Since the early 1900s, French Lick, Indiana has been the
destination, not only to luxuriate at the classy French Lick and West Baden
Resorts where such rich and famous (and infamous) personages as Franklyn Delano
Roosevelt and Al Capone spent time but also to enjoy the rural beauty of its
rolling hills, creeks, springs and woodlands. For more information on the area,
visit www.visitfrenchlickwestbaden.
A Little Log Cabin in the
Woods
6538 W. CR 875 S., French Lick, IN 47432
(812) 936-3000
Enjoy
rusticity among the natural setting of Orange County with its woodlands rolling
hills, small streams and Patoka Lake, the second largest man made lake in the
state. Terri and Carl Pryor, owners of two historic, hand-hewn log cabins, A
Little Log Cabin and A Big Log Cabin and Blue Prairie Bed and Breakfast, a
luxurious bed and breakfast offer total privacy, rustic luxury and modern
amenities.
A Little
Log Cabin is a cozy 150-year old cabin with a great stone fireplace set in the
center of a 40-acre private, nature preserve, adjacent to Hoosier National
Forest and close to Patoka Lake, French Lick and Paoli Peaks Ski Resort as well
as being on the Uplands Wine Trail.
A Big Log
Cabin in the Clouds is often described as an experience akin to being on a
mountaintop with awesome views set upon a private 120-acre preserve. The two
story cabin, built in 1863, boasts a chef’s kitchen, designer bathrooms, state
of the art entertainment center and charcoal grill, is also on the Upland Wine
Trail and conveniently located to the French Lick Resort Casino and Patoka
Lake.
Strictly
non-smoking, the Pryors have preserved their acreage to enhance wildlife
habitat, planting wildlife food plots, wildflowers and other plants attracting
birds and animals giving guests an opportunity to view nature on every visit.
Wildlife
lovers will want to book one of the places their fall during the Sandhill Crane
Migrations. The cranes are visible and audible in their southern migrations
that pass over here as their flights begin in October or November and continue
until Christmas time. Witness the migrations of these magnificent prehistoric
birds!
Bear Hollow Wood Carvers
8695 W. Jack Carnes Way,
Suite 8
French Lick, IN
(812)936-3030
Creating
art with a chainsaw is a no-brainer for Jason Emmons, owner of
Bear
Hollow Wood Carvers, who with his team are considered leaders in chainsaw
carving industry. Though they’re often on the road Traveling Carving Shows,
Custom Commissioned Sculptures, On-site Custom Carvings and even turning old
tree stumps on people’s lands into works of art, Bear Hollow Wood Carvers has a
fantastic retail store in downtown French Lick where their works and the works
of others are on display.
Indeed,
Bear Hollow Wood Carvers are so well known that they’re featured on the reality
show series "Saw Dogs" which can be seen on the Discovery Channel. Catch
the show here at
Big Splash Adventure Indoor Water Park & Resort
8505 Indiana 56
French Lick, Indiana
(812) 936-3866
(812) 936-3866
Big Splash Adventures offers
a 40,000-square foot water park adventure for the entire family. Forget about
what’s happening with the weather, Big Splash is enclosed in a beautiful glass
structure – one of the few retractable roof water parks in the world and the is
the largest indoor water park with a retractable roof in the United States.
The water park offers
12 themed water features including
the 3-story Buccaneer Bay with its
10 platforms and nearly 50 interactive play features like the two body slides
and 1,000 gallon dumping bucket, outdoor leisure pool, indoor family pool, 318-foot
lazy river, wet deck play area, activity pool, tot wading pool and tot bouncers
and 25 person tropical hot tub.
Guests experience tropical
luxury in a family friendly environment as the resort has 154 smoke free and
pet free, family friendly rooms and suites many of which have bunk beds. There’s
also the Treasure Chest Arcade and four dining options. Check their Website for
frequent package deals.
Comfort Inn
9530 West State Road
56
French Lick, Indiana
(812) 936-5300
The award-winning Comfort
Suites, a French Lick hotel near the French Lick Casino which in addition to a
variety of gaming options offers lively entertainment shows, spas, salons,
shopping opportunities, golf and more. The French Lick Comfort Inn, an affordable
overnight option, is also near a number of local points of interest like Big
Splash Adventure water park and is less than one mile from the Hoosier National
Forest where guests can enjoy hiking, biking, horseback riding and scenic
driving through the rolling hills and country trails and roads. Also nearby is
Indiana’s second largest man made lake, the 8800-acre Patoka Lake that features
a full-service marina and offers an abundance of recreation options like
boating, fishing and swimming.
