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Guide to Visiting the French Lick Resort in Indiana

Visiting the french lick resort.

Updated May 2024

I fell in love with the French Lick Resor t! It is one of the state’s most magical places, tucked away in the rolling hills of Southern Indiana. I was in awe when I read about the resort’s history and saw it in person. I didn’t know such a place existed here. The French Lick Resort has three hotels (the West Baden Springs, French Lick Springs, and Valley Hotel), a casino, and a golf course. It is also a historic Indiana Landmark and is famously known for its mineral springs.

French Lick Resort is listed as a top 100 “Indiana thing to do” in my book, 100 Things To Do In Indiana Before You Die. If you are looking for luxury, this is the place to find it in Indiana. It’s as “all-inclusive” as you’ll find in the Midwest. Away from the big cities and the stress of life, the resort offered us gorgeous views, quality dining experiences, comfortable beds, and activities that filled our days there. During our 3-day visit, we never left the resort!

Disclaimer: Blog posts may contain affiliate links and/or ads. If you click on these links, I may earn a small commission. This helps keep the blog running and supports my family – at no cost to you. If you have any questions, please read my disclaimer and privacy policy. Thank you! A special thanks to French Lick Resort for hosting my stay. All opinions in this article are my own.

A resort for everyone

While I highly recommend the French Lick Resort for a romantic getaway, it is also family-friendly. The West Baden Springs and French Lick Springs hotels offer amenities and activities for children and families. If visiting with our children, I would choose the French Lick Springs Hotel for the Kid’s Activity Center, restaurants, pool, bowling, arcade, and overall more casual resort atmosphere. French Lick Springs is a little more active and has almost twice as many rooms as the West Baden.

My husband and I stayed at the West Baden Springs Hotel for a romantic getaway. The West Baden Springs hotel is also family-friendly; however, I found it to be a much quieter atmosphere. Besides their live piano music in the evenings, it was so quiet at times I felt like we may have been the only ones in the hotel. It’s far from the crowds and near the stables and trails. There is a bit of old-world romance swirling around the West Baden, and it’s truly an experience that I’ll never forget!

The Valley Hotel is the resort’s newest hotel and is located near the Event Center, Exhibition Hall, and French Lick Casino. This is the closest and most accommodating hotel if you visit the casino.

History of French Lick Resort

It’s said that in 1778, George Rogers Clark discovered the French Lick area’s mineral springs and salt licks. The salt licks and springs drew in visitors for their supposed curing powers. They became such a popular destination that the French Lick Springs Hotel was built in 1845 to accommodate visitors. In 1855, the neighboring Mile Lick Inn was built, later named the West Baden Springs Hotel.

In 1901, a fire destroyed the West Baden, so owner Lee Sinclair rebuilt the hotel, adding an intense dome and grand spa. The West Baden became known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” for having the world’s largest free-span dome (until the 1960s) and a 200-foot-diameter atrium.

That same year, the owner of French Lick Springs (Thomas Taggert) decided to expand his hotel. He added three six-story wings over 20 years. Taggert also bottled and sold “Pluto Water,” the hotel’s branded mineral spring water. The production of Pluto Water ended in 1971 after it was found to have Lithium in it, a controlled substance. You can still visit the Pluto well on the French Lick Springs property (be prepared for an “interesting” smell).

They entertained many famous persons, including gangster Al Capone and elite members like Bing Crosby and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Unfortunately, when the stock market crashed in 1929, West Baden closed and exchanged ownership with different organizations over the next several decades. It then sat empty for nearly ten years before Indiana Landmarks took over and started restoring the building and offering tours.

In 2006, the Cook Group officially reopened the French Lick Springs as a restored hotel with a casino. A year later, they reopened the West Baden Spring Hotel to overnight guests. They fully renovated the hotel, featuring a pool/spa building and the Valley Link Golf Course.

Take a tour of West Baden and French Lick Springs through Indiana Landmarks . There are several tour options to choose from!

Our stay at the West Baden Springs Hotel

The West Baden Springs Hotel is a breathtaking sight. Upon arriving, we were greeted by its huge atrium and dome. The concierge is on your way to check in and available to answer any questions. Check-in was a breeze; before I knew it, we were going to our room on the third floor.

We had a Superior Atrium Balcony Guest Room , which offers the best views at West Baden! The balcony opens up to overlook the atrium. During the Christmas season, it’s even more magical. The guest rooms have a mini-fridge, wet bar area, in-room Starbucks coffee and tea, and a massive bathroom, robes, and complimentary bottled water.

The beds are very comfortable! All mattresses are from the Bowles Mattress Company, handcrafted locally in Jeffersonville, Indiana. The West Baden beds are so amazing they were ranked #2 on MattressAdvisor.com’s ‘Top 25 hotels for sleep quality in America.’ I love that they use local brands in the hotel!

