You are here: Home / Archives for Kentucky State Parks / Kenlake State Resort Park

Bird Watching at Land Between the Lakes

by

As you can probably tell,  we’re pretty much obsessed with wildlife, birds, and butterflies at Genuine Kentucky.  Truth be told, I’m becoming more than a little intrigued with insects as well -dragonflies, lady bugs, stick bugs, lightning bugs… such cool little guys.  Even more reason to love living in Kentucky.  We have such a beautiful variety of these fascinating animals.

One of my favorite things to do when in the Land Between the Lakes area (in addition to eating catfish  – another obsession) is to look for and observe wildlife.  Whether we’re at the outstanding Woodland’s Nature Center, the equally outstanding Elk & Bison Prairie or hanging out at one of the beautiful state parks – my eyes are always peeled for extra-special locals.

When you’re in the Land Between the Lakes area, I hope you’ll take in all the beauty around you – including the amazing array of birds.  At many of the travel brochure stands in the area, you’ll find a pamphlet titled “LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES AREA BIRD CHECKLIST.”  This extremely handy little guide lists the different birds you could potentially see while at Land Between the Lakes.

If you’d like to print out your own guide, you can do that too!  LBL.org has thought of everything and has an online version of the Land Between the Lakes Bird Checklist.

The pamphlet lists the places below as “Recommended Birding Spots”

  • Kentucky Dam
  • Hematite Lake and Trail
  • Honker Lake, Bay, and Trail
  • Woodlands Nature Station Backyard
  • North/South Trail – Sugar Bay to Rhodes Bay
  • Shaw Branch Road – (153/134) from Hwy 68/80 to Energy Lake
  • Elk & Bison Prairie
  • South Oak Grassland Demonstration Area
  • The Homeplace
  • Fort Henry Trails
  • South Welcome Station and Bear Creek

I’d add the following Birding Opportunistic sites in the Land Between the Lakes Region:

  • Lake Barkley State Resort Park
  • Kentucky Dam Village
  • Kenlake Lodge
  • Grand Rivers Jetty at Sunset – At Lighthouse Landing on Kentucky Lake, Grand Rivers, Kentucky
  • Little Lake Park (Grand Rivers) – Located on Commerce Street behind the Badgett Playhouse

For more information on any of these areas (including maps), visit the links below:

Grand Rivers Attractions

Land Between the Lakes

Kenlake State Resort Park

Kentucky Dam Village

Lake Barkley State Resort Park

Filed Under: Blog, Grand Rivers, Kenlake State Resort Park, Kentucky Birds, Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park, Kentucky Lake, Kentucky Wildlife, Lake Barkley, Lake Barkley SRP, LBL

Why Aurora, Kentucky is One of My Favorite Places in Kentucky

by

The Hitching Post in Aurora Kentucky

We were in Aurora, Kentucky recently – visiting the wonderful Hitching Post and it’s remarkably friendly people and grabbing hot dogs so sensational you have to see them to believe them and taste them to truly experience a hot dog.  They’re called Dixie Dogs and you only think you’ve had a true hot dog before.

Aurora Bar-B-Que in Aurora Kentucky

While we were in town, I wish we had eaten at Aurora Bar-B-Q (delicious!), but we were anxious to try another barbecue restaurant in the Land Between the Lakes region.

Big mistake.  The service was decidedly unfriendly (as cold as ice cream) and the food wasn’t fit to write about.  Literally – since I don’t do negative food reviews on Genuine Kentucky.  If we have outstanding food and service, I write about it on Genuine Kentucky – if it’s the pits…. I pretend it never happened.  A throwback to, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all!”

See, mom, I was paying attention.

Honestly, if you want the best bar-b-que in and around the Land Between the Lakes region, you simply have to make your way to Aurora and the home of the winking pig.  Trust me.  We’ve had bar-b-que from just about everywhere in the Lake’s region and Aurora’s home to the absolute best.  The workers are friendly, the service is wonderful, and the food is outstanding.

I’ve said it in other posts on this site before, but I’ll say it again (after all, when I’m truly impressed with people and/or food, I’ll sing their praises for the rest of my life – I’m nothing if not loyal):  You have to spend some time in Aurora, Kentucky. It’s one of my favorite places on earth.  The town is very small, quiet, and unassuming.  It’s also extremely charming, friendly, warm, and fun.

Dixie Dogs in front of the Hitching Post in Aurora, Kentucky

What makes Aurora Kentucky so special?

