Mammoth Cave

[Snipe]

My wife wants to take the boys to Mammoth Cave this summer.

I haven't been since I was a kid. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on visiting, like places to stay, places to eat, things to do. Also interested in which cave hikes people might have liked.

She will not camp, which would be my preference. We have to stay in a hotel, vacation rental or cottage. I want to hike the cave and I also want to go canoeing. My kids also love to swin, so we will probably be looking for pool access.

[Snipe]

Also from looking at the map, we will be close to Bowling Green, KY. Is that worthwhile to check out?

[chico]

Not much in Bowling Green except the Corvette museum, though the main Bowling Green exit does have the distinction of having two Waffle Houses. There's also WKU for what it's worth.

Instead of cave trails, I'd recommend taking this kind of trail, since you'll be going near Bardstown. Might be a nice way to go home - take the Bluegrass Parkway and knock them all off.

Kentucky Bourbon Trail (http://kybourbontrail.com/index.php/guide/)

Not sure what kind of lodging is around Mammoth, but there's always the park lodge.

[MADXSTER]

We have gone often over the last several years when coming back from my mom's in Florida. Can't help you regarding the overnight stays. I know they have a hotel/motel on the site.

There are three exits to Mammoth Cave. Take the first one coming from Louisville. Should be the Cave City exit.

Shame about the camping. There are many, many deer in the area. In the area between the camp site and the entrance, you can have 5 to 6 deer within 30 feet of you. Pretty cool. Took the boy scouts there last year and camped out.

Regarding the tours, how old are the kids, is everyone healthy(walking wise)? If the kids are old enough that you don't have to carry them, then I recommend taking the longer tours. It is a casual walk with plenty of stops along the way. However, you really don't want to be carrying a kid.

The tours are pretty well lit up, usally there are a fair amount of stairs at the beginning and end of the some of the tours. The longer tours have bathrooms. There is one where you can have lunch halfway through.

[MADXSTER]

It's a little out of the way, but we also went to the General Patton Museum. It's free and if you like tanks...

There is also a musuem in Louisville called something like, the History of Weaponry Museum. Starts with the rock, spear and goes through everything else from all different countries. Haven't been to that one but have heard very good things about it.

[MADXSTER]

When you know what your dates are, call and order your tickets ahead of time. In the summer, especially on weekends, tours will sell out. And they will probably be the ones you want.

[Kahns Krazy]

Camp with the boys and get her a motel nearby. The fill your boys' heads with all sorts of sexist crap about how women just can't hack it because they are weak.

[bourbonman]

PLEASE buy your tickets early and pick up at Will Call. If you don't most popular tours and times will be sold out and if you don't get there early you could be stuck in a line to get tickets. I've called numerous times and this works like a dream.

http://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/reservations.htm

Depending on the age of the boys, the long tour may be in fact ... long. I've always enjoyed the Historic Tour

http://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/tour-historic.htm

as well as several others. The site can give you more information.


Some others have posted but for boys:

- The Corvette tour in Bowling Green could be cool if they like cars.
http://www.corvettemuseum.com/

- What boy doesn't like climbing on tanks? The Patton Museum in Ft Knox is a must.
http://www.generalpatton.org/

- The Frazier International History Museum (devoted mostly to weapons) in Louisville is cool. This summer they have a special on Pirates.
http://www.fraziermuseum.org/

- And if you go to Louisiville, the Slugger Museum s right across the street. If they like basebal, they'll like this.
http://www.sluggermuseum.org/

- I love the Bourbon Trail as mentioned by someone, but for boys that could drawn out. Simply hit one of them. Beam is off I-65, but mostly a store and not much of a tour. Woodford is off I-64 and is a combo of both. Others are a bit more off the beaten path.
http://www.kybourbontrail.com/

Enjoy!

[wkrq59]

Snipe,
Everything Madxster said and more. If you're making multiple days of it, stop by the WKU campus and see the old Roundhouse which I've been told is now a library and a museum of Ed Diddle memorabilia.
I've made countless trips down I-65 to Nashville in the past 12 years, but never stopped there. I think there are a bunch of chain motels like Quality Inns where you can get a free room after you stay three days. Depending on your time available you might go on to Nashville and visit Grand Ole Opry if you're a country music fan. Also the Frist Museum is a must see and Union Station. And absolutely make reservations. :D

[xu2006]

Some others have posted but for boys:

- The Corvette tour in Bowling Green could be cool if they like cars.
http://www.corvettemuseum.com/

- What boy doesn't like climbing on tanks? The Patton Museum in Ft Knox is a must.
http://www.generalpatton.org/

Enjoy!

Did these two as a kid on the way back from Mammoth Cave, and they were great.

Did you know you can actually order a Corvette from a dealer and choose to pick it up at the facility? At least you could 15 years ago when I went through. I always thought that was cool. You could literally be the only person to put any miles on the treads.

[Kahns Krazy]

I really don't want to hijack this thread, but I have never known anyone that drives a Corvette that isn't more than a little peculiar.