West Baden Springs Things-To-Do:

• Nightly live music in the atrium from 5 – 9 pm
• Afternoon tea in the atrium (select days, tickets required)
• Take a romantic or family horse-drawn carriage ride
• Swim in the indoor or outdoor pool and relax in the hot tub
• The fitness center is open six am-midnight

French Lick Springs Things-To-Do:

• Friday & Saturday, live music in the lobby from 5 – 10 pm
• Concert in the Hoosier Ballroom throughout the year
• Bowling and arcades at Pluto’s Alley
• Visit the Kid’s Activity Center daily from 10 am – 6 pm for crafts, movies, and games.
• Enjoy outdoor lawn games like badminton, cornhole, ladder golf, soccer, etc. (available free of charge at the bell stand)
• Swim in one of the two outdoor pools (one is for adults only), an indoor door, or relax in the hot tub.
• 24-hour fitness center

Eat like royalty

The dining options at the French Lick Resort range from fine dining to casual and grab-and-go options. Guests can easily travel between the hotels with free transportation. We took advantage of this option and dined in establishments at both hotels. The quality of the food is worth mentioning—everything we had was delicious, well-presented, and perfectly prepared.

Ballard’s in the Atrium – We had dinner here our first night, and it was lovely to dine while listening to live music playing in the atrium, with a dome view. We enjoyed the Chicken Penne Vodka and Classic Wagyu Beef Burger. All the burgers at the resort are made with wagyu beef, a high-quality Japanese beef. We savored the West Baden Signature Chocolate Dome for dessert – a resort classic and 100% chocolate!

In-Room Dining—For our first morning’s breakfast, we chose to sleep in and have breakfast delivered to our room. At West Baden, breakfast is from Café Sinclair’s. I don’t want to brag, but are you living your best life if you aren’t sitting in a robe eating Eggs Benedict and sipping a latte while sitting on a balcony overlooking the West Baden atrium?

Power Plant Bar & Grill— Since we were shopping at the Promenade of Shoppes in the French Lick Springs Hotel, we had a casual lunch at the Power Plant. The restaurant’s backdrop is the original switchboard that powered the hotel. The classic Reuben and Grilled Pork Tenderloin provided us with a hearty lunch.

Sinclair’s Restaurant – Our second night at the West Baden was the most romantic and special. We dressed and headed to Sinclair’s after a twilight horse-drawn carriage ride. Named after the original owner, Lee Sinclair, it is a fine-dining restaurant in West Baden. It is also one of the restaurants on Indiana’s Foodway Alliance’s Culinary Trails . I had the best Filet Mignon of my life and experienced the art of preparing Bananas Foster here.

The Grand Colonnade Restaurant – Our last meal at the resort went down with a bang. It was a feast of a breakfast buffet at French Lick Spring’s Grand Colonnade Restaurant in a former ballroom. In 1931, Franklin D. Roosevelt used this same ballroom to gain support for his presidential nomination. There is a bit of history in every nook and corner of the resort! Nowadays, an all-you-can-eat buffet sits in the middle of the gorgeous room with fancy chandeliers dangling from above you. Fresh breakfast items are aplenty, including a made-to-order omelet and waffle station.

Activities to add to your French Lick Resort itinerary:

Take a tour – You can take an Indiana Landmarks tour of the West Baden, French Lick Springs, or both hotels (tickets required). Or take a self-guided walking tou r of the hotels and formal gardens.

The resort’s golf course , Valley Links Golf Course , offers a 9-hole walkable and foothole course (a game that combines soccer and golf). Kids 12 and under can golf for free.

Visit the Stables – take a tour, meet the horse, or go for a horseback ride.

The Spa at French Lick – Book an appointment for a massage or facial and dip in the legendary Pluto Mineral Bath.

Hiking: Five trails surround the resort (you can pick up a trail map at the Valley Links golf shop or online here) .

Biking – bike and surrey cart rentals are available.

Sporting Clay – the resort has a 75-acre shooting range open daily from 9 am – 5 pm for those aged 13 and older. You can bring your gun and ammo, or shotgun rentals and ammo purchases are available on-site. Shooting range options vary from $30-$180 per person.

Shopping – shop the resort’s mercantile, gift shops, and boutiques.

Pet-friendly resort

The French Lick Resort is extremely pet-friendly! The hotels have pet-friendly rooms for dogs up to 60 pounds (there is no limit on service dogs). There are plenty of walking trails to walk Fido, and the West Baden Hotel even offers In-Room Doggie Dining for the most catered canines. You’ll receive a menu, a dog bowl, and treats when you check in.

Lucy’s Dog Park is located on the resort property. It’s a double-gated, fenced-in dog park for dogs staying at the resort. There is a $150 non-refundable pet fee per stay.

Resort Amenities:

• Free valet parking and self-parking. We used the valet parking and never needed our car for our visit.
• Free transportation. The resort offers free 24/7 shuttle service throughout the resort and the local community. They’ll take you anywhere in French Lick except other hotels, the waterpark, or the liquor store. The iconic 1930 rail trolley is free to ride between the hotels from noon – 8 pm. It’s “the shortest trolley line in the world.”
• Free bottled water (at West Baden) . You’ll find bottled water in the mini coolers in your room and other public areas throughout the resort, such as the pool and fitness center.
• Concierge services . A concierge can assist guests with activities and services and answer questions.
• Luggage and golf club storage.

Travel tip: bring cash along to tip your valet attendants, trolley drivers, and service workers for any additional activities or services you plan to partake in, etc.

Holidays at French Lick

The holidays are magical here! At West Baden, a gigantic tree lights up the middle of the atrium. The sight is magnificent, and if you book an Atrium Balcony Guest Room, you’ll have the best views in the resort! The “ 50 Days of Lights” takes place from November through early January and begins with a grand tree lighting ceremony. Over half a million lights brighten the resort.

