Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area

Getting up close and personal with free-roaming bison, visiting a planetarium, taking a guided sunset canoe tour, and exploring 500 miles of trails? Yes, please! Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area is a favorite for kids and kids-at-heart. With 170,000 acres of forest and open land, and 300 miles of undeveloped shoreline, there is plenty to explore here. You can drive through Elk and Bison Prairie (see the newborn calves in May and June!), visit the Golden Pond Planetarium and Observatory (it has a special telescope for viewing the sun!), or learn about pre-Civil War farming at the Homeplace 1850s Working Farm (complete with interpreters dressed as 1850’s farmers!). You can also check out the Woodlands Nature Station to learn about the natural history of the region, and see wildlife like owls, wolves, and hawks up close! The Nature Station also offers guided canoe tours and safaris. The park sits between Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake, and the Woodlands Trace National Scenic Byway runs through the middle of the park. There’s no way you’ll run out of things to do here, so you might want to load up on caffeine before you head over!