Leavenworth Inn

Beautifully landscaped grounds are one of many reasons the Leavenworth Inn is such a remarkable place to stay.

Well, our day at Holiday World got cut short by mother nature, who saw fit to "bless" us with

violent summer storms. Luckily we were staying at the Leavenworth Inn that evening so the day was far from ruined.

Since starting SouthernIN.com back in 1999 we've heard a lot about the Leavenworth Inn, but have yet to even visit, let alone stay there. It is right on State Road 62 in Leavenworth, Indiana; less than an hour's drive from Santa Claus. If we had only known what we were missing.

My family isn't accustomed to five-star accommodations, but this must be what it's like. They bill it as a country inn overlooking the Ohio River consisting of three beautifully renovated turn-of-the-century homes. That doesn't even begin to describe what a wonderful place it is to stay. And the prices are about what you'd pay for a room at a moderately-priced hotel in any city.

One of three renovated turn-of-the-century homes that comprise the Leavenworth Inn.

They have 14 rooms, all with private baths. One with a fireplace, one with a jacuzzi and one with a claw-foot bathtub. Rooms also have an armoire with TV, VCR, DVD player and satellite; a hair dryer, alarm clock, telephone and data ports.

But the luxury doesn't stop with your room. There is an impressive reading and movie library, parlor games, walking and biking baths, bicycles for guests to ride, tennis court, exercise room, horseshoes, gazebo overlooking the river, front porch rockers to relax, beautiful gardens, daily newspapers, and afternoon cookies.

Even though it was still drizzling by the time we arrived, mom and the kids took a brief tour of the walking/biking paths. The landscaping is truly beautiful, the pictures on this page can't even begin to convey the true beauty.

Our room was a two-room suite providing a TV/VCR/DVD combo for the kids and the same for us. With the extensive DVD library we found a great kids movie and a mindless comedy for mom and dad. I even managed to sample some of the delicious cookies while I went to procure the movies.

The Leavenworth Inn is definitely one of the nicest places I've stayed in Southern Indiana or anywhere else.

Overlook Restaurant

The view! That's enough but the food's great too.

In the morning we got to go almost directly across the street for breakfast at the Overlook Restaurant, another of the area's top-notch attractions.

The view from the Overlook is simply breathtaking. You can see miles of the Ohio River including an impressive bend. They have been in business for over 50 years and are known as the "High Point in Dining Along the Ohio."

If their breakfasts are any indication, the words "high point" don't just refer to the altitude. I commented to my wife and kids that the pancakes were the best I've ever had -- and that's from someone who prides himself on his own homemade pancakes.

Though it wasn't crowded the morning we were there the restaurant appeared to have a huge seating capacity so I wouldn't imagine it would ordinarily be difficult to get a table.

They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and feature delicious country cooking including fried chicken, country ham, biscuits and gravy and homemade pies; as well as a selection of steaks and seafood.

As good extraordinary as the food is, the view is the real attraction. Allow some extra time to wander around on the decks and watch a barge drift down river.

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