Kentucky fun

[WhereStream]

Our late-May trip to Tennessee has expanded ... now taking in Kentucky, too, a state I know little about.

Any recommendations on places o see and things to do and good campgrounds to use?

[ALANSD]

near bowling green is a great campground, and the corvette museum

[vintageracer]

I suggest you spend a little time on the Tennessee Crossroads website. The show has been on PBS for 30 years and talks about EVERYTHING Tennessee!

https://tennesseecrossroads.org/

Also you need to check out the "Bourbon Trail" in Kentucky.

https://kybourbontrail.com/trip-planner/

[YippieKiYa]

Also near Bowling Green is Mammoth Cave National Park. Definitely worth a trip. Cave tours are amazing. If you do the corvette museum, consider going to the corvette factory next door for a tour (if you’re car people).

As you venture up I-65, consider spending a day on the Bourbon Trail. If you’re a fan of good bourbon, Makers Mark, Heaven Hill, Jim Beam and others have great facilities not far from the highway. If you’re a movie fan of the movie Stripes, PM me and I’ll share the location of the site used as the Czechoslovakian prison camp. The village of Bardstown is quaint, and has antiques and whatnot. Beam and Heaven hill have room for the rig. I don’t recall Makers parking setup...

Bernheim Forest is a fine arboretum for hiking and relaxing, again just off the highway near Jim Beam and on the way to Bardstown. Room for the rig.

If anyone in your party is a fan of shoes, stop in Shepherdsville just off I-65 at the Zappo’s 6pm outlet store, open til 6pm. Accessible with your whole rig, and there’s a KOA at the next exit for a quick overnight.

If you’re thinking about the Patton museum and Fort Knox, the museum is closed until June 1 for renovations, and they moved the tank collection out a few years ago.

In Louisville, I suggest Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby museum. You can park the whole rig in their lot. If you’re a baseball fan, I strongly suggest Louisville Slugger factory and museum downtown. Parking for the TV only down there. If you like art, walk from there to 21c hotel and museum (use the restrooms - trust me). Also take a look at the Frazier museum across the street.

Before traveling, check the construction reports for I-65 and I-75. There’s a multi-year project taking place to widen the highways in ~10-mile increments.

If you come up I-75, consider stopping in Berea and check out the arts and crafts scene. The college there is working to preserve the craftsmanship of the Appalachian region, and the university and surrounding area is interesting.

If you’ll be near Lexington, consider stopping at Keeneland horse track - the paddock is gorgeous. Just north of town is KY horse park. If you go to Keeneland, consider taking a back road like Hwy 60 over to Frankfort to see the beautiful KY countryside, full of horse farms and dry-laid stone walls. There’s a forums member who lives over there (Rich, I think) who can probably help with more.

Enjoy! I sure miss living there...

[Acheron2010]

https://kybourbontrail.com/

https://louisvillezoo.org/

[YippieKiYa]

Louisville zoo, and the caverns beneath, are a great suggestion.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi we stayed at the Kentucky Horse Park and that in it's self was quite entertaining. [lots to see and do] I also toured the Toyota assembly plant while there.

[64airstream]

Where,

We'd also suggest considering the Land Between the Lakes. Several state parks in the area, nice visitor center, and a drive through the Bison and Elk. We decided not to pull the Airstream through - don't know how a bull Bison might react to seeing his reflection?

Enjoy,

Roy and Marie

[WhereStream]

OK, these are great, many thanks.

I’d forgotten about Mammoth Caves; got to go down in those.

Toyota factory ... I’ve put that on the maybe list.

Land Between the Lakes ... I read about that area in the National Geographic years ago and have always wanted to check it out. But ... it has bison and elk? Go figure! Had no idea.

We want to do something bourbon and see a horse farm, too, and trying to figure out what part of the state is best for those.

We definitely are visiting the Shaker village in Harrodsburg.

[YippieKiYa]

The Toyota factory in Georgetown is a stones throw from KY Horse Park. You could knock them both out on the same day if you’re looking to keep busy.

Bourbon-wise, Makers Mark is off the beaten trail, but would fall between Mammoth Cave/Corvette plant/museum and Shakers Village if you travel state highways.

If you’re headed over to Land Between the Lakes, which is a pretty part of the country, you’ll probably hear of Patti’s 1880 Settlement and restaurant. It’s awesome, but they’ve recently suffered a fire. Their FB page said they’d be closed for a while. You’ll want to check ahead.