The Christmas Village is near the Event Center at the French Lick Springs Hotel. Holiday displays offer a perfect photo backdrop, and a gigantic, real gingerbread house is set up near Santa’s booth. Many activities for kids and families are available at French Lick Springs during the holidays, such as a holiday scavenger hunt, a toymaker workshop, cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus, Christmas Drive-In Movies, and breakfast with Santa.

YouTube video of our visit:

Direct Link to video: https://youtu.be/ojlmr0mjbac

Things to do nearby:

• Our First Visit to Lake Rudolph {and giveaway!}
• Spend a Weekend in Historical Vincennes, Indiana
• 8 Reasons You Should Visit Evansville, Indiana
• Road Trip Through Indiana
• How to Spend a Day in Franklin, Indiana

Pin It For Later

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I have visited twice before, and loved it! I’m looking forward to planning another stay in the near future 🙂

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April 21, 2023, * all stories * featured activities alcohol beyond bloomington business explore / discover family food & drink history kids outdoors popular restaurants, travel with laurie: historic treasures in french lick and west baden springs.

Editor’s note: This is the first article in a new travel series called “Travel with Laurie,” by Laurie D. Borman, with a focus on southern Indiana. In this trip, Laurie takes us to French Lick and West Baden Springs to visit the historic, and sometimes hidden, treasures in these resort towns. West Baden Springs Hotel was just rated the 5th best resort in the U.S. by Trips to Discover , based on Trip Advisor reviews.

When the West Baden Springs Hotel was built in 1902, it was called the eighth architectural wonder of the world. | Courtesy photo

That first glimpse of West Baden Springs Hotel never fails to amaze, with its commanding 200-foot-diameter, 160-foot-high dome. A fire destroyed the previous hotel in June 1901, and owner Lee Sinclair wanted a new, grander structure to take its place. In 1902, when the supports holding the new dome were removed, the media waited outside, sure it would immediately collapse. When it didn’t, newspaper reporters declared it the eighth architectural wonder of the world. Today, more than 120 years after it was built, it seems that name was not hyperbole.  

“One of the amazing things is that the West Baden Springs Hotel was built in less than one year, which is pretty shocking,” says Jeff Lane, French Lick/West Baden Resort historian and archivist. “And that it’s still standing 120 years later.” The hotel’s grand reopening was on April 16, 1903.

Any historic tour of the area in Orange County, about 50 miles south of Bloomington, should include the West Baden Springs Hotel and its elegant sister property, French Lick Springs Hotel, a little more than a mile down State Road 56. Indiana Landmarks offers two-hour historic hotel tours of both properties throughout the year, and limited behind-the-scenes and twilight tours, ranging in price from $15 to $50. You’ll learn about architectural details and history, such as the intricate Rookwood Pottery fireplace and even see costumes from So Cold The River , a movie thriller based on the book of the same name by Michael Koryta. Purchase tickets at the Landmarks Emporium in the hotels, or online at frenchlick.com/activities/indoor/tours .

Beyond these obvious yet important landmarks, the two towns boast loads of historic sites, and it’s hard to pare them down to a handful to explore in a few days. So choose your own favorites from this historical treasure map with places and activities to explore.

The dome of the West Baden Springs Hotel is 160 feet high and 200 feet in diameter. | Courtesy photo

(1) First Baptist Church (Colored)

“You could stand inside and see the sunlight through the wood siding,” Mitchell says of the First Baptist Church (Colored) before its renovation. | Photo by Elizabeth Mitchell

At the corner of Sinclair and Elm streets in West Baden, this humble wooden structure was built in 1920 by Lee Sinclair for the many Black employees of the West Baden Springs Hotel. After the 1930s Depression, and further decline when illegal gambling was shut down in 1949, many Black employees left the area. The church changed hands, last serving a congregation in the 1980s. By 2014, it had fallen into disrepair and declared one of the ten most endangered historic landmarks by Indiana Landmarks .  

“You could stand inside and see the sunlight through the wood siding,” says Bloomington resident and historian Elizabeth Mitchell of the structure’s condition before renovation. It was going to cost $250,000 to repair. But an anonymous donor put up initial money, and a dedicated group from Bloomington’s Second Baptist Church took up the cause to repair it. Mitchell solicited more donations, Second Baptist’s Pastor Bruce Rose encouraged parishioners to assist, and six men from the church, all over 60 years old, started traveling down to West Baden with Mitchell twice a week to do repairs. The men figured out how to pull the bowed walls inward using chains.  

“Oh, it creaked and moaned,” says Mitchell of the process. Townspeople were generous, dropping off water, the owner of the McDonald’s restaurant across the street delivered free lunch, and some folks just stuffed bills in the door of the church.

Corner of Sinclair and Elm streets, West Baden Springs

A dedicated group of volunteers from Bloomington’s Second Baptist Church traveled to West Baden with Mitchell twice a week to do repairs. (l-r) Richard Brown, Deacon Cleveland Thomas, and Deacon William Brown. | Courtesy photo

(2) Oxford Hotel and Homestead Hotel  

There were 30 hotels and 15 clubs in the area during the 1920s, and two of those former hotels are right along SR56. The former Oxford Hotel now houses the Visit French Lick West Baden Visitor Center , and the Homestead Hotel has a bagel shop and other businesses. Due to segregation, smaller hotels housed Black celebrities such as boxer Joe Louis, while some drew visitors who couldn’t afford the rates of the big properties. The Oxford Hotel, built in 1910, and the Homestead Hotel, built in 1913, are both on the National Register of Historic Places.

