Things to Do in French Lick, Indiana
The best things to do in French Lick, Indiana, are touring the West Baden Springs Hotel and its giant dome, riding the French Lick Scenic Railway, and playing the resort’s golf courses. French Lick has about 1,700 people in Orange County, and its neighbor West Baden Springs, with about 540, sits roughly a mile away.
Both towns grew up around mineral springs. French Lick began as a French trading post near a spring and salt lick and was founded in 1857. Its hotel later bottled Pluto Water, a best-selling laxative in the first half of the 20th century.
West Baden Springs Hotel
Lee Sinclair rebuilt this hotel after a fire and finished it in 1902. Its 200-foot free-span dome was sold as the Eighth Wonder of the World. It closed in 1932, spent decades as a Jesuit seminary and a college, and then sat in ruins. Indiana Landmarks bought it in 1996, the Cook family restored it, and it reopened as a hotel in 2007.
★ Good to know Indiana Landmarks runs paid guided tours of both hotels from its Landmarks Emporium shops, and booking ahead is strongly recommended.
French Lick Springs Hotel and French Lick Resort
Dr. William Bowles opened the first hotel here in 1845 for the ‘miracle waters.’ Indianapolis Mayor Tom Taggart bought it in 1901 and built it into a national resort. Today it’s one of three hotels in French Lick Resort, with the Valley Tower, a casino, two spas and more than a dozen restaurants.
★ Good to know The resort’s Power Plant Bar & Grill and Hagen’s Club House are the more casual places to eat on the property.
French Lick Scenic Railway
The Indiana Railway Museum runs this excursion line out of the French Lick depot on State Road 56. Trains roll through the hills of the Hoosier National Forest and through the 2,200-foot Burton Tunnel, built in 1907 and the second-longest in Indiana. Special trains include Wild West holdups and The Polar Express.
★ Good to know Polar Express tickets must be bought in advance, so check the schedule early.
French Lick West Baden Museum
This is the place to learn the whole story in one stop. Exhibits cover the old casinos, Pluto Water, the grand hotels and Larry Bird, who played high school ball at Springs Valley. The centerpiece is the world’s largest circus diorama, a model of the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, once headquartered in West Baden Springs.
★ Good to know Most people spend 20 to 45 minutes; guided tours are available on request.
The Pete Dye and Donald Ross golf courses
The Donald Ross Course opened in 1917 and hosted the 1924 PGA Championship, won by Walter Hagen. The Pete Dye Course opened in 2009 on a hilltop with 40-mile views and hosted the 2015 Senior PGA Championship. The resort also has the family-friendly Valley Links nine and the Sand Creek short course.
★ Good to know At Valley Links, kids 12 and under play free with an adult.
Patoka Lake
Indiana’s second-largest reservoir sits just south of French Lick and West Baden. The lake covers 8,800 acres, with a beach, 10 boat ramps, two marinas, trails and a nature center with live raptors. Patoka Lake Marina rents pontoons, houseboats and floating cabins.
★ Good to know The DNR posts beach and ramp alerts for high water, so check the park page before you go.
Wilstem Wildlife Park
Wilstem, on US 150 toward Paoli, is known for its elephant encounters, from bath time to educational sessions. There are also giraffe, sloth and kangaroo encounters, a drive-through safari, ziplining and cabins.
★ Good to know Encounters are booked in advance, so reserve before you arrive.
Big Splash Adventure
This indoor water park has more than 40,000 square feet under a retractable roof. It sells day passes to people staying elsewhere, and Shotz next door adds laser tag and indoor and outdoor mini golf.
★ Good to know Hours change by season; check before you go.
Also in town
Also here: French Lick Winery and its Vintage Cafe in West Baden Springs, 33 Brick Street, Ohana Hawaiian Grill & Bar, French Licks for ice cream and pizza, The Bagel Bistro, Escape! French Lick, and skiing at Paoli Peaks in winter.
Can you visit the West Baden Springs Hotel if you’re not staying there?
Yes. Indiana Landmarks runs public guided tours of the West Baden Springs and French Lick Springs hotels. They start at the Landmarks Emporium shop in each hotel, and reservations are recommended.
What’s the difference between French Lick and West Baden Springs?
They’re two separate towns about a mile apart in Orange County. French Lick has the French Lick Springs Hotel and casino; West Baden Springs has the domed hotel. The two hotels form one resort.
Is Larry Bird from French Lick?
Yes. He was born in West Baden Springs and starred at Springs Valley High School, earning the nickname ‘the Hick from French Lick.’ The French Lick West Baden Museum has a Larry Bird exhibit.
What other small towns are near French Lick?
Santa Claus and Corydon are both in southern Indiana. See Santa Claus for Holiday World, Corydon for the first state capital, or browse more small towns in Indiana.
Where to find them
- West Baden Springs Hotel 8538 West Baden Ave, West Baden Springs, IN 47469 Website Directions
- French Lick Springs Hotel 8670 W State Road 56, French Lick, IN 47432 Website Directions
- French Lick Scenic Railway 8594 W State Road 56, French Lick, IN 47432 Website Directions
Plan your trip: for events and current visitor info in French Lick, see Visit French Lick West Baden →
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Where to stay in French Lick
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