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Notre Dame Stadium at night, floodlit and full, the video board lit up above the far end zone

Notre Dame Stadium at night, October 2021. Photo: Eccekevin, CC BY-SA 4.0

Independent · South Bend, Indiana

Where to stay for a Notre Dame game Hotels near Notre Dame Stadium, by time to the gate

Checked against 11 sources on November 10, 2026 · Editorial team · How we check

Stay on Angela Boulevard by Eddy Street, a 10–17 minute walk. Next best: State Road 933 north of campus or downtown South Bend, 7–10 minutes by car, with a free game-day bus from downtown. Elkhart is the overflow.

The Fairfield Inn and the Embassy Suites on Angela Boulevard are 10–12 minutes on foot from the stadium, the closest hotels we list. The hotels on State Road 933 are 7–8 minutes by car, and downtown South Bend 9–10, where Transpo's free Game Day Express leaves for campus. Mishawaka's Main Street hotels are 10 minutes away. When South Bend is full, the Elkhart hotels at the toll-road exit are 25–26 minutes away.

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Hotels in Angela Boulevard →See the 2027 weekends

Stadium
Notre Dame Stadium, 77,622 seats [8]
Gates
Gates A to E open 90 minutes before kickoff [6]
Parking
Pay-to-park lots $50 a car per game; lots open at 8 a.m. [5]
Free bus
Transpo's Game Day Express from downtown hotels to McKenna Hall, free [5]
Tickets
Only tickets bought from Notre Dame or SeatGeek are guaranteed [6]

Notre Dame weekends by the numbers

  • 0.8stadium seats for every resident of South Bend: 77,622 seats (capacity) [8] against 103,201 residents [9]
  • 10 minwalk from the closest hotel, the Fairfield Inn & Suites South Bend at Notre Dame, to the stadium (0.5 mi) [10]
  • 5hotels we list within a 40 minute walk of the stadium [10]
  • 119 mindrive, with no traffic, from the furthest overflow town fans use when South Bend is full [10]

Notre Dame's 2027 home weekends, rated

Five home games are dated for 2027, among them Auburn and Navy; the BYU date has not been announced. Notre Dame plays as an independent and sets its own schedule. [3] Hardest so far: Illinois and Auburn (Hard). How we rate weekends.

Full stands at Notre Dame Stadium on a sunny afternoon, the Basilica spire and Golden Dome rising behind
The stands at Notre Dame Stadium with the Basilica and the Golden Dome behind, September 2007. Photo: MrCalifornia (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Notre Dame 2027 home games and how hard rooms will be
DateOpponentRoomsWhyBook
Sat, Aug 28, 2027Kent State
Non-conference
BusyNon-conference, no billed weekend
Season opener, moved from 2 October. A first meeting. [3]
Rooms Fri–Sun →
Sat, Sep 4, 2027Illinois
Non-conference
HardHoliday weekend
Takes the date of the paused Purdue series. [4]
Rooms Fri–Sun →
Sat, Sep 25, 2027Auburn
Non-conference
HardVisiting fans travel [3]Rooms Fri–Sun →
Sat, Nov 6, 2027Virginia Tech
Non-conference
BusyNon-conference, no billed weekend [3]Rooms Fri–Sun →
Sat, Nov 20, 2027Navy
Non-conference
BusyNon-conference, no billed weekend
The last home game of 2027. [3]
Rooms Fri–Sun →
Date not yet setBYU
Non-conference
BusyNon-conference, no billed weekend [3]Rooms →

Kickoff times may not be set until a few weeks before the game. Book Friday and Saturday nights, and check the time before you travel.

Hotels closest to Notre Dame Stadium

Of the 14 hotels we list, the closest is the Fairfield Inn & Suites South Bend at Notre Dame at 1220 East Angela Boulevard: a 10 minute walk (0.5 mi) to the stadium. 5 are within a 40 minute walk. Times are routed on OpenStreetMap from each hotel to the stadium with no traffic [10]; on game day the drive takes longer and the lots fill early.

