Coming down with kids - 11(g) and 13(b).
Day 1: From Chicago we will drive south on 57 to drop dog with breeder in Kinmundy. Then over on 64 through Louisville and on to Lexington. Enroute we will swing by the Lincoln Memorial in Lincoln City IN. Someone here mentioned picking up 60 outside of Louisville and switching back to 64 at Frankfurt. Will see how we are feeling and what the light is like. I imagine this will be an 12 hour day by the time we stop at the breeders. We are staying at the Springhill Suites as suggested for the night. Lunch in car and dinner?
Day 2: (Easter) Kentucky Horse Park (I checked and they are open.) Breakfast at hotel, lunch at horse park, dinner? Second night still at Springhill. Day 3: Next morning after breakfast at hotel we will swing by Keeneland to watch anyone working out then liesurly drive down to Bardstown and spend some time. Civil War museum and Old Kentucky Home and lunch. There is a Heaven Hill Distillery there too. What is worth the time? We only need to go as far as Hampton Inn in Horse Cave.
Day 4: Mammoth Caves. Breakfast at hotel. We have a 10:00 Grand Tour reservation with friends that includes lunch stop. Spend the night at Hampton Inn again. Dinner with friends somewhere. They are staying in the park.
Day 5: Breakfast at hotel. Head North again to Lincoln sites in Hodgenville and then to Patton Museum in Ft. Knox area. Thought we would continue on to Louisville and spend the night there. We can either spend more time in Mammoth in morning and then head north and see Patton museum at end of day or leave immediately after breakfast and see some things in Louisville. Still trying to figure out where to stay. Could also skip Patton museum and spend a second day in Mammoth Park and just drive straight home from Mammoth skipping Louisville and Fr. Knox.
Day 6: Drive home and collect dog on the way.
I guess my questions are - Patton museum worth it for military buff husband and interested son who will be tired of horse related stops? How much to do in Mammoth - is one tour enough or should we try for a second and skip Louisville? We can also fly through Bardstown rather then spend time at Civil War and Kentucky Home and get down to Mammoth on day 3 and then have time for Patton etc. on Day 5. Is Nostalgia Train museum near Keeneland any good? I am assuming that Kentucky Down Under is for younger set, not my almost 14 year old. Am I way off? Any input would be great!
Thanks.
Trip itinerary - Spring Break in KentuckySince I haven%26#39;t been to all the places you mention, it%26#39;s hard for me to make a comparison, but I%26#39;ll give you my two cents on the ones I AM familiar with. Since your husband is a military buff, I%26#39;d definitely include the Patton museum. We visited it while my son was at Ft. Knox several years ago, and definitely thought it was worthwhile. At Mammoth Cave, we did the New Entrance and Niagara Tours on separate days - but your Grand Tour will include them both and I imagine that will give you all the caving you want to see - unless you%26#39;re interesting in crawling, etc. In Bardstown we enjoyed the Makers mark distillery tour, but doubt that would be open Easter! Hope you have a GREAT trip!!
Trip itinerary - Spring Break in KentuckyI%26#39;m a military buff as well and can confirm that the Patton Museum is worth the visit. In addition to seeing the exhibits about the general you can se/climb on dozens of tanks and other armored vehicles from both the US and other armies.
If you are really into military museums you might consider the Frazier History Mueseum in Louisville. It%26#39;s across the street from the Louisville Slugger Museum so you could hit both on the same day.
The Kentucky Horse Park is fantastic--it covers all breeds of horses, not just the thoroughbreds for which Kentucky is famed.
If you are here when Churchill Downs is open it would be a mistake to miss out on a visit to the track.
One thing to keep in mind in your planning is that you will be in two time zones--Louisville, E%26#39;town (Patton Museum), Lexington are in the Eastern time zone whole Mammoth Cave is in the Central time zone.
I haven%26#39;t been to the Patton Museum in a long time, but I can HIGHLY recommend the Frazier Arms Museum. It is FANTASTIC!!! The dates are from the middle ages through the early 20th century. They have first person interpretations, Geronimo%26#39;s bow and arrow, Custer%26#39;s pistols, T. Roosevelt%26#39;s ';big stick'; and so much more! And like the previous poster said, it%26#39;s across the street from the Slugger Museum which is also really cool (and I don%26#39;t even like baseball!)
The Derby Museum is also a great place to visit if you like horses.
There is a new Hampton Inn right downtown in Louisville. I love the Hampton anywhere we%26#39;ve stayed.
Sounds like you have done your homework and are ready to see some sights! Hope you enjoy your trip!
Let me see:
First: ';Someone here mentioned picking up 60 outside of Louisville and switching back to 64 at Frankfurt.'; PLEASE do not do this. Whoever told you US 60 was 4 lane was very mistaken. US 60 from Louisville to Frankfort is 2 lane. Also, it runs through one of the most crowded areas of Louisville%26#39;s East End. After you finally get out of East End, you are on a very residential road. One slow moving car and you%26#39;ve added 1/2 hour to your trip. The scenery through that route is also pretty boring. If you want to go from Louisville to Lexington and have a scenic route, take I-64 west to Frankfort. Its nothing pretty to look at, but its fast. There is one part that is under construction. It is still 2 lane though and I have yet to encounter a jam there.
Frankfort has 2 exits. Take the second exit for US 60 (Versailles Road). This is the pretty part. Several horse farms including Stone Street. You can also detour down Old Frankfort Pike for Three Chimneys Farm, where Seattle Slew lived and Smarty Jones is still standing stud as far as I know.
I frankly wouldn%26#39;t skip Louisville. Mammouth can likely be done in one day.
Keep in mind the driving time between Bardstown and Lexington. Bluegrass Parkway is the main route. Its about 50 miles, but exits can sometimes be sparse. Get gas before you get on the parkway. You might consider stopping in Versailles, it is said to be a very pretty town (I just haven%26#39;t gotten there yet.)
For Louisville, I recommend Churchill (the Derby Museum), the Slugger Museum, the zoo, Old Louisville (the largest surviving Victorian neighborhood, near Churchill). If your kids want a funky restaurant, you can%26#39;t go wrong with Lynn%26#39;s Paradise Cafe. You can explore Bardstown Road or Cave Hill Cemetary (very park-like). For your time, I would recommend, the Derby Museum, a hour or so exploring Old Louisville, and dinner at Lynns. You can stay in Louisville or in Jeffersonville, right on the other side of the river. You will have a straight shot back up I-65.
Hmm, I%26#39;m late replying. What did you do? I really hope you didn%26#39;t get hung up on US 60.
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