Oxford Hotel: 8102 W. SR 56, (812) 936-3418

Homestead Hotel: 8163 W. SR 56, West Baden Springs

The Oxford Hotel (left) and Homestead Hotel, built in 1910 and 1913, were among the 30 hotels and 15 clubs in French Lick and West Baden Springs during the Roaring ’20s. Both buildings are now on State Road 56 and the National Register of Historic Places. | Photos by Laurie D. Borman

(3) French Lick Scenic Railway

The French Lick Scenic Railway began in 1978 and now departs from the original French Lick depot. | Courtesy photo

Back in their heyday, French Lick and West Baden welcomed more than a dozen trains a day, stopping at each town and in-between for guests at other hotels. The French Lick Scenic Railway, started in 1978, departs from the original French Lick depot.  

“It amazes me to think of 14 trains coming in loaded with people wanting to visit our small area,” says Joanie Dingman, business manager of the railway.  

The railway offers 20-mile-long scenic trips from March through October that roll south past Larry Bird’s boyhood home, through Indiana’s second-longest tunnel at 2,200 feet (built in 1906), past waterfalls, and beside part of the Hoosier National Forest. Other special trains throughout the year include a 2-hour-and-20-minute Easter Bunny Express (this year it was on April 1), a Dinosaur Adventure trek in June and September, and tasting tours in July and October featuring chocolate and bourbon.  

The most popular, quickly sold-out train tour is the Polar Express, which takes kids and their families on an adventure just like the book of the same name to the “North Pole.” By the first week of January, the railroad had already sold $1 million in tickets for that trip alone, so it’s often fully booked before summer. The Polar Express Train Ride runs in 2023 Friday through Sunday at 5:30 & 7:30 p.m., November 3–December 17, and December 20–23. A 3:30 p.m. matinee ride is also available on most Saturdays, Friday after Thanksgiving, and on those last 4 days in December. Tickets went on sale in January, and many time slots are already sold out.

8594 W. SR 56, French Lick, (800) 748-7246

(4) Pluto Spring Pavilion /Pluto Bath

Spring houses still dot the scenery, but most of the springs have been capped, and all commercial bottling of Pluto Water stopped in 1971 because water samples contained high levels of lithium. | Courtesy photo

“These two towns exist because of an old animal trail and some smelly water,” says Barbra Bowling, an Indiana Landmarks tour guide. That old animal trail, Buffalo Trace , led creatures to the salt and mineral-laced waters from springs that exuded a sulphur odor. “When nature won’t, Pluto will” cleverly defined the constipation-relieving effects of the mineral water that originally brought tourists in the late 1800s.  

By the early 1900s, seven springs were available to sample, and after a guest consulted a medical doctor, they were given a prescription for which springs to try and how many glasses to take per day, according to Bowling. Outhouses were stationed near each spring, and guests would put a cane by the door to indicate it was occupied.  

The Jesuits, who bought the West Baden Hotel from Ed Ballard for $1 in 1946, capped most of the springs, and, finally, only the Pluto Spring behind the French Lick Springs Hotel was left open. All commercial bottling stopped in 1971 because water samples contained a high level of lithium, a drug now used for treating depression and bipolar disorder. The Pluto Spring’s deep well discourages guests from drinking the unfiltered water, as the water level is several feet below the top of the well lip. If you want to sample the waters, you can take a 20-minute, $65 Pluto Water bath at either resort spa . Bring your own cup if you want to drink before dunking.  

French Lick Springs Hotel (garden) 8670 W. SR 56, French Lick, (888) 936-9360

(5) French Lick Museum

Kenton Allbright, assistant director of the French Lick Museum, with a statue of Pluto. | Photo by Laurie D. Borman

Opened in 2014 in the historic Dickason building, the French Lick Museum makes a great stop to learn about the history of the area, view springs memorabilia (such as canes and water dippers), eye Larry Bird artifacts, and even see old casino roulette wheels. “We were Las Vegas before Las Vegas was even a thought,” says Kenton Allbright, assistant director of the museum. Allbright revels in the past, occasionally dressing as a Monon train conductor or a circus ringmaster, recalling the old days.  

The museum’s main attraction is the world’s largest circus diorama: a circus train and big top displays, which fill two rooms. Ed Ballard, the enterprising owner of the West Baden Springs Hotel, purchased the hotel in 1923 from Lillian Sinclair, Lee Sinclair’s daughter. Ballard also owned one of the largest circuses in the United States at the time, the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus . The circus often performed here, even inside under the dome of the hotel, with elephants getting on their knees to clear the doorways, says Bowling.  

The museum hosts a “ Circus Day ” each year, this year on June 24, with circus performances outside the museum, with acrobats, clowns, live music, bounce house, dunk tank, food trucks, and more.

