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NOTE: If you have reached this page from a search engine, be sure to click here to discover resources about thousands of wonderful family-friendly places! Kids Love Kentucky - 2nd Edition Changes (Closed) NC
– Daniel Boone, The Man & The Legend (pg. 18) Additions: NE – CREATION MUSEUM. 2800 Bullittsburg Church Road. Petersburg, KY 41080. (888) 582-4253 or www.creationmuseum.org. (I-275 exit 11, just minutes west of the Cincinnati International Airport). Monday-Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm. Summer Sundays Noon-6:00pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve/Day, New Year’s Eve/Day. Admission: $19.95 adult, $14.95 senior (60+), $9.95 child (5-12). Add the Stargazers Planetarium $4.00-$5.00 more. The Planetarium Cosmic Creation is outstanding. Online coupons. Noah’s Café serves a vast array of fresh, large sandwiches, salads, soups, grilled items and desserts or snacks (reasonably priced and you can eat them out on the terrace overlooking the outdoor walking trail). As we waited in some lines opening day, we were greeted by friendly faces and warm smiles from the docents and the guests alike. All of us have been waiting for this museum to open for 5 years, so what was another few minutes. “Much of the experience features displays that would be similar to what you would find in a natural history museum, so you will see exhibits on par with some of the fine science museums around the world,” said director, Mark Looy. “Because we’re taking our visitors on a walk through history from Genesis to Revelation, it is a biblical museum combining Scripture with the best of what science can present.” Begin in the senses-shattering (and maybe beliefs) Men in White Special Effects Theater. A satire, two hip angels expose common myths about God and Creation thru thunder, rain, wind and lightning effects that you actually feel! Once outside the Theater, kids can take their own route through a Canyon into the Dino dig site. The museum then uses a series of realistic dioramas to explore Biblical relevance – Old scholars and contemporaries. Walk through a Time Tunnel into the Six Days of Creation Theater for yet another opportunity to sit down and visually stimulate your mind. Now, go out and walk thru a simulated Garden of Eden, past the Tree of Life. As sin then sets in, Corruption Valley begins. Help Noah and his family prepare at the giant Ark Construction Site. After the flood came Confusion at Babylon yet redemption at the Last Adam Theater (again, another great spot to sit down and take it all in). The final areas are all about kids – Dinosaur Den, the Dragon Theater (yes, dragons were real!) and an interactive Children’s Play Area. Take your own photo ops or purchase a professional one here. Grab a snack or ice cream and walk the winding trails outside including two swinging bridges and a misty swamp area. The sites 60,000 square feet of family fun’s logo is: Prepare to Believe, and it’s true. Some call it a Dinosaur Museum – it’s true. Some call it a Bible Museum – it’s true. All will find answers to perplexing questions like: Why am I here? How old is the Earth? What really happened to the Dinosaurs? Where is the Starting Line? Is Creation Slow or Fast? And, if you still don’t know, purchase one of hundreds of related books for young and old in the Dragon Hall Bookstore. We all learned so much, so easily – I think our kids, the most. Well worth the admission price, friends. NC –
FRAZIER HISTORICAL ARMS MUSEUM. 829 West Main Street (I-64 exit 4, across
from Slugger Museum), Louisville 40202. (502) 412-2280 or toll-free (866)
886-7103 or www.frazierarmsmuseum.org. Admission: $6.00-$9.00 (age 5+). Hours:
Open throughout the year, except Thanksgiving and Christmas Days. Monday -
Saturday: 9.00 A.M. to 5.00 P.M.; Sunday: Noon to 5.00 P.M. More Information About: NC – DAYS TRIPS IN LOUISVILLE - Louisville is nice because no matter the season, there’s a mixture of indoor and outdoor sites to see. Baseball season is our favorite. In the morning, start you day at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Tour (pg. 25). They’re always adding famous bats from famous players – so, be on the lookout each visit. We always like tours that inspire you and teach. Kids learn much about the “feel” of the game, the expert techniques, too. Then, they learn about wood product used and the simple, but precise, process of making a baseball bat. Most every station is interactive and that’s essential. Every guest still gets a souvenir mini-bat to take home. If it’s a rainy day, have some lunch and then go to the Speed Art Museum – specifically, ArtSparks. For a small fee, guests can apply so much of the techniques used in famous artworks (displayed upstairs) to hands-on, durable stations of application. Our kids love to dance to lots of classical music in video artwork. Do you have grace? In pop art, Daddy looked like a monster! Most Stations engage for at least 10 minutes or more. Older