7 Kentucky Trips that Will Bring out the Kid In Everyone….
Long week at work? Looking for a little excitement? Kentucky has lots of fun-filled ideas to bring out your inner kid.
#1. Sleep in a Tree
Admit it, there was a time when all of us wanted to build a treehouse big enough for the Swiss Family Robinson. Maybe you can’t live in a treehouse, but you can do the next best thing – spend the night! EarthJOY Treetop Canopy Adventures not only offers guided canopy tours and climbing instruction but you can also stay on-site in the Treehouse by Pete Nelson, as seen on the popular TV show TreeHOUSE Masters.
#2. Pretend you're Tarzan by ziplining through a canopy of trees
Kentucky offers a wide variety of locations for zip lining and ropes courses. The newly opened, Levi Jackson State Park Tree Top Adventure features 60 elements of fun including platforms in the trees connected by cable, wood, rope and zip lines to form bridges. From each bridge, you have to figure out the best way to get to the next, offering a series of physical and mental challenges. There are five different levels from beginner to advanced with staff on sight to give an orientation and training. For a listing of all thrilling zip line adventures, visit our ziplining page.
#3. Feel the need for speed
Visit the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, where you can see over 80 Corvettes in periodic settings including mint classics, prototypes, rare finds and racing champs. Speed demons can head on over to the Motorsports Park where those brave enough will have a chance to participate in a driving school. The track also offers Hot Laps, where a professional driver will take you for a spin.
#4. Explore the wilderness, just like Daniel Boone
Okay, today the wilderness may not be that “wild” but you can still learn all about that famous pioneer Daniel Boone and the westward expansion through Kentucky at the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. The park has an interpretive visitor’s center where you can watch a short film on the pioneer settlement of Kentucky. There are almost 70 miles of hiking trails to enjoy the spectacular scenery, impressive vistas, unique geologic sandstone formations, magnificent underground caverns, and abundant and diverse plant and animal life. Tour Hensley Settlement and experience what life was like in a 20th century mountain community. Explore Gap Cave with a ranger and learn about the formation of the cave system. Walk in the footsteps of Native Americans, early settlers and Civil War Soldiers along the Wilderness Road Trail. At the park's visitor center, enjoy browsing through the museum, find a good read at Eastern National Bookstore and admire the Appalachian arts found at Cumberland Crafts.
#5. Pretend you are the winning jockey at the Kentucky Derby
At the Kentucky Derby Museum you can learn about the history of the “greatest two minutes in sports” through interactive exhibits, including a new exhibit on the great Triple Crown champion, American Pharaoh. But if you’re not content to just learn the history, how about taking the reigns? In the “Riders Up” exhibit you can ride your way to victory in a simulated horse race.
#6. Become an amateur paleontologist and imagine your own adventure through Jurassic Park
At Dinosaur World in Cave City you can see over 150 life-size replica dinosaurs. The Fossil Dig allows you to dig for fossils and in the "Boneyard" you can uncover a life size stegosaurus skeleton from under the sand. The Prehistoric Museum contains a wide variety of cast and real fossils and an educational movie on dinosaurs.
#7. Hit a home run, just like Babe Ruth at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
Experience history-in-the-making as you stroll through the factory where world-famous Louisville Slugger baseball bats, used by MLB star players, are made. The Louisville Slugger Museum is home of the World's Biggest Baseball Bat and offers interactive and interesting exhibits along with a bat factory tour and batting cages. Visitors to the Louisville Slugger Museum receive a free mini wood souvenir bat and create your own personalized bat, just like the pros.