In a Kentucky state of mind

I've been in a Kentucky state of mind since our visit last month. We had a great time on our four-day trip through Kentucky's cave country. Here's what our itinerary looked like:

Day 1:
Arrived around 3 p.m. following a 6-hour drive with a couple bathroom breaks. We stopped in Munfordville at the visitors center for some information and went on to Cub Run Cave for a tour. Stopped for dinner down the road and went on to our lodging for the evening, The Country Girl at Heart Bed and Breakfast. We got settled into our room and went on a little tour of the property. The kids helped corral the chickens into the barn for the night.

Day 2:
Following a stop for lunch at Big Bubba Buck's Belly Bustin' BBQ Bliss, we visited the American Cave Museum and went for a tour of the Hidden River Cave. Stopped down the road at the bakery for a treat and then went on to Kentucky Down Under, an Australian-themed animal park, which also has a cave on the grounds that can be toured. The second night was spent at the Horse Cave Hampton Inn. It was conveniently located right off the expressway and close to Kentucky Down Under. We went for a dip in the pool before bed.

Day 3:
Our first stop was Guntown Mountain, a favorite of the whole family with stunt shows, old west gunfights, a saloon, magic shows and more. We also stopped in the Guntown Haunted Hotel and then went on to Dinosaur World, located just across the street. We later visited the Mammoth Cave Wildlife Museum and then Kentucky Action Park for bumper cars, bumper boats, the Alpine Slide and Go-Karts. There's also a zipline, but I chickened out. We settled in for night three at the Mammoth Cave Hotel inside the national park. It's a peaceful place that we love to stay at. We saw lots of grazing deer near the parking lot as we pulled in.

Day 4:
If we'd had more time, I would have loved to have gotten in a tour at the National Park. We've done some shorter tours before, but there are also long cave exploring tours, as well. After leaving the park, we stopped at Big Mike's Mystery House and then went back to Kentucky Action Park for a little more fun. Then it was on to Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green where we checked out the new water park. We left for home at closing time, drove a few hours and made a Cracker Barrel stop for dinner, arriving home early the next morning -- both exhausted and exhilarated. It was a wonderful trip to one of my favorite family travel destinations.

I'll post more specifics on the attractions we visited in the coming weeks.

Splash Universe: The peace of Amish Country and fun of an indoor water park

I've always loved traveling to Amish Country. It just evokes such a sense of peace and slows the pace so you don't feel so hurried and life doesn't feel so hectic. I've enjoyed taking trips to the Arcola and Arthur area in Illinois for many years and a couple years ago paid a visit to the Shipshewana and Nappanee, Indiana area, which I also love.

A trip to Amish Country might not be the first pick for children, but in Shipshewana there's a great kid-friendly attraction among the Amish attractions and small Amish-run businesses, the Splash Universe Indoor Water Park. It's the best of both worlds. The adults can enjoy shopping and the low-tech charm of the area and the kids can splash away in the water playground, zip down the water slides and glide down the lazy river. The resort also has special activities for kids as well as an arcade and ice cream parlor. For this time of year especially, it's a great getaway while we wait for summer to arrive and the outdoor pools and water parks to open. Learn more at www.splashuniverse.com. Be sure to go online and sign up for their e-mail list for notification of specials.