This weekend was gorgeous! Sure, there are storms predicted the next few days, but they’ll pass. And you’ll want to get out again.
My daughter is counting down until the end of school. I’m hearing people talk about what they want to do this summer and where they want to go. So, western Kentucky folks, I decided to share some places around here we’ve loved lately in case you’re looking for something to do or somewhere to eat.
Discovery Park of America
Union City, Tennessee
It seems awfully random this children’s museum is in the middle of west Tennessee, but I’m glad it is. Only an hour from Murray, we enjoyed this place the first weekend of April. The outdoor exhibits are fantastic and my recommendation that the indoors ones are too is based on my 4-year-old boy’s assessment. Greg, Cate and I arrived later than the rest of our group because of her soccer game, but we enjoyed the time we were there. And even after five hours, Ben wasn’t ready to go either!
Discovery Park of America is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is $13.95 for people 13 and older and $10.95 for kids 4 to 12 years old. Children younger than 4 are free. You can also become a member, which includes an annual pass that pays for itself after four visits as well as other perks.
The Gathering Place
Kentucky Lake in Murray, Kentucky
Yes, this is our own lake house, but I really do love it out there. Even though the clean sheets and household maintenance are my responsibility, being out there is still a getaway. Our family likes to swim, fish, skip rocks, eat on the back porch, play games, hang out with friends, and catch frogs out there.
The three-bedroom, three-bathroom house is available for vacation rentals of at least two nights throughout the year. The summer calendar is filling up, but there are still some vacancies.
The Gathering Place rents for $350/night or $1,800/week from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Off-season rates are $250/night or $1,200/week. The house is stocked with linens, eating and cooking utensils, and WiFi.
Wild Mountain Bakery & Cafe
412 Main St., Murray, Kentucky
This new bakery has freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Need I say more? I hear the bagels and bread are good too.
Wild Mountain Bakery & Cafe is open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Land Between the Lakes
A National Recreation Area between Murray and Cadiz, Kentucky
Honestly, we don’t use Land Between the Lakes as much as we should. It’s lovely out there. Just earlier this week, Cate’s class took a field trip to the Nature Station, where they learned about trees and animals. Then we did a small hike on a trail near the Golden Pond Visitor’s Center. Last spring, the school took a field trip to Hematite Lake that the kids and I really enjoyed.
Land Between the Lakes offers hiking, biking, picnicking, camping, boating, fishing, hunting, site-seeing, and wildlife viewing. Check its website for locations and schedules.
6159 State Route 94 E, Murray, Kentucky
This recently reopened and now serves Belew’s burgers, for those of you locals who like the burgers and milkshakes in Aurora. Yes, obviously, there are corn dogs Ben enjoys. We like that Duncan’s is close to The Gathering Place and accepts credit cards, unlike Belew’s.
The grill is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Berry Farm
Fulton, Kentucky
Picking strawberries here has become a seasonal favorite for us. We’ve been the past three years, sometimes multiple times. {See visits from May 2011, April 2012, May 2012, and May 2013.} We haven’t been yet this year because it just opened this weekend. I’m eagerly waiting to get this outing on my calendar!
The Berry Farm offers already-picked berries as well as you-pick patches. You pay per pound, but it looks like the 2013 rates haven’t been posted. Either way, our experiences have been these berries are worth picking and eating! Follow The Berry Farm on Facebook or call 270-468-0110.
Local friends, have you gone anywhere worth recommending lately?
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