Potawatomi Conservatories — Attraction in South Bend

Really great space in the winter time. If you're into arts and nature it's a great spot to check out. Families come in a lot for photo shoots and their online prices are incredibly reasonable. The entry fee is $3 so it's a great place to spend a couple of hours when you're on a budget. My husband and I had a small elopement there during Covid and we just paid the entry for us and the officiant (less than $10 for a beautiful venue). Lots of new and beautiful growth since the polar vortex hit a few years back. The heater in their desert dome smells strongly of gas, so we only go in when it's not running on high. Morris is usually around greeting guests and accepting pets. 😺

The yoga classes are amazing and restorative ($10 for members and $13 for non-members). Currently the classes meet twice a week on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Blocks, blankets, straps, etc. are available for yoga. It's also located close to a Subway, a park, and the zoo. Overflow parking is in the lot...

Sometimes, you just want to walk among some flowers. See some trees that you would never find growing in your backyard. Check out some cacti without having to travel to the Southwest. This place will scratch all of those itches for you.

The only reason I didn't give this place five stars is because it felt like there wasn't a good usage of space within. There was plenty of room for more flowers and plants and so on, but there was just a whole bunch of wasted space (and yes, I am aware that there was an issue with some of the plants dying from the cold last winter. This is less about gaps in flora and more about how whole areas were emptied out and what plants were there were crowded together, which just made the empty spaces look...

Lovely place to stroll about on a cold day. Morris is the friendliest of cats. The fountain is part time wishing well, part time tadpole habitat. (Yes, the water gets slimy when the tree frogs have taken over but it is very exciting to watch their life cycle from start to finish, especially if you have little people with you.) There is a carnivorous plants display and a little hidden sand table and loads of rubber tree leaves to collect. Emily is super friendly, patient with kids and will share her knowledge of plants with you if you ask. Additionally, some of the windows have been intentionally smudged to maintain the correct environment for the plants throughout the year. It’s not a fussy place…that’s part...