Roger Ach always drove a Corvette. Not sure if his broke ass is still in one, but he exemplifies what I think of when I think of a Corvette owner.

[boozehound]

My wife wants to take the boys to Mammoth Cave this summer.

I haven't been since I was a kid. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on visiting, like places to stay, places to eat, things to do. Also interested in which cave hikes people might have liked.

She will not camp, which would be my preference. We have to stay in a hotel, vacation rental or cottage. I want to hike the cave and I also want to go canoeing. My kids also love to swin, so we will probably be looking for pool access.

I used to love Mammoth Cave. There used to be a tour, I think it was called the Violet City Lantern Tour, in which you toured the remnants of a tuberculosis colony that they built deep in the cave. I thought it was pretty cool when I was 12-13 years old.

Apparently they thought that they constant temperature and humidity would help cure the victims. It turns out that the smoke from their campfires just made people worse. Eventually they all died, including the doctors that started the colony. It is pretty creepy. It is also a pretty long tour (I think at least 4 hours).

Have fun man.

[nuts4xu]

If you camp, keep your food where racoons can't get to it. Those beggers are everywhere, and act like domestic cats. The will walk right up to your camp fire and look at you expecting you to make them a hamburger or something.

I know you plan to stay in a cabin of some kind. My best recommendation is to bring Rum, and lots of it. The caves are pretty sweet, but the evenings slamming rum are even more fun.

[bourbonman]

If you camp, keep your food where racoons can't get to it. Those beggers are everywhere, and act like domestic cats. The will walk right up to your camp fire and look at you expecting you to make them a hamburger or something.

I know you plan to stay in a cabin of some kind. My best recommendation is to bring BOURBON, and lots of it. The caves are pretty sweet, but the evenings slamming BOURBON are even more fun.

Fixed your post since he'll be visiting Kentucky. :D

[Kahns Krazy]

If you camp, keep your food where racoons can't get to it. Those beggers are everywhere, and act like domestic cats. The will walk right up to your camp fire and look at you expecting you to make them a hamburger or something.

I know you plan to stay in a cabin of some kind. My best recommendation is to bring Malibu Coconut Rum, and lots of it. The caves are pretty sweet, but the evenings slamming Malibu Coconut Rum are even more fun.


Fixed your post since it will be Snipe visiting Kentucky.

[coasterville95]

Some other ideas:

The Cave City exit has loads of tourist trappy type attractions you can visit along with your cave tour.

We stumbled upon, buty did not stay at a Wig Wam Inn. It's one of these throw back to the 1950's 1960's where you spend the night in a wig wam. No, not an actual fabric and wood wigwam, but a round concrete building fashioned to look like one. I beleive they have TV, bath, and the amentities of a basic hotel. Might be a compromise between camping and hoteling - and be a unique experience to add to the trip.

http://www.wigwamvillage.com/

Also, as the resident amusement park and roller coaster correspondant - Bowling Green, KY has Beech Bend Park. No, it's not Kings Island, yes, even the class of Americana would be an upgrade. Imagine a giant Strickers Grove. Lot's of carnival rides both modern and vintage, a couple carnival coasters, a GREAT wooden rollercoaster, mini golf. and more. This year they are getting a huge water park makeover.

http://www.beechbend.com/amusementpark.htm

Don't go looking for GunTown Mountain, that park closed a while back but the rest areas still have brochures for it.

There is also a place along I-65 on the way down there that has an alpine slide, those are neat experiences for the young ones. Imagine Luge on a nice safe plastic sled.

I've never done the Mammoth Cave tours, always wanted to though, so let me know how it goes for you.

[Snipe]

Getting the cave tour tickets ahead of time seems like some very useful advice that I am going to take. We are trying to decide between the 2 hour and the 4 hour tour. My kids say they want the 4 hour tour now, but just wait until they have to go up and down 600 steps. I guess they break it up with lunch though and it is only four miles.

It is looking like some of my inlaws are coming so we are looking at a cabin for 5 adults and 2 kids. I still don't have a definite date so places could be selling out while I talk about it.

The canoeing doesn't look like they have any rapids, but it is right through a forest in a national park. Scenic but not a thrill ride. If we can get out on a non-weekend we should probably have some isolated stretches on a river in the middle of a forest with no signs of humanity around. That could be cool.

The Patton Museum looks like it could be fun. My wife and kids would not be up for any of the distilleries. The Alpine Slide place could be alright, they also have canoeing and horse trails at the same place. An hour ride on a horse is around $15 and my kids could get a kick out of that. I think the Beach Bend waterpark may be an option too.

The thing that sucks about making cave tour reservations in advance is that if it was going to rain while I was down there I would want to schedule the cave tour for that day. We are only going to be down there 3 or 4 days. My wife goes crazy if she is on vacation too long. I got caves on one day and canoes on another. One more thing and I am all set. Hopefully we can find a place to stay that has a pool because that makes the boys happy.

I would like to stop off in Louisville for lunch. What is the best pizza place in Louisville?