469 S. Maple St., Ste. 103, French Lick, (812) 936-3592

The museum’s main attraction is the world’s largest circus diorama: a circus train and big top displays, which fill two rooms. | Photo by Laurie D. Borman

The Ole Show Barn used to house part of the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus when it was in town. | Photo by Laurie D. Borman

(6) Ole Show Barn

This building, recently refurbished by its current owner, Daydream Woodworks, housed part of the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus when it was in town. While you won’t see any elephants or lions inside, there are circus memorabilia, a portrait of Ed Ballard, and woodworking items for sale. A Saturday farmers’ market runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. June through August. Check out the unusual sign out front, an antique pickup truck painted with the woodworks’ name.

8272 County Road 25 South, French Lick

(7) The Elite Café, now the American Legion Post #76

This former café housed a gambling casino in the early 1900s. Gambling was illegal before 2005 in Indiana, but the local authorities “looked the other way” as French Lick Hotel owner Tom Taggart encouraged casino operations. Taggart had close connections with the Indiana governor, and until Kentucky Derby Weekend of 1949 offered gambling off the big resort properties. That all came to a halt when Indiana Gov. Henry Schricker called a raid on the casinos. People who had arrived to gamble on their way to the Churchill Downs in Louisville left quickly. French Lick Hotel suffered.  

Another famed casino, The Gorge, burned in 2017, so the former Elite Café is one of the few remaining spots to see where the action happened.  

The American Legion hosts events open to the public, such as a Friday Chili or Fish Fry. Their Facebook page provides details on events.

8595 W. Main St., French Lick, ( 812) 936-9394

Historian and archivist Jeff Lane leads the French Lick Historic Trolley Tours in French Lick and West Baden Springs. | Courtesy photo

(8 ) French Lick Trolley Tour

A convenient, free trolley operates between French Lick Resort and West Baden Springs Hotel. But if you want a deep dive into French Lick and West Baden Springs history, you better secure a seat on the French Lick Historic Trolley Tour, led by French Lick Resort historian and archivist Jeff Lane. He’ll point out some of the sites listed above, as well as Ed Ballard’s Beechwood Mansion, the Dixie Garage, the Pluto Corporation (where Pluto water was bottled), and Our Lady of the Springs Catholic Church, which was built in 1887 and is the oldest church in French Lick or West Baden Springs, among other sites.  

The Dixie Garage has been an auto repair shop, a roller-skating rink, and a 7UP bottling plant, says Lane. “M y grandfather was manager of the 7UP bottling plant when it was located in that building. Then it later became a warehouse for a furniture manufacturer called Wood Design.” It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  

The tour lasts an hour, costs $25 for adults, $15 for kids under 12, and runs on Mondays at 11 a.m. in March, May, and September. It meets at the West Baden stop. Tickets are sold at West Baden Mercantile .

8538 West Baden Ave., West Baden Springs, (812) 936-9300

(9) Thomas D. Taggart Home (The Mansion) at Pete Dye Course at French Lick .  

Drive the winding Mt Airie Road up through the Pete Dye Golf Course gates to the peak of Mt. Airie for a panoramic view over some 40 miles of southern Indiana hills. The golf course hosted the 2015 Senior PGA Championship, and today the mansion built in 1928 for French Lick Hotel owner Thomas D. Taggart’s son is now the course clubhouse. While you must be a guest of the course (greens fees can top $350) to dine or drink there, you can look up to the widow’s walk atop the brick home and step around back to admire the view from the patio. Architectural Digest named the mansion the most beautiful clubhouse in Indiana in 2018. If you do get a chance to go inside, check out the detailed woodwork, arched doors and doorways, and the photo of the JFK Museum in Hyannis, Massachusetts, a mansion built in 1926, on which the Taggart mansion was modeled.

8670 W. SR56, French Lick, (888) 936-9360

The Thomas D. Taggart Home (The Mansion) was built in 1928 for the son of French Lick Hotel owner Thomas D. Taggart. It is now the clubhouse at the Pete Dye Golf Course. | Courtesy photo

The Pop Top treehouse in West Baden Springs | Courtesy photo

Laurie’s Tips

French Lick and West Baden Springs have two main hotels. The West Baden Springs Hotel has a grander atrium because of the dome, is more expensive, and has a fine dining restaurant, Sinclair’s, that is well worth a visit. The French Lick Springs Hotel has an amazing restored lobby and mural ceiling, is also historic, and has equally beautiful rooms for a lower price than West Baden Springs Hotel.

Neither is inexpensive, though. French Lick Springs Hotel is closer to the casino and the restaurants and shops and the museum downtown. You can’t go wrong with either choice, as both have spas and offer equal access to resort amenities.  

Other unique hotel options include a treehouse on AirBNB   that is 30 feet up in a poplar tree, and a communal dinner nightly. Sleeps 2.

There are several quaint cabin choices on VRBO, such as John’s log cabin in a wooded setting with its own hiking trail, a 5 minute drive to French Lick downtown. Sleeps 8.

