Notre Dame Home Opener Weekend: A South Bend Itinerary
Notre Dame hosts Rice on September 12, 2026 — kickoff at 3:30 p.m.
If you're driving in for the home opener, the game is three and a half hours of your weekend. The rest of it is South Bend's. Here's how to use it well.
Friday Night: Arrive, Eat, Settle in
Get in before dinner and you'll beat the worst of Saturday's traffic and have time to actually enjoy the city. Downtown South Bend is walkable from several of the hotels closest to campus — check into the Morris Inn on Notre Dame's campus itself if you want to be inside the gate, or the Aloft South Bend or Embassy Suites South Bend at Notre Dame if you want a downtown base or easy Saturday morning access.
For dinner, head to Fiddler's Hearth. It's an Irish pub in downtown South Bend and the atmosphere on a Friday before a home game is its own experience. Fish and chips, bangers and mash, live music most nights. Expect a crowd; put your name in and have a drink at the bar.
If you want something lower-key after dinner, Howard Park Public House is a short walk. The neighborhood along the St. Joseph River is worth a slow evening stroll regardless.
Saturday Morning: campus, river, and Studebaker
Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m., which means Saturday morning is yours. A few options depending on what you're here for.
If you want the campus experience: Walk the University of Notre Dame grounds before the crowds thicken. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the Main Building's Golden Dome are worth seeing on their own terms, not just as backdrop. Self-guided; no tickets required for campus grounds. See our Game Day Guide for everything to do on campus pregame. Of course tailgating is also a great idea!
If you want something beyond campus: The Studebaker National Museum at 201 Chapin Street is a 10-minute drive from campus and consistently one of the most-cited stops in South Bend for a reason. The museum holds the automotive legacy of the Studebaker Corporation — presidential carriages, classic production cars, and a genuine sense of what this city built. Plan 90 minutes. Pair it with a stop inside The History Museum right next door.
If you want to be outside: The East Race Waterway and the St. Joseph River riverwalk give you a proper outdoor morning — a walk or bike along the river, with Howard Park as a natural starting or ending point. The park sits at the river's edge in downtown South Bend.
Parking note: Game-day parking near Notre Dame Stadium fills early and navigating out after the game takes patience. Most visitors staying downtown find it easier to park once and use the Saturday morning to walk or rideshare to campus rather than moving the car twice. We recommend checking out The Link Trail that connects downtown directly to campus!
Game day: before kickoff and Notre Dame Stadium
The Notre Dame vs. Rice kickoff is 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 12 at Notre Dame Stadium.
If you're tailgating, the north lots open hours before kickoff. For a pre-game meal with a roof over your head, Barnaby's of South Bend is a South Bend institution for exactly this purpose — pizza before Notre Dame games is as close to a local ritual as the city has outside the stadium itself.
South Bend Brew Werks is another option for a pre-game stop if you'd like to try a local craft brew before heading to campus.
If you want something closer to campus, check out Eddy Street Commons for plenty of options to accommodate all taste buds. Not to mention, there's a Notre Dame Bookstore location here! Stop there or the main Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore for your game day gear.
Build in extra time getting out after the final whistle. The area around Notre Dame Stadium clears slowly regardless of the result — this is true for every home game. If your hotel is downtown, walking back along the campus perimeter is often faster than waiting for traffic to move.
Saturday night: post-game in downtown South Bend
Post-game energy in downtown South Bend is worth staying for. Corby's Irish Pub will be packed — if you didn't eat there Friday, Saturday night after a home game is the quintessential South Bend experience. Along with Corby's, we must mention "The Backer." The Linebacker Lounge is a student and Notre Dame fan local favorite bar right on the edge of campus.
Check the list of restaurants near Notre Dame for more inspo.
Sunday morning: before you head home
Don't leave before you've seen Mishawaka — South Bend's neighboring city to the east has its own downtown district along the St. Joseph River, quieter than South Bend's game-day corridor and worth a Sunday morning walk.
For a final South Bend stop before the drive back: the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art on the Notre Dame campus holds the university's permanent art collection and is free and open to the public. Sunday morning, with campus largely quiet after the game-day weekend, is one of the better times to see it.
The South Bend Museum of Art in downtown South Bend is another option for a short cultural stop before checkout.
If you'd rather spend Sunday outside, Potato Creek State Park — a short drive south of the city — offers hiking trails and lake access for an outdoor finish before the drive home.
Logistics worth knowing before you go
Getting here: South Bend sits roughly 90 minutes east of Chicago and about two hours north of Indianapolis. The South Shore Line commuter rail connects Chicago's Millennium Station to South Bend International Airport — a real option if you'd rather not drive and want to skip the parking question entirely.
Where to stay: Properties closest to the action include the Morris Inn, the Aloft South Bend and Embassy Suites South Bend at Notre Dame, and the Inn at Saint Mary's across from the Saint Mary's College campus. The Oliver Inn Bed & Breakfast is a quieter option in a Victorian setting — ranked #1 B&B in South Bend — if you want something other than a hotel. Book well ahead for any home-game weekend.
Game day parking: This is the question every first-time visitor asks. North lots and the Blue Lot shuttle options exist, but street parking south of campus and lot pricing vary. Plan your strategy before you arrive with Notre Dame Hospitality's Parking Guide.
Related
