Okay, I have to admit it. Even to this day, as a somewhat-close-to middle-aged adult, I still can’t help but giggle a little when I hear something about French Lick, Indiana. Let’s face it, the name of the southern Indiana town where NBA legend Larry Bird grew up is unusual, to say the least, though its origins as a French trading post near a salt lick explains it.

However, while it’s almost expected that a spot on the road like French Lick (the town has a total area of 1.6 square miles) would be home to an out-of-the ordinary eatery or perhaps a beyond-the-norm antique shop, the fact that it's also the address of a historic and world-renowned resort is unique in itself.

Established primarily as a destination for those seeking the advertised healing powers of the town’s sulfur springs, the Four Diamond French Lick Springs Hotel was first opened in 1845 and then later rebuilt on a much larger scale after a fire in 1897. Pluto Water wasn’t the only thing attracting patrons in those early years. In fact, the hotel rapidly became recognized as a popular getaway spot for the rich and famous, thanks in part to its reputation as a gambling destination.

Admittedly, the hotel struggled to attract guests during the Great Depression, saw some improvement during World War II but then went on the decline again shortly thereafter, specifically when the facility’s gambling capabilities were challenged by Indiana Governor Henry Schricker in 1949.

Sometime after that—I’m thinking in the mid 1970s—I was fortunate enough to visit and stay at the French Lick Springs Hotel along with my parents. Even at that time, as a pre-teen, I vividly recall being impressed by the massive structure, its rolling and diversified grounds and overall ambiance even though the lingering aroma of the town’s sulfur springs was somewhat challenging to get used to.

More recently, revitalization occurred at the hotel when an impressive, Las Vegas-themed casino opened there in November 2006. Now, the French Lick Resort Casino features more than 1,300 slot machines and a variety of table games.

While delivering AAA Four Diamond plaques to the French Lick Springs Hotel in each of the last few years, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed touring the facility and all its offerings including 443 guest rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, access to championship-level golf courses, spa and fitness areas and both casual and fine dining options. There’s even a small bowling alley there.

A little more than a stone’s throw away (you would need to have a pretty strong arm, though) is the West Baden Springs Hotel, another Four Diamond-rated hotel. Just for clarity, the French Lick Springs and West Baden Springs hotels are generally referenced together as the French Lick Resort because of their close proximity to one another and ownership crossover, though the second is technically in West Baden Springs, Indiana. The historic 243-room West Baden Springs Hotel was built in 1902 with the largest free-spanning dome in the world at the time and was the largest in the U.S. until the Houston Astrodome opened in 1965. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1987.

Time for some name dropping…Paul Dresser is rumored to have composed Indiana’s state song “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away” at West Baden Springs. Additionally, Al Capone and Diamond Jim Brady were once frequent guests there.

In summary, the all-encompassing two-hotel resort and casino destination is a five-hours-or-less drive from several major cities including Louisville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Chicago, Nashville and St. Louis, I’d “bet” there’s something to do, see or experience for just about every age group in French Lick (snicker, snicker) and West Baden, Indiana.