Hotels near Notre Dame Stadium, closest first, with walk and drive times
HotelAreaOn footBy carGame-day bus
Fairfield Inn & Suites South Bend at Notre Dame
1220 East Angela Boulevard, South Bend
Angela Boulevard10 min · 0.5 mi4 min · 0.9 miNone listed
Embassy Suites by Hilton South Bend at Notre Dame
1140 East Angela Boulevard, South Bend
Angela Boulevard12 min · 0.6 mi4 min · 1.0 miNone listed
Ivy Court Inn & Suites
1404 Ivy Court, South Bend
Angela Boulevard17 min · 0.8 mi3 min · 0.9 miNone listed
The Inn at Saint Mary's
53993 Indiana State Route 933, South Bend
State Road 933 (north of campus)31 min · 1.4 mi7 min · 1.6 miNone listed
Hilton Garden Inn South Bend
53995 Indiana State Route 933, South Bend
State Road 933 (north of campus)32 min · 1.5 mi7 min · 1.7 miNone listed
DoubleTree by Hilton South Bend
123 North Saint Joseph Street, South Bend
Downtown South Bend48 min · 2.2 mi10 min · 3.4 miNone listed
Courtyard South Bend Downtown
121 South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, South Bend
Downtown South Bend50 min · 2.4 mi10 min · 3.4 miNone listed
Aloft South Bend
111 North Main Street, South Bend
Downtown South Bend51 min · 2.4 mi9 min · 3.2 miNone listed
SpringHill Suites South Bend Notre Dame Area
52721 State Road 933, South Bend
State Road 933 (north of campus)57 min · 2.7 mi8 min · 2.9 miNone listed
Hyatt Place South Bend/Mishawaka
215 West Day Road, Mishawaka, Mishawaka
Mishawaka (Main Street)Drive10 min · 3.5 miNone listed
Residence Inn South Bend Mishawaka
231 Park Place, Mishawaka, Mishawaka
Mishawaka (Main Street)Drive10 min · 3.7 miNone listed
Hampton Inn Elkhart
215 Northpointe Boulevard, Elkhart, Elkhart
Elkhart (Toll Road exit 92)Drive25 min · 15.7 miNone listed
Hilton Garden Inn Elkhart
3401 Plaza Court, Elkhart, Elkhart
Elkhart (Toll Road exit 92)Drive26 min · 15.9 miNone listed
Fairfield Inn & Suites Elkhart
3501 Plaza Court, Elkhart, Elkhart
Elkhart (Toll Road exit 92)Drive25 min · 16.0 miNone listed

Where to stay in South Bend, by area

3 km10 km25 kmNotre Dame StadiumNiles21 min driveChicago119 min driveElkhart (Toll Road exit 92)25 min driveState Road 933 (north of campus)7 min driveMishawaka (Main Street)10 min driveAngela Boulevard10 min walkDowntown South Bend10 min driveGoshen48 min drive
  1. State Road 933 (north of campus) 7 min drive
  2. Angela Boulevard 10 min walk
  3. Downtown South Bend 10 min drive
  4. Mishawaka (Main Street) 10 min drive
  5. Niles 21 min drive
  6. Elkhart (Toll Road exit 92) 25 min drive
  7. Goshen 48 min drive
  8. Chicago 119 min drive
Walk to the gatesShort drive or shuttleOverflow townsPositions are to scale in direction; distance is compressed. Times are routed with no traffic.

Walk to the gates

Angela Boulevard and Eddy Street

Walk to the gatesFamiliesRestaurants nearby

Hotels just south of campus by Eddy Street Commons, with its restaurants and bars. A 10–17 minute walk to the stadium.

  • 10 min Walk from the Fairfield Inn to the stadium (0.5 mi) [10]
  • 17 min Walk from Ivy Court Inn & Suites (0.8 mi) [10]

Hotels here

Hotels in Angela Boulevard →

A short drive or shuttle

State Road 933 (north of campus)

DriversEasy from the Toll Road

A string of hotels on the main road north of campus, from the Saint Mary's College gate up to the Indiana Toll Road. 7–8 minutes by car with no traffic.

  • 7 min Drive from the Inn at Saint Mary's, no traffic (1.6 mi) [10]
  • 8 min Drive from the SpringHill Suites, no traffic (2.9 mi) [10]

Hotels here

Hotels in State Road 933 (north of campus) →

Downtown South Bend

Free game-day busNightlife

Downtown hotels by the St. Joseph River, 9–10 minutes by car. Transpo's free Game Day Express stops at the Aloft, the Courtyard and the DoubleTree, so you can leave the car behind.