TRIP PLANNER

French Lick Springs Hotel | Courtesy photo

French Lick Resort & West Baden Springs Hotel: FrenchLick.com History and Tours: frenchlick.com/activities/indoor/tours

1. First Baptist Church (Colored)

2. Visit French Lick West Baden Visitor Center Oxford Hotel: 8102 W. SR 56, (812) 936-3418 Homestead Hotel: 8163 W. SR 56, West Baden Springs

3. French Lick Scenic Railway 8594 W. SR 56, French Lick, (800) 748-7246

4. Pluto Spring Pavilion /Pluto Bath French Lick Hotel (garden) 8670 W. SR 56, French Lick, (888) 936-9360

The garden at West Baden Springs Hotel | Courtesy photo

5. French Lick Museum 469 S. Maple St., Ste. 103, French Lick, (812) 936-3592

6. Ole Show Barn 8272 County Road 25 South, French Lick

7. The Elite Café, now the American Legion Post #76 8595 W. Main St., French Lick, ( 812) 936-9394

8. French Lick Trolley Tour 8538 West Baden Ave., West Baden Springs, (812) 936-9300

9. Thomas D. Taggart Home (The Mansion) at Pete Dye Course at French Lick 8670 W. SR56, French Lick, (888) 936-9360

• Architectural Digest
• Barbra Bowling
• Beechwood Mansion
• Bloomington Second Baptist Church
• Buffalo Trace
• Churchill Downs
• Dickason building
• Dinosaur Adventure
• Dixie Garage
• Easter Bunny Express
• Elizabeth Mitchell
• First Baptist Church (Colored)
• French Lick
• French Lick Historic Trolley Tour
• French Lick Museum
• French Lick Resort
• French Lick Scenic Railway
• French Lick Springs Hotel
• Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus
• Homestead Hotel
• Hoosier National Forest
• Indiana Gov. Henry Schricker
• Indiana Landmarks
• Joanie Dingman
• Kenton Allbright
• Kentucky Derby
• Lee Sinclair
• Lillian Sinclair
• Monon train
• National Register of Historic Places
• Orange County Indiana
• Our Lady of the Springs Catholic Church
• Oxford Hotel
• Pastor Bruce Rose
• Pete Dye Golf Course
• Pluto Corporation
• Pluto Springs
• Polar Express Train Ride
• Senior PGA Championship
• southern Indiana
• Thomas Taggart
• Visit French Lick West Baden Visitor Center
• West Baden Springs
• West Baden Springs Hotel

French Lick & West Baden Springs Hotel Tours

Get the inside story on a grand hotel tour.

The landmark hotels in French Lick and West Baden Springs—located one mile apart in southern Indiana—offer a fascinating window on the grand hotel era of the early twentieth century and the tradition of “taking the waters.”

Daily & Twilight Tours, Behind the Scenes, & More

French lick and west baden springs hotels.

Guests from Bing Crosby to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, captains of industry and pampered socialites came to drink the smelly sulfur water, take spa treatments, and often test their luck in the casinos.

Indiana Landmarks played an instrumental role in saving the West Baden Springs Hotel, a ruin when we bought it in 1996 and recruited the Cook family of Bloomington who performed an award-winning feat of restoration. We continue to provide tours in both hotels. Your tour guide will highlight the hotels’ fascinating history, award-winning restorations, and revivals’ impact on the entire region.

In addition to the ongoing tours of each hotel, we offer Twilight Tours, and a tour combined with Wednesday afternoon tea in the domed atrium (a grand hotel tradition). We also offer group tours and lectures by appointment.

All tours depart from Landmarks Emporium , our shops in each hotel. In the Emporium, you’ll find books and postcards, of course, joined by a unique and ever-changing mix of historically inspired merchandise—from top hats and fascinators to children’s toys.

French Lick and West Baden are side-by-side towns in southern Indiana’s Orange County. You’ll find the towns 1.5 hours north of Louisville (28 miles north of I-64), 2.5 hours south of Indianapolis via IN 37 and IN 56.

West Baden Springs Hotel , 8538 West Baden Ave., West Baden Springs, IN 47469 (one mile north of French Lick in Orange County)

French Lick Springs Hotel , 8670 West State Road 56, French Lick, IN 47432

Overnight Accommodations

Both restored hotels offer overnight accommodations for groups; call 888-936-9360 or visit www.frenchlick.com . For information on other area accommodations and things to do, visit www.visitfrenchlickwestbaden.com .

Historic Hotel Tours

West Baden Springs Hotel tours are offered at 2 & 4 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays, January-May Tuesdays-Saturdays, June-December Buy West Baden Springs Hotel Tour Tickets

French Lick Springs Hotel tours are offered at noon Wednesdays-Saturdays, January-May Tuesdays-Saturdays, June-December Buy French Lick Springs Hotel Tour Tickets

Single tour ticket, either hotel: $18/person; $8/child age 6-15; free age 5 and under ($15/Indiana Landmarks member).

Tickets are available online and at Landmarks Emporium , Indiana Landmarks’ shops in each hotel and the departure point for all tours. Landmarks Emporium is currently open Wednesday – Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. At West Baden Springs, you’ll find Landmarks Emporium in the corridor that rings the atrium (turn right after entering from the porte-cochere). At French Lick, Landmarks Emporium is in the retail corridor that connects the hotel with the casino and parking garage

We strongly recommended reservations as tour sizes are limited and we will be practicing social distancing as they resume. Group tours are available by appointment, Monday-Saturday, for groups of 15 or more with at least 4 weeks notice. Email [email protected]  for questions or reservations.

Mobile app tours

Twilight Tours

On select Saturdays, May through September, rub shoulders with some of the rich, famous, and notorious people connected with West Baden Springs during its heyday in the ‘teens and ’20s. Twilight Tours explore what it was like to be a guest of the West Baden Springs Hotel during its grand era.

