To many people, especially sports fans, South Bend, Ind., means Notre Dame University. Although I am a sports fan, my recent trip to South Bend did not involve the Fighting Irish. However, it did involve some sports.

My friend and I took the two-hour drive from Chicago to meet some other friends who had flown in to South Bend to work an event at Coveleski Stadium. We spent the early part of Saturday visiting the College Football Hall of Fame.

Originally in Ohio, it relocated and reopened in South Bend in 1995. While my friend is a much bigger college football fan than I am, I couldn’t help but feel the history and spirit among the displays and exhibitions. Built in 1987, the Cove was named for Hall of Fame pitcher Stan Coveleski and has often been used as a model for other stadiums built since. The 5,000-seat stadium is home to the Silver Hawks, an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Despite earlier threats of rain, the evening was warm and beautiful. It was a wonderfully relaxing night. We met our friends at the end of the evening. Of course, any trip has to involve some good eating.

On this trip, that meant Parisi’s Ristorante, a wonderful family-owned restaurant. Our meal started with baby portabellas stuffed with shrimp and scallops, which were baked and accompanied by Parmigiano cheese and garlic butter. We shared entrées of the linguini shrimp, lobster and ricotta-stuffed raviolis and risotto primavera. For dessert, we enjoyed their cannoli. Every dish was outstanding. The sauces were zesty, the vegetables were fresh, and the portions were large. I am a cannoli elitist, but Parisi’s cannoli were excellent.

For lodging, we selected the Inn at St. Mary’s, which was luxurious, comfortable and conveniently located. The entire room was designed for maximum comfort, and it delivered. The staff was incredibly nice and helpful. The workout room had everything we needed. Our stay there was fantastic. It was a short but enjoyable trip. I would be very happy if this becomes one of my yearly trips.

— John Wroblewski, distribution specialist