For a fun summer trip to Kentucky, author Katherine Witt Has an inner track.
Witt, a Kentucky travel expert from the Bluegrass State, is the official Kentucky Travel Guide And we’ve rounded up some of her favorite insider info “Perfect Day Kentucky” (Reedy Press). Witt’s new book is 170 pages packed with day trips, weekend getaways and other getaways, from the world’s largest cave system to Mammoth Cave The world’s longest underground suspension bridge Horse Cave Including the nation’s most natural arch east of the Mississippi River, “A Perfect Day in Kentucky” outlines the best of Kentucky’s attractions and includes additional suggestions to inspire further exploration in each area profiled in the book.
We asked Whit for some summer travel ideas for July and August, and she immediately suggested exploring Kentucky’s vast cave system.
“Kentucky summers are hot and muggy, but underground in the cave the temperature ranges between 52 and 58 degrees, so it’s a pleasant respite from our climate,” Witt told the Courier Journal.Hidden River Caverns It is currently home to the longest underground suspension bridge in the world. You walk along an underground river and at the end of it you see the huge and beautiful Sunset Dome.”
Named for its unusual lighting effect, Sunset Dome It is one of the largest free-standing cave domes in America. Hidden River Caverns 119 East Main Street, Horse Cave, Kentucky.
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Additionally, the author offers travelers nearby alternatives for each of the tourist spots she features in the book: in the case of Hidden River Cave, she highlights nearby Mammoth Cave. Farmwolds Restaurant and Bakery, Treehouses at Horse Cave KOA Holiday Campground Conestoga wagon accommodation, Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo.
Witt’s recommended summer day trip (good advice any time of the year) isDriving tour of the historic Hatfield-McCoy feud sites. start from Pikeville – Pike County Visitor CenterVisitors can purchase an audio CD or USB and be immersed in the authentic world of the feud, listening to narration, music and upbeat ballads that depict the long-standing grudge between the two families.
“It was one of the most entertaining experiences I’ve had in Kentucky,” says the author. “It’s a very theatrical production, as you listen while getting up close and personal to different locations, including the graves, the pawpaw tree where the gruesome triple murder took place, and the restaurant that is the former home of one of the McCoy family. After the meal, you can go up to the second floor, where the family bedrooms were located. It was a very dramatic experience. I loved it.”
Another insider tip: 10 Kentucky State Parks It has a sandy beach and, in Witt’s opinion, is one of the most beautiful beaches. Lake BerkeleyShe also Lake Malone State Park Located at 31 State Route 8001 in Dunmore, Kentucky, Muhlenberg County.
“The park also has a sandy beach and is home to the Big Twigs, a family of 14-foot-tall giants that currently live in the park,” Witt said. “There are six of these fairy-tale giants, and they’re a lot of fun.”
“Perfect Day Kentucky” Travel across the state on a Kentucky Bluegrass Adventure, feed carrots to a Kentucky Derby champion at a Kentucky horse farm, Black Mountainor visit Cumberland FallsIt is the second largest waterfall in the eastern United States.
For those looking for expert help planning a summer adventure, Witt’s book ($27) is available here. Carmichael BookstoreAmazon, Kentucky State Park gift shops, and Reedy Press.
Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.
