Spencer County is a fun mix of gorgeous landscape and unusual attractions and the perfect next stop on the first ever Spencer County Selfie Stop Trail.

This isn’t the first one in the series. You can view the list of Indiana County Selfie Stops and learn more about how I came up with this original idea. It will be updated as more Indiana County Selfie Spot Trails are added.

Spencer County is more than Santa Claus. There is incredible history here and wonderful parks. It’s a great blend of now and then.

Are you sold on Spencer County now? Good. Let’s get to it!

Spencer County Selfie Stop Trail

Spencer County is a southern Indiana county that harbors a population of 20,952 people (2010 census). That almost fits my criteria for what I consider a small town (15,000 people or less). Incredible.

But this isn’t an area devoid of any fun. No way. It’s packed with excellent attractions and heaps of history to entertain any member of the family. As you make your way from one end of the county to the other you will enjoy one beautiful drive.

The towns and unincorporated communities included in the Spencer County Selfie Stop Trail include:

  • Gentryville
  • Grandview
  • Lincoln City
  • Mariah Hill
  • Rockport
  • Santa Claus
  • St. Meinrad

With a town of Santa Claus in there, the only town named Santa Claus still in existence, this could turn into a Little Indiana version of Pokemon–you gotta catch them all!

How To Join in the Selfie Stop Wayne County Trail

Santa Claus Museum in Santa Claus, Indiana

Before the days of selfies at the Santa Claus Museum in Santa Claus, Indiana. Taking pics of little kids is like herding cats.

All you need to do is to visit as many of these Hoosier locations as you can and take your selfie with the item described. A selfie is simply a pic you take yourself, of yourself that may include others.

Everyone would like to know what you think about a destination so tag it with “LittleINSelfie” and then include your comments and tips for everyone to make the most of a destination.

Then, share your selfie on the Little Indiana Facebook Page, share it on your own Instagram account, and/or also your Twitter account, accompany your entry with the hashtag #LittleINSelfie and tag Little Indiana on the appropriate social network.

For example, on Twitter, you would tag Little Indiana with @JessNunemaker, on Instagram @littleindiana, and on Facebook, you would use @littleindianatowns. See how simple that is?

Photos on Facebook will be gathered into a separate selfie album so everyone can join in your fun and view your suggestions.

10 Unique Spencer County Selfie Opps

For an area named for Santa Claus, you know that this list of unique Spencer County selfie stops is something to complete over the holiday season. Scroll down to see town specific selfie shootin’ fun that doesn’t have to wait for winter.

  1. Watch the annual Rockport Christmas Program in Rockport and get your selfie while sitting in the awesome vintage seating. Located in the lower level of the courthouse, the auditorium space was once used as a meeting place for teachers in the 1920s. It has been relatively untouched since then.
  2. Roast chestnuts outside at Santa’s Candy Castle. Snap your selfie by the fireside.
  3. Traditional Christmas dinner at Santa’s Lodge? If you are joining in, get your selfie with Santa!
  4. Drive through twelve miles of Christmas lights for the Santa Claus Land of Lights event. It’s the largest campground holiday show and it’s right here. Stop the car for two seconds and snap a quick in-your-car selfie.
  5. At the Santa Claus Christmas Store, get your pic in front of your favorite ornament wall.
  6. The annual pancake breakfast features Santa and the Mrs. in Rockport. Now that’s a selfie photo opp! Keep tabs on the location.
  7. Are you participating in Breakfast with Santa at St. Nick’s Restaurant in Santa’s Lodge? Yup, time for another selfie with Santa.
  8. At the Santa Claus Museum, there is an exhibit that features Santa Jim Yellig. Take your selfie with this Santa in the background.
  9. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…view Santa’s Great Big LED Tree of Lights at Kringle Place Shopping Center.
  10. Take in more holiday lighting with the 24-foot iTrees outside of the Santa Claus Christmas Store each night. Get your selfie here!

Gentryville

  • Pop on over to the 1834 home of Abraham Lincoln’s merchant employer. The home is available for tour by appointment only. Get your pic in front of it and then go for a walk on the nature trail.

