Spending Spring Break In Kentucky? Here’s What To Do

Logan Gwynn

People tubing on Herrington Lake in 2022.

Spring Break is one of the longest breaks for students. It’s a great time to relax from the stress of school and enjoy the nice weather. Kentucky has many fun and unique places and activities. Here are six of the best places for your Spring Break.

Red River Gorge:
Red River Gorge is a canyon system here in Kentucky. It is known for its breathtaking views, rugged cliffs, natural bridges, and arches. Red River Gorge is mainly located in the Daniel Boone National Forest, which covers nearly 2,000,000 acres of land and goes through 21 counties. There are a lot of activities to do at this national forest, such as having 600 miles of trail to hike, and it has about 250 recreational sites. In addition, they offer water activities such as boating, kayaking, swimming, tubing, and more. They even have underground water activities like kayaking tours where you can take pictures, look at the gorge underground, and see all the different stuff you probably have never seen before. Red River Gorge is a great place to go over spring break to get outside and look at its various activities and landscapes.

Going to a Lake:
Lake Cumberland:
The website states, “Several fun places to visit line the shoreline. Lake Cumberland State Resort Park is an interesting locale near Jamestown on the northern shore. This all-inclusive state park features lodge rooms, cottages, and campsites.”

Taylorsville Lake:
According to the website, “Taylorsville Lake is another popular recreation reservoir that snakes across Spencer County. The lake is approximately halfway between Louisville and Lexington and sees a lot of weekend traffic. And many visitors head to Taylorsville Lake State Park on the northeast shore.”

Herrington Lake:
According to the website,“Herrington Lake, Kentucky’s deepest lake, is accessible from Lexington with a 30-mile drive. This approximately 2,300-acre reservoir results from a dam on the Dix River. Unlike many of the best lakes throughout the state, no state park or resort abuts the shores.”

Source

The Arboretum:
The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky, is located at the University of Kentucky, 500 Alumni Dr, Lexington, KY 40503. They are open every day of the year besides UK football home game days. Dogs are allowed, but they have to stay leashed. They are available from dawn to dusk. Their garden is 100 acres. They have a Dorothea Smith Oatts Visitor Center and are open Monday through Friday from 9 am-4 pm. The Kentucky Children’s Garden (KCG) is open in April, May, September, and October from Wednesday-Saturday from 10 am-5 pm and in June, July, and August from Wednesday-Saturday from 9 am- 4 pm. The KCG is a “2-acre garden designed to share the joy and wonder of nature and plants.” (This is from the website, describing the Kentucky’s Children Garden). The website also includes “child-sized representations of Kentucky’s landscapes (natural and man-made, past and present) as well as themed gardens including butterfly, vegetable and transportation gardens.” The KCG is 036;4 but free for kids two years old and under. The hours for the train at KCG are 11:30 am – 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm, and 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm. The Arboretum is a great place to learn, connect with nature, and have fun outdoors.

Raven Run
Raven Run is at 3885 Raven Run Way, Lexington, KY 40515. From Lexington: Take Richmond Road east (out of town) and turn right onto highway 25 (Old Richmond Road, across from Jacobson Park). Go approximately 3 1/2 miles and turn right onto Jacks Creek Pike. Go about 5 1/2 miles on Jack’s Creek Pike, and Raven Run is on the Left. The entrance is marked by a sign. The Operating Hours in April are from 9 am-5 pm. The entrance gate closes at 5:00 pm; the trail closes at 5:30 pm. There is a trail system at Raven Run which includes the Red Trail, Green Trail, Orange Trail, Blue Trail, Yellow Trail, White Trail, and the Freedom Trail.

Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo:
Kentucky Down Under is located at 3700 L&N Turnpike Road Horse Cave, KY 42749. Kentucky Down Under is a wildlife exhibit that has a lot of fun activities along with all the animal exhibits they have. It is a great place to get outdoors and spend time with many awesome animals. You can rent a golf cart to drive through the path of animal exhibits. The admission price is 036;25.95 for anyone 15 years or older, 036;15.95 for ages 4-14, and anyone three years and younger is free. There is a discount for seniors, military, first responders, CDL holders, and college students. They pay 036;19.95. They are open all year except for Thanksgiving and Christmas day. Their hours are 9 am- 4 pm. They have a 4-person golf cart available for 036;34.95-036;44.95 for 5 hours and a 6-person golf cart for 036;49.95 for 5 hours. These are highly recommended for families to have there because of the size of the wildlife zoo. They offer many activities that are part of the admission ticket. The Outback is an open field with Kangaroos and Emus that roam freely for you to visit and feed, and it is an additional cost of 036;1 to feed the animals.

The Land of Lorries is included with admission and is a huge cage full of Lorrie birds. You have 30 minutes inside the cage to let them land on you and eat out of your hand. There is also a 036;1 charge for birdseed to feed the birds. The last extra activity included in your admission ticket is the petting zoo. This is a petting zoo with basic zoo animals, and it is 036;1 to feed them. There is one other activity that is an extra cost, and that is gem mining. The price ranges from 036;10.95-036;39.99 depending on the time spent on gem mining. This is an enjoyable activity for kids to keep them entertained. It also lets them take home something that they worked for. Kentucky Down Under is a great place for animal lovers to get outside and have a great time with families and friends.

Mammoth Cave:
Mammoth Cave is a national park located in west-central Kentucky. Mammoth Cave is the world’s longest-known cave system. Mammoth cave is home to its deep river valleys, rolling hills, 160 different species of wildlife, and its unique plants. It covers about 52,830 acres, with only 426 miles mapped out and explored. The tours can last anywhere from one to six hours, and you can walk through them without a tour guide. Some outstanding features of the cave are the grand avenue, frozen Niagra, and the fat man’s misery seen on the lighted tours. Some of the tours may be pitch black, so flashlights are needed. It is also recommended to wear a jacket or dress warmer since the cave is 54 degrees. The top three most popular tours are the Historical tour, the Extended Historical tour, and the Frozen Niagra tour. However, they offer more activities besides cave tours, such as hiking with nearly 80 miles of land to explore, water activities that include kayaking, canoeing, boating, stargazing after dark, and many other activities.

Spring Break is a time for fun and taking a break from school. These are just some of the ideas that are offered in Kentucky. Keep looking and find your favorites. There are so many fun things to do in Kentucky.