Also there are a
number of world-class golf courses in the vicinity as well as several
entertainment venues, historical landmarks, shopping centers, restaurants and
cocktail lounges.
The hotel’s features
and amenities include free wireless high-speed Internet access, free The Wall
Street Journal, fitness center, indoor heated pool & hot tub and a free
hot breakfast featuring eggs, meat, yogurt and fresh fruit, cereal and more,
including your choice of hot waffle flavors. For those leaving early, a Your
Suite Success™ Grab & Go bag is available for the two hours prior to
breakfast. Other conveniences are the business center, including a public
computer with Internet access and copy and fax services. All well-appointed guest suites have
flat-screen televisions, microwaves, refrigerators, coffee makers, curved
shower rods, work desks, irons, ironing boards, pillow-top mattresses, sofa
sleepers and cable television. Some rooms feature whirlpool bathtubs, robes and
safes. Connecting rooms can be requested.
French Lick Cabins
Lake Village Drive
7900 W. CR 1025 S.
French Lick, Indiana
888-324-5350
http://www.plvlogcabins.com/index.htm
Great for both sports-minded
people and those who want a peaceful spot to get away from it all,
French Lick Cabins
at Patoka Lake Village is located just 10 miles south of French Lick, in the
heart of the Patoka Lake recreational area. These modern log cabins including
some that are pet friendly offer the perfect
opportunity to experience the wonders of nature without giving up the comforts
of home.
The cabins are next
to Patoka Lake's Osborn Boat Ramp and has a 158-foot wheelchair accessible
fishing pier and are also conveniently situated for those who are want to enjoy
the many activities the 8800-acre lake has to offer. Also on the property are numerous
hiking trails that showcase the scenic beauty of Southern Indiana and Patoka Lake,
the second largest man made lake in Indiana. Swimming and boat rentals are
available at Newton Stewart State Recreation Area just a short drive away
French Lick-West Baden Museum
489 S. Maple St.
French Lick, Indiana
812-936-FLWB (3592)
The mission of the French
Lick West Baden Museum is to educate and entertain visitors while sharing a
historical perspective of the towns of French Lick and West Baden.
The museum was
created as a facility for preserving the heritage of the area, acting as a
repository for historic artifacts. The entrance of the current museum space
includes an original Pluto (In its early years, the French Lick Resort was
known for its Pluto waters – spring waters said to cure whatever ailed you) wall
painting from the early 1900's which was uncovered by a crew working on the
renovation of the town’s old dime store building. Another rare artifact is the original Rookwood Pottery water color
design for the magnificent Sprudel fireplace in the West Baden Hotel, circa
1917.
French Lick Winery &
Coffee Company
8145 W Sinclair St
West Baden Springs, IN
812-936-2293
1-888-494-6380
frenchlickwinery@aol.com
One
of the pioneers in Indiana’s now burgeoning wine industry, the French Lick
Winery was established almost 20 years ago and now is known as one of the state's
premier wineries having been awarded more than 250 medals in state, national
and international competitions.
Located
near both the historic West Baden and French Lick resorts, vintner, John Doty,
who co-owns the winery with Kim Doty, cellar master, offers visitors an
opportunity to watch their wine making craftsmanship through the large
observation windows inside the winery’s tasting room. French Lick Winery crafts their wines from grapes
planted at their Heaven's View Vineyard located approximately 20 miles west of
the winery on Kim's family Hoosier Homestead Farm in Martin County overlooking
the White River Valley.
Besides
wine tasting and wine watching, visitors can dine in the winery’s Vintage Café
which specializes in freshly made Italian cuisine using local produce in
season.
French Lick and West Baden Resorts
8670 West State Road 56
French Lick, Indiana
888.936.9360
At the beginning of the 1900s, West Baden was a
Mecca for gamblers. But others came as well. Visitors included those seeking to
take advantage of the mineral waters which are so prevalent that the town next
door is called French Lick after the springs that abound there. According to
the Indiana Historical Society, a stay at West Baden Springs Hotel in the 1920s
cost twice as much as an overnight at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York
City.
