History and adventure await in Bowling Green!
When you think of Kentucky, visions of rolling pastures filled with sleek thoroughbreds and stave rooms piled high with bourbon barrels might come to mind. Bowling Green, however, presents a different, more laid-back vibe. When my trip began at Chaney’s Dairy Barn, a fifth-generation working farm and handcrafted ice cream facility, I knew I was in for a few old-fashioned fun experiences.
I met owner and operator Carl Chaney at the ice cream counter where he instructed me to order a flight of several flavors. I opted for banana pudding, mango sorbet and classic chocolate. It was a blustery fall mid-week day, yet the space was packed with families. “You’re busy!” I exclaimed. Chaney grinned back at me, “We always are. We have become a destination, and I love it.”
Bowling Green is an under-the radar destination rife with unique attractions. Take, for example, the National Corvette Museum. The city’s plant has produced every Corvette since 1981, and the nearby museum celebrates the car in its glory. During my tour, I saw classics from the company’s 70-year history interactively displayed, many on rotating platforms to give the best views of all of the cars’ curves. Pop culture artifacts and ephemera caught my eye, including Batman’s life size Batmobile, Barbie’s pink set of wheels and Prince’s hit record featuring his little red lover. More than 225,000 visitors meander through the museum annually, many of whom want to steal a peek down the glass-covered sinkhole where, on Feb. 12, 2014, eight vintage Corvettes dropped 30 feet underground. It’s an odd but enticing reason to visit, and for those invested in Corvette history, it’s a must-see.
While the disastrous sinkhole was a calamity, it wasn’t a complete surprise. The city sits atop 50 miles of caves, and the world’s largest continuous cave system, Mammoth Cave, is just 40 miles north. Mammoth Cave National Park has multiple daily, ranger-led tours, and guests can easily spend all day beneath the ground. As my tour group descended into one of the caves, the temperatures dropped drastically. I shivered and wrapped my coat tighter. Our park ranger began telling Mammoth Cave’s story, the same one that has been recounted to visitors for 207 years. We walked just two of the 426 known miles of caves, during which we slunk between Fat Man’s Misery, an especially tight portion of the trail, and took in Butterscotch Falls, a flowstone formation. When we reemerged a few hours later, my eyes had to adjust to the light.
Between the museum and the cave, I was ready to check into my room for a quick nap. For this trip, I stayed at the swanky Embassy Suites. The striking hotel welcomed me with an impressive water installation and a bustling bar at Tony’s Steak & Seafood. I made a mental note to grab a cocktail before dinner at Hickory and Oak, an upscale restaurant in historic downtown.
Once at the eatery, I found myself immersed in an urban setting with a laidback Southern atmosphere. I kicked off the meal with country ham and pimento cheese fried wontons before digging into succulent steak frites and finishing with the towering brownie sundae topped with cocoa nibs and homemade cherry ice cream.
The next morning, after a sound sleep, I stopped at Spencer’s Coffee for provisions. The shop on Fountain Square has been a Bowling Green staple since 2001, and it provided a perky pick-me-up before I turned my car south for the easy five-hour drive back home.
BOWLING GREEN
visitbgky.com
@visitbgky