[WhereStream]

Kentucky Horse Park ... is that worth a visit, or is it something just for kids?

We wanted to tour a horse farm ... would the horse park be more interesting?

[crispyboy]

The Kentucky Horse Park is worth a visit for kids or adults and a great place to camp. You won't be far from Keeneland when there so that is worth a visit.
Thee is the Ashland - Estate of Henry Clay in Lexington.
There are horse farm tours that can be booked while at the Horse Park. Also you may want Rebecca Ruth candies shop and Daniel Boone's grave in Frankfort (state capitol).
While at the Horse Park a fun place to eat is called the Windy Corner. https://www.windycornermarket.com/
Not sure when you are coming through but The Kentucky Airstream WBCCI Club will be camping there over KY Derby Weekend May 2 thru 6th.
Fort Boonesboro is worth a visit with a good campground.
Cumberland Falls is worth a visit but the campground isn't much for longer trailers. Your 19' should be ok.
If your near Mammouth Cave the Army Corp of Engineers (Moutardier) and KY State Park campgrounds in the area are nice. Be sure to visit Diamond Caverns in the Mammouth Cave area. A private park in the area is called Singing Hills. The management was nice and campground ok - nothing special.
If your into caving then go to Carter Caves on the Eastern side of KY - has a decent campground.
Natural Bridge State Park and Red River Gorge area along with Breaks Interstate Park - great hiking area
Lake Cumberland, Dale Hollow, etc... along with many other of the lakes if you want to rent a boat and fish
Sterns KY if you want to ride a train down a mountain to get a taste of an old mining town -very worthwhile.
Most KY state park campgrounds are decent with electric and water hookups. Some of the campgrounds are getting worn and they need to spend some money for upkeep which isn't going to happen any time soon......

[featherbedder]

Kentucky is not a carnival type of park it is strictly horse with many events such as Rolex competion and numerous events and many horses boarded on property, museum of several breeds and kentucky race winners.The camp ground is very nice, lots of sites and all large. The whole park is well taken care of and wide roads all paved. short distance from interstate. There are numerous horse farms in vicinity of park and are around park all well maintained. If staying at campground make res. some times fills up esp. during national competion shows. Park is quite large. Beware as some land between the lakes park campgrounds sites are not large enough for any thing over 16 ft or so, esp the one west side and south end.

[drairstream]

If you want to go in mammoth cave reserve ahead the tour u want online or you could be disappointed

[PKI]

Maybe I missed it, but there is the "My Old Kentucky Home State Park", which is a bit South of Louisville.

http://parks.ky.gov/parks/recreation...ngs_to_do.aspx

Note, that one of the great reasons to visit the Corvette Museum is a factory tour, but those tours are shut down for the near future. The plant was expanded and it's rumored the production line is being setup to build a mid-engine Corvette or a Cadillac or an SUV or just paint that looks good. In any case, if you go durring the week, there is a good chance that you can witness some happy owner picking up their new ride from the Museum delivery area.

http://www.corvettemuseum.org/explor...ms/delivery-9/

Don't forget the Quilting Hall of Fame in Paducah.

https://quiltmuseum.org/

Good Luck on your trip. Post up your smiles. Pat

Edit add - Wonder if Fort Knox ever gives out free samples?

http://traveltips.usatoday.com/thing...ky-101861.html

[majorairhead]

Cumberland Gap.

And if you're doing Mammoth Cave and in pretty good shape I recommend go all in and do the grand avenue tour. It's 4 hours.

[WhereStream]

Very interested in Cumberland Gap, since it was such an important gateway in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Not sure we can detour that far east, but I'm going to try to work it in.

[Tsunami-v2]

I can second the recommendation of Windy Corners for great food not to far from the Horse Park. Nice little town to see, out in horse country, is Midway KY. Great places to eat in Louisville too. My favorite is the Bourbon Bistro. Ditto’s Restaurant has a good menu and DiOreo’s Pizza and Pub has wonderful pizza. Take the significant other to Bardstown KY to visit the shops and hit the Rick House to eat. The pork chop is fabulous. It takes 45 minutes to cook. Head on over to Lawrenceburg KY and try one of Heavens to Betsy homemade sandwiches.
If you have time for a hike, visit the Red River Gorge.

[Coach B]

The Bourbon Trail is fun. Take in at least one distillery tour. Buffalo Trace gives the best tour IMO, Woodford Reserve is in the middle of beautiful horse farms.

[WhereStream]

Excellent — thanks for the tip.