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St. Patrick’s Day Events Planned at Beautiful John James Audubon State Park

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John James Audubon Museum

The Gorgeous John James Audubon Museum

One of the most beautiful Kentucky State Parks can be found in Henderson, Kentucky. John James Audubon State Park (and its on-site museum) are absolutely gorgeous. You could easily spend the entire day there and only complain that you’d ran out of time. Many restaurants are well within driving distance – in fact, they’re just minutes from the park and couldn’t be easier to find. They’re all on one road!

That’s the wonderful thing about small to medium sized towns in Kentucky, everything is within reach. More about the restaurants in a minute, I want to share with you some fun St. Patrick’s Day events the park has planned.

From the Kentucky State Parks:

Wear something green and get in free on St. Patrick’s Day at the John James Audubon State Park museum.

The park in Henderson is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 with specials for visitors at the museum, gift shop, and golf course.

Guests who wear green on Saturday receive free museum admission. They can also enjoy “Shamrock baked goods” at the gift shop and receive 20 percent off anything green in the store and 10 percent off any other item in the store. Wear green at the golf course and play 18-holes for the price of 9 (standard cart fees apply); and receive 20 percent off anything green in the pro shop store.

The museum and gift shop are open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 17. The golf course is open from 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

John James Audubon State Park is the site where Audubon studied and painted birds from 1810-1819. The park is equipped with cottages and offers many recreational opportunities, including a nine-hole golf course, six miles of hiking trails, fishing and more. It also has a museum and nature center that interprets Audubon’s life through a collection of his paintings and memorabilia. For more information, visit www.parks.ky.gov or call the park at 270-826-2247.

Now, back to those restaurants! The following are restaurants in Henderson that are within minutes of the park. As you’ll see, you can easily find breakfast, lunch, and/or supper. Trust me, if you explore the wonderful trails or golf course at Audubon, you’ll work up an appetite!

  • Applebee’s
  • Denny’s
  • McDonalds
  • Taco John’s
  • KFC
  • Burger King
  • Arby’s
  • Taco Bell
  • Rally’s
  • Subway
  • Mr. B’s Pizza & Wings
  • Pizza Hut
  • Grandy’s

These are just a few that come to mind – Henderson has a lot of other restaurants as well. A quick Google search will find you whatever your heart (or stomach!) desires.

More Pictures of John James Audubon State Park, its wonderful trails and BEAUTIFUL Museum:

10 Fast Facts About John James Audubon State Park and the Audubon Museum

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Audubon Museum & Nature Center

  1. John James Audubon State Park was established on October 3, 1934. The Park includes 692 acres of breath-taking beauty. Since it’s a Heaven on Earth for birds, it only stands to reason that it’s also a Heaven on Earth for bird lovers.
  2. The park is located on a MAJOR bird migratory route, so bird lovers of all levels will enjoy an ever-changing, colorful variety of feathered park residents.
  3. A bird checklist is available in the beautiful Welcome Center. Over 160 birds are listed – which will give you some idea of the great number of birds that enjoy the park.
  4. The Audubon Museum and Nature Center (pictured above) is an absolutely gorgeous French chateau. Birds nest in the niches of the tower. The entire setting is like something out of a fairy tale.
  5. The Museum and guest cottages, by one of the park’s small lakes, were built in 1938. Cobbled courtyards, retaining walls, and park office buildings match the main building’s beautiful architecture.
  6. A life-size diorama in the museum shows one of the greatest artists of all time, John James Audubon, at work.
  7. Audubon family possessions in the museum include a silver service that Audubon bought for his wife, Lucy, to replace one they’d had to sell during a financially difficult time.
  8. There’s a large, circular viewing room in the Nature Center with big, beautiful plate glass windows for viewing birds at the many feeding stations. The Nature Center comprises three areas: a wildlife Observation Room, a Discovery Center with hands-on exhibits, and the Learning Center.
  9. There are nine trails of varying length at Audubon. Click here for a description of each trail.
  10. Not only can you fish for largemouth bass, bluegill and catfish from the banks of the 28-acre lake, you can even get free fishing gear to do so!

More Information:

Trails Behind the Audubon Museum and Nature Center

The trails at John James Audubon State Park are some of the most beautiful trails we’ve ever seen.