kids actually learn principles of art here! Still showers? Go to one of our many favorite (near downtown) stops: Louisville Stoneware (pg. 27) tours (maybe sign up to make your own, too) or Edison House (pg. 27) or even American Printing House for the Blind (pg. 28). They all are unique learning experiences. Since Louisville is all about bats, now watch the BATS in action. The Louisville River Bats (pg 35) meet their opponents at home in Louisville Slugger Field (downtown near the cross-section of the interstates and the river). What amusement, entertainment, prizes and good, old-fashioned fun! Look for mascot Buddy the Bat, or ride the carousel, buy some Cracker Jack and then dance along with Mr. Noodleman and his between-innings antics. We had some much fun watching and tasting (reasonably priced tickets and food) Americana baseball! Now, if you plan to spend the night and go to Kentucky Kingdom the next day (pg. 35), overnight where there’s a shuttle to the amusement park (don’t have the hassle of parking far away or parking fees). On our last stay, we spent the night at the Hilton Garden Inn Louisville Airport (2735 Crittenden Drive, 502-637-2424 or www.hiltongardeninn.com). Each room is spacious enough with added amenities like a refrigerator and microwave. They have an indoor swimming pool with a hot tub and workout center. Best of all, they’re adjacent to the park and have a shuttle. And, speaking of KY Kingdom, our family liked that it wasn’t so large that it was overwhelming. Instead, there are just enough rides for all levels of excitement to fill up your day. Be sure to bring your swimsuits as the Hurricane Bay water park was the best way to cool off. SE – Cumberland Falls State Resort Park (pg. 104) – Well, we’ve been touched by a moonbow! (Moonbow Dates listed on website: www.state.ky.us/agencies/parks/cumbfal2.htm) Finally, we arranged an overnight so we and a few hundred others, could would walk in the quiet, moonlit night (about 8:45pm) towards the Falls. After a few seconds stare . . . we captured the white spray arch that then turned into a rainbow of color the longer you watched. Now, off to the Lodge. Solid hemlock beams and knotty pine paneling complement the massive stone fireplaces. The buffet offers classic southern dishes and there is a reasonable a la carte menu. Our favorite memory is playing ping-pong and checkers while other families sat around and played cards. Visit the gift shop, featuring a large selection of Kentucky handcrafts and souvenirs. There’s also a snack shop and visitors center, both located in the falls area. Inside the center, a three-dimension map outlines major park facilities. Other exhibits show the area’s history and illustrates Native American life. Guided tours (30 minutes long) leave from the Center most weekends and summer days. SC – DAY Trip to Bowling Green, KY. Start and end your day swimming and playing at the Best Western (I-65 exit 22 & Hwy 231S, 270-782-3800). The moderately priced hotel has a large, warm indoor pool, putting green, pool tables, video games, basketball courts, a large jacuzzi and even a playground outside. Race World go kart tracks (270-781-7223) are just behind the hotel, too. After racing in the pool or on the track, you’ll be in the mood to visit the NATIONAL CORVETTE MUSEUM (best for car enthusiasts) and FACTORY (pg 75/77). Their tours are a bit more restricted than before (4th grade and up), but well worth the time spent to see these flashy cars produced and tested and displayed…all at one exit (I-65, exit 28)! Mid-afternoon, head over to LOST RIVER CAVE (pg. 74) for an outdoor adventure for the whole family. The recent additions to the property make this a 2-4 hour stop. Wear comfortable walking shoes to hike before or after your cave/boat tour. Check out the Butterfly Habitat enclosure on the trails. A screened enclosure keeps the chrysalis and butterflies safe, yet easily seen, as you walk thru (seasonally). The property also now has gem mining, a wild bird sanctuary and a wonderful, easy access, treetop bridge that takes you 20 steps from the tour path (eliminates those dreaded stairs back up!). We love this place and are so happy to see they’re growing and getting better all the time. Now, after you’ve walked a while at Lost River, cool down with a homemade ice cream treat south on US 31W at CHANEY’S DAIRY BARN (9191 Nashville Road, 270-843-5567). Along with their ice cream that is made on the premises, they offer homemade sandwiches, soups, etc. Tours are offered on Saturdays at 1:00 and 3:00pm. Take a tour wagon ride to the dairy farm next door. At the Education Bldg., learn about dairies and how they operate. Then meet a live Jersey cow and learn how to milk her. (Tours are $5.00 adult, $3.00 child and includes a scoop of ice cream). Group tours are available by appointment during the week. NC
– Louisville Stoneware Company (pg. 27). Admission: $5.00 adult, $4.00 senior
(60+) and students, $3.00 child (under 12).
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