The Staycation Victory Lap
Summer has a habit of slipping out the side door while everyone is still deciding what to do with it. Fortunately, Kentucky has plenty of ways to fit in one final adventure before fall starts rearranging the calendar.
One More Big Summer Day
For maximum drama with minimal border crossing, begin at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. The Cumberland River plunges 68 feet over a broad sandstone ledge, providing the sort of scenery that makes a routine Saturday feel considerably more ambitious. Visitors can hike, explore overlooks or stay after dark during the right lunar conditions for a chance to see the waterfall’s famous moonbow. The Cumberland Falls Moonbow page can help hopeful night owls follow viewing information.
A different kind of Kentucky spectacle waits in Stearns, where the Big South Fork Scenic Railway follows the historic Kentucky & Tennessee Railway line. The three-hour round trip includes narrated train travel and time to explore Blue Heron, a former coal-mining community surrounded by Appalachian scenery. Nearby, the Daniel Boone National Forest spreads across 21 eastern Kentucky counties, with sandstone cliffs, narrow ravines and more than 600 miles of trails for anyone who prefers earning the view on foot.
At Carter Caves State Resort Park, the temperature drops and the terrain gets interesting. Cave tours, natural bridges and wooded trails offer a welcome answer to late-summer heat, especially for families whose enthusiasm begins fading somewhere around 88 degrees.
History, Kangaroos and Mountain Air
Not every final fling requires hiking boots. In Bardstown, My Old Kentucky Home State Park offers tours of the 200-year-old Federal Hill mansion, along with gardens, golf and a deeper look at the people connected to the historic property.
Farther south, Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo brings an Australian accent to Horse Cave with kangaroo encounters, interactive animal exhibits and tours of Mammoth Onyx Cave. It is difficult to declare summer unfinished after petting a kangaroo.
More relaxed escapes await at General Butler State Resort Park, Pine Mountain State Resort Park and Kingdom Come State Park, where forest trails and mountain overlooks make a strong case for taking the scenic route home.
Find more Kentucky escapes in the Guide to Kentucky directory: https://www.guidetokentucky.com/vacation-destinations
