 |
| The Lincoln Amphitheatre lights up the night with musical acts, tribute bands and special shows about the life of Abraham Lincoln, who lived in this area from age 7 to 21. |
The best recommendations come with a story attached.
For example: You almost need cleats to go tromping through
the rugged Hemlock Cliffs area, deep in the woods about 25 miles south of
French Lick Resort. Or, trek a little bit east instead and with the aid of a
hand-drawn map you can find quality Amish wares sold right from their homes — everything
from eggs to maple syrup to leather goods.
“My leather belt was made by them out there,” Pamela Clarke
says, pointing to the black belt she’s wearing right now.
Pamela works in concierge at West Baden Springs Hotel, so
she has plenty of answers for a question she hears so often from guests: Where are some great spots to see outside
the resort? In today’s blog and a future one, we’ll explore some of the
hotspots that our concierge staffs frequents themselves when they’re not on the
clock. First up is Pamela with a couple of her favorites:
Hemlock Cliffs (33-minute drive)
Pamela adores this hideaway in the Hoosier National Forest,
since this isn’t the prototypical Indiana flatlands. Cliffs. Waterfalls.
Overhangs, rock shelters, and a mile-long trail loop that takes you through a
natural canyon formation.
“It’s a little bit different out there,” she says.
Google
Maps can get you to Hemlock Cliffs. From there, you’re free to enjoy the
hiking and rock climbing (though rappelling is no longer allowed) in this
unspoiled terrain where historians believe ancient people used caves as
shelters as early as 10,000 years ago. Just watch your step — maybe even use
cleats as Pamela has — since parts of the trail require you to hike single-file
and through sometimes slippery rocks.
“They have areas in the rock where you can kind of climb up,
and it’s almost like a cave, but it doesn’t go back in very far. It’s just
enough to get in shelter; like if it would rain, you can get up in that little cave
and you would be sheltered,” she says. “When it rains there’s waterfalls that
flow in there, and in the wintertime there’s ice formations, which will be
taller than me. They’re awesome.”
Amish Community (20-minute drive)
For this one you won’t have the aid of a website, phone
number or brochure. Only a hand-drawn map by Pamela, and enough sense of
adventure to navigate country roads.
This isn’t a large-scale Amish community you may have
shopped at before; rather a scattering of individual Amish homes in the
countryside. They’re still accustomed to having folks drop by.
“If guests come to me and they want to go shopping out in
the Amish community, I can actually draw a map for them and tell them areas to
go to, and then they can go out on their own,” Pamela says.
“It’s not in an area where it’s all Amish, but you’ll have
an Amish farm here on this side of the road and another on that side of the
road. They usually have signs out in their driveway. And there’s usually
somebody around the houses; you just have to knock on the door sometimes. You
can go out and buy baskets, rugs, canned goods, baked goods, of course vegetables
this time of the year.”
Lincoln Ampthitheatre
(58-minute drive)
Summer’s usual swelter has been pleasantly dialed back as of
late, and that makes it perfect for taking in an outdoor show at Lincoln Amphitheatre.
One of the largest fully-covered amphitheatres in the
nation, this majestic 1,500-seat venue hosts nationally touring groups, tribute
bands and musical acts of all genres; tickets still remain for
three shows to end the 2018 season. The productions about the life of Abraham
Lincoln are always a popular draw, too, if you’re planning a visit here next
summer. The Abe theme runs strong here, with the amphitheatre and
surrounding state park named for our 16th president and the grounds
he roamed from the age of 7 to 21.
“That’s something that’s really worth going to see,” Pamela
says of the Lincoln productions.
People often forget, too, that Lincoln’s formative years were
spent in Indiana. Come a few hours before the show and brush up on some of the
heritage at the Lincoln Boyhood
National Memorial, which includes the site of the original Lincoln family
cabin — a sandstone foundation outlines the boundary of Abe’s former home, with
a replica farmhouse and village nearby.
Blue Heron Vineyards & Winery (57-minute drive)
You never have to travel too far to visit the wineries
dotting southern Indiana’s landscape, whether it’s the ones on the Indiana Uplands Wine Trail or the Hoosier Wine Trail,
which Blue Heron Vineyards and Winery
belongs to.
If you favor the sweeter wines, their Four Blue Stars wine
is crafted from locally grown white grapes and married with natural blueberry
juice (owners Gary and Lynn Dauby also gave it the name to honor their three
children and son-in-law who serve in the military). Try their Twin Towers, a
dry red, if you prefer something at the opposite end of the spectrum.
Aesthetics add to the experience, too, at this wooded winery
overlooking the Ohio River. Outside the winery you can’t miss the famous Celtic
cross, a striking wooden carving sculpted within a 20x22x4 foot stone that is
native to the hillside where it sits. And ask about the numerology surrounding
the Celtic cross. All roads lead to the number 23, starting with the 23 months
it took the carver to create the piece.
“It’s a landmark,” Pamela says. “It’s just one of those
unique stories.”
Hinshaw Rock ’N Gems (10-minute drive)
Impossible to ignore the pun here. This
place in the countryside south of French Lick is a hidden gem.
“I don’t hear anybody else talking about them, but I send a
lot of guests out there,” Pamela says. “I think that would be called a good
hidden secret.”
In the lapidary business for more than 50 years, the Hinshaw
family has been custom-crafting jewelry that glimmers with a personal touch.
Owner Merrill Hinshaw is a self-taught silversmith and regarded as one of the
10 foremost stone polishers in the country, and he’ll take you through their
cutting and polishing process if his schedule that day permits. Whether it’s a
rare opal or amethyst, the Hinshaws can share the backstory of the rock you
choose — which is then transformed into a gem of a creation.
Groups are welcome, and ask for their brochure at either
French Lick Resort hotel.