Where to stay in South Bend

[whodey5]

Hello everyone,

Newbie here. I have decided that after 15 years of being a die hard notre dame football fan, that I am going to see a live game this year!!! (maybe not the best year of all years, but hey, what can you do).

I was wondering if there are any secret places that I can crash for one night? I'm coming from Cincinnati so odds are that I will just drive up the day of. But, since I have never been to Notre Dame, I would love to come up the night before and experience the entire thrill of being there for a home game. But, I don't want to pay the ridiculous hotel rates either. Does anyone know of a website, or have any info of any cheaper alternatives(i.e. renting a room or crashing with students)?

 

[Junkhead]

Most of the hotels have 2-3 night minimum's on game weekends and triple their normal rate (or higher). Ugh.

 

[goldandblue]

Yeah Hotel prices are crazy. One thing you might think about is a campground. There is a KOA campground in South Bend and for a tent spot with an automobile It would be less than a hundred dollars for the weekend. So Get a tent man and rough it for a couple days. It looks like they have showers and stuff but if not, just go to the nearest Truck Stop. Here's a link for ya Granger Indiana Camping, South Bend East Campground in Indiana - KOA in Granger

 

[Mattmags]

If you have an SUV i would suggest parking in a hotel lot, putting down the backseats and bringing a pillow and covers. If you need a restroom or food, there's bound to be something nearby. Hey, it's exactly what i would do. you just might be a little smelly in the morning...

 

[irishmarine]

also check craigslist classifieds: jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, events, forums i have seen people offering thier spare rooms for big time events there. i went to the superbowl in tamps in 2000 and i found two college guys who had a house so i paid them 300 for a three night stay. but i didnt have to buy food or beer. and it was a real bed. i also brought my gun though. never know what kinda people are out there

 

[whodey5]

thanks

thanks

thanks for the feedback guys. Craigslist is an excellent idea! I forgot about craigslist.

 

[irishmarine]

i swear you could find anything there

 

[SoCalDomer]

I went in 2006 for the first time. my wife bought the tickets as a surprise and decided too late, so hotel options were very limited. unless you book really earlier, you may need to stay outside of Southbend. even then the hotels in Southbend will be very expensive.

You may have better luck in Goshen, Mishakawa or other surrounding areas.

When i went, my wife and i flew into Chicago on Thursday, stayed the night there, then went to campus on Friday and stayed in nearby Valparaiso. Drove back to Southbend on Saturday for the game and after the game drove to Chicago, stayed the night and flew home.

i think we used my hotel points so we didn't end up pay anything for the hotel stays.

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

Check out Elkhart at Indiana Toll Road 92...15 miles east of South Bend. Their rooms are much more reasonable and by far more plentiful.

 

[ndfantp]

Other towns to check out are Laporte and Michigan City. Laporte and Michigan city are no more than 45 minutes away via the toll road...which runs right next to campus. Both of those cities have hotels...not great hotels, but hotels.

Also, Syracuse Indiana, where I live, has two hotels. They are both very nice. They will cost more than a super 8 but not nearly as much as south bend area hotels. Syracuse is about an hour away from ND. The hotels are the Oakwood Inn and the Brookpoint Inn.

 

[YoderDame]

20 minutes east of the University off of the 80/90 toll road is a small little town called Middlebury. This is where I live and I know there are bed and breakfasts aplenty in the area.

 

[connor_in]

Check out Elkhart at Indiana Toll Road 92...15 miles east of South Bend. Their rooms are much more reasonable and by far more plentiful.

There are about 10 hotels within site of the toll road entrance/exit...it is $50 on the toll road from exit 92 to exit 77 and UND

 

[Junkhead]

There are about 10 hotels within site of the toll road entrance/exit...it is $50 on the toll road from exit 92 to exit 77 and UND

$50 for 15 miles? Seems more like 50cents if I remember right.

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

$50 for 15 miles? Seems more like 50cents if I remember right.

Correct...it's .55 Cents.

 

[sjderis]

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