• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Genuine Kentucky

Kentucky Pictures, Events, Restaurants

  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
      • Advertise
    • Facts About Kentucky
      • Kentucky Geography 101: Where is Kentucky?!
      • Kentucky’s Lakes (Listed Alphabetically)
    • Famous Kentuckians
    • Kentucky Birds
      • Joys of Bird Watching
      • Bird Watching: Keeping a Journal
      • Backyard Birds Love Water!
      • Create a Backyard Bird Watching Haven
      • How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard
    • Kentucky Food
    • Kentucky History
    • Sitemap
  • Pictures
  • Restaurants
    • Best Catfish Restaurants
    • Best Pizza in Ky
    • Best BBQ in Ky
    • Bowling Green Restaurants
    • Gluten Free in Kentucky
    • Kentucky Lake Restaurants
    • Off the Beaten Path
    • Owensboro, Gluten Free
    • Owensboro Restaurants
    • Where to Eat Lunch in Owensboro
  • KY State Parks
    • Carter Caves State Resort Park
    • Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
    • Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park
    • Kenlake State Resort Park
    • Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park
    • Lake Barkley State Resort Park
    • Rough River Dam State Resort Park
    • Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park
    • Pine Mountain State Resort Park
    • John James Audubon State Park
    • Lake Cumberland State Resort Park
    • More Kentucky State Parks
  • Things to Do
    • Grand Rivers Variety
    • Kentucky State Parks
    • Kentucky Lake
      • Kentucky Lake Pictures
    • Land Between the Lakes
      • Elk & Bison Prairie
      • Golden Pond Planetarium
      • The Homeplace
      • The Nature Station
      • LBL Pictures
        • Elk and Bison Prairie Pictures
    • Windy Hollow Campground and Speedway
    • Western Kentucky Botanical Garden
    • Smothers Park and Owensboro’s Riverfront
    • The Hitching Post
  • Events
You are here: Home / Archives for Catfish in Kentucky

A Day at Lake Barkley State Resort Park: Golf at Boots Randolph and Dinner at the Lodge

June 25, 2012 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Tuxedo Cake, Windows on the Water at Lake Barkley State Resort Park
My husband and I spent the day at Lake Barkley State Resort Park yesterday. He played 18 holes of golf at Lake Barkley’s Boots Randolph Golf Course. Normally, I ride along and take pictures of anything and everything I see. However, our daughter had just gotten married the day before and I was still too exhausted to move. Basically, I rode along and enjoyed the beauty of the Lake Barkley area and the entertainment of my husband.  Both helped me to forget my aching feet.

I did, however, snap a few pictures. As you can see, by few, I mean few!  Sorry, but this mother of the bride was exhausted.

I’m not a golfer, so I can’t tell you many details about the golf course other than it was lovely, the workers were very, very friendly, and my husband hit a few trees. Don’t tell him I told you that part. He disturbed more than a few squirrel’s naps, I’m sure of that.  Funny thing is, he never hits trees (or bunkers) – I think the “Father of the Bride” was also pretty spent.

We ate at Lake Barkley State Resort Park’s lodge – about a minute up the road. I honestly don’t know why anyone would bother going anywhere else. I’ve often thought that the golf carts at Kentucky State Resort Parks should feature pictures of the great food in the Lodge’s restaurant. Maybe even a menu.  Each golf cart has a plastic thing hanging from the front. Perfect place for a picture of a tall glass of sweet tea! You know, let the golfers know what they can enjoy when they finish their round of golf.

I’m pretty sure if they knew that fried catfish, grilled chicken, a salad bar, fresh iced sweet tea, onion rings, beans, and desserts were waiting for them they wouldn’t dream of going anywhere else.  You can order off the menu OR enjoy the buffet. You’re a winner either way.

Michael loves to step off of a state resort park’s golf course (all worn out and hot) and head immediately for the restaurant in the park’s lodge.  He knows the tea will be cold, fresh, and perfect (and at parks like Lake Barkley State Resort Park, the cup will never be allowed to be less than filled – excellent staff).  He also knows the food will be uncommonly delicious, as it always is.  If I’m along with him, he also knows there’ll soon be catfish on the table. It’s such an obsession of mine, I can’t even tell you.

Picture it – you get off of a golf course and all you want to do is sit down in a cool place, drink a lot of iced tea, and eat a good, quiet meal without any hassle.  But there’s more.  At Kentucky State Resort Parks, you can almost always count on a gorgeous view as you enjoy your meal!  The pictures below are from Lake Barkley’s Windows on the Water Restaurant’s balcony. Look at that beautiful view of Lake Barkley. I could watch the birds and sailboats all day. In the fall and spring, it’s amazing to sit out there and drink coffee while enjoying the view.

