Although I’ve lived in Ohio my entire life, and Kentucky is our next door neighbor, I hadn’t spent any time in this beautiful state besides driving through it on the interstate. I had no idea what I was missing out on! We took a weekend trip that made a big U around the state. It encompassed sports, unique foods, history, and nature. Let’s begin!
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Louisville and the Louisville Slugger Museum
Starting in Louisville, our first stop was the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. Having a few baseball players in our family, this was a must do. Even our non-ball players found the tour very interesting and educational. Batting cages at the end added even more fun to the experience.
The Hot Brown originated at the Brown Hotel but you can get all sorts of variations of this unique dish throughout the city. We opted to order it at the Brown Hotel for the sake of legacy. It’s a mixture of supper and breakfast combined. Yum! If you have more time to spend in Louisville, a great city guide can be found here.
Heading south to Cave City, we slept in concrete teepees our first night. My husband thought I was joking right up until the moment we arrived at the driveway. The Wigwam Village Inn fit the bill for a unique lodging expeience. A playground, a grill, a bike path and a hilarious view made for a successful ‘camping’ experience not many hotels can offer. I think my kids will remember this for a lifetime.
The next mornnig we had a ball exploring Mammoth Caves. The name says it all. There are hikes that fit practically all age groups and intensities. We could have spent several days here checking out all the different trails. Even in the summer, the caves stay chilly so you’ll want to bring a light jacket. Kids might also want the jacket if they’re not crazy about water dripping on them.
Corbin, Kentucky
I always try to sneak in a little history lesson on our trips so we stopped for an hour or so at the U.S. Civil War Fort Duffield in West Point, KY. It turned out to be a nice self-guided walking tour and the kids had fun playing in the log cabin. Afterwards, a quick drive by Fort Knox to show the kids the famous vault was in order. From there we arrived in Corbin, the hometown of the original Kentucky Fried Chicken. Colonel Sanders is such an inspiration. The restaurant is just another KFC but we all learned a lot about the company and the founder through signs and memorabilia.
Cumberland Gap
I remembered learning about the Cumberland Gap in history class but there’s nothing like visiting a destination to make history come alive. Picturing the conestoga wagons making their way through the terrain gives you quite an appreciation for the pioneers’ tenacity and perserverance. The Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is also the site where Tennessee, Virginia and Kentuky all meet. While in the area, we also enjoyed a short boat ride through the dark caves, starting the voyage at the Underground Nite Club. Oh, to have lived in the days of these fun dance halls!
Our final night was spent at Cumberland Falls State Park. Once again, we could have stayed here for several days. The atmosphere was so relaxing with hammocks in the front yard. We rode horses and ejoyed hiking several of the marked trails. The Little Niagra was beautiful in its looks and energy.
We covered a lot of miles, both in the car and by foot. The thing we all loved about this vacation was the variety of things we experienced and learned about. I hope you enjoy your Kentucky vacation just as much. Please comment below on suggstions of things we should see next time.
