Southside South Bend - South Bend, IN

The connection between the St. Joseph River and Lake Michigan first brought pioneers to the area in the 1750s when trapping and fur trading were the major industries. About a century later the railroad brought prosperity and industry to the area, with companies like Studebaker and Bendix providing employment opportunities to local workers. Once the University of Notre Dame was founded in 1842, even more people came to take advantage of educational opportunities and the benefits of a booming economy.

The Studebaker National Museum provides a link to the history of transportation and particularly the Studebaker company. The Studebaker Super Service Center gives children a chance to work on automobiles and learn basic automotive principles. Art lovers enjoy visiting the Snite Museum of Art on the Notre Dame campus as well as the South Bend Museum of Art.

Several local restaurants dot the landscape near Michigan Street and Ireland Road north of the area.

Maxi's Food & Spirits Barn features grilled favorites such as steak and chicken served on a bed of rice. Locals down pork chops right and left as the usual favorite of this eatery that always serves food with a smile. The checkered table cloths and rustic decor fit right in with the barn theme.

For an interesting mix of Caribbean and American flavors, head north to downtown and Javier's Bistro. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Javier's Bistro infuses Latin elements like pico de gallo, guacamole and plantains into traditional American dishes. Puerto Rican tacos with a choice of mojito, beef, chicken or tilapia make a nice, light lunch. For dinner, enjoy Puerto Rican stew filled with plantains, yucca and beef served over sazon rice. Chicken Voodoo Rogue with andouille sausage or ribeye steak covered in chimichurri sauce create exotic flavors at reasonable prices.

Macri's Italian Kitchen serves all of your Italian favorites in a casual atmosphere along West Ireland Road. The house sangria goes well with shrimp alfredo, while chicken Parmesan bites arrive at your table baked to perfection as an appetizer. Pizza sizes go from giant-sized at 20 inches down to 14-inch small pies. The house pizza includes seven toppings of your choice, including meatballs, sliced banana peppers, anchovies, spinach and jalapeños.

For adult drinks, local residents just need to take a short drive to Mishawaka and the Main St. Grille. Experienced bartenders create refreshing drinks such as the White Chocolate Raspberry Martini, Mionetto Refresher, Bubble-Tini and the Peach Cosmo. Go for dinner and enjoy fresh seafood and pasta, or just head to the bar in this cozy spot for an evening of drinks and conversation with good friends.

An intimate club experience where loud music and a small dance floor combine for a rocking good time lies in downtown South Bend at Club Fever. Notre Dame students pack this venue on Thursday evenings, heading to the downstairs bar to drink and then upstairs to listen to the band and to dance.

The entire outer South side area receives bus service from South Bend. You can't hail a cab from any neighborhood in South Bend, but a phone call makes scheduling a pickup easy. Uber provides ride-share service throughout the area through the use of a smartphone app. Free public parking remains plentiful.

U.S. Routes 31 and 20 sit a short drive away, providing multi-directional access throughout the South Bend area and northern Indiana. Most people in the neighborhood use personal cars to get around. The access to major highways and short drives provides for an average commute time of less than 20 minutes. Although most of the secondary roads have light traffic and provide safe bike routes, the large geographic distance between points make both biking and walking inconvenient for commuting or running errands.

Although only one small park serves the outer South side area, a short drive takes residents to a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities. The East Race Waterway uses a canal originally built to provide electricity to the city as a whitewater raceway. Sponsored by the city's parks and recreation department, riders shoot through the rapids for a heart-pumping five-minute run. The St. Joseph's River provides a nice backdrop for the amphitheater at Seitz Park, where local residents enjoy free summer concerts every year.

Cost of living in the outer South side neighborhood runs about 19 percent below comparable areas in the nation. Housing costs remain about 43 percent below the national average, as evidenced by the monthly rate of a one-bedroom apartment coming in at just $510 a month.

It only costs $1 to take a bus to downtown South Bend, and a beer goes from $4 to $6 at a local bar, depending on the establishment and the type of brew. The cost of gas runs 2 percent higher than the national norm.

University Park Mall provides a good destination for a weekend shopping trip, with major retailers and food outlets vying for space in this expansive shopping center. Women's fashion stores range from the casual hip styles of Banana Republic and Aeropostale to the more sophisticated fashions of Loft and J.Crew. For men's clothing, stop in at American Eagle, Jos. A. Bank or Men's Wearhouse. Specialty stores such as Victoria's Secret, American Mattress, and Disney Store fill the smaller retail spaces in the mall.

The Working Person's Store in nearby Lakeville provides a wide selection of sturdy work clothing and shoes. Names like Carhartt, Dickies, Timberland, Red Kap and Wolverine dominate the shelves at this no-nonsense retail location. Outerwear, flame-resistant clothing, and accessories make this a must-stop for people who work with their hands.

Located closer to downtown, Erasmus Books keeps the service and selection of an independent bookstore alive with a knowledgeable staff and wide selection of new and used books. Erasmus provides a welcome spot for someone looking for a romance novel or first edition classic.

Downtown has played host to the South Bend Farmer's Market for more than 90 years. With an indoor location, the market provides fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the year. Major grocers have stores throughout the city, including Martin's, Kroger, and Whole Foods.