Patton Museum

Location: Patton Museum   Ft. Knox, Kentucky

Ages: all but read below before visiting

Cost: Free

With my military brother visiting for the holiday weekend, we visited the Patton Museum at Ft. Knox. In addition to highlighting Gen. Patton's life and war sagas, there is a nice tribute to ROTC's throughout the country, including an old picture from UofA's ROTC! There is a full size movie theater inside showing a movie about Patton that my boys loved.

In speaking with the soldiers stationed there we learned that the museum is in the process of being moved to another location. Consequently, there were fewer tanks and other displays there than my brother remembered from the last time he was here.

After the move, the current Patton Museum will be a hands on tribute to all branches of the military. They will have bunkers for the kids to climb down into, fox holes to explore and other hands on activities for kids and grown ups to enjoy. The new museum will be opening next year so if you plan on seeing it, you would do better to wait until next year.

Still Waters Campground

Location: Still Waters Campground, Frankfort, KY

Cost: $3 per car

Ages: All

What an amazing, picture perfect day!!! The family went to Still Waters campground in Frankfort for the day and it could not have been better. Our kids have already begun making plans to go back and camp. Some of the specific highlights:

• lots of soft grass to play in and picnic in
• we were the only ones in the creek
• the kids enjoyed finding the fish and crawdads (ok, only a couple of them enjoyed the crawdads. The others took some convincing that they were harmless)
• alternating shallow and semi deep water. Plenty of room for beginning swimmers but other places for older kids
• bathrooms and showers on site
• picturesque and peaceful!

We had a great time and would recommend this spot to anyone, young or old. Great hidden find!

Cemetary

Location: Various Local Cemetaries

Cost: free

Suitable Age: any

Are we weird for enjoying a stroll through a pretty cemetary? There are so many small cemetaries here! Every time we turn around there is a small cemetary on the side of the road. There is one in the median not too far from our home with only two or three plots in it. I guess back in the day people would bury their loved ones close to home. Years later the city simply planned streets around the graves so there are lots and lots of little cemetaries. The oldest date we have found so far is the early 1800's. Since the kids like to do family history, this is a fun hands on activity. They get to see how long a person lived and (in typical little boy fashion) create a cause of death for each person we come across. So far, the people we have "met" in the cemetary have been run over by trains, fallen out of three story buildings and eaten by bears. Guess we will never really know how they died and I sure hope they don't come back to correct us!

County Fair

Amish neighbors

tractor at the county fair

Lake Cumberland Park Pool

roadside farmer- she works barefooted all day at this roadside stand

typical view driving down the road

Location: Southern Kentucky, includin Lake Cumberland Park

Cost: County Fair was $8/person for parking and all the ride you wanted

Suitable Ages: Any, so long as long car rides are not a problem

One of the best parts of being in a small town is the "small town feel". We experienced that this weekend when we traveled to southern Kentucky for a county fair. With 120 counties in Kentucky, there is always a county fair to be had somewhere throughout the summer. The fair we went to come complete with a tractor pull (powered by souped up lawn mower engines), carnival rides and of course the animals.

Along the road to the fair, the family stopped by Lake Cumberland park and had a swim. It was a clean pool and it wasn't too crowded.

They also stopped by a roadside farmers market. The funny thing about Kentucky is that you can drive for 15 miles without seeing a soul then all of a sudden you come across a person on the side of the road trying to peddle their wares. I have no idea how they make a living doing it because the roads are so rural that nobody ever goes down them! Even so, I love the fact that they do it because it makes life here so much more interesting.

You never know what you are going to run into.

Shillito Park

Location: Shillito Park, Lexington (Reynolds Road)

Cost: Free

Suitable Ages: All

A few weeks ago my youngest son turned 8 years old (insert sniffle here). We didn't want to have the party here at our home so we took the kids to Shillito Park. It was perfect! There is plenty of room to play and the weather was made to order. While we only used the playground and took advantage of the ample grassy areas, there is plenty of other things to do at the park. There is a public pool, baseball fields, soccer fields, basketball courts, frisbee golf and miles of walking trails. Ramadas are available but with so many shady grass areas, we felt it was best to simply bring a folding table and camp out under the trees. I would highly recommend this location for any get together.

Upcoming Summer Events

Every Monday night we get together as a family. It is a fun time filled with music, games, a short lesson and of course, food. With summer break quickly approaching, we used our Monday night meeting to plan out our summer activities. There are so many more activities and things to see than we have time for! Here is what made the list:

• Salato Wildlife Park


• Friday Night Flicks (of course!)


• Ride the Duck


• Elizabeth town and the Coca Cola Museum


• Kings Island


• Hiking at High Bridge


• Mammoth Cave


• Tour of Frankfort


• Land Between the Lakes and Natural Bridge


• Blueberry, Pancakes and Daylilies Jubilee in Paris


• McConnell Springs


• Hiking in the Daniel Boone National Forest


• Shop at the Longest Yard Sale (127sale.com)


• A trip to Washington D.C.- but that doesn't really count because it isn't in KY.