  • The people couldn’t be nicer if you paid them to be.  Not once have I come across an unfriendly person Aurora.
  • In my personal opinion, the Willow Pond Catfish restaurant in Aurora is the best of all the Willow Pond restaurants. They’re all outstanding, mind you, but the one in Aurora Kentucky is just a little better.  The servers are a little friendlier and the hushpuppies are a little better.  Maybe more than a little.
  • The Hitching Post is one of the most outrageously cool and fun places you could hope to spend an afternoon in. The new owners have made the Hitching Post such a wonderful place to visit that it’s a wonder they don’t charge admission.  They obviously have a great passion for what they do and a great love for their guests.  The Hitching Post is, at once, the funnest and coolest gift shop you could ever conceive AND a remarkable little “Step Back in Time” museum.  They have put a great deal of time, money, and work into renovating a little country store beside the Hitching Post’s main shop.  They proudly display some truly remarkable things from the distant past – it’s simply outstanding.  I’ve seen (and paid) admission required for far less fascinating exhibits.
  • Right out front of the Hitching Post is Dixie Dogs (click the link for my other review of this deliciousness)! After browsing around the Country Store and gift shop (be sure to grab a bottle of pop), you’ll want to walk out to the Dixie Dogs stand and introduce your taste buds to the most remarkable hot dog they’ve ever met.
  • Another of my favorite places on earth to visit is the gorgeous nearby Elk and Bison Prairie. I’m the biggest animal lover in the world and these majestic animals just take my breath away every single time. We once had the pleasure of having our vehicle completely surrounded by peaceful bison. They’re a favorite animal of mine, so I literally had tears in my eyes.  It’s moving to be so close to such amazing animals as elk and bison.
  • The nearby Nature Station and the Bison Range are also great experiences and provide wonderful photo ops along with memories for a lifetime.
  • Kentucky Lake! Kentucky Lake is one of the largest man-made lakes and is a beautifully relaxing way to spend a family vacation. Over 160,000 acres of water and 2,064 miles of shoreline are populated with over 100 species of fish, including catfish, crappie, bluegill, stripes any more. Talk about an outstanding fishing vacation.
  • Kenlake Lodge is a quiet, charming, understated, and wonderful place to stay and/or eat.  I often call it the best kept secret in the Land Between the Lakes.  Click the link to see what makes Kenlake State Resort Park so special.

Kenlake State Resort Park

Do yourself and your family (of all ages!) a huge favor and spend a weekend or a week in Aurora Kentucky on your next vacation. While there’s something to be said for keeping our dollars in Kentucky, it wouldn’t be worth it if there weren’t extraordinary places to see, visit, and stay.  Fortunately, Kentucky is full of remarkable places and Aurora, Kentucky is one of them.

The Land Between the Lakes is an outstanding place for people of all ages and will provide fun memories that’ll last forever.  When the vacation comes to an end, your only question will be, “How soon can we come back?!?!”

This, I promise.

EDIT:

Since writing this particular article, I’ve found something else to strengthen my Aurora obsession:   The Brass Lantern!  I’m in the process of writing an entire article about this outstanding (seriously OUTSTANDING) restaurant – I’ll link to it as soon as the article is published.  I’ll just sort of whet your appetite by saying this: I’ve never eaten anything better in any restaurant, anywhere, at any time.  This beautiful Kentucky restaurant is just exceptional and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. – Joi


 

Filed Under: Aurora, Blog, Featured, Food, Kenlake State Resort Park, Kentucky Lake, Kentucky Vacations, LBL, Restaurant Reviews, Reviews, Shop Tagged With: , , , , ,

Kenlake State Resort Park – One of Kentucky’s Loveliest Secrets

by

Beautiful Kenlake State Resort Park is one of Kentucky’s loveliest little secrets.  Located in Hardin, Kentucky, the resort is 40 miles southeast of the “something for everyone” town of Paducah.

Located on Kentucky Lake, with the longest shoreline of any man-made lake in the world, Kenlake State Resort Park is a beautiful state park that I’m eager for you to get acquainted with.

Kentucky’s State Resort Parks are home to truly outstanding restaurants with food that’s above par, and  Kenlake’s Aurora Landing Restaurant is amongst the best.  Click the link for my review to see what makes it so special.  When you find yourself in this area of Kentucky, you absolutely must eat dinner at Aurora Landing.   The view is gorgeous, the food is outstanding, and the people are so friendly you’ll never want to leave.  They make you feel at home – and, come on, can a dining experience get much better than that?

Things to Do at Kenlake State Resort Park:

  • Spend the day boating on beautiful Kentucky Lake (capped off, of course, with dinner at Aurora Landing!). Rentals include fishing, pontoon, bass and ski boats, as well as jet skis. Contact the operators of the Kenlake Marina by email or by Phone: (270)-474-2245.
  • Enjoy a round of golf on the nine-hole golf course.  A full-service pro shop, rental motor carts, pull carts, and clubs are available. Golf packages are offered.
    Pro Shop open March-November. Course open year-round, weather permitting.
  • Take a refreshing dip in Kenlake’s beautiful pool – surrounded by gorgeous landscaping. The swimming pool, located behind the lodge, is available for lodge and cottage guests seasonally.
  • Tennis is a favorite sport at Kenlake – and can be enjoyed year-round.  The indoor tennis center features four indoor courts, locker room facilities, and a fully equipped pro shop. Four lighted outdoor courts are adjacent to the tennis center, and one court is available near the lodge.
  • Take a hike!  Kenlake has two wonderful trails that wind through wooded terrain.  The Cherokee Trail is .7-mile and the Chickasaw Trail is 1-mile.

