Our focus over the next 50 weeks will be to shed some light on the hidden vacation gems that each state has to offer. Not everyone wants to jump on a plane and head to Europe, or hop on a cruise ship and head toward the Caribbean, or fly to an all-inclusive resort in Jamaica. Sometimes, you just want to pack up the family and head out on a road trip; whether it’s a quick weekend getaway, or a fully planned vacation. We get that. We are just like that at times. So, when travelling this great country of ours, here are a few lesser-known destinations that just might make your next road trip or family vacation stand out.
Episode 1 – KENTUCKY
When one thinks of Kentucky, one automatically associates one of 3 things with the Commonwealth. College basketball, bourbon, and horses. But there’s a lot more to the Bluegrass State than just that. From the thrill rides and award-winning water park of Kentucky Kingdom in the states largest city, Louisville, to the beauty and majesty of Mammoth Cave, there’s something for every member of the family to enjoy.
Kentucky was the first region west of the Allegheny Mountains to be settled by American pioneers. James Harrod established the first permanent settlement at Harrodsburg in 1774. The following year Daniel Boone, who had explored the area in 1767, blazed the Wilderness Trail through the Cumberland Gap and founded Boonesboro.
Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, the key Civil War political figures of the Union and the Confederacy, were both born in Kentucky within nine months of each other.
More than $6 billion worth of gold is held in the underground vaults of Fort Knox – the largest amount of gold stored anywhere in the world.
Prototypes of both the Brooklyn Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge can be found in Northern Kentucky. The Robeling Suspension Bridge in Covington is the scale model of the Brooklyn Bridge; while in nearby Maysville, the Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge, the model of the Golden Gate Bridge, was built across the Ohio River.
So, if you’re looking for something different, something a little less known, then here are 3 hidden gems we would like to point out.
Red River Gorge – Stanton, KY
Nestled within the Daniel Boone National Forest is Red River Gorge. Known for its climbing and hiking, the natural beauty of “the Gorge” is breathtaking. Families also discover a wealth of fun activities including zip-lines, underground kayak tours, mountain biking, bird watching, guided activities and more. You can camp at one of the seven campgrounds, rent a cabin, or even stay in an actual treehouse. They have tall, adventurous treehouses with views of the clifflines, to family-friendly twin treehouses with slides, to treehouses with hot tubs and wifi. How cool is that?
Dinousaur World – Cave City, Ky
Right off of I-65 in between Louisville and Nashville, lies a very fun hidden gem. One of only 3 dedicated Dinosaur parks in the US, the other 2 are in Florida and Texas. It’s not huge, by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s a nice, fun escape from the interstate as you are driving through. You can wander among hundreds of life-sized dinosaurs in a natural setting. Coolers are encouraged, so bring your own snacks and drinks. There are interactive exhibits that capture your kids imagination such as a fossil dig site. It’s a dog-friendly attraction, as long as the dogs are well behaved and on leashes. They also have a HUGE gift shop offering great values on prehistoric artifacts as well as toys, games, and geodes.
Old Fort Harrod – Harrodsburg, KY
One of our favorite spots in Kentucky is the Old Fort Harrod State Park in central KY. Here is a bit of history about it. In 1774 pioneer James Harrod led an expedition of 37 men down the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers to the mouth of the Kentucky River. After traveling up the river they guided their boats into a creek called Landing Run. They then traveled overland until they crossed the Salt River in what is present day Mercer County, to a large spring where on June 16, 1774 they established a camp that became the settlement called Harrodstown, the first pioneer settlement in Kentucky. Harrod and his men built cabins and stayed until July when they briefly retuned to Virginia. They returned to stay on March 8, 1775. Within months Harrodstown became a bustling community on the Kentucky frontier. As the community grew, the original fortifications became inadequate. The settlers constructed a new and larger fort on Old Fort Hill, on what is now the site of the park. With the protection of the fort, the community of Harrodstown steadily grew into the town of Harrodsburg. Old Fort Harrod State Park – where Kentucky was born – commemorates the first permanent settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains. Living history demonstrations with a blacksmith, broom maker, candle maker and other interpreters in period dress take visitors back to the 18th century, to a time of frontier life, blockhouses and hearthside cooking. Activities for families and kids, pioneer-themed events and an outdoor drama bring the park to life.
The 22-acre park contains the fort, the Mansion Museum, a Greek Revival house built in 1813, the Lincoln Marriage Temple, a brick structure that houses the cabin where Abraham Lincoln’s parents, Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, were married, the Pioneer Cemetery, the oldest burial site for Kentucky’s first settlers, and the George Rogers Clark Memorial dedicated in 1934 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to commemorate those pioneers who opened up the western frontier for settlement.
The Mansion Museum contains pioneer books, documents, musical instruments, and tools. There is a room dedicated to the memory of Kentucky native son Abraham Lincoln and the Union cause in Kentucky and a room dedicated to native son Jefferson Davis and the Confederacy.
So there you have it. The first of our 50-part series on America’s hidden vacation gems. Next up in our series, we will be exploring the lesser-known attractions available in Indiana. For more information on any of these exciting venues, or to explore more of what Kentucky has to offer, reach out to us. In the meantime, happy Red Frog travels… 🙂
