French Lick can be explored in different ways: the French Lick Scenic Railway departs from the town center, historical tours explore the town’s history, and several golf courses offer distinct features. Easy trails connect hotels or wind through wooded landscapes. To plan your visit, you can first decide whether you’d like to focus on a rail journey, a glimpse into history, golf, or a walk.
A rail journey through Southern Indiana’s hill country
The French Lick Scenic Railway departs from the French Lick Depot in the center of French Lick. Its route runs through Southern Indiana’s hill country and along the Hoosier National Forest. Along the way, the train passes limestone and sandstone outcrops, a lake, and the state’s second-longest railroad tunnel. That makes both the departure point and the route itself part of the excursion.
The rail journey offers a scenic highlight alongside the historical and sporting themes that also shape French Lick. If you’re interested in this option, you can treat the ride as an experience in its own right: the focus is on a route through Southern Indiana’s hill country and the distinctive features along the way.
Historical Tours and Walking Tour
Historical tours are offered at the French Lick Springs Hotel. They cover the creation of tomato juice in 1917, giving the hotel’s history a specific thematic focus. The French Lick Resort’s self-guided historical walking tour at the French Lick Springs Hotel highlights the site’s first visitors in 1845. The two formats offer different perspectives: the tours cover the 1917 topic, while the walking tour focuses on the site’s first visitors.
If you prefer to explore history on your own, the walking tour is an alternative to a guided tour. If you’d like to schedule a guided tour, check the current dates and times in advance; schedules may change. This lets you include a historical focus in your plans without assuming a specific time or fixed itinerary.
Golf Courses with Distinct Profiles
The golf courses mentioned also differ in format and history. The Pete Dye Course at French Lick is a par-72 championship course measuring 8,102 yards. The Donald Ross Course at French Lick stands out for its design history: it was restored in 2006 to preserve elements of its classic design.
The Valley Links Course at French Lick is a standard 9-hole course next to the French Lick Springs Hotel. The Sand Creek Course at French Lick is a short course with nine holes measuring 40 to 90 yards. These differences offer concrete points of comparison: par and course length at the Pete Dye Course, restoration history at the Donald Ross Course, and the nine-hole format at Valley Links and Sand Creek. Sand Creek is also specifically described as a short course.
Easy Trails Between Hotels and Wooded Landscapes
The Ferguson Trail is an easy, one-mile paved path connecting the French Lick Springs Hotel with the West Baden Springs Hotel. The Creek Trail branches off from the Ferguson Trail. It is an easy, 0.4-mile trail through wooded landscapes with pedestrian bridges.
The two trails differ in more than length: the Ferguson Trail connects the two hotels, while the shorter Creek Trail offers a wooded route with pedestrian bridges. Both trails are rated easy. To choose between them, consider whether you’d prefer to focus on the connection between the hotels or the shorter branch through the wooded landscape.
For the broader travel overview: Orange County.