 

Picture of the Day: Audubon Museum and Nature Center

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Audubon Museum and Nature Center

Audubon Museum and Nature Center

Each time we visit John James Audubon State Park, I love it a little more. It may not be one of the larger Kentucky State Parks, but it is (without a doubt) one of the most beautiful, peaceful, and friendliest. The gorgeous Audubon Museum and Nature Center is a breathtakingly beautiful building – inside and out.  It’s one of those “museums” where you’ve already seen uncommon beauty before you even walk through the doors.

The picture of the Audubon Museum and Nature Center above was taken on a recent trip.  I’ve been COVERED up with work the past few weeks (whoever says working from home is a cake walk clearly has never truly worked from home!) – or I would have added all of the pictures we took by now.

I will… absolutely, positively… publish the pictures tomorrow on Genuine Kentucky, along with more information about this very special state park.

John James Audubon Spate Park is located on U.S. 41 – just north of of Henderson, ½-mile south of the U.S. 41 bridge over the Ohio River. 

Also See: New Theater at John James Audubon State Park

New Theater at John James Audubon State Park

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John James Audubon State Park Theater
I love when I have the opportunity to announce exciting new attractions in and around Kentucky and this announcement is especially cool.

John James Audubon State Park will open its new museum theater in a few days – on April 19.

The 47-seat Audubon Theater and Discovery Center will allow museum guests to see a short film about Audubon as they begin their gallery tour. The project was funded by the Friends of Audubon and with coal-severance funds through Henderson Fiscal Court.

“The Kentucky State Parks are grateful to everyone who contributed money and time to this project,” Parks Commissioner Elaine Walker said. “This will help attract more visitors to this park and make their experience so much more meaningful.”

The theater will also be used for other films, special events, lectures and museum programs. The theater will be open during regular museum hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and at other times for special events.

John James Audubon State Park is the site where Audubon studied and painted birds from 1810-1819. The park is equipped with cottages and a campground, and offers many recreational opportunities, including a nine-hole golf course, six miles of hiking trails, fishing and more. It also has a museum and nature center that interprets Audubon’s life through a collection of his paintings and memorabilia.

For more information, visit www.parks.ky.gov.

John James Audubon Spate Park is located on U.S. 41 – on the northern outskirts of Henderson, ½-mile south of the U.S. 41 bridge over the Ohio River. It’s between Henderson, Kentucky and Evansville, Indiana – meaning there are LOTS of places to eat supper after a fun day at the park!

John James Audubon State Park’s Annual Wildflower Extravaganza

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Flowers

Although this event has expired, there is always something to see and do in Kentucky. Visit our Kentucky Events  page for up to the minute happenings and be sure to check out our Things to Do in Kentucky  page.

  • Which native wildflower’s root is rumored to have been used as body paint?
  • Why are trillium plants dependent upon ants?
  • Can a dogwood tree help people with asthma?

The answers to these and many other wondrous wildflower questions will be examined at John James Audubon State Park’s Annual Wildflower Extravaganza on Saturday, April 5, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. CDT.

Throughout the day, visitors to the park in Henderson will have the opportunity to stretch their legs and expand their minds.

Saturday, April 5 activities include:
9-10:30 a.m. Wildflower Walk – Audubon Museum front porch.
11 a.m.-noon Wildflower Walk – Audubon Museum front porch.
Noon-12:30 p.m. Kids Wildflower Scavenger Hunt – Audubon Museum back porch.
1-2 p.m. Wildflower Walk – Audubon Museum front porch.

For more information contact Julie McDonald at 270-826-2247 or juliea.mcdonald@ky.gov.

John James Audubon State Park is the site where Audubon studied and painted birds from 1810-1819. The park is equipped with cottages and a campground, and offers many recreational opportunities, including a nine-hole golf course, six miles of hiking trails, fishing and more. It also has a museum and nature center that interprets Audubon’s life through a collection of his paintings and memorabilia. For more information, visit www.parks.ky.gov or call 1-270-826-2247.

The park is located on U.S. 41 in the northern outskirts of Henderson, a half-mile south of the U.S. 41 bridge over the Ohio River.

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