This lively city in southern Kentucky may be best known for the National Corvette Museum, where visitors can actually drive classic Corvettes for an extra fee. The excitement continues at Beech Bend Amusement Park and Raceway, where thrill seekers can master park rides or catch a drag race on the speedway. Visitors can learn about local history, including Civil War history at the Kentucky Museum or Hobson House. The Lost River Cave offers an underground cave experience that travelers won’t find anywhere else in Kentucky.
Aviation Heritage Park
Aviation Heritage Park, located at Basil Griffin Park, is an ongoing project designed to showcase seven remarkable hand-picked aircraft that honor local military aviators.
The collection currently has five aircraft on display, including a Phantom 550, a Grumman Panther F9F, a Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star, an F-111 Aardvark and, most recently, a NASA T-38 Talon.
The Talon has been flown by every Mercury and Gemini astronaut and every man who’s ever walked on the moon. The park is raising funds to restore a BG Huey and add it to the collection.
They also honor the first African American Tuskegee-trained female commercial pilot Willa Brown in a new exhibit.
1825 Three Springs Road, Bowling Green, KY, Phone: 270-421-4885
Beech Bend Amusement Park & Raceway
Beech Bend Amusement Park & Raceway opened its gates to the public in 1898 and has been entertaining families ever since. Today, it’s a combination of amusement park, drag raceway, and campground all rolled into one.
The amusement park features rides and attractions for the whole family, from a giant wooden rollercoaster to a waterpark.
There are seven thrill rides, 19 family rides and attractions, and 11 children’s rides. Splash Lagoon includes seven amazing water attractions.
Seasonal drag racing events offer thrills all summer, with drivers competing to be Season Point Champions.
Beech Bend Campgrounds offers 500 gorgeous wooded campsites, half of which have full hookups. Wi-Fi is available and free throughout the campgrounds.
798 Beech Bend Road, Bowling Green, KY, Phone: 270-781-7634
The Baker Arboretum and the Downing Museum
The Baker Arboretum and the Downing Museum sits on 115 acres of rolling hills outside Bowling Green. Visitors will find a variety of trees – magnolias, dogwoods, Japanese maples, and others – in a carefully landscaped architecture that pleases the eye and soothes the soul. The seasonal landscaping rewards visitors with nature’s splendor all year round. Spring and summer blooming trees give way to colorful Japanese maples in fall and hardy conifers in winter. Its Western Kentucky University location keeps the educational research on these ornamental trees alive. The Downing Museum at the arboretum is dominated by the spectacular artwork of international contemporary artist Joseph Dudley Downing. Other exhibitions include the works of regional Kentucky artists.
4801 Morganstown Road, Bowling Green, KY, Phone: 270-842-7415
Drake Vintage Music & Curios
Drake Vintage Music & Curios is located 20 minutes outside Bowling Green in Drake, Kentucky. Country music lovers will enjoy this museum, which showcases the history of country music fan culture in the 20th century. Freeman Kitchens, founder of the Carter Family country music fan club, began collecting and selling country songs from his store in Drake, Kentucky, in the 1940s. Today, visitors to the shop will get a lesson in early country music history as Freeman guides them through his collection of photos, music, and artifacts. This grassroots documentation of the music and lives of the Carter country music singers spans the generations.
7487 Plano Road, Drake, KY, Phone: 270-843-9376
General Motors Corvette Assembly Plant & National Corvette Museum
Sports car enthusiasts will be elated to tour the General Motors Corvette Assembly Plant & National Corvette Museum to see how America’s sportscar is built. Bowling Green has been home to the Corvette assembly line for over 60 years. Unfortunately, plant tours are suspended until June 2019, but visitors can tour the National Corvette Museum on the plant’s 55-acre campus. Museum visits usually take 1 to 2 hours to complete and are available 7 days a week. Real enthusiasts can reserve a ride in a Corvette at the museum admissions desk, where they’ll be able to choose from a couple classic Corvette convertibles. This option is only available March through October.
350 Corvette Drive, Bowling Green, KY, Phone: 270-745-8019
Historic Railpark and Train Museum
The L & N Depot was first built in 1925 and provided service to over 20 trains per day. Most routes connected Louisville, Kentucky, with Nashville, Tennessee. The museum galleries include information on railroad history and offer kids hands-on learning activities. There are 450 feet of railway track behind the museum displaying seven cars, each with its own story, which have been available to visitors since 2002. Each car has been meticulously restored to its former glory. Cars are available for guided tours on the hour. Another way to explore and enjoy the railcars is via an escape room experience on either the caboose or hospital car.
Historic Railpark and Train Museum, 401 Kentucky Street, Bowling Green, KY, Phone: 270-745-7317
Kentucky Museum
Western Kentucky University is home to the Kentucky Museum. The museum has numerous permanent and temporary exhibits for public viewing. Temporary exhibits have included A Culture Carried: Bosnians in Bowling Green and Korea through Kentucky Eyes. Other museum exhibits address the history of quilting, common objects used in extraordinary work, the 18th century slave trade, the Civil War, and prehistoric Kentuckians, among others. Art and artifacts are included in themed exhibits. Visitors may take self-guided tours of the museums, although docents are on hand to answer questions and offer insights. Tours last approximately 90 minutes. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday.
1444 Kentucky Street, Bowling Green, KY, Phone: 270-745-2592
Lost River Cave
Lost River Cave is a Bowling Green natural landmark that includes 70 acres of wetlands, meadows, a restored prairie, and the famous cave that started it all. Visitors will definitely want to take the Cave Boat Tour, the highlight attraction here. It begins with a hike to the cave while a guide recounts historical tales. Guests set off across still waters on the underground boat tour through a cathedral-like cavern. The hike and boat tour take 45 minutes to an hour. Another exciting, albeit muddy, adventure is the guided 2-hour Discovery Cave Crawl, where participants follow the same passageways as Civil War soldiers. Families will discover numerous other activities at Lost River Cave.