Of course, we will also have a large helping of trips to the local libraries and public pools. We also didn't pencil in any star gazing, firefly catching, fishing in our pond, lemonade stands, or fireworks on the 4th of July. I also promised my kids I would take them to the cemetary down the street so they could do some rubbings of the headstones that are too old to read. (Kind of creepy I know, but hey- what the heck?)

So there you go- our summer plans. What are yours? I can't wait to get started!

Newport Aquarium

Location: Newport, KY (on the KY/OH border)
Cost: Pricey!! $140 for my family of 8
Suitable Ages: All

Last weekend we went to Newport to visit the aquarium. I read online that it was a good aquarium but not worth the price and I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. It was a fun day and I am glad we went- once.

First for the good points:

• The animals were all easy to see


• The sea turtle and sharks were awesome!


• The jellyfish display was fun and interactive


• You can pet sharks, rays and sea stars


• The shark tunnels were neat

Now for the list of downers:

• PRICE! PRICE! PRICE!!!! Did I mention it was expensive? Totally not worth the cost.


• CROWDED!!! There were times when we literally couldn't walk because of the mass of people. I got clausterphobic on a number of different occasions.


• The penguin show was a joke. They hyped it up to be an amazing show but in reality it was one middle aged woman dressed in a funny tuxedo costume talking to an animated penguin on a 48' screen television. Don't waste your time waiting for it.


• The staff was rude. We literally got yelled at by some 19 yr old kid for not reading a sign. Had there been less people, I might have been able to SEE the sign but some brilliant designer put the sign at knee level. So if you DO go, FYI- DON'T STAND ON THE LEDGE !!!

I would NOT recommend going to the aquarium. You won't be missing anything worthy of $25 admission, that's for sure! There are plenty of other aquariums more deserving of your money.

Camp Nelson

Location: Jessamine County
Suitable Ages: All
Cost: Free







The boys take a break from exploring

It is humbling to see just this small portion of the men who died during the Civil War.

Tours are available of this home at Camp Nelson












A young boy at the Civil War Days event

Not quite old enough to enlist yet.

Not too far from our home is a place called Camp Nelson. During the civil war it was used as a supply depot for the Union army. At one time it was huge- 4000 acres and over 300 buildings. Today there are a few remaining buildings, some built in fort walls, and a impressive yet peaceful cemetary filled with thousands of fallen soldiers.

Camp Nelson hosts numerous memorials and reinactments throughout the year. There is plenty of history to learn about here, including some incredible stories of slave soldiers. The pictures above are from Civil War Days- a weekend long event with vendors, visitors from around the country and battle reinactments. They had vintage period clothing to try on, authentic battle gear and plenty of people around to explain how all of it worked. It was both fun and educational to see how our ancestors lived and fought.

Tours of the buildings are done on a regular schedule and you are free to roam the grounds whenever you want. Grandma likes to go out there for casual walks because the ground is smooth and good for exercising. Depending on the time of year, the walks may be on paths cut into tall grass or it may be covered it flowers. That's what makes it fun to go back again and again.

For more information and a schedule of events, visit http://www.campnelson.org/

PLAY BALL!!

Location: Whitaker Bank Park, Lexington

Suitable Ages: elementary school and older

Cost: admission can range from free to $22, food and drink extra

One of the very first cultural differences we came across in moving here was the absolute, undying obsession with Kentucky sports, basketball in particular. I am not exagerating when I say all events are scheduled around the University of Kentucky basketball games. Local churches plan their sermons around home games, weddings are rescheduled if they conflict with tournaments and stores close if our team makes it to the finals. We didn't make it to a UK game yet but we did make it to another local team- the Lexington Legends Baseball team.

The stadium is a small, comfortable stadium perfect for minor league ball. The players are close enough to see, even from the cheap seats. Keep in mind, being only minor league, even the good seats are still cheap. If you are super strapped for cash, you might get lucky and find someone outside the front gate giving tickets away. You can also try hitting the dollar days games, when all drinks- alcoholic and non- are only $1.00. No outside food or drink is allowed inside the park.

When we went, we had free tickets and attended a $1.00 day game. Each of us got a drink($7). The younger kids got bored after the 7th inning stretch so we left and went to Taco Bell for dinner, spending about $20. We had a fun and memorable family night for under $30.

p.s. If your younger ones get bored like ours did, play this game. Use your camera to zoom in on someone far away (such as Ol' Man Jenkins, the ticket taker in the pic above). Then show the camera to your child and have him or her try to find that person in the stadium.

Kentucky Center for the Arts

Location: Kentucky Center for the Arts, Louisville
Suitable Ages: Depends on the performance
Cost: Varies, depending on the performance
We have seen two productions at the Kentucky Center for the Arts- Wicked and Les Miserables. Both times we had an amazing evening. The perfomers were phenomenal, the view of the stage was good both times and the facility itself was modern and inviting. I wish we lived closer to this venue because they do a lot of work with community theater. As it is, the theater is an hour and a half away from Nicholasville so we don't get there very often.
The theater is located in downtown Louisville which is an adventure all it's own. You will be seeing many more entries on it- my favorite so far being Ley's Antiques- but that is another entry for another night. Parking is cheap across the street in the bank garage.
If you go: You will most likely need a babysitter because the theater isn't usually a place for small children. Most people dressed business casual or better. DO NOT BE LATE! Doors close when the curtain goes up and if you are not in your seat, you're out of luck until intermission. Small souveniers, snacks and drinks are sold in the lobby.