Costumed characters representing guests and famous figures of the era—including golfer Walter Hagen, mobster Big Jim Colosimo, palm reader Mademoiselle Louise, author Edna Ferber, the “unsinkable” Molly Brown, and others—give visitors an especially lively picture of the place, sharing their impressions of the hotel, its owner, the healing mineral springs and other tidbits.

The 75-minute tour departs at 7 p.m., ending well before the hotel’s universal 10 p.m. bedtime during its heyday.

Advanced ticket purchase is required and encouraged as space will be limited to allow for social distancing. Tickets for adults are $25, children (ages 6-15) are $10, Indiana Landmarks Members are $20.

Tickets are available online or by calling 812-936-5870 or emailing [email protected]

Buy Twilight Tour Tickets

BEHIND-THE-Scenes Tours

On select Thursday afternoons, March through December, Indiana Landmarks offers a two-hour behind-the-scenes tour of the West Baden Springs Hotel, arranging access to spaces not normally open to the public. Tourgoers will discover the history of areas that served the hotel’s first guests—including the kitchen, garage, ice cream plant, laundry, printing office, and filtering plant—and see how these spaces have been re-purposed for the hotel’s operations today. The tour also offers an exclusive peek at the hotel’s modern luxuries, including Table One (a private dining room), the sixth-floor Presidential Suite, hotel rooms furnished in Gilded Age splendor to reflect the hotel’s heyday, and suites incorporated into the historic ballroom space. Make plans to capture the stunning view of the atrium from the balcony of one of the rooms on the sixth floor!

West Baden Springs Behind-the-Scenes tours are available to adult tourgoers only. Because this is a behind-the-scenes tour, not all spaces are fully accessible for people utilizing walkers, wheelchairs, or motorized scooters. Please contact our staff for more information on accessible areas.

Note that rooms included on the tour are subject to change due to availability; Indiana Landmarks reserves the right to substitute areas featured.

Tickets are $50/adult, $45/Indiana Landmarks members and may be purchased online via the link below or by calling 812-936-5870 or emailing [email protected]

Buy Behind-the-Scenes Tour Tickets

Wednesday Tour and Afternoon Tea

12:30 p.m. tour and 2 p.m. tea or 1:30 tour and 3 p.m. tea.

In 2023, the Tour with Afternoon Tea will be offered on March 22 & 29 and Wednesdays, June – December only.

Reservation required; call the hotel at 812-936-5579.

Group Tours at West Baden and French Lick

For groups of 15 or more with four-week advance notice, we will arrange a guided walking tour of the West Baden Springs Hotel, the French Lick Springs Hotel, or both.

• Standard guided walking tour lasts 60 – 75 minutes.
• Please allow time for your group to both load and unload, and time to shop.
• Tours available year-round Monday-Saturday, except Thanksgiving and Christmas day.
• Shopping on site at both hotels
• Handicapped-accessible buildings and restrooms
• Lower discounted rates for motorcoach tours
• Complimentary tour for driver and one escort for motorcoach tours
• Group itinerary planning
• Images and brochures available
• A discounted group rate is available for groups of 15 or more.

Call 812-936-5870 or email [email protected] for more information or to schedule a group tour.

Landmarks Emporiums & Tours 8670 West State Road 56 French Lick, IN 47432 812-936-5870 [email protected]

Mailing Address Indiana Landmarks P.O. Box 217 West Baden, IN 47469

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Taking the Waters at French Lick

One destination, two hotels with classic European spas: in Indiana! Since the 1840s, French Lick and West Baden Springs have welcomed guests taking the waters.

August 17, 2014 //  by  Sandra Friend

While getting ready for a much-needed massage at the Spa at French Lick Springs Hotel, I asked my therapist, Lisa, about the namesake springs. “You mean Pluto Spring?” she said. She pointed down the hall. “The bath is there, if you’d like to try it.”

Named for the mineral salts once mined in this valley southwest of Indianpolis, Indiana, French Lick became of the focus of spa travel in the United States in the late 1800s, thanks to its two spacious resorts with mineral springs. Less than a mile apart in the same spring-blessed valley, the French Lick Springs Hotel and West Baden Springs Hotel competed for customers by offering a setting rivaling the elegance of European spa destinations.

Modeled on Baden-Baden in Germany, West Baden Springs, opened in 1855, adopted a Germanic-looking imp, Sprudel, as the mascot for its spring water. Rival French Lick Springs used the devilish Roman god of the underworld as its pitchman.

The Power of Pluto

One of three springs once available to guests at the French Lick Springs Hotel, Pluto Spring is best identified with Pluto Water. Part “cure-all,” part advertisement for the health resort that welcomed its first guests in 1845, Pluto Water was exported around the United States from a bottling plant at French Lick.

By 1905, French Lick Springs Hotel became a sprawling complex, with a parade of famous guests over the decades, from Ava Lowle Willing, who divorced John Jacob Astor IV in 1909, to Howard Hughes and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Trains ran daily between Chicago and French Lick, making it a socialite destination and a favorite getaway for political party powwows.

On the National Register of Historic Places, the hotel is distinctly American, an imposing building of buff yellow “French Lick brick.” Inside its doors, the marbled columns and walls are an illusion, using a faux textured marbling technique called scagliola that imparts an elegance you’d swear was marble. The Italian mosaic floors are real. From this grand lobby, guests move on to the hotel’s dining areas, the casino, their guest rooms, or the spa.

