Family Vacation Ideas: French Lick, Indiana
Planning a family vacation for the holiday or a quick family field trip? French Lick and West Baden are the perfect destination for families. A French Lick
family vacation during the holidays is a magical gift. You'll make long lasting family memories. We recently visited and plan to make it a holiday tradition. From the
Polar Express Train to the Springs to the Casino, there's truly something for everyone.
Updated Oct 29, 2026: We first took this trip over Thanksgiving weekend, and French Lick is still one of our favorite one-tank holiday getaways — but a few things have changed since our visit, so I checked everything before you plan. The Polar Express is running again this year, the hotels' big light celebration has a new name, and a couple of our old favorites have changed. Prices and dates below are for late 2026 — always double-check before you drive, because the good dates go fast!
Plan Your Visit — French Lick & West Baden- THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride, French Lick Scenic Railway — Select dates Nov 6–Dec 23, 2026. About an hour of hot chocolate, cookies, the story read aloud, and Santa handing out silver sleigh bells. Book early and book on the railway's own site — advance tickets are required, they're non-refundable, and First Class and Dome seats sell as whole tables of four. Kids under 2 ride free on a lap. Arrive an hour early — that train really does leave on time! Eastern Time, y'all.
- Season of Lights at French Lick Resort — Nov 14, 2026–Jan 3, 2027. This is the celebration we called "50 Days of Lights" — same half-million lights, new name. Tree lightings: West Baden Springs Hotel on Nov 14, French Lick Springs Hotel on Nov 21.
- Thanksgiving dinner, Thu Nov 26, 2026 — Buffets at both hotels, reservations required. French Lick Springs: 11am–5pm, $98 adults / $25 kids 6–12 / free 5 and under. West Baden (under that gorgeous dome!): 11am–6pm, $125 adults / $25 kids 6–12 / free 5 and under. Heads up: until Nov 12, each buffet is for that hotel's overnight guests first.
- Getting between the hotels — Still free! The shuttle runs every 15 minutes, day and night, and the little rail trolley runs daily noon–8pm.
- Big Splash Adventure — Indoor waterpark fun no matter the weather. Staying overnight? Your passes start at noon on check-in day and last until closing on check-out day. Just visiting for the day? Day passes are limited — buy them online before you go. Hours change by date, so peek at their calendar first.
- Wilstem Wildlife Park (Paoli, about 10 minutes away) — Drive-thru safari daily 9:30am–4pm, $25 adults / $19 kids 3–12 / free 2 and under. Yes, you can still help bathe an elephant — the Spa Encounter is $119 for ages 9+, $99 for ages 3–8, at 10:30am. Book the animal encounters ahead!
- French Lick West Baden Museum — Tue–Fri 10–5, Sat 10–8, closed Mondays. $10 adults / $8 seniors & students / $6 kids 12 and under / free 5 and under. Don't skip the giant circus diorama — it's a quick 30-minute stop and the kids love it.
- One sad goodbye: FootGolf at the resort is gone. If your crew loved it, try the resort's new little Sand Creek course instead — all short holes, made for families.
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| French Lick Scenic Railway train station during the Polar Express. |
The famous hotels are historical and just as in years past, the area is filled with vacationers from all over the United States and abroad. The
West Baden Springs Hotel is touted as the eighth wonder of the world. Is it upscale? Is it pricey? It can be. We've got some tips on how to enjoy the magic of French Lick on a budget. A French Lick
family vacation is within reach when you plan ahead. Keep in mind, that on Thanksgiving weekend, all the prices go up, but everything is extra special.
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| French Lick Springs Hotel Family Vacation Ideas. |
When you start to plan a
French Lick family vacation it may seem overwhelming. The maps online are somewhat confusing, but all of these amenities are less than a 5 minute drive from each other - most are a 5 minute walk! I've rounded up the
best things to do in French Lick and listed them here for your convenience.
French Lick Scenic Railway - Polar Express or other themed ride depending on the season. These tickets sell out quickly. You'll want to book in advance for the best seats. That means, if you're planning a trip for next Thanksgiving weekend, better get your tickets as soon as possible. Tickets must be paid in advance and are non refundable.
