Looking for your next weekend getaway? There's no shortage of incredible places to explore right here in our state, so every Friday this month, we’re highlighting one destination that deserves a spot on your itinerary. This week, we're taking the two hour drive to Cave City.

🏞️ What to do

Cave tour | Mammoth Cave National Park is Kentucky's only UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the largest network of underground caves and subterranean passages in the world. Pro tip: If you want to go on an official tour (you do), book in advance as they sell out.

Outdoor fun | Not everything is underground. Adventures of Mammoth Cave lets you choose from a zipline tour, aerial challenge course, horseback riding or rent an electric mountain bike, kayak, or canoe to explore Mammoth Cave’s beautiful landscape.

Roadside attractions | Who doesn't love a kitschy but cool stop? Check out: Dinosaur World to walk among life-sized ancient giants (bring your brave pooch — it's pet-friendly), JB’s Haunted Mansion & Snack Shack for a spookier vibe, or hit the Jesse James Riding Stables & Outlaw Cave and tee up for Western-themed mini-golf.

🍦 What to eat

Cave City Coffee + Creamery | Indulge your summer sweet tooth at this local ice cream shop — which also serves coffee. Get an ice cream flight to truly indulge.

The Dog Pound | Dig into smoked offerings at this small, roadside eatery. Plus, Tom’s Tee-Pee gift shop is across the street.

Cave City Pizza | This New York-style pizza joint just reopened under new owners, but they're dishing out the same beloved specialty pies like the "When in Brussels" with shaved Brussels sprouts, a spinach base, salty bacon, a butter and garlic sauce, and a signature house-made stone-ground mustard maple glaze.

Stay in a historic wigwam in Cave City. | Photo by @lexingtonpodcast

⛺️ Where to stay

Jellystone Park Mammoth Cave, 950 Mammoth Cave Rd. | Themed after the 1960s animated comedy TV show “The Yogi Bear Show,” this park has RV hook-ups, deluxe cabins, and modern campsites. It also has 10+ on-site attractions like Karst Beach, mini-golf, a pedal cart track, gem mining, and hayrides.

Historic Wigwam Village No. 2, 601 N. Dixie Hwy. | “Sleep outside of the box” at this historic wigwam village that got its start in 1937. Choose between 15 rooms — a single or double — inside concrete wigwams complete with hotel amenities. Plus, there’s a retro playground onsite.

The Lodge at Mammoth Cave, 2811 Entrance Rd. Located in the heart of Mammoth Cave National park, the lodging here includes a motel with single and double queen beds + a historic hotel and woodland cottages.

Grand Victorian Inn, 5 Old Dixie Hwy., Park City, KY | This historic inn was once the Mammoth Cave Train Station Hotel and is located in nearby Park City (~10 minutes east of Cave City). It offers 11 Victorian-style guest rooms which include breakfast.

Stay tuned for the next installment of Bluegrass Bound.