YEAR VISITED: 2018, 2020 and 2025.

FAVORITE CITIES AND EXPERIENCES: For us, Indiana has always proved challenging to get to. From the west coast we have driven to the mid west on multiple occasions and while we have been able to get to North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and even Illinois… Indiana has always proven to be elusive. We have also done a couple of east coast road trips but those were typically north to south. As a result, Indiana alluded our grasp until 2018. Even then we merely popped into the state for an afternoon. In 2020 we had a similar one day experience. Therefore we have been to Indiana, but we really haven’t fully experienced the state.

STADIUMS AND/OR SPORTING EVENTS: As soon as we began mapping out our 2020 road trip I knew South Bend needed to make the Indiana list. Even with it being summer and not much going on, I have always wanted to see the campus of Notre Dame. While I wouldn’t say I am necessarily a Fighting Irish fan, I am a college football fan and they have been at the top of the heap for a very long time. When we pulled into campus and parked we headed right for the football stadium. As we walked around the outside of the stadium I remember thinking, “this is exactly how it looks on NBC every Saturday afternoon.”

Our first picture stops were at the Coach Dan Devine and Coach Knute Rockne statues.

Devine coached the Fighting Irish for six years and won a national championship in 1977. Coach Rockne led Notre Dame for thirteen seasons, won 3 national titles, and held an amazing win-loss record of 105-12. As we continued walking and I continued doing the best I could to explain Notre Dame’s football history to two girls that don’t particularly enjoy football, we stumbled upon an open gate.

As a result we walked into arguably the most famous football stadium in all of college football. Needless to say I had goose bumps. We were probably only there for fifteen minutes, but man was I a kid in a candy store.

The stadium was totally empty, but I couldn’t help imagining the energy of this place on a fall Saturday afternoon with 77,000 screaming fans.

Seeing a Notre Dame football game in this historic stadium is in my top 5 bucket list athletic events.

ADVENTURE(S): Once we left the football stadium, we explored the campus. The grounds are as pretty and well manicured as any campus we have been too. Our first stop was the Main Administration building with the Golden Dome.

For the most part, the famous Dome is visible from nearly anywhere on campus. We then headed to the Hesburgh Library where we saw Touchdown Jesus.

The actual name of the 134 foot tall mosaic is “The Word Of Life.” However since Jesus’ arms are extended to the sky in the same stance as a football referee, it is lovingly referred to as Touchdown Jesus.

NOTABLE DESTINATIONS & STOPS: In 2018 we ventured into Gary, which was our first time in the state of Indiana. While we were only there for an afternoon and really didn’t experience much of the city, we did stumble upon Michael Jackson’s boyhood home. This is where the future King of Pop grew up with his nine brothers and sisters. The house is not open to the public but it is a fun photo stop.

While traveling from St. Louis to Cincinnati in the summer of 2025, my friend and I stopped in Terre Haute. To this day I am not 100% sure I pronounce the name correctly, but we enjoyed exploring all things Larry Bird. The basketball legend attended Indiana State University in the late 1970’s where he set the basketball world on fire. Today there is a statue of him outside the Hulman Center.

Adjacent to the arena, located inside the Terre Haute Convention Center, is the Larry Bird Museum. It’s free to the public and displays everything from his jerseys, NBA title rings, Olympic Gold Medals, and pictures and stories of his career.

Following our stop at the museum, we stumbled upon the Copper Bar. While eating lunch and talking up the waitress we learned the bar dates back to 1928. Today the bar is decorated in a combination of pictures and tributes to Larry Bird as well as the towns history.

Outside, a Sports Illustrated cover that Larry Bird was a part of was painted onto the (I would estimate) four story building. All this history and a great lunch – the Copper Bar is a must stop when in Terre Haute.

• OUR LIST TO VISIT OR RETURN TO:
• Notre Dame Football game, Alumni Stadium
• Motor Speedway Museum, Indianapolis 500 Speedway
• Indiana Hoosier Basketball game, Assembly Hall
• Market Street Catacombs, Indianapolis
• Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library
• Indianapolis Indians game at Victory Field
• Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site
• Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
• Tippecanoe Battle Field Memorial, West Lafayette