An Overnight in a Tepee at Sleeping Bear Retreat

I love finding unique experiences and places. When I found out that Sleeping Bear Retreat in French Lick, Indiana had tepees to sleep in, I was really excited to share this adventure with my family.

The last time that I had slept in a tepee was probably was when I was about the age of my kids.

We were greeted at our tepee by an adorable Bassett Hound when we arrived. Later we learned that he actually lives 2 miles away but stops by because he enjoys being around lots of people. We liked being around him too.

Overnight Options at Sleeping Bear Retreat

There are 5 tepees, 1 small RV lot, and 2 primitive lots onsite at Sleeping Bear Retreat on 50 wooded acres.

Our tepee was located on a site with lots of shade and had a picnic table with an umbrella, two lounge chairs on a raised deck with a nearby fire pit.

Inside the tepee were 5 cots, a circulating fan (THANK YOU FOR THAT), a lantern, and tea lights located in the center of the floor. We visited during an extreme heatwave which made the fan a wonderful touch.

Our tepee was conveniently located near the bathhouse.

I was pleasantly surprised and grateful to discover that we had toilets that flushed and showers inside.

Fun Things to Do Near Sleeping Bear Retreat

The temperature was really HOT during our visit so we left the tepee site to visit Patoka Lake. located about 25 minutes away (3084 North Dillard Road, Birdseye, IN).

The temperature that evening was 87 degrees at the time of our swim.

After our swim, at the lake, we stopped by Kayla’s Kones which was located in the same parking lot as Patoka Lake Winery located at 2900 Dillard Rd, Birdseye.

We had to drive by it anyway on our way back so we thought it was a much-deserved treat on a blazing hot day.

The following day we came back to tour Patoka Lake Winery.

Patoka Lake Winery offers tours, has a tasting room, and even offers overnight lodging. You can even sleep in a silo!

That evening at Sleeping Bear Retreat, we made hot dogs on the fire pit and the kids ran around the campground. In the morning, we enjoyed s’mores made with fudge stripe cookies for breakfast and played giant chess and checkers.

The dog made sure that there wasn’t any foul play during the game of thrones.

We were looking forward to enjoying the hiking trails and playing frisbee golf that day. Unfortunately, a GIANT storm had other plans. We were really sad that we didn’t get to fully explore all that Sleeping Bear Retreat had to offer due to the weather the following day. My kids were also really sad to leave the dog.

Here are a few other things to do on-site at Sleeping Bear Retreat

• Hiking or Hardcore Biking Trails
• Catch and Release Fishing
• Volleyball
• Corn Hole Game
• Fossil Digging
• Wild Life Photography
• Bird Watching
• Squirrel Hunting (August 15-November 30)
• Relaxing Around a Fire While Star Gazing
• Paintball
• 9 Hole Disc Golf Course

Guests with larger groups can use the kitchen inside near the gift shop.

We really enjoyed our visit and I would love to come back again.

You can find out more about Sleeping Bear Retreat pricing from their website.

Sleeping Bear Retreat is located less than 4 miles from the heart of French Lick.

Sleeping Bear Retreat is located at 2773 S. County Road 1000 West French Lick, Indiana 47432
Phone: (812) 936-2354

Thanks again to Sleeping Bear Retreat for hosting our visit. All opinions are my own. 

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