First trip to Notre Dame on Saturday.

Going as a fan tomorrow morning for Nevada-Notre Dame. First time at ND -- have been to South Bend before and have seen College FB HOF.

Any tips for parking, something else we should do (I'll be with my young son) to take in the experience? Not an ND fan but going to mark it off my sports bucket list.

Thanks!
- ex

 

Get there early and watch the band play on campus, then march into the stadium about an hour before the game. Get a campus map and find the Grotto, etc., etc.

It's a pretty small campus and very confined.

 

Ditto to what he said.

An ND regular gave me this directions coming from Chicago for an easy in and out. They worked like a charm:

Take the Indiana toll road and exit at the first South Bend exit at milepost 72.

After paying the toll bear left and swing onto 31/20 south which you will be on for about 1 mile exit on 20 east which becomes Lincolnway.

Take Lincolnway east to downtown South Bend . Lincolnway turns into LaSalle.

Take LaSalle east to Eddy. Left on Eddy-now going North to South Bend Avenue. Turn right - its an angular street and you will be heading Northeast.

About I mile down there is a restaurant named Parisi's where you can park if they still have space. If they don't grab any space you can - someone's yard etc. Stadium will be on your left to the north.

 

Stay away from the soggy, saggy, flabby, flaccid tubes of rotting animal flesh, floating in a fetid bath of malodorous swill hot dogs.

 

The Linebacker is a pretty good bar.

 

Given the crowded trough bathrooms, you and your son could get the pleasure of crossing streams for the first time. Maybe not with each other.

 

My one and only game there was with a date, end zone seats, for Gerry Faust's first game. I had seen ND's last previous game, the Sugar Bowl that won UGA the national championship. The Irish won Faust's debut easily, shot up to No. 1 and had ND fans thinking the future looked bright.

Enjoyed the day. Took time to see everything we could on campus, including the Grotto. Went to Mass. Convinced some fans I was a state champion high school alligator wrestler in Louisiana. Vague memories about a state trooper known for his drive-safely announcement, pun-filled and eagerly awaited each game by the crowd. Saw the bookstore, which had rows of football books and media guides. Saw the ACC. Had a lot of fun.

 

But get the nachos.

 

Try to get Rudy's autograph for me. Thanks!

 

Don't spend the night there.

 

The team attends a quick Mass on game day and then heads for the stadium through lines of cheering crowds....the players tend to look for little kids when it comes to high-fives, etc., so I'm told.

 

Was that the Michigan game? If it's the game I'm thinking about, it was the first night game ever & they brought in the temporary lights.