Established as a French trading post in the early 19th century, French Lick originally attracted visitors as a spa town before several casinos opened their doors. It is best known as the hometown of Larry Bird, a former NBA player and basketball legend who was nicknamed the “Hick from French Lick”.
Things to do in French Lick
Delve into the past at the French Lick West Baden Museum, which features exhibits dedicated to Orange County’s early settlers and the historic West Baden Springs Hotel. A highlight of the collection is the world’s largest circus diorama depicting the legendary Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus. Artefacts from French Lick’s 19th-century casinos are also on display, accompanied by tales of the people who ran them.
Sprawling south of town is the Hoosier National Forest, which can be explored aboard the diesel locomotive-run French Lick Scenic Railway. The 30-kilometre journey takes you from French Lick’s Indiana Railway Museum to Jasper, with a highlight being the 700-metre-long Burton Tunnel. In addition to reenactments of Wild West holdups, themed train rides are also held in the lead-up to Easter and Christmas.
The Hoosier National Forest can also be visited on foot, with 16 kilometres of trails that are easily accessible from French Lick. From the West Baden Springs Hotel, you can follow the short Stables Hiking Trail while keeping your eyes peeled for northern cardinals, warblers and sparrows. On the edge of the Hoosier National Forest is the Donald Ross Course, which was laid out in 1917 by the renowned golfing architect.
Getting around French Lick
French Lick is around 1.5 hours’ drive from Louisville and Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, which has flights to destinations across the United States. Renting a car is the most convenient way of getting to French Lick and exploring the surrounding region.