One Of The Best Cities For A Budget Family-Friendly Getaway Is An Underrated Kentucky Beauty
Bowling Green, KY, is the birthplace of great American brands like Corvette and Fruit of the Loom. Besides being known for fast cars and comfy T-shirts, Kentucky's third largest city is a charming university town, home to Western Kentucky University (WKU). Rich in history with offbeat attractions, an amusement park, a pretty lake, and an awe-inspiring cave system, Bowling Green is the perfect destination for an affordable family adventure.
Like the overlooked small towns in New York, Bowling Green has a fascinating historical district. ShakeRag District is a neighborhood established by African Americans in the 1800s. Famous landmarks include the State Street Baptist Church, the oldest Black congregation in Bowling Green, and the Southern Queen Hotel, a historic tavern that hosted Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, and Ike and Tina Turner.
There are several tours around the historical district that can't be missed during your visit to this picturesque southern town. However, we recommend John Carpenter's Reel Sites, Real Scary, a driving tour that visits places that inspired filmmaker John Carpenter's original slasher film Halloween. Dubbed the "premier Halloween destination in Kentucky," Bowling Green is the hometown of Carpenter, whose father was a music professor at WKU. The driving tour visits many haunted attractions, like the Art Deco Capitol Arts Center, where Carpenter used to watch films as a child.
Action-packed attractions that are fun for the whole family
A car lover's paradise, Bowling Green is the home of the GM Corvette assembly plant. Though the assembly plant tours are no longer offered, the National Corvette Museum, the largest museum dedicated to one single car model, offers themed exhibitions of one of America's favorite sports cars. The entry is $25 for adults and $14 for youth. Also, race your opponent on the Corvette racing simulator with an authentic l C6 cockpit for $25.
The Aviation Heritage Park and Museum has an outdoor park and an indoor museum, free and open to the public all year round. It features six restored military aircraft connected to local pilots. The Historic RailPark & Train Museum showcases the lifeline of Bowling Greens before the interstates: the railroad system. The tickets are $18 per adult and $12 per child, which allows you to visit the antique locomotives that offer a glimpse of Kentucky's history, such as the Duncan Hines Dining Car, The Tower Pine Sleeper Car, and the Hosptial Car.
After all that museum hopping, it's time for a creamy treat at Chaney's Dairy Farm! It's a working farm that prides itself in raising Jersey Cows. Sample local ice cream flavors like Big Red Rumble and Bourbon Crunch. If you're feeling peckish, enjoy a delicious Pimento Cheese sandwich or a decadent Loaded Mac & Cheese.
Family-friendly outdoor adventures
Unlike some of America's most dangerous amusement parks, you can spend a safe and fun day at Beech Bend Amusement Park & Splash Lagoon. For $44.99 per adult and $32.99 per child, you can enjoy the thrilling twisted rollercoaster, the Kentucky Rambler, the family-friendly Bluegrass Breeze Swing, and the Cyclone Saucers at the Splash Lagoon. After an exhilarating day of rides and water slides, you can crash at Beech Bend's affordable campsite at $65-$75 per night.
Bowling Green is also easily accessible to nature and outdoor activities. Shanty Hollow Lake is a 114-acre lake just north of the city. About a 25-minute drive from the city, it's a peaceful lake surrounded by forest. You chill by the lake with a book and go for a dip or hike the trails and chase waterfalls. Fishing is another popular pastime at the lake, and you can expect to catch a variety of fish, such as Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Carp. Be sure to follow local regulations and pay the fees before casting your fishing rod. Another perk of Shanty Hollow is that it's close to an inexpensive campground near the hiking trails at $10 per person!
Like Mammoth Cave National Park's unique underground cave system, the Lost River Cave is Kentucky's natural wonder. It is a seven-mile cave system where the histories of Native Americans, the Civil War, and Jesse James collide. It is best explored by a forty-five-minute guided tour. It starts with a twenty-minute walk to the cave entrance and a twenty-five-minute boat ride through the dark cave, home to critters such as bats, blind crayfish, and cave crickets. The spooky and educational tour is $23.95 for adults and $16.95 for children, which is worth every penny!