There was a time when a road trip involved piling everyone into the family station wagon, maybe pulling a trailer, and heading out to see the country’s natural wonders. Folding maps pointed the way, roadside attractions sounded a siren call, and a motel or campground swimming pool was the Holy Grail for anyone under age 18.
You may be piloting a motorhome or cruising in an SUV toting that trailer these days, but there are still plenty of places to enjoy a nostalgic adventure. Kentucky has one of the best: Cave City, home to Mammoth Cave and a collection of old-school tourist traps, just less than 100 miles from Louisville or Nashville.
Mammoth Cave National Park is one of the oldest tourist attractions in the United States says Greg Davis, Tourism Director of the Cave City Tourist and Convention Commission. It ranks only behind Plymouth, Massachusetts. It’s the longest cave system in the world with over 4,000 miles of passageways, with only 400 that have been explored. Underground, you’ll marvel at stalactites, stalagmites, huge gypsum crystals, and flowstone that appears dripping with cake frosting. A variety of tours are available ranging from easy 1.5-hour strolls to six-hour rigorous adventures.
There are eight other tourist caverns in the area offering an array of experiences. Outlaw Cave is reputed to be the one-time hideout of Jesse James and in Lost River Cave you tour by boat or kayak.
Roadside experiences don’t get much better than sleeping in a concrete teepee! In 1933, Kentucky resident Frank Redford dreamed up the idea of a teepee-themed tourist stop like one he’d seen in California. Redford built his first Wigwam Village in Horse Cave soon after, consisting of the main building and six teepee-shaped lodges. In 1937, he opened the second location in Cave City. Its main building was originally a gas station/cafe/gift shop standing 52 feet high, making it the largest teepee in the world. Fifteen teepee lodges served as hotel rooms with private baths. Inside, you’ll still find original hickory furnishings from the 1930s.
Redford patented the concept and eventually built five more Wigwam Villages across the country. Only the ones in Cave City; Holbrook, Arizona; and Rialto, California survive. All are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
View of Wigwam Village #2 in Cave City [Photo/Wikimedia Commons]
Wigwam Village sits on the Dixie Highway, a road with its own impressive history. Mr. Davis described the evolution of the area’s segment of the Dixie Highway: “Route 31 is the only road in the state where you have an east and west leg. Route 31 E was a stagecoach route between Louisville and Nashville but it didn’t go through a lot of the towns.” Partly because of visitation to Mammoth cave and other transportation needs, Route 31 W was developed. It became the most used north-south route between Louisville and Nashville, noted Davis.
Be sure to catch the glowing neon at two other post-war Dixie Highway motor inns, the Star Motel and Holiday Motel.
This old West-themed piece of Americana has been attracting tourists since the late 1960s. Once known for the vintage chairlift that glides visitors up the mountain, that wonderful feature is currently out of commission. Shuttles now run visitors topside where they’ll find can-can shows, Wild West gunfights, and even a haunted hotel.
Now known as Froggett’s Guntown Mountain, new owners have added some modern attractions including two escape rooms, Nerf battles, and blacklight mini-golf. They are considering the addition of an old-fashioned roller-coaster.
A relatively new attraction that fits right into those an earlier generation is Dinosaur World. Mr. Davis said, “Kids love it. It’s relatively new, only about 12 years old.”
There, the whole family can roam the forest surrounded by life-size dinosaurs and get their picture taken beside a Triceratops, Stegosaurus, or another Jurassic beast. Then, parents can let the kids burn off steam in a dino-themed playground.
In the Bone Yard, kids can try their hand at excavating a 27-foot skeleton replica buried in the sand. They can search for real fossils in the Fossil Dig, stocked with things like shark teeth and gastropods, and bring home their favorite discoveries. There’s also the Dino Gem Excavation, a mining sluice where kids can sift for real minerals, gems, and even arrowheads and keep all the treasures they find.
Adults and older kids will enjoy the museum housing displays of real and replicated fossils along with information about dinosaurs, fossils, and paleontology.
With caves being the area’s main draw, it’s no wonder that dozens of gift shops abound featuring rocks, minerals, and fossils. And, Mr. Davis pointed out, “These are independent business owners who run those.”
The one you can’t miss - literally because their huge signs dotting the roadside - is Big Mikes. Opened in the 1970s, Big Mikes is the biggest and most popular rock and gift shop in the area, featuring tons of geological wonders spread inside and on the grounds. There’s even a 5-foot Mosasaur skull they named “Big Mo.”
Guests from 49 of the 50 states have visited the store, as well as some countries from across the globe. The namesake, Big Mike passed away in 1999. Current owner, Robert Ray said, “We have owned Big Mikes since May 2015.” Thus the attraction lives on, in part from those impressive roadside signs posted throughout the region.
Cave City is home to one of the more impressive Jellystone Park Campgrounds. Mr. Davis mentioned, “They went through an $11 million renovation and have over 200 campsites.” They’ve added a sand beach with 1300 square-foot Wibit inflatable sports park.” In addition, the facility has mini golf and a catch-and-release fishing pond. Davis relayed, “It’s quite a thing to behold.”
Cave Country
If you are in the mood to stay for a while, stop by Cave Country RV Campground. Cave Country RV Campground is "Big Rig Friendly" providing accommodations for that of largest RVs to even pop-up campers. Cave Country RV Campground is the perfect RV campground for your next trip to Mammoth Cave National Park.
Cave City still beckons travelers by the thousands each year, and whether it’s spending the night in a 60-year old roadside attraction, watching kids gleam at a full-size dinosaur statue, or climbing into the world’s biggest hole in the ground, you’ll find it a great place to step back in time and get out of the fast lane for a while.