These Small Towns in Kentucky Come Alive in Summer
It may lack oceans and massive mountains, but Kentucky is a splendid summer destination. Per its nickname, the Bluegrass State, Kentucky's attractions are lush, colorful, cultural, and enlivened by sunshine. In order to see such wonders, tourists flood small towns and make them bloom just like their signature sites. From cavernous Cave City to evergreen Pineville to fallen-for Corbin, behold seven small Kentucky settlements that come alive in summer.
Cave City
Of all the places to cool off during summer, a cave might not enter your radar. Yet temporary and permanent Cave Citians know very well the refreshing properties of their titular attraction. Sitting several miles west of town is Mammoth Cave, a 400-plus-mile cave system that maintains a year-round temperature of roughly 54掳F. It is part of Mammoth Cave National Park, so after taking a cold plunge into the 海角社区's longest-known underground cavern, warm up in the park's 52,000ish acres of above-ground wilderness by hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, boating, fishing, horseback riding, and stargazing. Later, head to Cave City proper. If tired, rest and refuel at Bucky Bees BBQ or El Mazatl谩n. If you are looking for more adventure, visit Dinosaur 海角社区 or Crystal Onyx Cave. While not Mammoth Caves, the latter offers a stunning experience below ground.
Loretto
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a 60-stop tour of Bourbon Country, Kentucky. Many of those stops are distilleries, namely the Bulleit Distilling Co., Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, James B. Beam Distilling Co., and Maker's Mark Distillery, the last of which occupies the lush outskirts of Loretto. On sultry summer days, Kentucky Bourbon Trailers pass through this super-small city to see one of America's biggest bourbon producers. Among the tours offered at the scenic Maker's Mark Distillery complex are Behind the Bourbon, the Whisky Creek Walking Tour, The Star Hill Farm Tour, the Wax Drips & Honey Dips Experience, and the classic Maker's Mark Tour. Another notable sight to see along the trail is My Old Kentucky Home, which sits north of Loretto and is linked to Stephen Foster's famous song of the same name. As night falls, one can grab a bite at the Cozy Corner Restaurant, a quaint eatery in town.
Pineville
True to its name, Pineville is a small settlement surrounded by trees courtesy of the Kentucky Ridge State Forest. This 15,000ish-acre preserve offers hiking, horseback riding, fishing, hunting, picnicking, primitive camping, and luxurious lodging thanks to the Pine Mountain State Resort Park. Town, forest, and resort about Pine Mountain, a ridge of the Appalachians stretching over 3,000 feet above sea level. One of the best views from Pine Mountain is at Chained Rock, which is literally chained so that it does not crush Pineville below (since Chained Rock is already connected to the mountain, this is mostly a publicity stunt). After looking down at an unflattened Pineville, summer vacationers fatten up in Pineville proper at Leonz House of Steak & Subs.
Cadiz
Be a fly on the wall in Cadiz, which is a tiny gateway to a 170,000ish-acre inland peninsula. Aptly called the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, this preserve is sandwiched between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake on the border between Kentucky and Tennessee. Summer vacationers flock here for hiking, biking, boating, paddling, swimming, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, and sightseeing. Sights range from elk and bison in the 700-acre Elk & Bison Prairie to more than 270 cemeteries dating to a time of burial decentralization. Thankfully, Cadiz is nearby to counterbalance exhausting and exasperating attractions with cozy and wholesome retreats. Its Harper House Restaurant, Cadiz Antique Mall, Janice Mason Art Museum, and Cadiz Family Restaurant are just some of the spots assuaging adventurers.
Slade
Slade is unincorporated, but do not confuse that with insignificant. In fact, given its position in the Daniel Boone National Forest, Slade is one of Kentucky's most significant summer settlements. Countless people use Slade as a launchpad for Daniel Boone-style exploring, primarily in the Red River Gorge Geological Area and the Natural Bridge State Resort Park. The former preserves around 29,000 acres of the titular Red River Gorge. The latter also protects about 2,300 acres of gorgeland, especially its 65-foot-tall namesake natural bridge. First-time Sladers might be surprised to discover that Miguel's Pizza is the main hub for hikers and rock climbers. Herpetophobes would not be happy to discover that Slade hosts the Kentucky Reptile Zoo, but herpetophiles would be elated to see more than 85 species of scaled spectacles during their summer vacay.
Hodgenville
Ten score and 16 years ago, Abraham Lincoln was born on a farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky. Today, that site is preserved as the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, which also preserves the site of his later childhood home. All his early homes are gone, but in their steads are relatively time-appropriate representations: a Symbolic Birth Cabin made out of circa 1840s-era logs in the Birthplace Unit and the Kentucky Boyhood Home made out of 1800-era logs in the Boyhood Home Unit. Summer tourists log those Lincoln attractions along with Lincoln attractions in Hodgenville proper. They include the Lincoln Museum and two bronze statues, one depicting him as an adult and the other as a child.
Corbin
A gateway to the Daniel Boone National Forest but located far south of Slade, Corbin funnels summer vacationers into Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. This refreshing preserve is headlined by Cumberland Falls, a 60-ish-foot-tall, 125-ish-foot-wide waterfall dubbed the "Niagara of the South." Although it sounds counterintuitive, this waterfall is often best viewed at night. Cumberland Falls can produce a moonbow, a rainbow made with moonlight rather than sunlight. If the moonbow proves elusive, there are many colorful sights to see in Corbin. The Pinball Museum of Corbin lets you admire and play pinball machines from 1969 to 2022, while the Harland Sanders Cafe & Museum lets you tour the restored 1940s restaurant where Colonel Sanders developed Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Final Thoughts
Despite being a landlocked southeastern state, Kentucky gets plenty of sun and water, making it a fertile spot for summer travelers. Thanks to climate-enlivened natural and cultural attractions and the livelier people attracted to such attractions, some of the smallest Kentucky communities blossom into veritable cities during summer. Join the flood of fertility over Cave City, Loretto, Pineville, Cadiz, Slade, Hodgenville, and Corbin in the warm Kentucky months.
