Kentucky Derby Trip--Day 4

After a leisurely breakfast at our hotel on Sunday, we left for the trip home. There was one more interesting stop to make.

In French Lick, Indiana we stopped at the French Lick Resort Complex. First we saw the French Lick Springs Hotel. The balconies reminded us a bit of the Grand Hotel at  Mackinaw Island!  It was first built in 1845, burned in 1897, but was re-built even bigger and grander. The attraction of the area is the healing properties of the sulfur springs that are nearby.

It hadn't been that long since breakfast, but we enjoyed a very nice brunch at the Grand Colonnade Restaurant in the Hotel. As always, there is no shortage of good food on our trips. We walked around the  hotel and admired the architecture. It is very grand! 

Here we are in the lobby area of the hotel. It was huge and can accommodate the large crowds that come there for the casino, golfing, sulfur springs, etc. They had hosted people attending the Derby also--even that far away from Louisville. And there had been a big Kentucky Derby party!

  

We couldn't leave town without stopping at the West Baden Hotel which is just a mile away from the Springs Hotel. This hotel was built in 1902, and until 1955 it was considered the largest free span dome in the world. That distinction now belongs to the Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.

This hotel is considered one of the best mainland US resorts. I, for one, was not aware of all that French Lick had to offer. It is not that far from south/central Illinois.

From there it was homeward bound. Everyone agreed they had a great experience, and that they could now make a check mark next to this item on their bucket list.

Thanks once again to Carol for planning this great trip for us!