Western Kentucky Road Trip

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WESTERN KENTUCKY ROAD TRIP
By Steve and Karen Wilson “Mr. & Mrs. Wild”

 

As owners and innkeepers of a B&B in Asheville, North Carolina, our lifestyle keeps us from traveling as much as we’d like, but we still have the travel bug and get out in this world whenever we can. Our trips usually involve nature, outdoor adventure, music, and history. This is how we rock…..and roll!

Come ride with us on our latest road trip adventure through Western Kentucky with stops in Tennessee and South Carolina.

 

JBJ’S IN NASHVILLE

🚗 Our road trip starts with a stop in Music City USA. Once we heard that Jon Bon Jovi opened a new bar on Broadway, we knew there had to be a stop in Nashville on the way up to Kentucky. JBJ’s did not disappoint!

Located next to Nudies, one of our other favorite Nashville bars, JBJ’s is in the heart of Broadway. With five levels, there is plenty of space and many options. Unfortunately, not all five floors were open when we were there, but we did get to check out the first two levels and the rooftop. The first level had a tiered stage with a live band playing 80’s cover songs and had a good area for dancing. The second level overlooked the stage and had tables next to the windows overlooking Broadway and the JBJ’s sign. The rooftop offered spectacular views of the famous AT&T building and the action down on Broadway. There was a live band playing 80’s hard rock, including some Bon Jovi songs, of course. The drink selection was fun as their specialty cocktails were Bon Jovi-themed. The sun set behind the buildings, but it was still a great place to be. The sky filled with color and the lights of Broadway started to shine.

Yes, Nashville has become known for bachelorette parties and bar hopping but you can’t beat the live music scene. And this is what keeps drawing us back to Nashville. No matter what style of music tickles your fancy, you will find it here with endless talented musicians. No place that we know of compares!

 

CASEY JONES DISTILLERY IN HOPKINSVILLE

🚗 Working our way into Kentucky, we stopped at Casey Jones Distillery in Hopkinsville. After reading the history of this distillery, we knew this had to be a stop. We have tackled much of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and have done several distillery tours, but this one was unique.

The story goes:
During Prohibition, Al Capone got moonshine from many different places but the shine he liked the most came from Golden Pond, Kentucky. But why? Casey Jones was Golden Pond’s master still maker. The stills he designed were unique and meticulously crafted. Fellow moonshiners and Chicago’s most famous gangster knew Casey’s stills because of the superior product they produced.

Casey’s square pot still, also known as a coffin still, fit perfectly in the bed of a wagon or a pickup truck, a definite plus when a moonshiner needed to make a fast getaway and didn’t want to leave the tools of his trade behind. Casey also put handles in all the right places on his stills so they would be easy to move. He recognized that the condenser was the most important piece of the still, so it had its very own handle so that in case of a raid, it could be the first piece out. For over 30 years, Casey Jones built stills all over Kentucky using only copper.

Casey’s legendary ingenuity and passion inspired his grandson, Arlon Casey Jones, to follow in his footsteps. Casey built his last still in 1967. AJ used that still, which is now on display in the Casey Jones Distillery Lounge, as a guide to build the still that they use today. AJ is the master distiller and handcrafts every batch of Casey Jones spirits using a recipe that has been handed down through generations of the Jones family. It doesn’t get more authentic than a family recipe cooked in a family still!

Beyond that intriguing history, the property is inviting. You will be greeted with warm Southern hospitality and get a warm, fuzzy feeling even before you do a tasting.

Casey Jones Distillery is a dog-friendly place. They have several rescue dogs that are happy to give you attention. Our dogs loved it. Between all the love from the staff, new dog friends, and a pond to take a dip in, they were happy puppers.

 

PIT STOP AT BUC-EE’S IN SMITHS GROVE

🚗 Buc-ee’s has become quite a phenomenon these days. With hundreds of gas pumps and a huge store stocked with everything you could ever need and more, it truly has become a must-see on a road trip. This location just opened so it was not as big or as busy, but we got a couple of our favorite snacks like the spicy Buc-ee’s nuggets, and the dark chocolate salted caramel fudge that tastes like a Milky Way. We grabbed our indulgent treats and continued to head north.

CABOOSE FARM STAY IN MADISONVILLE

🚃 Our next stop was to check into our cute little caboose on a farm. We love staying in unique and historic places. It was small but comfy with everything we needed. The outdoor shower with a few donkeys on the other side of the fence made for a fun experience. It’s all about adventure!

There was a nice deck that we used to grill some meals and a dock on the pond where we fished. Believe it or not, our Shih Tzus are outdoor dogs. Ozzy gets excited when he sees us throw out a fishing line. Our puppy, Lita, was unsure what to think and she wasn’t as curious as Ozzy was to see us reel in a fish. A day of relaxation was a success and now we were well-rested for 5 hours of music.

 

 

ROCK THE DAM FESTIVAL

🚗 We headed to the small town of Beaver Dam to attend the annual Rock The Dam festival. Some of our favorite bands were playing so we knew that the Beaver Dam Amphitheater’s slogan of “You’ll have a Dam Good Time” would easily be achieved. This amphitheater was impressive and it’s understandable how it brings in crowds bigger than the population of the town. We thoroughly enjoyed all four bands – Paradise Kitty, Firehouse, Winger, and Tesla.