2818 Nashville Road, Bowling Green, KY, Phone: 270-393-0077
Jackson’s Orchard & Nursery
Stop by and visit this massive 105-acre farm filled with thousands of fruit trees. Open to the public from April through November, Jackson’s Orchard & Nursery welcomes visitors to tour their hundred-year-old working farm consisting of apple, peach, and cherry trees. They offer several activities for visitors depending on the time of the year including educational tours that include hayrides and free snacks. There’s also a playground for young kids along with a retail apple barn selling fruit preserves, apple cider, pies, and more. Special activities include apple picking in the fall, and weekend pumpkin festivals featuring a petting zoo, hayrides, pumpkin patch, corn maze, and more.
1280 Slim Island Road, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101; Phone: 270-781-5303
Novo Dolce Gastro Pub
Novo Dolce Gastro Pub created the consummate partnership of upscale dining with a casual pub ambience. The trendy restaurant has concrete floors, a marble top bar, neutral color palette, floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space with light, subdued recessed and track lighting for evenings, and contemporary furnishings. Diners can expect an Italian-inspired menu with caprese, Greek, and panzanella salads, six scrumptious pizzas including a build your own option, eight delicious sandwiches, and three pasta dishes. The food, ambience, and location combine to make a comfortable and delectable dining experience. Novo Dolce is open from lunch to late night, 7 days a week.
651 US-31 Bypass #101, Bowling Green, KY, Phone: 270-904-3300
Capitol Arts Center, Bowling Green
The Capitol Arts Center in historic downtown has been a long-standing, iconic building and an important part of the community for over a century. It’s always been a beacon for various arts, originally starting as a vaudeville theater in the 1890’s and then becoming the Capitol Theatre movie house in the 1930’s. Following a vacancy for a decade from the late 60’s to 70’s, the theater underwent a heavy renovation and finally opened its doors to the public once again in 1981 as the Capitol Arts Center. Today, the 750-seat auditorium hosts a busy schedule of various arts performances including local and touring artists. The center is also home to a year-round art gallery as well as a used bookstore.
416 E Main Avenue, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101; Phone: 270-782-2787
Riverview at Hobson Grove
Riverview at Hobson Grove is an Italianate home built in 1872 on a 400-acre horse and cattle farm. The historical house museum sits atop a hill overlooking the Barren River. The Italianate architecture features rounded window arches, roofline eaves with ornamental brackets and, of course, a cupola where visitors can take in spectacular views. Inside, the home has been restored to its original beauty, with two parlors that have painted ceilings and elegant Victorian décor throughout. Construction began before the Civil War and was completed thereafter. During the war, it was used for Confederate munitions storage, which makes it a site on the Civil War Discovery Trail.
1100 West Main Avenue, Bowling Green, KY, Phone: 270-843-5565
Shanty Hollow Lake Hiking Trail
Parents looking for a family-friendly hike will find it here at Shanty Hollow Lake Hiking Trail. The loop trail is under 2 miles long with beautiful bluffs and rock overhangs along the way. It takes an average of 50 minutes to hike the full loop. There are some obstacles along the trail like rocks and fallen trees, but nothing too difficult, and the reward is a small but beautiful waterfall at the end. The trail is not well maintained, so parts can be muddy, particularly after rain. Hikers will want to be prepared and bring good footwear. The best time to hike this peaceful trail is between March and October.
1200 Shanty Hollow Road, Bowling Green, KY, Phone: 270-782-0800
SKyPAC
Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center (SKyPAC) is the most recent, and most significant, addition to Bowling Green’s downtown entertainment scene. This exciting venue welcomes visitors into a stunning lobby with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Circus Square. A comfortable living room-style seating area with Wi-Fi is the perfect place to relax before or after an event, or to people watch anytime. SKyPAC hosts national acts like country singer Gene Watso, and illusionist Jay Owenhouse in its 1,800-seat Performance Hall. There is also a 200-seat Studio Theater for more intimate performances, and the SKyPAC Galleries, which include a children’s art gallery. An outdoor amphitheater hosts movies under the stars.
SKyPAC, 601 College Street, Bowling Green, KY, Phone: 270-904-1880
440 Main
440 Main is one of Bowling Green’s top romantic restaurants. The restaurant’s casual elegance is reflected in the historical pressed tin ceilings and mahogany grand staircase preserved since the building’s 1871 origin. Subdued pendant lighting, a quiet earth tone color palette, marble accents, and local artwork add to the ambience. Diners will appreciate the New Orleans Creole flavors in dishes like the Big Easy Pork Chop and their classic jambalaya. Other menu favorites include steak and seafood dishes as well as nightly specials featuring fresh Kentucky-grown ingredients. Those in town for an event will appreciate 440 Main’s 20 years of banquet service experience.
440 Main Street, Bowling Green, KY, Phone: 270-793-0450
Chaney's Dairy Barn & Restaurant
When USA Today named the top ice cream parlors in 50 states, Chaney's Dairy Barn & Restaurant took that honor in Kentucky. It’s one part farm, one part artists’ market, and two parts amazing homemade ice cream. This unique ice cream shop also serves homemade burgers, sandwiches, salads, and soups. The Barn market features specialty foods and crafts made by Kentucky’s finest craftsmen and farmers. They also sell an array of Chaney’s souvenirs and clothes. Self-guided farm tours cost $4 and available whenever Chaney’s is open for business. Groups of 10 or more need reservations for guided tours featuring demonstrations.
9191 Nashville Road, Bowling Green, KY, Phone: 270-843-5567
