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Vacation ideas close to home
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By MARLA TONCRAY, News Editor
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From talking with friends and co-workers, it seems we are at the peak of the vacation season. Many people have already taken their summer vacation, while others are heading out to the beach or other destinations to soak up the sun, visit amusement parks or family and relax over the July 4th holiday week and beyond.
If you are still trying to decide how you want to spend a few days away from home and work, or you have family visiting this summer and you're trying to find ways to entertain them, here are a few ideas to get you started.
One thing I always overlooked when living in metropolitan Atlanta were tourist attractions within an hour's drive of my home; becoming a tourist in your own community can be entertaining, educational, surprising and affordable.
So if gas prices are keeping you close to home this year, look around your hometown region for things to do and decide what your interests are.
If you just "want to get away" for a few days, consider going to Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park and staying at their lodge, which offers 32 rooms with full amenities, including two suites. There are also cottages available if you want more of a "home" environment. The park offers a swimming pool, an 18-hole miniature golf course, game room, nature trials and the newly renovated Pioneer Museum, as well as a full-service restaurant.
For information and reservations, visit www.kentuckytourism.com, then click on state park information or call 800-443-7008.
You can also "get away" by staying the night or weekend in Mason County, making it your hub while you visit sites and attractions within the Buffalo Trace region and across the river in Ohio.
There are four hotels, Best Western, Hampton Inn, French Quarter Inn and Super 8 Motel and three Bed and Breakfast establishments, Moon River B&B, Magnolia Inn and Margie's B&B which offer friendly and affordable accommodations. The Best Western and Hampton Inn offer an indoor pool and the French Quarter Inn has an outdoor pool.
To entertain yourself, you can:
A) Take a canoe trip down the Licking River with Setter Ridge Outfitters, a family operated tour business that opened in summer, 2006 in Claysville in Robertson County. For information visit their Web site at www.setterridgekycanoeing.com
B) Visit the Maysville-Mason County Recreation Park to play putt-putt golf, tennis, fish at the 11-acre lake, play volleyball, enjoy a picnic and swim at the Olympic size pool complete with concession stand, baby pool and showers or bring your bicycle for a spin around the around the lake or a visit into the nearby historic district of Washington for a bit of shopping or historic tour.
C) Plan a golf outing at local golf courses, including Laurel Oaks Golf Course or Kenton Station Golf Course, Fleming County Golf Association or Buttermilk Falls Golf Club, White Oak Golf Course and Lakewood Golf Course in Brown County.
D) Go fishing -- if you don't have a favorite fishing spot or just want to try it out for fun, there are several pay lakes in the area including Big C on Kentucky 9 and Martin's Pay Lake in western Mason County.
E) Visit local museums including the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center in Maysville, the Fleming County Covered Bridge Museum in Flemingsburg, the George Mason Thomas Visitor Center in Vanceburg, National Underground Railroad Museum in Maysville, the Rosemary Clooney Museum in Augusta and the museums of historic Washington.
F) Spend the day at Paradise Breeze Water Park, where you can enjoy arcade games, go-carts, sunbathing and playing in the water. Visit www.paradisebreeze.com.
G) Take a trip to Serpent Mound in Adams County and find out why this natural phenomenon is so compelling, it's advertised on the side of U-Haul moving trucks as one of America's sites to visit. Visit www.adamscountytravel.org.
H) Visit the murals in downtown Maysville if you haven't seen them and if you have, take a trip to Portsmouth, Ohio, to see more than 50 murals painted by the same artist, Robert Dafford. The murals not only add beauty to the floodwall, but give a visual history of the area depicted and are unique pieces of artwork.
I) Long's Retreat Family Resort in Latham, Ohio, just north of Adams County has 400 camp sites, 13 cabins, a water park with water slides, a man-made lake with paddle boats and canoes. For information contact 937-588-3725 or visit www.longsretreat.com.
More information about local tourist attractions can be obtained by calling the Maysville-Mason County Convention and Visitor's Bureau at 606-564-9419 or by visiting www.cityofmaysville.com or www.kentuckytourism.com.
If you don't want to stay the night, but want to get away for the day, consider visiting some of Kentucky's State Parks or National Parks.
Cave Run Lake and Grayson Lake are located in the Kentucky Appalachians and offer a variety of activities and amenities. Cave Run Lake is located in the 8,300-acre Daniel Boone National Forest, near Morehead. For more information on Cave Run Lake contact 606-784-5624. For information about Grayson Lake contact 606-474-5815.
Greenbo Lake State Resort Park in Greenup County offers camping, fishing, boat rentals, concert series, dining and more. Upcoming events include recording artist Steve Free and his band on Wed., July 2 and the Red Lion Theatre's production of "The Whole Town is Talking" this weekend and next. For information contact 800-325-0083 or visit www.parks.ky.gov.
The Red River Gorge, also located in the Daniel Boone National Forest offers a wide variety of activities including camping, hiking, repelling, an environmental learning center, the Natural Arch scenic area and more. For more information contact 859-745-3100 or visit the Daniel Boone National Forest Web site at http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/boone or http://www.kentuckytourism.com.
If visiting festivals and special events appeals to you, visit the State of Kentucky Tourism Web site for a statewide list of festival and events to help you coordinate your summer vacation. From our own balloon race to summer concert series, barbecue festivals, quilt shows and more, the site provides all the information you need, as well as lodging information for the town or region you want to visit.
For Ohio travel information, lodging and tourist attractions, visit http://www.discoverohio.com.
Contact Marla Toncray at marla.toncray@lee.net or 606-564-9091, ext. 275. |
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Reader Comments
Comments are limited to 200 words or less.
Shawn Flaugher wrote on Jul 7, 2008 8:47 PM: " I can't believe you did not mention Carter Caves State Park, which is just a little over an hour from Maysville. It has a lake, lodge, golf course, campground, horse riding, hiking trails, and several caves to spelunk. It is one of my favorite state parks. "
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