Lake Barkley Windows on the Water Patio and view
Lake Barkley Windows on the Water Patio and view
Lake Barkley
Lake Barkley

Most of the time, we order off of the menu. We will , however, often check the buffet to see what’s up. If fried catfish is in the lineup, I’m all for the buffet.  When you order off the menu, you can have fried catfish, grilled chicken, Kentucky Hot Brown, hamburgers, vegetables, etc.  With your meal, you get a choice of two sides. You can even substitute the salad and soup (when soup’s available) bar for one of the “side items” for just a dollar.  After a hot day on the golf course, the beautiful salad bar looked especially inviting, so we each ordered the salad bar in place of the beans we normally order. We both ordered onion rings as our other side.

Lake Barkley's Windows on the Water Restaurant

The salad was a delicious as it was beautiful.  I loved the French dressing – it was just perfect. Michael said the Honey Mustard dressing was also great.  I didn’t take a picture of his because, frankly, mine was so much prettier. He made such a mess with the dressing. Men!

I don’t even have to tell you, but I ordered the fried catfish. It was as good as I’ve ever had!  Flavorful, juicy, and with a coating so delicious I licked my fingers.  The only thing I missed about the meal was rolls.  Kenlake State Resort Park‘s restaurant (Aurora Landing) always gives you a little basket of amazing, amazing, amazing rolls and butter with your meal. They’ve spoiled me! Now, when at another restaurant, you can find me looking around for my rolls.

I guess it’s for the best, actually. With the calories saved, we spent them WISELY on dessert, as you can see pictured at the top!

Michael ordered another of our favorite items off of the state park menus: Grilled chicken. The chicken is always amazingly delicious. Always.  Mushrooms, onions, and some of the best grilled chicken you’ve ever eaten.

The beauty you see pictured at the top is the Tuxedo Cake. I don’t even know where to begin in describing this excellent dessert. The layers of white cake and chocolate cake, combined with drizzled chocolate sauce and little chocolate sprinkles in the delectable chocolate icing, and topped off with a couple of generous dollops of whipped topping made for a dessert this chocoholic will never forget. Oh, man, was it delicious!

Desserts vary at Kentucky State Resort Parks vary, but they are ALWAYS amazing.

I ordered coffee along with the dessert because a personal mission of mine is to never leave a State Park’s restaurant without at least one cup of coffee. As I always, always say, coffee at our state park’s tastes better than coffee you get out anywhere – coffee houses don’t have coffee this good. Trust this coffee fanatic, if you want to taste how coffee is supposed to taste, go no further than a state resort park’s restaurant.  They use excellent John Conti coffee beans and, though they don’t admit it, I’m almost certain they have magical Java Fairies on duty at each park.  They do something otherworldly with their wands, creating coffee so perfect you never want to stop drinking it. Sometimes my husband has to pull me out by the arm.

You really can’t go wrong at Lake Barkley’s Windows on the Water restaurant – whether you order the buffet, off the menu, or kind of a combination of the two like we did.

Whether it’s at Lake Barkley State Resort Park or another of our state’s excellent State Resort Parks, I hope you’ll do yourself a huge favor and eat at the lodge’s restaurant on your next visit. Once you have, you’ll never look back! It’s where you’ll insist on eating each and every time. Actually, you’ll become like us – very, very often we’ll go to a state resort park for the sole purpose of eating. The gorgeous views, friendly people, and peaceful relaxation are bonuses.

And what bonuses they are!

Grilled Chicken at Windows on the Water
Pictures from Boots Randolph Golf Course

As I said, I was WAY off my game, so I didn’t take many pictures. My husband took A LOT, however, and we’ll post them soon. In the meanwhile, you can enjoy the few I managed to snap.  I’m not sure, but I think I somehow managed not to take a picture of a single fairway, green, flag, or tee box. But the pond with the fountain, I was all over it.

Wow, I must have been a dishrag. Thank God for the catfish, sweet tea,  Tuxedo cake, and coffee. Life was restored!

Boots Randolph Golf Course
Boots Randolph Golf Course
Boots Randolph Golf Course
Boots Randolph Golf Course
Boots Randolph Club House
Boots Randolph Golf Course

Filed Under: Golfing, Lake Barkley, Lake Barkley State Resort Park, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: Catfish in Kentucky, Lake Barkley State Resort Park, Restaurant Review, State Park restaurants, Windows on the Water

Welcome to Genuine Kentucky!

Genuine Kentucky is a Kentucky Blog and online magazine celebrating the beautiful Bluegrass State. We shine the spotlight on Kentucky with pictures, restaurant reviews, news, tourism, Things to Do in Kentucky, and more.

We’re proud Kentuckians and the non-profit effort you see before you is a labor of love.

E-mail me anytime! ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Kentucky Blog Updates

The Pond Grilled Shrimp and Baked Potato.