Five hours of hanging out in the pit made for an epic night of rock and roll. One thing about being in the pit though: you may see a scuffle or two. Yep, there were at least two fights with one a little too close for comfort. Fortunately, the security was on the ball and squelched things before they got out of hand. At least we weren’t involved…(this time)! We were too busy making friends instead. Music friends are the best friends.

 

 

NATIONAL CORVETTE MUSEUM IN BOWLING GREEN

🚗 We headed to Bowling Green to visit the National Corvette Museum. We are both big fans of the Corvette so the immersive exhibits in this museum kept our attention for a couple of hours. The rich history and evolution of the Corvette design is fascinating, and we both had a fun time trying to choose which ‘vette we wanted to drive home. What a tough decision, and one left for another day!

The museum is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and does a great job preserving these cars and educating the public about the legacy of this American sports car. When you first enter the facility, you come upon several brand new, custom order cars waiting for their new owners to come and pick them up. This is a special perk when you custom order a Corvette.

After going through the turnstile, enjoy a lesson in Corvette history, from the first C1 model to the present C8 cars. There are numerous displays with historical information as well as race cars and a few concept vehicles. Memorabilia can be found throughout the museum too. The Corvette is a true American icon at its finest!

The sinkhole exhibit stood out. It was wild yet sad watching the video of eight beautiful Corvettes being swallowed into a sinkhole. The survivors and the not-so-lucky cars are on display as well as a time-lapse video of the sinkhole forming. Pretty scary stuff and a good thing it happened early in the morning.

As you exit, there are a couple of Corvette simulators that you can rent time on if you so desire. Even better is the opportunity to take a ride in a Corvette on an actual racetrack which is located across the highway from the museum. This place is a must visit if you ever happen to be in Bowling Green!


EXPLORING HISTORIC BOWLING GREEN

🍺 Bowling Green is known for the General Motors Corvette Assembly Plant, Fruit of the Loom, and Camping World, to name a few but it also has a quaint historic downtown. And of course, every town needs a brewery or two. We enjoyed checking out Fountain Square Park and the architecture of the buildings before trying some craft beers at White Squirrel Brewery. It was a fun spot to end a day. The staff were so friendly, and they welcomed our dogs with treats and plenty of pats. Cheers to White Squirrel Brewery for providing a cool atmosphere, good conversation, and great beers. We’ll be back next time we are in Bowling Green!

MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK

🚗 We always include a hike and nature in our road trips and this national park was a perfect fit. It’s home to the world’s longest cave system and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve.

With over a dozen cave tours available, it was a difficult choice on which one to take. We opted for the Domes and Dripstones tour as we wanted a more difficult hike, and the goal was to see some stalactites and stalagmites. This tour was rated difficult due to 640 stairs but as hikers, we felt it was easy. Just be prepared for hundreds of ascending and descending steps. We had two rangers with our group of approximately 100 people and we visited areas of Mammoth Cave that have been used for nearly 100 years. We began the tour in a sinkhole and walked through huge domes. There was a short sitting break about halfway through the tour where the ranger gave us a little history and a science lesson about the natural formation of the caves. The best part was when they turned off the lights and it was pitch black. Creepy yet very cool subterranean beauty. We continued to the dripstone section known as Frozen Niagara. This was the wow factor we were waiting for. The stalactites and stalagmites were spectacular.

This tour was over in two hours, so we decided to explore a little more of the park’s 52,000 acres. We hiked above the Caves on the 1/2-mile River Styx trail where you can get close to a spring where water emerges from an underground cave. There were a few wildflowers on the trail, and it was an easy out-and-back trail for hikers of all levels. We even ran into Kentucky Senator Rand Paul at the visitor’s center.

 

 

SUMMER OF ’99

🚗 Our last stop in Greenville, South Carolina, was a little out of the way but we wanted to end the trip with one more music fix. We had seen Scott Stapp, the lead singer of Creed, play solo earlier this year and he was phenomenal. His voice was strong, and he was full of energy. So, we knew we had to attend Creed’s reunion tour, the Summer of ’99. The weather was not ideal unfortunately and the show was delayed due to thunderstorms. Eventually, the storms passed, and the fans were allowed into the Amphitheater and the show began. Creed put on a great show and even the light rain coming down seemed to dance to the music. It was magical and was the perfect end to our road trip.

 

Plan Your Western Kentucky Road Trip:
https://www.caseyjonesdistillery.com/
https://www.corvettemuseum.org/
https://www.nps.gov/maca/index.htm

Steve and Karen Wilson own and run The Lion and The Rose Bed & Breakfast in the heart of the Montford Historic District in Asheville, North Carolina. They also cohost Big Blend Radio’s “Adventures in Asheville podcast that airs every first Tuesday. Learn more about their Inn at https://www.lion-rose.com/

 

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About the Author:

Steve and Karen Wilson own and run The Lion and The Rose Bed & Breakfast in the heart of the Montford Historic District in Asheville, North Carolina. They also cohost Big Blend Radio’s “Adventures in Asheville” podcast that airs every first Tuesday.

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As owners and innkeepers of a B&B in Asheville, North Carolina, our lifestyle keeps us from traveling as much as we'd like, but we still have the travel bug and get out in this world whenever we can. Our trips usually involve nature, outdoor adventure, music, and history. This is how we rock.....and roll!

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