Grandview

  • Who doesn’t love a scenic photo opp? Share your selfie from the Lincoln Ferry Park, one of the stops along Highway 66. The Ohio Scenic River Byway, designated in 1996, is one of the of the original fourteen National Scenic Byways in the US. This is where young Abraham Lincoln handled his ferrying business. Get your pick by the historical marker.

Hatfield

  • Meet one of my all-time favorite Indiana bridges. Why? Well, it could be because it is unexpected, all out in the middle of nowhere, or that it is painted red, or that it is one of only five of this kind. It’s Boner Bridge (sometimes pronounced “Bonner” Bridge), otherwise known as Pyeatt’s Mill Bridge, and Warrick County Bridge No. 273. Be careful here.

Lincoln City

  • Head on over to Lincoln State Park. Make your way to the Lincoln Bicentennial Plaza, created in celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday. Read the inscriptions. Learn a little something. Take your selfie here among the stone.
  • The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is a nice spot for a selfie. See the carved scenes of Abe’s life? Get your shot with an Indiana scene as your backdrop.

Mariah Hill

  • This is an old piece of public art. The crucifix at the Mariah Hill Cemetery was crafted in 1892 by A. Shum. Latin and German inscriptions are on the base. It is massive. Can you snap a selfie here and show off this Find it at the cemetery next door to Mary, Help of Christians Church.

Rockport

  • Ask anyone and they will tell you that Abraham Lincoln became the man he was because he spent his formative years in Spencer County. Head to the Lincoln Pioneer Village and Museum. Get a selfie with the Abraham Lincoln bust located inside one of the display cases.
  • What Hoosier hasn’t seen their fair share of apple orchards in Indiana but a peach orchard? Head to Lakeview Orchard and get a pic.
  • Heights and I don’t get along. But I braved the climb up to the upper cave at the Rockport Bluffs. Snap a selfie inside but watch out for the ledge.
  • Can’t handle the upper cave? Head down the line and look for the lower cave where a pioneer family spent a winter. A gash in the rock is more like it. Take your selfie in front of it. Bonus points if you did both.
  • Go in the Spencer County Courthouse and prepare to be amazed. Get creative and get that domed ceiling in your selfie shot. Is that beautiful or what?

Santa Claus

  • It’s not every day you can view a twenty-two-foot tall concrete Santa Claus sculpture. “Dedicated to the children of the world,” it dates back to 1935. You’ll see it just outside The Santa Claus Museum & Village.
  • Another Santa Claus statue? But of course! This time, you will head to the Santa Claus Post Office. Get your pic with the big guy in red located outside the post office. It’s the only post office in the world with that name.
  • There’s a big Santa statue outside Santa’s Lodge. Get your selfie with this Santa too.
  • If you love theme parks, you will likely visit Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari. Your selfie mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take your selfie in front of your favorite attraction. Tag it and don’t forget to tell everyone where it is and why you love it.
  • Go to the Spencer County Visitor’s Bureau. Snap a selfie with any of Santa statues they have outside.
  • You have to visit Santa’s Candy Castle. If you decide to get the frozen hot chocolate, and you should, get a selfie with it. Otherwise, take your selfie outside with the big guy in red in front of the unusual building.

St. Meinrad

  • The Saint Meinrad Archabbey is in a tiny unincorporated community–but this Archabbey is one of only two in the United States and one of eleven in the world. Walk across Highway 545 to get to the St. Joseph Shrine. Share the peacefulness.
  • Don’t leave the Saint Meinrad Archabbey just yet. We stumbled onto the Monte Cassino Shrine on accident. What a surprise! Though at the time of this writing it is being restored, see if you can’t get a pic of it somehow anyway.
  • You can’t miss the giant melting snowman. It’s only found at Frosty’s Fun Center. Get your pic with melting Frosty as the backdrop.

Share Your Spencer County Selfies

Santa Claus Museum in Santa Claus, Indiana

Santa Claus Museum in Santa Claus, Indiana

How many sites in Spencer County did you visit? Did you find things you had never heard of before? 

Don’t forget to use the hashtag #LittleINSelfie” so we can all follow along.

Tag Little Indiana on the social network you are using.

Use common sense and never put yourself in danger for a selfie shot–no matter how good it would be. Obey the law and have fun. Little Indiana won’t be held responsible for injury (or worse). Play along at your own risk.

Spencer County Selfie Stop Trail Locations