Delicious Grilled Shrimp at The Pond in Aurora, Kentucky If you're anything like me, you LOVE to get out in all the hustle … [Read More...] about Enjoying all Kentucky Has to Offer in Cold and Flu Season…

Beautiful Cardinal in Ice Covered Tree

Cardinal Riding Out the 2014 Ice Storm Can you believe it's been 8 years since the famous 2014 ice storm (well, it was … [Read More...] about Throwback to 2014 and the Kentucky Ice Storm… Even Then, There was Beauty

The Pond Catfish and Baked Potato

Baked Potato and Grilled Catfish at The Pond One of my favorite Kentucky restaurants is The Pond in Aurora, Kentucky. I love … [Read More...] about The Pond at Kentucky Lake: Always a Relaxing and Wonderful Place to Dine

Kentucky Lake - Winter at Lighthouse Landing

Lighthouse Landing at Kentucky Lake If you were a regular reader of Genuine Kentucky, you know all too well that we've been … [Read More...] about Genuine Kentucky… Recovering from a Whirlwind of Changes!

The Kentucky Legend Cafe

Photo Credit: The Owensboro Convention Center My youngest daughter, Stephany, often talk about squeezing as much joy out of … [Read More...] about Hot Dog Days of Summer at the Kentucky Legend Cafe in Owensboro (Located in the Convention Center)

Golden Pond Visitor's Center and Planetarium

The Golden Pond Visitor Center Planetarium and Observatory International Astronomy Day is Saturday, May 7, 2022 and The … [Read More...] about Golden Pond Planetarium and Observatory: Activities for Astronomy Day (May 7, 2022)

Smothers Park Owensboro

Some of the more popular posts we've done on Genuine Kentucky have been the ones under the category "Where to eat in … [Read More...] about Kentucky Legend Café: Delicious Place to Enjoy Lunch in Owensboro, Kentucky

Gorgeous owl at the Nature Station

Owl at Woodlands Nature Station As I said in my last post, everything is coming back to life around Kentucky... everything … [Read More...] about A Sensational Spring Break at Woodlands Nature Station in the Land Between the Lakes April 2-10, 2022

Follow Genuine Kentucky on Twitter!

Tweets by @GenuineKentucky


"When reading about a Kentucky event, please be sure you check the date. Old events are not always deleted from the website. If you have an event you'd like to see on Genuine Kentucky or a 'Made in Kentucky' food or product you'd like reviewed, please contact us! " ~ Joi ("Joy")

Flowering Tree in Bowling Green
Fraley Music Festival
Maddox

Kentucky News and Events

  • Enjoying all Kentucky Has to Offer in Cold and Flu Season…
  • Throwback to 2014 and the Kentucky Ice Storm… Even Then, There was Beauty
  • The Pond at Kentucky Lake: Always a Relaxing and Wonderful Place to Dine
  • Genuine Kentucky… Recovering from a Whirlwind of Changes!
  • Hot Dog Days of Summer at the Kentucky Legend Cafe in Owensboro (Located in the Convention Center)
  • Golden Pond Planetarium and Observatory: Activities for Astronomy Day (May 7, 2022)
  • Kentucky Legend Café: Delicious Place to Enjoy Lunch in Owensboro, Kentucky
  • A Sensational Spring Break at Woodlands Nature Station in the Land Between the Lakes April 2-10, 2022

Kentucky State Parks

We have a special passion for Kentucky State Parks, so you'll find many articles and reviews centered around the beautiful state parks in Kentucky.

A personal goal is to visit, photograph, and enjoy each and every one of our state parks and eat at each of the state resort parks. Make no mistake about it, we're well on our way!

Bird Watching in Kentucky!

One of our greatest passions is birds and bird watching is an absolute favorite pastime. If you love our feathered friends and want to learn more about bird watching and attracting birds to your own backyard, be sure to check out our section dedicated entirely to Kentucky birds.

Kentucky Restaurants and Reviews

Kentucky Restaurant Reviews

Where are the best Kentucky restaurants?! Find out in our Kentucky Restaurant Reviews.

Also See: Best Fried Catfish in Kentucky
  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Kentucky Events

The pandemic has crushed many activities, events, and normalcy – not just in Kentucky, but all around the world. As we creep back toward normal, I want desperately to highlight any and all events going on around Kentucky. Please E-mail me any information you’d like shared about your Kentucky event! ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Kentucky Pictures

Kentucky Pictures
Check out the beautiful Pictures of Kentucky in our photo albums!

Advertising & Reviews

If you are interested in advertising on Genuine Kentucky, please contact us: e-mail Joi Sigers.

Also, if you have a resort, condo, golf course, restaurant, or even a cup of coffee (LOVE coffee!) you'd like for us to review, please contact us at joi@genuinekentucky.com.

Genuine Kentucky Disclaimer

We do not work for any Kentucky service or organization. We are simply proud to have been born and raised in the greatest state in the country and are thrilled to call it home. This site serves as our tribute to Kentucky and its warm and wonderful people. Our mission is to bring more travelers to Kentucky and keep more Kentuckians home! See our Privacy Policy.
Copyright Genuine Kentucky 2022