  • 10 min Drive from the DoubleTree, no traffic (3.4 mi) [10]
  • 48 min Walk from the DoubleTree (2.2 mi) [10]

Hotels here

Hotels in Downtown South Bend →

When the town is full

Elkhart (Toll Road exit 92)

OverflowEasy from the Toll Road

A cluster of a dozen chain hotels at Elkhart's Toll Road exit, east of South Bend. 25–26 minutes by car with no traffic: the first place to look when South Bend is full.

  • 25 min Drive from the Elkhart hotels, no traffic (15.7 mi) [10]

Hotels here

Hotels in Elkhart (Toll Road exit 92) →

Niles, Goshen and Chicago

Big weekendsMore choice

Niles, across the Michigan line, is 21 minutes away, Goshen 48, and Chicago about two hours.

  • 21 min Niles, Michigan, no traffic (10.2 mi) [10]
  • 48 min Goshen, no traffic (25.5 mi) [10]
  • 119 min Downtown Chicago, no traffic (93.9 mi) [10]
Hotels in Niles, Goshen →

Booking rules: when rooms open and what big weekends cost

The St. Joseph River in downtown South Bend at dusk, buildings and a red sculpture reflected in the water
The St. Joseph River in downtown South Bend, September 2022. Photo: Scott Palmer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Parking is $50 a car

Notre Dame's pay-to-park lots (Blue, Gold and the accessible Bulla lot) cost $50 a vehicle per game, by card; some can be bought ahead from the ticket office or ParkMobile. Saint Mary's College sells game-day parking at $40 a car and $80 an RV, with a shuttle to McKenna Hall. [5]

Only official tickets are guaranteed

Notre Dame guarantees only tickets bought from the university or SeatGeek. Tickets from other resale sites or individuals may not be honoured. [6]

No re-entry

You cannot leave Notre Dame Stadium and come back in without a new, unused ticket. [6]

Coming as a group or a family? Houses and apartments in and around South Bend are on Vrbo: vacation rentals in South Bend →

What we saw in the 2026 season

Our own readings of Booking.com search results: two nights, two adults, prices before taxes, one reading on one day. A record of last season, not a forecast for 2027, and not used in the rating.

  • 4 days before the Boston College game (Saturday 14 November), Booking.com showed 42 places with rooms in South Bend for the nights of 13–15 November, at a median of $798 for two nights. Booking.com said 77% of places to stay there were unavailable. In Elkhart, the overflow town, the same nights showed 26 places at a median of $381. [1]
  • 11 days before the SMU game (Saturday 21 November), Booking.com showed 58 places with rooms in South Bend for the nights of 20–22 November, at a median of $800 for two nights. In Elkhart, the overflow town, the same nights showed 23 places at a median of $458. [1]
  • For a weekend with no home game, 4–6 December 2026, Booking.com showed 146 places with rooms in South Bend, at a median of $253 for two nights. [1]

Live hotel prices around Notre Dame Stadium

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Game day at Notre Dame Stadium: parking, traffic and buses

Lots and gates

All pay-to-park lots open at 8 a.m., except Gold Lot (10 a.m. for 3:30 p.m. games, 1 p.m. for 7:30 p.m. games). Stadium gates A to E open 90 minutes before kickoff. [5]

Lot shuttles

Free shuttles run from 8 a.m.: Gold and Blue lots to Hesburgh Library, Bulla lot to Gate 4 of the Joyce Center. They run for at least two hours after the game; expect a wait at the end. [5]

Game Day Express

Transpo's free Game Day Express runs from downtown (the Aloft, Century Center and Courtyard, and the DoubleTree on Washington Street) to McKenna Hall, from three hours before kickoff, last departure one hour before, and for two hours after the game. [5]

Rideshare points

Before the game: Compton Family Ice Arena, the Rugby Lot off Wilson Drive, the Lake Lot on Dorr Road. After the game: the Dorr Road lot, Ivy Road and Bulla Road, Vaness Street. [5]

Clear bags only

Bags must be clear plastic, vinyl or PVC no bigger than 12 x 6 x 12 inches; small clutches are allowed. Stands inside the stadium are cashless. [6]

