TRAVEL TRENDING WITH KATHY WITT: KENTUCKY ROAD TRIPS LEAD TO FOOTLIGHTS, CURIOUS SIGHTS AND BEACHY DELIGHTS

Theater beneath the stars, irresistible roadside attractions and inland beaches — Kentucky summers are made for road trips to historic and charming small towns that are big on fun and nostalgia, as well as the strange and unusual.

Here are some road trips that lead to memorable adventures.

Dinner and a show

The sun sets and the stage lights up with dozens of ladies in twirling hoopskirts and gents in top coats and ties, singing and dancing to a soaring musical score. It’s “The Stephen Foster Story,” staging its 65th season in My Old Kentucky Home State Park in Bardstown. Set beneath the stars and within sight of Federal Hill—the 200-year-old manse the composer wrote about in one of his most famous songs—the show is a beloved summer tradition.

The Stephen Foster Drama Association presents this musical annually along with another family-friendly show. This summer it is “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” bringing its own splashy music as Ariel dreams of exploring “that shore up above, out of the sea.” The two shows play select nights through Aug. 10. Backstage tours are also offered on select nights. See the schedule of showtimes, tours and ticket prices at www.stephenfoster.com.

Overlooking the grounds of My Old Kentucky Home State Park, the restored Bardstown Motor Lodge combines a retro vibe with modern comforts, perfect for families in town to see the show. The 35-room property offers swimming pool, outdoor fire pits and picnic tables, recreation room and restaurant while maintaining a vintage feel and an air of summer camp in the Kentucky countryside. Learn more at www.bardstownmotorlodge.com.

In Danville, the Pioneer Playhouse marks its 75th anniversary of bringing Broadway to the Bluegrass with three outstanding shows: the murder-mystery spoof, “The 39 Steps”; the feel-good comedy, “Fireflies”; and “That Book Woman,” an original play based on award-winning author Heather Henson’s bestselling children’s book of the same name, which celebrates the remarkable work of the Pack Horse Librarians of 1930s Appalachia. Notably, Henson is the managing director of Pioneer Playhouse, which was founded by her father, Eben Henson.

A time capsule of 1950s summer stock theater, Kentucky’s oldest outdoor theater is a one-of-a-kind experience that features an optional Kentucky barbecue dinner preceding each night’s show on a lovely covered patio and a chance to stroll a 19th-century village. Find information and tickets here: www.pioneerplayhouse.com.

Other Danville sights to see: the new GLASS National Museum, a world-class venue showcasing contemporary art glass that is anchored by the permanent collection of internationally known hot glass master of color Stephen Rolfe Powell; the Great American Dollhouse Museum, Kentucky’s smallest cultural heritage museum and the only one of its kind specializing in portraying the social history of the United States through miniature vignettes that narrate the everyday life of ordinary people; and Constitution Square Historic Site, an open-air museum with historic cabins and buildings — including the first post office west of the Allegheny Mountains — clustered on a swath of green lawn. Learn more about these attractions and others at www.danvillekentucky.com.

Batter Capital of the World

Call them quirky, curious or weirdly compelling, some attractions draw road trippers like moths to the flame—or breakfast lovers to the flapjacks.

If you’re not hungry when you arrive in downtown Hopkinsville, you will be famished soon enough with visits to a giant stack of pancakes, a humongous batter bowl and the world’s largest wheat stalk. Could a mammoth muffin be far behind? Welcome to Hopkinsville, the Batter Capital of the World, where these three sculptures celebrate the town’s unique role in the culinary world as a major food-mix manufacturer and invite visitors to get their selfies on.

But this isn’t Hopkinsville’s only claim to fame. In the summer of 1955, what would become known as the Kelly Incident began with assertions of a spaceship sighting and an alien invasion. Five adults and seven children told local law enforcement they held off more than a dozen alien creatures with gunfire. The encounter took place at an area farmhouse and lasted for four hours, with the figures—according to those in the home—popping up at doorways and peering into windows. The incident grabbed headlines across the country.

Learn more about the Kelly Incident at the Hopkinsville Visitors Center and the Pennyroyal Area Museum. For trip planning, visit www.visithopkinsville.com.

Sinkhole history

There once was a sinkhole that swallowed eight Corvettes. Not just any Corvettes, but classic cars in a multimillion dollar collection.

Ten years ago, in Bowling Green, a sinkhole opened underneath the National Corvette Museum’s Skydome. Recovery efforts began immediately and, two months later, all eight of the Corvettes were recovered and the long process of restoration began.

Recently the museum opened a new exhibit, “Ground to Sky: The Sinkhole Reimagined,” to document the moments, memories and machines relating to the cave-in that made history. On display are a 2009 “Blue Devil” ZR1 and the 1 Millionth Corvette (a white ’92 model), both recovered and fully restored.

The exhibit also includes other cars that remain damaged from the incident and dramatic multimedia that illustrates a look back at the museum’s history and a vision of where the museum is heading. Plan to see “Ground to Sky” before it closes at the end of the year; there likely won’t be another dedicated exhibit to the sinkhole in the museum. Visit www.corvettemuseum.org or www.visitbgky.com for more details.

Come on in, the water’s fine

Among Kentucky's 44 state parks are 10 with swimming beaches, including one park with all campsites located along the shoreline and another with fairytale characters tucked along the trails.

Green River Lake State Park in Campbellsville is known for its peaceful setting and beautiful lake views—from all 227 campsites, including both RV and primitive tent sites. Activities include fishing, boating and swimming—sandcastle building optional—plus biking, hiking and horseback riding on nearly 30 miles of trails as well as mini golf, playgrounds and picnic areas and a gift shop with Kentucky handcrafts. Visit https://parks.ky.gov for more information.

Campbellsville is also home to the world’s only remaining Druther’s—whose catchy 1970s slogan was “I’d ruther go to Druther’s”—and, on any given day, a line of cars circles the restaurant’s drive-thru for signature comfort-food classics like fried chicken and buttery biscuits. Inside, diners queue up for that as well as the all-day breakfast, burgers, slaw dogs, milkshakes and more. Learn more about this Campbellsville landmark at www.campbellsvilleky.com.

In Dunmor, a friendly family of giants greet campers to Lake Malone State Park. Meet the Big Twigs: six 14-foot-tall figures straight out of a fairytale that include Bobber, dropping a line at the lake; Happy, roasting a marshmallow near his tent; and Paige reading her book near the playground. Explore the park with its waterfalls and wooded trails, sandstone wall and natural rock bridge and find all the Big Twigs.

The campground offers 25 campsites equipped with electric and water hookups, grills and picnic tables, plus shower, restroom and laundry facilities. In addition to being home to the Big Twigs, small and scenic Lake Malone offers swimming at the sand beach, fishing, boating and hiking. Visit https://parks.ky.gov for more information.

©2024 Kathy Witt. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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