Raven Run

Location: Raven Run, Fayette County
Suitable Ages: Any
Cost: Free

A year round family favorite of ours is Raven Run. This is a nature sanctuary overlooking the Kentucky River with miles and miles of walking paths ranging anywhere from smooth grassy walks to steep rocky grades. Our children like to find walking sticks along their path. The adults find the change in scenery interesting. In the winter it is all brown and chilly like in the photos above. During the summer it is green and muggy and right now, the weather is perfect and all the flowers are in bloom.

On clear evenings in the summer months, the University of Kentucky astronomy department take their telescopes out to Raven Run and set them up for anyone to use. They will set the telescopes up to see a specific star, planet or galaxy then tell you all about it. It is fun for the kids to see but can also be a nice romantic date as well. When we went, it was a tad crowded but everyone was well mannered and quiet.

There is a brand new building for classes and displays. We have been inside it but there wasn't much there at the time. Picnic tables are located just beyond the parking lot for anyone who wants to bring a lunch.

If you go: bring sun protection, good walking shoes and water. Strollers are okay for the meadow paths but still get stuck once in a while. Elementary school aged children or cub scout groups can easily travers the harder trails. You can visit their website at http://www.lexingtonky.gov/index.aspx?page=276

Fort Boonesborough

Location: Richmond

Suitable Ages: elementary school or older

Cost: $8 adults, $5 ages 6-12

The first thing you will ever learn about Kentucky history is that Daniel Boone single handedly settled Kentucky. Okay, that is an exageration. However, Daniel Boone has become part history, part legend around this area. I can't say I am well versed in Boone storied but I am more well aquainted with the man and in the area named after him now that I have been to Fort Boonesborough.

Fort Boonesborough is a replica of the fort built by Boone around the time our founding fathers were signing the Declaration of Independence. This state park is a great living history museum staffed by costumed characters who will show and teach you their craft. Some of the women weave, others make soap. The men make guns and bullets, draw maps, build fires and teach you to shoot a gun. You can watch a short movie that gives a sparknotes version of the fort's history. At different times throughout the year, reinactments are performed to remember the battle that took place at the fort.

The price is a little on the steep side for a large group or family but definately worth paying once. Plan on staying a couple hours inside the fort. Outside the fort is a nice tree covered trail that is breath taking in the summer. You can also make your way down to the public pool and camp sights if you so desire.

If you go: Bring your camera to take funny video of your kids trying to start a flint and steel fire. Come prepared with lots of questions. The employees are very knowledgeable but sometimes sound tired from repeating themselves over and over. Asking questions helps them break out of their monotony and gives you a richer experience as well. For more information, visit their website http://parks.ky.gov/findparks/recparks/fb/

Friday Night Flick

Location: Jacobson Park, Lexington
Suitable Ages: All
Cost: Free

One of the first things our family enjoyed in Kentucky was the FREE Friday night flicks at Jacobson park throughout the summer.

The boys ran their legs off playing frisbee in the cool grass, wrestled on the blankets we had laid out, petted the animals at the small petting zoo, slid down the inflatable slides and walked around to the various vendors collecting freebies. If they happened to get bored with that (rarely), we would walk to the other side of the park to play on the most AMAZING playground- ever! We would catch fireflies (a first for us!) once the sun started getting low then finally settle down to watch the movie around 9pm.

This was a perfect Norman Rockwell type activity every week. The movies were clean, the whole family got good exercise and we spent a lot of quality time together. The only negative aspect of the experience was the occasional smoker and the parents who let their children run wild throughout the movie. Both kind of people bother me in public situations. Other than that, you can't go wrong with this one.

If you go: bring your lawn chairs, picnic blankets and a portable dinner and be prepared to have a great night under the stars. Movies are shown, weather permitting, at dark every Friday night through the summer.

Welcome to Family Life in Kentucky

Who would have thought it? Never in our WILDEST dreams did we ever imagine living in Kentucky. For five generations, our family has lived in Arizona- hot, dry, wonderful cactus covered Arizona. Yet due to the recent economic downturn, we have found ourselves with the opportunity to try the other side of the county for a while.

We packed up our five kids, Mom, Dad and Grandma and moved 1800 miles to a previously unknown place called Nicholasville, Kentucky. In some ways, life here is similar to back home. Yet in other ways, life couldn't be more drastically different. We have seen a lot of the surrounding areas and are excited to see a lot more throughout the coming summer months. In celebration of our one year anniversary of living here in our new home state, we wanted to start a blog to share our experiences with our friends, family and others who want to explore Kentucky. If you have questions about places we have visted or want to suggest new ones, please feel free to drop us a line.