Lisa, a native of St. Augustine, Florida – a place where we’d both sampled the Fountain of Youth, an artesian well said to have curative powers – filled me in on how Pluto Springs worked. “People would come to French Lick, dip a dipper into Pluto Spring for a drink, then walk through the gardens slowly, carrying a cane,” she said. “There were strategically placed outhouses that people whould have to rush to. You’d place the cane on the outhouse door when you were using it, so other people wouldn’t rush there in vain. When Pluto said go, you went!”

The Pluto Bath remains one of the spa’s regular treatments. “Today, a rare few individuals take a sip from the water of the bath, and we have a bathroom strategically placed nearby for that purpose,” said Lisa. Bottled until 1971, when the FDA made lithium a controlled substance (the water is high in natural lithium) and banned the sale of Pluto Water, the bottled water can still be found, unopened, in some of the region’s antique stores.

Serenity with Sprudel

When the original West Baden Springs Hotel burned to the ground in 1901, a new hotel rose in less than a year. Opening in 1902, it was a fanciful idea that “couldn’t be done” until a bridge engineer figured out how. The “Eighth Wonder of the World,” as the press called it, featured a massive domed atrium – 600 feet around, 100 feet tall – as its center. Guest rooms encircle it. Filled with delicate details, the hotel is a monument to historic preservation.

On a history tour, we orbit the hotel’s interior. Compass directions appear in the carpet design – “you’ll always know where you are if you watch the floor,” said our guide – and peacock-colored light fixtures shimmer at the top of the dome. An elegant billiards room and a speakeasy-style bar have the feel of sets in a history museum. Sprudel peeks out from a pastoral scene above the atrium’s fireplace.

Four mineral springs tempted visitors to the hotel, where they would take mineral baths and drink of the “healing waters.” Sprudel was the last of the springs to be found, as it bubbled up in the middle of French Lick Creek. Within five years of the hotel opening, the water was bottled and shipped around the United States. But the 1929 stock market crash brought the era of opulence to a screeching halt.

In 1934, the hotel was sold to the Jesuits for a dollar, and they turned it into a private college. Abandoned for more than a decade, the building was literally falling apart when Indiana Landmarks purchased it in 1996, funded by an anonymous donor. More than $32 million in repairs were contributed. But not until casino gaming was approved could the nonprofit find a buyer for the restored landmark.

Although the Jesuits had capped three of the four springs on the property, they couldn’t cap Sprudel Springs. Reopening in 2007 – for the first time since 1932 – the West Baden Springs Hotel harkens back to its roots with The Spa at West Baden, named the “Best Luxury Hotel Spa” twice in recent years. The two-level layout includes a Natorium, an indoor swimming pool beneath the building. The skin-softening West Baden Signature Sprudel Bath remains one of the most popular, and least costly, of the spa treatments.

Noting the inscription on the archway proclaiming “West Baden Springs — The Carlsbad of America,” I had to ask our guide. “Why Carlsbad?” I asked, thinking of the famous cave. “It was a grand European spa of the time,” he said, “the ‘in’ place in Bohemia.” Under a new name, it remains so today. A century ago, Americans “took the waters” too, but most of the famed mineral spring destinations have faded into memory. At French Lick, it still feels like the Gilded Age.

Visiting French Lick

Both French Lick Springs Hotel and West Baden Springs Hotel are owned and managed by French Lick Resort . The hotels are a mile apart, close enough to walk between on dedicated pathways through the gardens, or you can use a free shuttle between them. The compact historic community has many arts and antique shops. Golfers enjoy easy access to the Pete Dye Course at French Lick and Valley Links.

Summer is the busy season, but both resorts are open year-round. Book spa appointments , especially soaks in the spring-fed baths, well in advance.

French Lick West Baden Museum

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Experience the area’s rich history circa 1900-1930. See the room-sized miniature Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus. Learn about the famous artists, politicians, horsemen and sports figures who once called the area home. From Pluto Water to gambling, the museum tells the story of the rich and famous who visited the valley.

One of the highlights of the museum is the world’s largest Circus Diorama, a must-see for both kids and adults. Marvel at the intricate details of the diorama, which brings the circus world to life in a fascinating display.

As you explore the museum, you’ll discover the stories and artifacts that showcase the past and present of French Lick West Baden. From its early beginnings to its growth and development, the museum offers a comprehensive look at the region’s heritage.

But the museum’s mission goes beyond just preserving history. It also strives to enhance the quality of life for all by actively contributing to the community. By visiting the museum, you’re not only immersing yourself in the culture but also supporting the efforts to preserve and promote the town’s heritage.

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8874 W 675 South French Lick, IN  47432

Property description for 8874 w 675 south french lick, in 47432.

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Property details for 8874 w 675 south french lick in 47432, mortgage / financing information, tax and financial info, community information, school : springs valley community, features & amenities, springs valley community schools, relocating let us help.

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1846 s county road 810 west.

780 S Hancock Street

11618 w co rd 200 s, 4926 n 775 w common, 8075 w abeydel pike road, 1187 n gum street, 8623 w co rd 400 n, 4976 w cr 350 n road, 6233 n dubois rd. ne, 935 s 225 west road, 5841 woodlawn dr, 5795 n cr 650 road.

Listing provided courtesy of RANDY CHAPLIN and Chris Burton with Brooks Galloway Real Estate

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