Sun-Drenched Adventure-Filled Days Are A Promise Kentucky's 'Only Town On Lake Cumberland'

Annexing the tranquil banks of the Cumberland River, Burnside sits on a scenic bend of Kentucky's southerly waterway. A hotspot for outdoor recreation, the sleepy settlement attracts adventurous travelers year-round, enticed by quiet lakeside campgrounds, bobbing boats ready for rental, and fish-filled waters primed for snaring hooks. 

Only a 2-hour drive from Lexington, Kentucky and 2.5-hours from Nashville, Tennessee, the southerly town of Burnside is easy to access from either major city and their well-connected international airports. Situated amid a number of forest-fringed towns, you can pair a trip to Burnside with another scenic stay by tacking on a trip to London, the picturesque Kentucky town with scenic trails & mountain views hidden at the Appalachians' edge, less than an hour's drive away.

There isn't a bad time to plan a trip to Burnside — the town coaxes travelers in all four seasons. If you plan to pack your clubs and take a swing at the General Burnside Island State Park Golf Course, you'll find the best conditions during spring. If you want to watch a winter wonderland pop-up in General Burnside Island State Park, where the annual Christmas Island packs the shores with local vendors and twinkling lights, plan to travel from November 18 to December 31. And if you're planning to make the most of the plethora of outdoor activities, arrange your stay during the sun soaked climes of summer or fall.

Outside the small town bounds of Burnside, adventurous excursions are abundant. Most of its recreational activities are oriented around the water, a popular spot for licensed fishermen to snare crappie and bass, or for paddlers to rent a kayak or a paddleboard to explore the forest-fringed waterways independently. If you prefer to set out on foot to explore the woodlands of Daniel Boone National Forest, set aside less than an hour to hike the easy Alpine Loop Trail or take to horseback to traverse the 3-miles of the Nathan McClure Trail.

It was the town's myriad adventurous outdoor activities that brought about the inception of the Boy Scout's of America, instigated by the controversial British army officer Robert Baden-Powell after his fateful visit to Burnside. Inspired by the town's resourceful young outdoorsmen, the scouting founder built a nationwide institution for junior adventurers that continues to encourage Burnside boys to venture into their abundant natural surrounds. Visiting explorers of all ages can enjoy intrepid outdoor activities, including lakeside camping and boating on vessels big enough to fit the whole family.

Travelers preferring to tour the natural beauty of southern Kentucky on four wheels should opt instead for a scenic drive. The backroads that wind close to the town's scenic center bypass Kentucky's picture-perfect bluegrass region, often playing host to an array of classic cars attracted by its reputation as the "car cruise capital of Kentucky."

Far from any sense of hubbub, the tiny town of Burnside is home to just over 700 inhabitants. You won't have to compete with tourist throngs or local crowds when exploring its sleepy streets, but if you're looking to mingle with the residents, you'll find them at some of Burnside's favorite eateries. Grab a seat with lakefront views at Guthrie's Grill, watching the water as you tuck into seafood snacks or take on a hunk of prime grilled meat. While Burnside might be a stretch away from the picturesque Kentucky towns famed for being the bourbon capital of the world, you can still swill glasses of the golden liquor alongside your steak dinner at Reno's Roadhouse, or take down a cold beer at Downtown Pizza Pub.

When steamboats and rail routes still dominated southern trading routes, Burnside's quiet streets saw more bustle. Of all the busy stores, raucous saloons, and early churches that cropped up around the 19^th century boom of the town's lumber industry, only four buildings have still stand. Each of them can be found on Lakeshore Drive, where travelers intrigued by the town's early prosperity and architecture can cruise past the Queen Anne style house, sloping jerkinhead roofs, and early log homes that comprise all that remains of Burnside Historic District.