph CountyGR6. It is the economic and cultural hub of the region commonly known as Michiana.