Friday before the game

Football Fridays at the Eck Visitors Center run 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the band's trumpets play at the Main Building at 4:10 p.m., and the drumline plays from midnight in front of the Main Building. [7]

Getting back after the game

Lot shuttles and the Game Day Express run for two hours after the game, with lines at the end. From the Angela Boulevard hotels you can walk back in 10–17 minutes. [5]

Getting to South Bend

Driving

South Bend sits on the Indiana Toll Road (I-80/90), about two hours east of downtown Chicago with no traffic. [10]

Navigation

Notre Dame programs its pre-game traffic pattern into Waze, with directions to each lot. [5]

Flying in

South Bend International (SBN) is 18 minutes' drive from the stadium with no traffic (6.0 mi). [10]

Travel news for the 2027 season

  • Notre Dame added Illinois for 4 September 2027 at home, after pausing its series with Purdue for 2027 and 2028. [4]
  • The Kent State opener moved from 2 October to 28 August 2027. [3]
  • Notre Dame added Kent State at home for 2027 and extended the Stanford series. [2]

Notre Dame game weekends: questions fans ask

What is the closest hotel to Notre Dame Stadium?

Of those we list, the Fairfield Inn & Suites on East Angela Boulevard, a 10 minute walk (0.5 miles). The Embassy Suites next door is 12 minutes. [10]

Is there a free bus from downtown South Bend to Notre Dame games?

Yes. Transpo's Game Day Express is free and runs from downtown hotels to McKenna Hall from three hours before kickoff until one hour before, and for two hours after the game. [5]

Where should I stay if South Bend is sold out?

Elkhart, at the Toll Road exit 25–26 minutes away, has a dozen chain hotels. Niles, Michigan, is 21 minutes and Goshen 48. [10]

How much is parking at Notre Dame games?

$50 a car per game in the pay-to-park lots, or $40 at Saint Mary's College with a shuttle. [5]

When are Notre Dame's 2027 home games?

Kent State 28 August, Illinois 4 September, Auburn 25 September, Virginia Tech 6 November and Navy 20 November. BYU also visits; that date is not set. [3]

Does Notre Dame play Purdue in 2027?

No. The series is paused for 2027 and 2028; Illinois takes the September date. [4]

Sources

  1. Our reading of Booking.com search results (two nights, two adults, before taxes): searches for South Bend, Indiana, United States on booking.com, for the nights given with each reading, FootballStay (10 November 2026). Checked November 10, 2026.
  2. Notre Dame Football Announces Future Matchups, University of Notre Dame Athletics, FightingIrish.com (20 May 2026). Checked November 10, 2026.
  3. Notre Dame to open 2027 season at home against Kent State, FBSchedules.com (20 October 2026). Checked November 10, 2026.
  4. Notre Dame, Illinois schedule football series for 2027, 2028, FBSchedules.com (3 November 2026). Checked November 10, 2026.
  5. Getting Around, University of Notre Dame Athletics, FightingIrish.com (2026 season). Checked November 10, 2026.
  6. Stadium Info and Policies, University of Notre Dame Athletics, FightingIrish.com (2026 season). Checked November 10, 2026.
  7. Notre Dame Game Day Guide (2026), Visit South Bend Mishawaka. Checked November 10, 2026.
  8. Notre Dame Stadium, Wikipedia. Checked November 10, 2026.
  9. City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 (Vintage 2025), U.S. Census Bureau. Checked November 10, 2026.
  10. Routed walk and drive times (OSRM on OpenStreetMap, no traffic), FOSSGIS routing.openstreetmap.de. Checked November 10, 2026.
  11. Hotel positions and addresses, OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Checked November 10, 2026.

Photos

Photos are openly licensed, resized and cropped for this page. None shows a hotel we list or implies endorsement.

Walk and drive times are routed on OpenStreetMap with no traffic; game-day traffic adds to them. Found something out of date? Tell us and we fix it with a dated correction.

FootballStay is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the NFL, the NCAA, any conference, university or team. Team and stadium names are used only to describe where games are played.

Keep planning

The season planner: every home weekend we cover, by how hard rooms will be. Every college football team we cover, ranked by stadium seats per resident. How we rate weekends.