Beech Tree News Network

Students look forward to their summer break from school. Parents and grandparents wonder how to entertain their children during this time. Yet, Kentucky has many destinations that children would certainly like to visit – once or multiple times. After all, it’s summertime!

Some of entertaining destinations might include the following:

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Kentucky Down Under (http://www.kentuckydownunder.com/index.html) near Horse Cave has an onyx cave and an adventure zoo. The underground chambers of Mammoth Onyx Cave include stalagmites and stalactites, cave popcorn, and cave cauliflower. The Adventure Zoo is home to many unique animals as well as many animals that are common to the region.

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Western Kentucky Botanical Gardens (https://www.wkbg.org/) in Owensboro includes multiple manicured garden areas. The growing season runs from March through mid-November, with scheduled "Walk and Talk" programs.

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Mammoth Cave National Park (https://www.nps.gov/maca/index.htm) preserves the cave system and a part of the Green River valley and hilly country of south central Kentucky. This is the world's longest known cave system, with more than 400 miles explored. Guests can canoe or kayak the Green or Nolin River, and view the river bluffs from the waterway. The park includes numerous hiking trails and rock formations as well as the main cave complex.

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Louisville Zoo (https://louisvillezoo.org/) sits on 134 acres of rolling acres with more than 1,700 exotic animals living in reconstructed natural habitats. The zoo also features concessions and catering, multiple playgrounds, several gift shops, rides and attractions including the Papa John’s Splash Park, Conservation Carousel, ZooTram Shuttle, Zoo trains, adventure ropes courses, camel rides, bird shows and the BOMA African Petting Zoo.

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The Kentucky Horse Park (http://kyhorsepark.com/) near Lexington is popular with all ages. It has live equine presentations, a horse-drawn tour and two museums open to the public. Guests may picnic on the park grounds, pet the horses and view the film “Thou Shalt Fly without Wings” at the visitor center.

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Shaker Village (https://shakervillageky.org/) of Pleasant Hill in the Kentucky Bluegrass region is a restored community. Separate structures showcase 34 different aspects of Shaker life in the mid-19th century, with costumed interpreters acting as guides. Craftsmen demonstrate techniques for making brooms, spinning, weaving and woodworking. A one-hour narrated cruise on the village's riverboat showcases scenic limestone cliffs along the Kentucky River palisades, departing twice a day during the months of May through October.

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The Kentucky Appalachian region has contributed extensively to the American arts and music scene for generations and is a culture bearer for the state by hosting many important museums. The Kentucky Folk Art Center (http://www.moreheadstate.edu/kfac/) is in Morehead, and the Kentucky Coal Museum (http://kycoalmuseum.southeast.kctcs.edu/Explore/) is in Benham. The Appalachian region's role in the development of country and bluegrass music can be explored at U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum (https://www.kentuckytourism.com/us-23-country-music-highway-museum/) near Paintsville, which honors the large number of country music stars who were born or lived along Route 23. The museum hosts local music performances in their Front Porch Pickin’ series, conducted each Thursday evening.

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Kentucky State Parks are scattered around the state. Each park – a total of 49 – has its own unique attributes, from shorelines to majestic mountains, from caves to woodlands. The many Kentucky State Parks (http://parks.ky.gov/; https://www.kentuckytourism.com/outdoors/parks/state-parks/) make an overnight trip more enjoyable.

Additionally, children of all ages enjoy an afternoon at a pool or water park. Movies – at a theater or at home – are also entertaining. My grandchildren like to stop for ice cream or a snow cone, but are equally happy with homemade ice cream or fresh, ripe fruit, berries, or melons.

Charles Bowden said, “Summertime is always the best of what might be,” and Kellie Elmore said, “It’s summer and time for wandering…” (https://www.countryliving.com/life/g3499/summer-quotes/?slide=2; https://www.shutterfly.com/ideas/summer-quotes-and-sayings/). The nine weeks of summer vacation provide the time to make some happy memories. I’m ready for the challenge!