There
was also gambling at the French Lick Springs Resort just a half mile down the
road. And like the hotel in West Baden,
French Lick was a grand place with gilded ceilings and a broad front porch. At
one time 14 trains a day serviced the two resorts. Al Capone, John Dillinger,
the Marx Brothers, Lana Turner, Bing Crosby and Bob
Hope all visited. In 1931, the
Democratic Governor’s Conference was held here and Franklyn Delano Roosevelt,
who was attending, won his party’s nomination for president.
But glory passes and when gambling ceased (never mind that it long been
illegal, the owner was connected and it wasn’t until 1949 that, as in the movie
“Casablanca,” officials were shocked to find that there was gambling on the
premises and finally shut down it down) even the waters couldn’t attract enough visitors.
West Baden was sold to the Jesuits for $1. French Lick, though it remained open,
languished, its intricate mosaic tiles chipping, its glorious gilt dulling.
Fortunately,
William Cook, an ardent preservationist was determined to make the resort
profitable. Opening a casino would do that. But he also resolved, at a cost of
almost $400 million, to restore both places to their former splendor. It was a gamble built on gambling, legal
again in Orange County.
West
Baden, built in 1902, was famed for its free standing dome. It was the world’s largest, a record that held
for another 60 years until the Houston Astrodome was built. The atrium below is
filled with an immense Pewabic tile fireplace said to be worth over a million
dollars, potted palms and Victorian era furniture. In the center of the 100-foot-high dome is a
pendant chandelier which reflects prisms of light creating, at night when the
dome is darkened, a light show extraordinaire.
Though its style is different, the Beaux Arts
French Lick (note to basketball enthusiasts – Larry Bird’s hometown is French
Lick) has also been beautifully restored including the royal crown moldings and hand
painted tapestry ceilings. It is estimated that more than 5000 square feet of
gold leaf was added during the renovation.
The down at the heels dining room became the elegant 1875: The
Steakhouse with a not to be missed lobster macaroni dish. There is also a lavish spread at the Grand
Colonnade Buffet and drinks and casual fare at the Power Plant Bar and Grill. The historic hotel is connected to the casino
by a long, glassed in promenade lined with shops.
A
shuttle runs frequently between the two resorts, both of which have luxurious
spas, indoor and outdoor pools and many other amenities.
French Lick Villas
P.O. Box 108
French Lick, Indiana
(800) 522-9210
Each of the French
Lick Villas are 1600-square-foot townhouses capable of accommodating eight
people in comfort and luxury in the lush garden setting of the French Lick
Resort Casino. Villa owners and
guests can enjoy the pool and workout facility located next to the office
overlooking the Villas. This new feature has a hot tub, swimming pool and
workout facility. 
Many amenities are also
available at the adjacent French Lick
Resort Casino including the 18-hole Donald Ross Course and 9-hole Valley
Links as well as the 28-room Spa at French Lick with its diverse menu of
treatments that allow you to relax and rejuvenate the mind and body while
soaking in the legendary Pluto Mineral Bath or pamper yourself with a luxurious
Sacred Stone Massage. Other amenities include the resort’s bowling alley, fine
dining and casual restaurants and the Power Plant Bar and Grill.
8331 Indiana 56
West Baden Springs, Indiana
(812)
936-5390
Perfect for rainy days, winter days and days
you just want to go fast and have fun. This 65,000 square foot facility
provides the ultimate in racing experiences with fast karts, great food and
family fun. Get your motors going and speed along at up to 40 miles per hour (junior
karts get speeds up to 20 miles per hour) on the challenging quarter mile road
course. There’s also an observation area for watching. Visit the game arcade. 
Be sure to enjoy a great meal at the Black Buggy Amish Buffet. Menu items include a
fresh salad bar with soups daily, as well as a large hot buffet containing a
wide selection of homestyle meals like fried chicken, meatloaf, beans, mashed potatoes and casseroles. But be sure to save room for the dessert bar
with over 25 selections of pies, cakes, cobblers, and cookies and the ice cream
sundae bar.
Visit the general store to browse the Amish
made gifts and snacks such as jams, jellies, breads and pies.
Hinshaw Rock 'n Gems
1232 S. County Rd. 650 W.
French Lick IN
(812) 936-7255
For
more than a half century, the Hinshaw family has been designing and creating beautiful
jewelry and decorator pieces. Silversmith
Merrill Hinshaw specializes in one-of-a-kind jewelry and Hinshaw Rock ‘n Gems,
known both nationally and internationally, also offers expert polishing and
silversmithing.