In addition to Paducah, Kentucky, other nearby attractions include:

  • Columbus-Belmont State Park is 63 miles west of Kenlake, in Columbus, Kentucky.  This was the site of the 1861 Battle of Belmont.  History buffs will want to mark Columbus-Belmont State Park as a MUST SEE.
  • The infamous Land Between the Lakes is mere minutes from Kenlake State Resort Park… if that long!  Land Between the Lakes is a paradise of 170,000 acres.  This National Recreation Area is something we Kentuckians are incredibly proud of.  Nature lovers will feel like they’re experiencing an early Heaven in this area of Kentucky.

I hope you’ll schedule a weekend getaway to Kenlake State Resort Park as soon as possible.  I know you’ll have the time of your life and I know you’ll return again and again.  When you go to Kenlake State Resort Park – or any of Kentucky’s State Resort Parks for dinner, know this: You cannot go wrong with the catfish OR the Kentucky Hot Brown.  The buffets are always wonderful, but ordering off the menu is even better.  The Kentucky Hot Brown will blow each and every brain cell you possess.

That’s a promise.

Want to read more about Kenlake State Resort Park?

Kenlake State Resort Park Contact Information:

Kenlake State Resort Park
542 Kenlake Road
Hardin, KY 42048-9737
Telephone: 270-474-2211
Toll Free: 800-325-0143
Kenlake@ky.gov
Park Manager –John Rittenhouse

Filed Under: Blog, Featured, Kenlake State Resort Park, Kentucky Lake, Kentucky State Parks, Kentucky Vacations, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , ,

Aurora Landing Restaurant at Kenlake Lodge

by

Kenlake State Resort Park

My husband and I have been making the rounds, visiting different Kentucky State Parks and their restaurants.  The ones we’ve been to have featured basically the same menu – but our experiences have been greatly varied.

Last night, we ate at the Aurora Landing Restaurant in Kenlake Lodge. It was our first time eating at Kenlake Lodge, but it certainly won’t be our last. Our excellent server (Renai) and extremely warm hostess (Kathy) were, by far, the friendliest we’ve encountered at any state park.  Ever.  Each lady seemed to genuinely love her job and the resort she worked for.  Furthermore, they treated us the way I would treat company that visited my home.   Renai (beautiful name, right?) never allowed our tea to anywhere near half empty and even offered to give us more ice.   This tea, by the way, was amongst the best I’ve ever gotten out.  When we left, she asked if we wanted some tea for the road, in a “to go” cup.  I’ve never experienced that  outside of an Applebee’s.  How’s that for service?!

My husband and I never tell a hostess, server, or any worker that we publish a website or that I write reviews.  I want to see how workers generally are – for better or worse…. when they don’t know anyone’s planning to write about them!  Like I said, for better or worse, you see how people generally are and you get an idea for the way a restaurant is managed.

Words just can’t express how amazing and friendly these ladies were.  I will say this, as a proud Kentuckian, I wish each of our state parks were filled with workers JUST like these two ladies.  Can you imagine the wonderful impression the rest of the world would get of Kentuckian hospitality and warmth?

Given the lovely dispositions of the workers, I was SO hoping that the food would measure up and be deserving of their presence.   In another first from any of the State Park restaurants we’ve visited, Renai brought delicious rolls and butter to our table to enjoy while we waited for our meals.  These rolls were beyond spectacular – they had a light sprinkling of herbs on top and, frankly, tasted unlike any bread I’ve ever had.   I could have eaten 100.

I ordered chicken breast with onions and mushrooms, a baked potato, and pinto beans.  I’d never tried the chicken before, because I’m such a catfish addict that I usually go that fishy route.  I certainly picked the right time to venture out!

The chicken, mushrooms, and onions were so amazing that my mouth is watering from the memories.  The chicken had a delicious grilled, mesquite flavor and was cooked perfectly.  It honestly couldn’t have been any better and the mushrooms and onions were just as perfect – not overdone, not underdone.  Perfectly perfect and delicious beyond belief.

For dessert, we got the Kenlake Brownie  with Ice Cream, cherries, and whipped topping. Oh, sweet goodness, it was amazing!  I’m a total chocohaulic, so I know my chocolate stuff – this dessert was spectacular.

We were delighted to discover that the people in the kitchen were as wonderfully skilled as those in the dining room.  The Kentucky State Park system can certainly be proud of beautiful Kenlake State Park and, even more so, of the workers in its restaurant.

The next time you visit Land Between the Lakes, I promise you that you won’t find a better place to eat than the lovely restaurant at Kenlake Lodge.  With the delicious food, friendly workers, and gorgeous view of the flower gardens and lake – you might not want to leave.

Kenlake State Resort Park

Filed Under: Aurora, Blog, Featured, Kenlake State Resort Park, Kentucky State Parks, Restaurant Reviews, Reviews
Newer Posts »
        St Louis Cardinals 2011 World Series Champion Fans