That workaround no longer works — the railway sells ONLY through its official site/Etix and warns third-party tickets may be invalid, so book on the railway's official site. The resort also sells a Polar Express package by phone (one night + coach tickets, 7:30pm departure). Tickets are non-refundable, arrive 1 hour early, under-2s ride free on a lap, and First Class/Dome seats are sold as tables of four.
We got to ride the
train
, but we were in the last car. It's a bumpy ride with lots of diesel fumes. On a happier note, when the train heads back to town, it becomes the first car.
There's coach (think of an old school bus), first class (tables and chairs), and dome class (an upper, glass enclosed seating area.) During the ride, the staff tells the story through song and dance. They even serve hot, hot, hot chocolate and cookies! True to the story, you get a visit from Santa who gives every child their first gift of the season.
Check our Instagram for fun
French Lick Scenic Railway Polar Express vacation videos.
At
French Lick Springs Hotel, you'll find the Activities Center in front of French Lick Springs Hotel! This is drop-in child care for hotel guests, noon–3pm, for children ages 6–12, $40 per child, and it is NOT available in November and December. There's an additional fee for all children's activities. It includes special events like bounce houses.
Old-fashioned trolley rides are free and go back and forth between the
French Lick resort and
West Baden Springs resort. There's also a trolley on a track that goes around the Casino and back to West Baden making this fun for family field trips!
At either
French Lick Springs or
West Baden Springs, the hotel concierge will book Carriage Rides, Horseback Riding, and Golf outings for an additional fee. You can also
rent bicycles, surrey carts and other outdoor activities. There was a family golf option called Foot Golf that played like regular golf but with a soccer ball, but FootGolf at the resort has since been discontinued.
During our stay, over Thanksgiving weekend, the hotels were celebrating Season of Lights with festive decor inside and out. While the hotels have been restored and the common spaces are spectacular, the hotel rooms are nothing special. They are small, the hotel was built in the late 1800's - so think historical. A double queen room includes a wardrobe, a television, and a mirror. There isn't a microwave, refrigerator, or a bathtub. You may want to pay a little extra for a suite.
French Lick Springs Hotel offers a family-friendly area that is open to the general public. So, no matter what hotel you stay in, you can visit the arcade, pizza shop, and bowling alley. Hotel guests have the added benefit of charging the very pricey activities to their rooms. My best tip on this one, it is very small. Pluto's Alley now has 6 lanes, $50/hour for up to 5 people including shoes, daily 11am–11pm (there's also a second 6-lane pavilion at West Baden). Be sure to get your name on a waiting list and be prepared for an expensive game.
Pluto's Pizza - reviews don't lie. There's not a lot to do in town, so they have somewhat of a monopoly on these type of activities.
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| This is one quarter of the arcade room. There's a Foosball table in the middle. |
The little town village and the hotels offer an array of eating options. From tiny Mom and Pop cafes to the upscale
1875 Steakhouse in the
French Lick resort, there's something for all budgets. We dined at the steakhouse when everything else had closed. The staff is reminiscent of the old days when FDR would have dined there. They take care of you, but it'll cost you. If you are a family on a budget, skip this one. If you want an experience to remember and a taste of the
Pluto Factory's tomato juice, expect to spend at least $75 per person.
To my surprise,
French Lick Springs Hotel does not include breakfast or much of anything else for that matter. Swimming is included, but everything else is an additional fee.
Plus: The rooms are very clean. The shower is nice and big.
You can eat breakfast at the
Grand Colonnade Room's Breakfast Buffet, but for what they offer and the fact that they require the tip upfront when you pay a cashier, I'd skip this one. The food isn't any nicer or better quality than anywhere else. You can make lots of trips, but we didn't want to. The wait staff isn't exceptional, the seating is tight... spend your money somewhere else.
