Grotto of the Lady of Lourdes is a historic college landmark. I've been to the University of Notre…read moreDame on many occasions over the years. I've also visited during every season of the year. I'm not sure I would return in the winter as it is brutal weather. I always visit the grotto when I tour the campus. Naturally I light a candle for my hearts desire at the time I visit. I remember praying for my daughter to get a job when she graduated! The story of the miracle at the grotto is one of my favorites. If you're interested they made a movie. It's called The Song of Bernadette. One of my favorite religious films. Visiting the Grotto is always a Five Star Experience for me as is any place on the University of Notre Dame Campus.

If you are in the area, make sure to stop and check out the grotto at ND, it's a beautiful place…read more It's fashioned after the grotto in Lourdes, and is a place that I think all faiths could visit. Stop here to pray, and make sure that you light a candle as well, there are also prayer services.

123 year old monument to Civil War veterans. Incredible little piece of history that still stands…read moretoday.

To look at the Soldiers & Sailors Monument now, you might think it looks a lot like the monument in…read moreIndy. The reason is that back in 1903, sculptor Rudolf Schwarz created the five bronzes for this monument after having completed many of the bronzes down in Indy. You might also think that this monument must have been here for over a hundred years. But it wasn't. It was originally located on the south east corner of the courthouse and was dismantled in 1967. After sitting in storage for five years, the monument was reconstructed at this location and dedicated in 1973. The bronzes that you see include a 10' flag bearer on top, and statues of Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, and Navy on a lower ring. When this monument was reconstructed, it displaced the miniature bronze Statue of Liberty that was built in 1951 as part of a Boy Scouts of America program. There are six of these mini statues around northern Indiana. The South Bend mini was moved to the east side of the courthouse. This is one of many stylish memorials erected over 100 years ago that commemorates those who fought to save the Union. South Bend's is in remarkable condition and is worth visiting the next time you are downtown. Review #3108

The Lake and Plaza are a part of the Notre Dame campus I remember well. During the fall and spring…read moreit's a gathering place for students and visitors to walk leisurely or exercise. Being an Aquarius I'm glad to be near a body of water when I visit. For me since it's close to campus I can still escape to a park like Central Park in Manhattan. I highly recommend you visit.

When I was a grad student at Notre Dame, I was involved in Pax Christi and, more specifically, its…read moreultimately futile effort to kick the ROTC off campus. Most, if not all, of our protests, vigils, and rallies against militarism and for world peace were held at what everyone called "Stonehenge," which is formally the Clarke Memorial Fountain. It's a war memorial to the 500 or so Notre Dame students and alumni who died fighting World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, although Fr. Hesburgh used to like to remind everyone that it's technically a peace monument as well. I was always of two minds about that tension between what Stonehenge was and stood for, but it was a naturally ideal place for the events we held there; it was central to where students walked during the day, and the Fieldhouse Mall at that time wasn't crammed with all these new buildings. So you can imagine my surprise when in 2023, even though I visit Notre Dame at least once and usually twice every year, our dear friends Tom and Marlene introduced us to the then brand-new Our Lady of the Lake World Peace Plaza. It's a much more reflective, energizing place for an actual monument to peace than Stonehenge, mainly because it has a gorgeous view of St. Mary's Lake, and because the focus is world peace rather than any particular wars. (And don't get me wrong; I believe that war memorials are absolutely necessary.) We visited at night that first time, so I thought it was just this little overlook they constructed on the eastern edge of the lake, but the entire plaza itself is like a mini-park, and I encourage you to walk around it, ideally while praying for and/or thinking about world peace and the many victims of the wars raging around the world, past and present. I didn't include future, because it's important to believe that world peace is possible. I'm really glad Notre Dame added the plaza, and it's very close to the Grotto, so that will definitely add to its popularity or at least its visitor count. I wish it were closer to the middle of things, but the campus's geography is the campus's geography. This should be a four-star review, but I feel like they could have sited the plaza either slightly north or slightly west of where it is. I used to love sitting on the lakeshore benches that were near the natural shoreline that they really altered to construct the plaza. This was were so many ducks and Canada geese used to emerge from the water. If I had been in charge, the plaza would exist, but so would that old lakeshore. As it stands, the overlook feels a little bit over-constructed. It's actually not very big, but again, I remember what this exact spot used to feel like, so they've managed to make visitors feel even more distant from the lake than they did before even though they're technically closer to the water because they're now standing directly over it. If you're visiting the Grotto, just walk due west until you hit the lake. You should see the plaza right away, but if it's nighttime and you don't, just follow the lakeshore counterclockwise. You can't miss it.

A powerful and moving statue that captures the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his impact…read moreon civil rights. The presence of the second figure adds to the symbolism of unity, justice, and the ongoing fight for equality. It's a beautiful, peaceful spot to reflect and teach younger generations about the struggle for freedom. Worth the visit and definitely photo-worthy!

