Neighborhoods in South Bend for car-free couple?

[hollywoodwheat]

Thanks everyone

[claremarie]

If your budget is limited, and you need to be within walking or bus distance of campus (there are weeks at a time where you can't really safely bike in winter), then you will be living near undergraduates, rowdy or otherwise.
Notre Dame has lots of resources for grad students seeking housing. You wouldn't be able to live on campus as an unmarried couple, but they can point you to other possibilities.

[jharvey2]

The neighborhood you were looking at is fine. I wouldn't recommend going further west than Scott St, in the downtown area. The bus goes from downtown every 30 minutes, via Notre Dame Ave. There are a lot of students living on the cross-streets off Notre Dame Ave, all of which are pretty safe and a very easy walk/bike/bus from the campus. I'd focus on those two areas.

[tulips4you2]

I lived on Kendall and would walk to Indiana Ave. to take to the bus, living on/by the bus route was very nice.

[EndersDrift]

To bump an old thread how pedestrian friendly is South Bend? I see these neighborhoods that are 10 minute walks from campus mentioned in here. Are those self-sufficient or would it allow you to walk to campus and only need a car for errands and on weekends or could you easily get by without a car entirely?

[claremarie]

Well, that depends. If you're going to study (or work) at Notre Dame, and spend most of your time on campus, yes, you can easily manage without your own car if you live within walking distance, especially if you're wiling to use cabs or Zipcar for errands. BUT keep in mind that in most winters (not this one), your walking route may be snow- or ice-covered for weeks at a time, and that it's pretty dark until nearly 8 am. And that if you want to go somewhere other than campus, Chicago (via the South Shore rail line from the airport), or perhaps the mall, you will really need a car. And some neighborhoods that are very close to campus are not particularly safe.