The
Hinshaws ability to collect rough stones, then cut and polish stones by hand to
create works of art has earned them the ranking as one of the top ten stone
polishers in the nation from the Lapidary Journal. The store also features items of interest for
all ages and pieces to give and cherish for all occasions. Specialties include artistic
jewelry design and custom cabochon cutting. The store is a wonder with unique jewelry.
bookends, unusual rock specimens, minerals and much more.
Indiana Landmarks
Landmarks Emporiums
& Tours
8670 West State Road
56
French Lick, IN
47432
866-571-8687
Indiana Landmarks is
a nonprofit organization, fighting to defend architecturally unique,
historically significant, and communally cherished properties. The organization
rescues, rehabilitates and gives new purpose to old buildings, saving the
state's shared heritage and bringing new life to communities.
Guests from the past include Al Capone, FDR, Bing Crosby, Gloria
Swanson and Helen Keller, captains of industry and pampered socialites came to
imbibe the waters and take spa treatments, enjoy sports and entertainments, and
perhaps test their luck in the casinos.
Today, the lavishly
restored French Lick and West Baden Springs Hotels still draw visitors for the
same pursuits. Like Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, and Hotel del Coronado in
San Diego, French Lick and West Baden Springs offer overnight accommodations in
an atmosphere steeped in history.
Indiana Landmarks
leads one-hour guided tours of the hotels, highlighting their fascinating
histories, spectacular architecture and gardens and award-winning restorations.
They also offer a specialized Twilight Tour at West Baden where tour guides
dress like many of the legendary greats that once stayed at the hotel and even
those who worked there like the gypsy fortune teller take visitors on a trip to
the past.
Shortz Miniature Golf and Lazer Tag
8529 W. State Road 56
French Lick, Indiana
(812) 936-2386
Shortz Miniature
Golf and Lazer Tag, open year round, is a one-of-a-kind
facility featuring indoor Lazer Tag, a 9-hole indoor Miniature Cosmic Golf
Course, Lazer Frenzy as well as an 18-hole outdoor Miniature Golf Course and
arcade. Perfect for family fun and a must visit vacation destination.
In fair weather, play the 18-hole outdoor miniature golf course,
an extravaganza of large rock formations, bridges and seven waterfalls. The
course is perfect for all ages – young and old, making it perfect for families.
Indoor fun include Lazer Braze, a lazer maze using the latest in
technology that lets participants set their own difficulty level and attempt to
tackle the maze without getting zapped by any of the lazers. Friends and family
can compete to beat each other’s scores. 22 people can play at a time in Lazer
Tag so get a group together and let the games begin.
Then jump into an imaginary Jeep to venture through the jungle
themed Cosmic Golf Course. A 9-hole course will be a great adventure for the
entire family.
Wilstem Guest Ranch
4229 U.S. 150
Paoli, IN
(812) 936-4484
Embrace your inner
cowboy or girl at the 1100-acre Wilstem Guest Ranch, located at the southwestern edge of Southern
Indiana's Hoosier National Forest and known for its 30 miles of trail rides through hill and dale and
along ride along Lick Creek, the same body of water that gave French Lick its
name. Wilstem is the perfect place for peaceful retreat, rest and relaxation, its
bucolic beauty and rolling farmland making it one of the premier guest ranch
destinations in the Midwest. 
The ranch, almost a century old, was first
purchased in 1915 by Ed Ballard, who developed the area including owning a
large interest in the West Baden Springs Hotel. Ballard used it as a hideaway
for wealthy and famous people as well as for his string of blooded show horses
he annually entered in horse shows around the country.
Famous people who stayed here included President
Franklin D. Roosevelt who hunted pheasants and quails throughout the large
stands of walnut trees as well as actors Henry Fonda and Tom Mix. Al Capone, who married one of his wives in
front of the fireplace in the historic lodge and heavyweight world boxing champ
Joe Lewis trained on the Wilstem grounds, in the forest and in the ranch's
historic Red Barn.
All the buildings on
the property were restored including the 10 bedroom lodge, built of solid
walnut logs cut on the property, by owner Jerry Fuhs, a Southern Indiana
entrepreneur. Fuhs, who for years managed concerts for mega stars including
George Jones, Merle Haggard, George Strait, Hank Williams Jr.and Ray Charles;
and groups like Alabama, The Grass Roots, Dr. Hook among others, also cleared and
restored the riding and hiking trails, restocked the ponds with fish and added modern
guest quarters.
The cabins and the
lodge are perfect for vacation stays of fishing, hiking, riding and enjoying
the beautiful countryside.