Directly across Main Street from the county court house is a beautiful brick plaza that was…read moredeveloped as part of an office bldg/medical clinic/health club/parking garage complex back in 1999. To look at it, you would think it was brand new! The plaza during my visit was spotless and looked like a great place for folks downtown to enjoy a lunch or escape from the office. The open space could be used for public gatherings as well. There is a fountain at the bend in this L-shaped plaza. Ornate patterns are inlaid in the brick and gardens/planters line the edges. The space is a breath of fresh air in the downtown area. One of the special features of the plaza is located on the west entrance. We Shall Overcome by local artist Harold Tuck Langland (2017) is a life sized bronze commemorating the moment in 1964 when Dr Martin Luther King, Jr and Fr Theodore Hesburgh (Notre Dame) joined hands at Soldier Field in Chicago as a sign of unity in the civil rights movement. Visitors are invited to join hands with the sculpture for photos. Review #3107

This is a nice statue representing a Notre Dame legend. When we were at Notre Dame this weekend, we…read morechecked out all the public art and statues.

Historic Lincoln Highway stretches from New York to San Francisco. Opened in 1913. It was one of…read morethe first highways for automobiles. It spans through 14 states and 700 cities, towns and villages.

Theodore M. Hesburgh Library is an Architectural beauty to me. It's a landmark building that…read moreappears in lots of photos of the University of Notre Dame Campus. I'm one of the parents who enjoys visiting the library on any campus. For me the most significant thing about the library is the name. Hesburgh was the driving force that led the way in making Notre Dame a coeducational institution. Thank you Father Hesburgh! Five Stars it is.

I'd like to give the Hesburgh Library five stars just because of Touchdown Jesus, but I've got some…read moretheological problems with the mural. No, I don't have a problem with Jesus, but while The Word of Life (the mural's actual title) is interesting, there are no women depicted in it. Kind of strange considering the facts that more than half the people in the world are women, many of the most important figures in the Bible are women, human life isn't possible without women, and Notre Dame's name translates into the University of Our Lady of the Lake. The library itself is magnificent. I don't really like its blockishness, but then I don't like most of the architecture on Notre Dame's campus. But the collection of books is impressive, and it's really easy to find what you're looking for. I also love the fact that anyone can just walk into the library and use it. This isn't the case at most university libraries these days, even public ones, and that's a shame. When I was a grad student at Notre Dame, I loved the fact that I could check out an almost unlimited number of books indefinitely. (There might have literally been no time limit.) I always thought this was strange, as it seemed to be an easy way to steal books. When I asked a friend who worked at the library, she said that the stacks literally weren't large enough to hold all the books, so the university would rather that a large number were checked out at any one time. I know I had some books in my house for almost the entire time I was a student. There are also some really greats views from the top floors of the library. I used to love the basement, but when they renovated it, they took away all its old character. I realize that some people like shiny marble inlaid with university seals, but I'm a less flashy guy, and I loved how the old basement felt like a 1950s-era British train station, complete with banks of phone booths and vending machines that had old sandwiches. The library's grounds are also home to dozens of really cute chipmunks (one of which once made me brake hard and fly into a hedge to avoid running it over on my bike); the First Down Moses statue (complete with horns!); and a reflecting pool, which I really used to like until I found out they use blue food coloring to make the water look deep. (It's actually only a few inches, so don't ever try to dive into it.) The ducks that swim in the pool all look like they've just eaten a Slurpee; their tongues are stained blue from the food coloring. They drain the reflecting pool during the winter, and it can be a little bit dangerous when it's surrounded by snow and you don't realize the lip is there. But I really do love the Hesburgh Library, and especially in the winter, it was nice not to have to walk far from Malloy Hall to here to grab some books before crunch-crunching home through the snow.

Constructed in 1862 as a hops barn, this establishment was converted into a church in 1876. Then…read morere-sold in 1915 to a local farmer, the livestock barn existed on the site from 1915 to 1998 before it was purchased by members of the Pokagon United Methodist. Rev. George Bennard was visiting the area to take part in a series of revivals, and his famous hymn "The Old Rugged Cross" was first publicly performed in 1913. The hymn did not make Rev. Bernard rich. However, he sold the rights to the Rodeheaver Company of Winona Lake, Indiana, for $500, and the copyright was renewed years later for $5,000. The Old Rugged Cross Church is located on Vermont St. in Pokagon, about halfway between Dowagiac and Niles, where my partner's sister and I stopped off the beaten path before heading to Shipshewana.

My husband and I found out about this church by accident! We were simply searching for things to…read moredo in Niles, Michigan. We were determined to find something to do close to dark and finally found this on the Internet. The hymn, The Old Rugged Cross, was first performed in this church many years ago. The hymn is near and dear to our hearts because our grandparents used to enjoy singing this song and my husband has enjoyed playing it on the piano for our children. We decided to check it out! The outside of the church is stunning! We were not able to view the inside but if we ever make it back to this area of the country we will certainly stop to see it! You should do the same especially if you enjoy this old hymn!

There are many lighthouses to see in Michigan and this was worth the stop. It is easy to access…read moreand there is plenty of parking . It is old, but well maintained. It was built in 1832! The surrounding beach is clean and well kept. Worth the stop.

It is worth checking out if you're in the area, parking is a bit tricky. I wish we would've had…read moretime to enjoy the beaches here.