Romantic getaway in small town Indiana

A glimpse into The Great Gatsby, Indiana-style

Living in southwest Ohio, we had been hearing accounts from our friends for years about spending a long weekend in French Lick, IN. So, as we approached our 27th wedding anniversary, we started to read up on all the area had to offer and booked an #emptynestervibes weekend in September, right after dropping our son off for his sophomore year of college.

The research dug up an eclectic and intriguing history, breathtaking photos of the resorts, spa services including  mineral spring baths, trips on the vintage Portuguese trolley, Friday night jazz club, a library that speaks volumes, winding bike paths through luscious scenery, fancy restaurants, shopping, casinos, winery…all nested in an old town in the middle of Indiana.

What on earth is Pluto water? How did the Great Depression impact French Lick? Why did the Jesuits cover up the natural springs? Visit the resort town and uncover the turn-of-the-century soap opera.  Read about our little taste of heaven.

Where to stay?

French Lick is split into the French Lick Springs Hotel and West Baden Springs Hotel. Simply put, French Lick is more family-oriented and West Baden is more for the romantic getaway sans kids. We didn’t hesitate and booked a room at West Baden. The architecture in this resort is second-to-none. It’s a huge dome once called the Eighth Wonder of the World. Half the hotel rooms open to the atrium where you can hear sounds of the piano and harp during happy hour and see everything going on below. Unfortunately, we were not able to get a room over the atrium, so we settled for a view of the countryside, which was beautiful nonetheless. The rooms were decorated with period-looking pieces in dark wood complete with a mini bar and a very spacious bathroom. There was even a rose waiting for us to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

French Lick Springs Hotel is more of a traditional style hotel but the ceilings and walls are graced with fine murals. The long veranda across the facade is lined with rocking chairs and is very inviting.

Empty Nester Tip: Book everything you can weeks ahead of time as everything gets booked up quickly - from restaurants to spa activities, from carriage rides to afternoon tea. 

Our itinerary - Day 1

· We arrived mid-afternoon on a Friday. Once we checked in to West Baden Springs Resort, we took a vintage Portuguese trolley to the bike rental building where we had 2 electric bikes on reserve for an hour. Neither of us had ever ridden an e-bike so it took a few minutes to acclimate to the speed and the braking. Once we were comfortable, we took a leisurely ride between both resorts which took us past an old train parked in the bush—which we stopped in front of to get a picturesque photo. The bike ride was the perfect introduction to the resort, and if we were to do it again, we would opt to start off with it once again….except next time I’ll try not to crush the cup holder on my bike. On our way back to West Baden, we stopped in for a beer and appetizer at Valley Bar and Grille. It was a nice way to cool off after a hot bike ride.

· After freshening up from the bike ride, we caught a free shuttle to the French Lick Winery on W. Sinclair Street for a tasting. This place is expansive and busy, but there was plenty of room for us to stand at the bar and get a tasting. The employees were very attentive and friendly, but the wine really wasn’t really for us. You win some, you lose some, but at least we stopped in.

· Next stop was dinner at the Power Plant Bar and Grille, at the French Lick Resort. The vibe of this place was really great. We sat right next to the wall where the old electric breakers for the entire resort were on display.

Our itinerary - Day 2

· 8:45 am: We started out early today as we had a packed agenda of things we didn’t want to miss. Breakfast was at Café Sinclair at West Baden. We were taken to a corner booth that was so romantic. We ordered the breakfast burrito and Sprudel’s Choice which we would both highly recommend. We didn’t linger too much because we were excited to get to our next activity…the spa!

· 9:40 am: We made reservations for a couples Swedish massages about two months prior at the West Baden Spa. We remember the amazing spa treatment we had in Cabo San Lucas at Villa del Palmar so we were longing for something similar. The massages by a skilled masseuse couple were heavenly and exactly what we needed. The next time we go back we would like to reserve a Historic Signature Sprudel Bath in sunken baths filled with the native mineral spring water. Budget and time didn’t allow for both.

· 11:00 am: To continue on with our relaxation theme, we headed to the outdoor pool to spend a couple of hours. We ordered lunch poolside, which was a bit of a debacle as it took so long, but we were happy to have finally gotten the hummus and vegetable plate we were longing for on a hot day.

· 3:00 pm: Tea time! We had always wanted to do tea time somewhere. It never materialized even after visiting London, so this was a non-negotiable activity for us. The beauty of this tea time was that it occurs within the elegant atrium of West Baden Springs as the backdrop. We got dressed up, including my large-brimmed hat and sat down for our reservation. They let us choose from a large selection of fine teas. The server brought out an old fashioned tea pot with our tea steeping and a tiered tray with exquisite mini scones, jellies, mini sandwiches and macaroons. They even went out of their way to provide my husband with a special tray as I had noted when I made the reservation that he is sensitive to dairy.

· 4:00 pm: After tea time, we traded our tea cups for stemmed wine glasses at Ballards at the Atrium. We listened to the harp player whose tunes echoed off the glass dome, people watched and sipped on a new wine. This was the trip where we rediscovered sauvignon blanc with a new label, Proverb. Yup, it was time to “unwined.”

· 6:30 pm: Our carriage ride was waiting for us right outside West Baden Springs. You can reserve them online here. The driver was very knowledgeable about the history of the area. This is where we learned that after the Great Depression, the resort was sold to the Jesuits for $1. Unfortunately, they covered up all the springs because they were considered too lavish. The driver pointed out the small cemetery close to resort where several Jesuits were laid to rest.

· 7:30 pm: Dinner reservations at Sinclair’s in West Baden Springs. Yes, Café Sinclair’s converts to a dinner spot called Sinclair’s. We realized this trend in Cabo San Lucas as well. Lunchtime Taco Cabana becomes El Carbon steak restaurant in the evening. Anyway, we had the BEST server and he was very attentive to our needs. He helped us find the perfect bottle of one of our favorite wines--Vouvray. And it was paired perfectly with our steaks. He even capped our dinner off with an anniversary dessert. We shan’t soon forget this place!

· 9:30 pm: We retreated to the Library at West Baden Springs to listen to the Jazz Club Trio. This intimate space, coupled with the Vouvray we were allowed to bring from the restaurant and the jazz riffs surrounding us in the beautiful library—was a real treat. Another couple let us in on a secret about the library, but we won’t spoil the surprise. Just take a seat, listen to the music and flip open a book. Let the night take you away!

Our itinerary - Day 3

· Breakfast at our leisure - We took the trolley to The Grande Colonnade at French Lick Resort. Different from the sit-down experience of the previous day, this was a well-stocked buffet that had all the traditional breakfast fare you could ever want. The iced tea though was really hard to come by and was quite an effort even for the staff. For non-coffee drinkers, how were we supposed to get our caffeine on?

· After checking out of the hotel, we visited the gift shops where we bought one of their amazing, fluffy pillows. There was something really comforting about these pillows and now I can enjoy the comfort at home, too. We then visited some of the shops at French Lick Resort, then decided to go into town to check out the giant wood-carving festival going on.

We spent the 3-hour car ride home discussing how fun it must have been to drive up to the resort in the early 1900s in a Packard dressed in a dashing suit and flapper dress, living it up, just like The Great Gatsby. We think the resort should have a Great Gatsby-themed weekend where everyone dresses up while that era’s jazz notes fill the atrium of West Baden Spring Hotel. What a sight that would be!

Want to learn more about the interesting backstory about this resort town? Click here.

Want to get spooked out? Watch So Cold the River movie filmed at West Baden Springs Hotel. Click here for more info. I would recommend doing this AFTER you visit and watching with the lights ON. Game on!