Located just outside of French Lick, Indiana, is the Sleeping Bear Retreat. This establishment has 11 units available for reservation. According to Hank, the owner, some unique features of the property are the teepees and covered wagons that guests can reserve. Visitors can also fish at the pond located on the property. Notable Halloween events hosted by the park take place every Friday and Saturday in October, such as zombie hunting, a haunted maze, and a haunted trail. Guests who have stayed at the Sleeping Bear Retreat mention the Halloween activities as something unique to the park. The establishment is open from March to November, with the busiest season being summer, between June and July. There are a number of other attractions near the park, such as casinos, horseback riding, and safaris. In French Lick, there are several restaurants that Hank recommends to guests, including Miguel's Mexican Restaurant, the German Cafe, and Nila's Place, a breakfast restaurant.
Sleeping Bear Retreat offers 11 units for reservation, including five teepees, one covered wagon, four primitive sites, and one pop-up camper site. Each site has picnic tables and fire pits. Two of the teepees have electricity, and all of them are on a platform and include four cots inside. The covered wagon also includes heating and air conditioning, as well as four cots. Hank, the establishment's owner, mentions that the most popular unit is the covered wagon because of the additional comfort-based amenities that it provides for the patrons. The pop-up campsite includes electricity and water hookups, but there is no sewer hookup. The teepees and the wagon have been described as the unique features of the park by some.
Guests at Sleeping Bear Retreat can also visit other areas on the premises, including the main office with a gift shop, which offers souvenirs, fire starters, bug spray, and ice, but no food. Guests also have access to public restrooms with showers and modern flushing toilets.
The establishment is located on 52 acres of land, providing space for a variety of activities such as hiking, volleyball, giant chess, disc golf, paintball, and jelly ball. Guests can also fish at the pond, and fishing supplies are available for rent from the park itself. Fish species found in the pond include largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, and more.
The park is open from March to November, with the busiest months being June and July, according to Hank. Hank believes the reason the park is busiest during the summer months is because of the warm weather during that time of year. The park attracts a variety of people, including those attending family reunions, weddings, scout troop retreats, and political group retreats.
Although some describe the area surrounding the park as rural, Hank recommends a few local restaurants that are in the town of French Link, including Miguel's Mexican Restaurant, the German Cafe, and Nila's Place, a breakfast restaurant. Some notable attractions near the park include a casino, horseback riding, hiking, sightseeing, and more outdoor activities.
Sleeping Bear Retreat offers several activities throughout the year. In October, guests can participate in three main events: Psycho Path, a 2-mile haunted trail; Zombie Hunting, where visitors can hunt zombies in the forest using "jelly guns"; and the haunted maze. These activities take place every weekend in October. In November, the establishment hosts a chili cook-off for visitors. Additionally, in March, the property hosts airsoft war-type events.
Hank, the owner, wants all guests at the park to enjoy their stay. He desires for them to have fun while camping, as he did growing up. Hank sees camping as an opportunity for families to enjoy the outdoors without electronics, so there is no WiFi available in all parts of the park. However, he provides modern bathrooms, hot showers, and firewood for purchase to try and provide a more modern experience for visitors. Hank describes the culture of the property as "welcoming and a true camping experience" with twenty-first-century features. One guest mentioned in a review, "Nice place right between French Lick Resort and Patoka Lake. There are spacious spots for camping and a few teepees to book as well. I enjoyed the stay because it was nice and quiet, and we were able to gaze at the stars."
Sleeping Bear Retreat has several policies that visitors must adhere to. The park is pet-friendly as long as owners keep their pets on a leash and clean up after them. A quiet time is in place from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. with the intent of creating a peaceful nighttime atmosphere. Hank says that they are not too strict as long as guests are not disturbing others. Hank mentions that the policies are in place to keep people safe and to help them enjoy their stay at the park.
Sleeping Bear Retreat was originally created as a campground 13 years ago by the current owner, Hank Watson. Hank built all of the current units by himself and continues to run the property as the owner. He mentions that he got tired of working for factories and decided to "let the land work for [him]." Initially, the venture started with three teepees and a few primitive sites but has grown over the years with the addition of more teepees, covered campers, and pop-up sites. Hank did not like having to turn guests away because they were so booked, so he built more sites for the patrons. The best thing about the job for Hank is working from his home and being his own boss. He mentions that the people at the site are "always great" and that he enjoys meeting them and being friends with them.
The future plans for Sleeping Bear Retreat include transforming the current shelter into a hunter's cabin. Hank mentions the shelter is not getting much use right now, so he wants to convert it into a cabin where people can stay. Another future plan for the park is adding more comfortable units for the guests that do not enjoy "rough camping," mentions Hank.
2773 S County Road 1000 W
French Lick, Indiana 47432
United States
Campground
Hank Watson
