By Brian E. Clark

The first time I visited South Bend I zipped through town heading for a Notre Dame football game. And when it was over, I zipped right back out. Big mistake, for there's a lot more to this northern Indiana city than watching the Fighting Irish duke it out with opponents on the gridiron.

South Bend has blossomed in recent years, and there are plenty of reasons — from cultural to culinary — to visit. That's especially true in the summer, when South Bend rocks with numerous musical, recreational and gastronomical events. I like the Studebaker National Museum, 201 S. Chapin St., for the stylish cars from years past, especially one shapely yellow roadster from the 1930s. The museum also has covered wagons, presidential carriages and military vehicles: www.studebakermuseum.org or 574- 235-9714.

No trip to South Bend would be complete without a free tour around the lovely Notre Dame campus. Be sure to check out the "Touchdown Jesus" behind the stadium and the school's famed Golden Dome and Basilica of the Sacred Heart: www.tour.nd.edu or 574-631-5726.

Millionaire industrialists lived well at the turn of the 19th century in South Bend. The Copshaholm/Center for History, 808 W. Washington St., is the opulent, 38-room mansion of J.D. Oliver, whose family owned the Oliver Chilled Plow Works: www.centerforhistory.org or 574-235-9664.

The Northern Indiana Art and Earth Trail lets you shake the hands of artisans who create one-of-a-kind works and talk to the farmer while you pick his or her blueberries. The Notre Dame loop that goes through the South Bend/St. Joseph County area takes you to museums, galleries, a farmers market and more: www.artandearthtrail.com or 574-862-1434.

Like chocolate? Then check out the yummy South Bend Chocolate Co. and see how its elves conjure up this delicious confection. Tours are available at the factory, 3300 W. Sample St., which is also home to its Chocolate Cafe: www.sbchocolate.com or 800-301-4961.

The football season may not start until September, but many gridiron fans will be heading for South Bend July 15-16 for the College Football Hall of Fame's Enshrinement Festival, 111 S. St.: www.collegefootball.org or 574-235-9999.

If you're in town on a Friday, head for the Morris Performing Arts Center, 211 N. Michigan St., which hosts Fridays by the Fountain concerts from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. through Aug. 19 featuring free rock, jazz and ethnic music: www.morriscenter.org/friday.html or 574-235-9190.

Visitors looking for some culture might want to take in the South Bend Museum of Art, 120 S. St. Joseph St., www.southbendart.org. It has five gallery spaces devoted to 19th and 20th century artists. Other attractions include the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts Gallery, 1700 Mishawaka Ave. (www.iusb.edu/~sbarts/visualartsarea.html) and the Snite Museum of Art on the Notre Dame campus: www.sniteartmuseum.nd.edu.

Olympic-level kayakers and canoeists compete on the East Race whitewater course in downtown South Bend. The course, part of the St. Joseph River, is also popular with recreational rafters: www.sbparkl.org/parks/erace.htm.

If you like to shop, downtown South Bend has more than 70 stores and 20 arts and entertainment venues: www.downtownsouthbend.com. Another option is the new Eddy Street Commons at Eddy Street and Angela Boulevard. It has an eclectic mix of restaurants and retail stores: www.eddycommons.com.

And if buying stuff makes you hungry, try Fiddler's Hearth, 127 N. Main St. It's a family-friendly public house celebrating the food, drink, music, dance and culture of the seven Celtic nations. Live entertainment most nights: www.fiddlershearth.com or 574-232-2853.

For a special occasion, the LaSalle Grill, 115 W. Colfax Ave., offers a fine-dining experience. Reservations are recommended: www.lasallegrill.com or 574-288-1155.

Some say Sorins, the restaurant at the Morris Inn on the Notre Dame campus, is the best-kept secret in South Bend. A different menu is presented each new season using fresh seasonal ingredients: www.morrisinn.nd.edu/sorins or 574-631-2020. To stay at the Morris Inn: www.morrisinn.nd.edu or 800-280-7256.

Tippecanoe Place, 620 W. Washington St., is a 40-room mansion converted into a restaurant. Built by Clem Studebaker in the 1880s, it has an ambience filled with antiques, handcrafted woods and 20 fireplaces. The food is good, too: www.tippe.com or 574-234-9077.

When it's time to sleep, consider the Oliver Inn B&B, 630 W. Washington St., a Victorian-style B&B in the historic West Washington district of South Bend: www.oliverinn.com or 574-232-4545.

WHEN YOU GO

For general information, visit the South Bend Visitors Bureau website at www.visitsouthbend.com or 800-519-0594. Upcoming events include the Urban Adventure Games, July 30 (www.urbanadventuresgames.com); World Pulse Festival, Aug. 13 (www.worldpulsefestival.com); and the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, Aug. 18-19 (www.shakespeare.nd.edu).

A banner in downtown South Bend, Ind., depicts a kayaker on the East Race Course, a manmade whitewater run on the side of the St. Joseph River. Photo courtesy of Brian Clark.

The 38-room Romanesque, Queen Anne-style Copshaholm Mansion, built in 1895-6, belonged to the Oliver family, which owned the Oliver Chilled Plow Works. Photo courtesy of Brian Clark.

Brian Clark is a freelance travel writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.