Yes, the weather is still 'iffy' and the kids, for some, are still in school, but it's not too early to start making some plans. Your best trip will come from planning ahead.
West Kentucky in the Jackson Purchase Area has not only scenic things but historic as well. And the area is dotted with interesting things to see, among them the world class Quilt Museum in Paducah. Good food includes regional favorite barbecue.
Murray and nearby Hazel offer an antique shopping bonanza, as does Cadiz and Hopkinsville. And when you are in the Western part of the state, Kentucky and Barkley Lakes are a must stop over.
Henderson's Audubon State Park will fill the needs of the nature lovers in your group. John James Audubon lived here in the early 1800s.
Central City/Muhlenberg County is well known for its music heritage, particularly for being the home of the Everly Brothers. Their annual Labor Day Music Festival draws national talent and sometimes even the Everlys.
In and around Leitchfield you will find some outstanding local dining as well as Pine Knob Theater and Rough River State Park.
Owensboro is taking advantage of their NASCAR heritage with their relatively new speedzeum. The Waltrip and Green Brothers learned their early day driving skills on Daviess County roads.
Russellville in Logan County features several streets of incredibly beautiful homes. In fact there may not be another town in Kentucky with as many photo ops for a town its size. Oh yes, there's also the bank the James Gang robbed. It's now a private home.
Scottsville, over in Allen County, is the original home to Dollar General.
Barren River State Park and Glasgow are near by. Both offer lots to do.
If you are in this area of you may want to pick up 31-E. This route gets you all the way to Louisville, by way of Hodgenville and Lincoln's Birthplace; New Haven and the Kentucky Railway Museum, Bardstown and My Old Kentucky Home. You can cut over to Elizabethtown and Radcliffe. There you've got the Coca-Cola Museum and Patton Museum at Fort Knox. One of the real secrets is Swopes' Cars of Yesteryear Museum in Elizabethtown. The entire family will enjoy this.
Up the road a bit is Shepherdsville. Here you will find some outstanding shopping- antiques, flea markets and new things as well.
Central Kentucky is a given. The horse farms and scenery are good anytime for a visit or in the Toyota Plant in Georgetown.
One of my favorite places to visit is the Harrodsburg-Danville area. The rock fences, beautiful homes and the colorful history of our state's beginning is well worth the visit.
Then, of course, there's the state capital, Frankfort. Nearby Lawrenceburg and Midway offer a definite change of pace. Neat places to shop and eat.
The Lake Cumberland area is one of Kentucky's most popular. Somerset, Russell Springs and Jamestown offer some outstanding lakeside accommodations, not to mention the eating.
There's an area in Central Kentucky that has a story to tell about the role it played in the Civil War. If you are inclined toward this part of our state's history, plan on a couple of days in the Campbellsville, Lebanon and Greensburg cities. There are also some neat lake area things to do at Green River Lake.
Lindsey Wilson College is in Columbia, as are several artisans. So don't just drive by this little city. Stop in and visit.
When you head for the mountains, if you haven't been there for a while, be prepared for a surprise. You can spend days.
Richmond and Berea give Madison County a good one-two punch for visitors. Antiques, crafts and great accommodations are the order of the day.
Corbin has Colonel Sanders' very first restaurant. It's still going strong and it's still finger lick-in good.
London, probably known most for their annual Chicken Festival, also has plenty of hotels and not far from Renfro Valley.
Hyden is the home of NFL quarterback, Tim Couch, so the real sports nut in your family may want to do a drive-thru. Paintsville, Prestonburg and Pikeville have the country music thing going. You won't believe all of the big time stars that have their roots in the mountains.
Over at Harlan they've found a niche with their black bears at Kingdom Come State Park, and as you might expect the area is full of coal mining history that include a museum and an actual mine you can visit.
Of course, northern Kentucky and the Covington area have the Kentucky Speedway and Newport Aquarium. You could spend several days here.
By now you may be aware there is plenty to do in Kentucky, and these are only a few of them. In order to put together your perfect trip or vacation in Kentucky contact your nearest Visitors Bureau or Tourist Commission. Almost every town has one, and they give you information about the entire state.
Gary West can be contacted at gpwest@bowlinggreen.net.
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