You don't need to wait for Thanksgiving, the seasonal activities and themed family weekends are available for fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and more. During our stay, both French Lick resort hotels were offering Thanksgiving Buffets. We chose to make our reservation at
French Lick Springs because it offered a non-traditional children's buffet with macaroni and cheese and chicken tenders. Here, the Thanksgiving feast is traditional fare. We enjoyed the food. The room was beautiful but a little chilly, be sure to dress warmly. For a family of 4 (3 adults and 1 child, children are 12 and under) we spent $225 including tip on our 2017 trip. This can be charged to your room or paid after dinner. For 2026, the Thanksgiving buffets are exclusive to that hotel's overnight guests until Nov 12, and reservations are required. During Season of Lights, the Dickens Carolers perform Saturdays Dec 5, 12 & 19 in the West Baden atrium.
Tip: if you want a special Thanksgiving dinner, eat here and stay up the street at the
Comfort Suites. You'll get to enjoy all of the splendor of the hotel without the extra cost. A surprising plus, both hotels allow dogs only, up to 60 lbs, with a $150 nonrefundable fee per stay, limited room types, and dogs must be declared at booking.
Big Splash Indoor Waterpark - waterpark passes are included with a Water Park room package - it's cheaper to stay here than stay somewhere else and just visit the park or just eat in the restaurant. The rooms are much larger than the French Lick resorts, but not as clean. That's to be expected with all of the families in and out. This hotel also offers family suites in various sizes. Our room, 4 waterpark passes, and breakfast was $20 less than just the room at
French Lick Springs resort. We were just as comfortable, but there wasn't as much service. If you're used to being pampered, this isn't the hotel for your stay.
Breakfast was surprisingly good. The buffet was small but loaded full of french toast sticks, scrambled eggs, sausage, cereal, ham, and juices. The trade off is the restaurant is crowded and the wait can be long. My family was too lazy and wanted to skip breakfast so I went down by myself. Rather than taking up an entire table, the hostess allowed me to fill up some to go boxes and take them back to my room. Of course, when I brought the food back, everyone was suddenly starved. We all agreed the food was just as good, if not better than the
Grand Colonnade room at
French Lick Springs.
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| Big Splash Indoor Water Park French Lick Family Vacation Tips. |
My best tip for visiting this or any indoor water park is to heed the warnings. The windows and roof are closed when it is cold, so the gases build up quicker and can cause flu-like symptoms, rashes, or problems with Asthma. Due to our Asthma, my daughter and I both needed a break after an hour. The pool staff recommends taking frequent breaks every 2 hours.
We headed to the park at the best time, there were no lines, so we all got to do everything in an hour. My favorite was lounging in the lazy river, but I did try one of the tubes. That was an experience. Fun and terrifying at the same time! In the main swimming pool, don't miss the the whirl pool. Our passes start at noon on check-in day and last until closing on check-out day! Great deal.
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| Big Splash also offers an outdoor pool. |
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| The decor in the entry of Big Splash is also a game. |
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| The darker tubes are dark inside. Some tubes require an intertube to slide down. |
Whether you stroll or drive through town, you'll find some surprising shops. There's a
Denny's across the street from
French Lick Springs and a
Dollar General across the street from
West Baden Springs. In front of
Big Splash is a mini golf and laser tag facility. If you're on a tight budget, there's also a
McDonald's, CVS, and
Jay's Grocery in town. If you don't want to pay $4.00 for a pop, walk over to the
Huck's Gas Station across the street from the resort areas. Around the corner from the gas station, tucked away off the street, is a
small movie theater, Spring's Stadium.
Don't miss a visit to the
French Lick West Baden Museum to learn all about local history and be sure to take a guided historical tour of the resort hotels. Don't miss area attractions like a
zip line a few miles outside of town, you can help bathe an elephant — the Elephant Spa Encounter, $119 ages 9+ / $99 ages 3–8, at 10:30am daily and go on other outdoor adventures at
Wilstem Wildlife Park.
Recommended:
History of French Lick Resorts
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Kids Creative Chaos on Instagram for more Family Fun Tips
Family Vacation Ideas
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