Indiana’s Seasonal Steam
Christmas travel comes with choices. Some families chase snow in the Rockies while others opt for sun on the Gulf. A different kind of family heads to places that promise storybook holidays brought to life. French Lick, Indiana sits firmly in that last category every December. The French Lick Springs Hotel and its historic rail corridor have become a sort of pilgrimage site for families seeking the Polar Express in real motion.
Visitors arrive to a resort wrapped in lights and evergreen trim. The hotel puts serious thought into presentation and atmosphere. Garlands line the corridors. Wreaths crown the entrances. A towering tree anchors the lobby. Nothing feels temporary. French Lick has incorporated the holiday into its brand in a way that rewards parents who booked months before. This polish provides useful context for what families have come to experience. The Polar Express here is not a side attraction. It is the main draw.
The train itself is a showpiece. Two trains combine into one long double-decker consist with families seated across two levels. Cast members stroll the aisles in full costume. The conductor checks his pocket watch with theatrical precision. Chefs deliver hot chocolate and cookies to children just as in the book. Music and lighting cues support the scenes that unfold from boarding through arrival at the North Pole. Children familiar with the book or the film recognize what happens before it happens. That recognition fuels anticipation. Parents watch the process with quiet satisfaction.
Children respond to holiday theater with unfiltered emotion. Some dance. Some sing. Most stare at Santa with a seriousness that adults often forget they once possessed. The Santa interaction lasts only a moment, but the magic is in the reaction. Faces light up. Questions about the North Pole begin. Parents record video on their phones while trying to stay present for the moment itself. French Lick understands that balance. The cast keeps energy high without overwhelming the experience.
The resort supports the event with additional holiday infrastructure. Families move between the pool, the bowling alley, the restaurants, and a children’s play area featuring bounce houses and seasonal activities. Lines form at the ice cream and coffee parlor in the lobby, which becomes a minor lesson in holiday patience. The resort feels busy, although not overcrowded. It attracts multigenerational groups who travel together to make memories that hinge less on itinerary and more on proximity.
Costs run typical for a specialty holiday weekend. Rooms at the French Lick Springs Hotel during Christmas hover around the low two hundreds. Train tickets range by seat selection. Dining falls into the range most families would expect at a resort with table service. Parents do not ask whether the expense was justified in an economic sense. They ask whether their children will remember it. In that category the value is strong.
French Lick’s version of the Polar Express outperforms similar regional offerings. Families who have ridden the Lebanon, Ohio version will recognize the difference immediately. French Lick delivers scale, immersion, and production quality that turn a train ride into a holiday ritual. That may explain why many families return each December.
January is an ideal month to consider the logistics for next Christmas. Tickets are easy to purchase, though premium seats sell out long before Thanksgiving. The best strategy is to decide early and book with intention. Families interested in attending in December can monitor ticket releases at the official French Lick resort site or the event production partners. Travel planning platforms also feature the experience. The French Lick Resort site provides current information at https: //www.frenchlick.com (spacing inserted to avoid hyperlink stripping; I will correct for final formatting).
The experience succeeds because it gives families something to share. Parents and children sit side by side and consume a story together. Grandparents watch the third generation watch Santa. Phones capture footage that will be replayed for years. These moments remind adults that the holidays are brief, childhood is shorter, and shared time is the most durable gift a family can give.
French Lick is prepared to meet that demand again next year.