Indiana is celebrated for its breathtaking natural beauty, and South Bend is no different. South Bend is home to the state’s most beautiful parks and outdoor venues, with plenty of opportunities for both residents and tourists to enjoy the outdoors. South Bend, Indiana, is full of public parks that are open from dawn until dusk. Let’s have a look at some of the city’s best parks.
Potawatomi Park
On the eastern edge of South Bend lies Potawatomi County Park. The Park is a lush patch between downtown’s skyscrapers that features much sought-after seating under shady trees. Potawatomi Park is home to some great attractions! Visitors can enjoy many amenities, including an accessible playground for kids as well as performance arts stages where you can catch live concerts every weekend.
Adjacent to the Park lies the Potawatomi Zoo. The Potawatomi Zoo is Indiana’s largest and oldest zoo. The zoo is the premier place for animal lovers to visit in Indiana. As accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Potawatomi exceeds all standards required of a high-quality zoo with its 400 animals from over 84 different species living in an educational environment that surpasses any other zoopark you can find around Indiana. The Potawatomi Zoo features many different animal species, including bears, tigers, zebras, and gorillas.
St. Patrick’s County Park
St. Patrick’s County Park is Indiana’s only county park, and it is located in South Bend, Indiana. The Park has many different facilities, including a beach, picnic areas, and walking trails over 20 miles long that you can enjoy with your family. This Indiana park is very popular among residents of South Bend because there are so many things to do on-site such as picnic, hike, or swim for a great day out with the kids. There are also campsites within the Indiana state park if you would like to stay overnight.
Howard Park
Howard Park is one of South Bend’s largest urban parks. The Indiana county park covers a total area of over 12,000 acres of land with plenty to do for all Indiana residents as well as tourists, including outdoor sports fields, courts, walking trails, and fishing spots. Within the Park, you will find many different facilities, including baseball diamonds, football fields, skateboard parks, and recreational centers.
Notre Dame Sculpture Garden
The Notre Dame Sculpture Garden is Indiana’s largest sculpture garden. The Indiana attraction features a large collection of distinctive pieces of Indiana art from various different Indiana artists. The Indiana garden also hosts temporary exhibitions, which are usually Indiana-based artists as well as famous Indiana sculptures by Indiana’s most popular artists.
Leeper Park
In 1895, the city of South Bend designated a tract of land east of Michigan Street and south of the St. Joseph River for an increased capacity to their waterworks system in anticipation of future growth. A large portion between Michigan street and Lafayette Boulevard was donated by Elisha Peck back in 1902, which is how Leeper Park came into existence today.
In its earliest years, Leeper Park was designed with public enjoyment in mind. The Park hosted band concerts and built a zoo that featured lily ponds and tennis courts for the residents to enjoy. In 1905, Peck’s addition connected this side of the Park to East Broad Street as formal landscaping began. Built in 1907 were two water bodies – one east lagoon which features a wooden bridge, while west became known as “The Duck Pond.” All in all, Leeper Park is a great place for families to spend the Indiana summer days.
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