Labor Day is always a great opportunity for us to venture out a little and see some different sites. This year we took our first trip to Kentucky! We stayed about five miles from Mammoth Cave National Park at a Jellystone RV Resort. This was our first time at a campground that was more about entertainment than outdoorsy things, so it was an adventure for sure.
Carter and Caroline went to school for half a day Friday morning, and then we picked them up ... in the camper! They may be the first kids to be checked out in a travel trailer and though it will likely embarrass them one day, it sure made me and Kelly’s day.
Unfortunately there was a lot of traffic in Nashville so the 4.5 hour trip lasted closer to 6.5 hours. Not cool at all. We still got there in plenty of time to settle in and get ready for Day one.
This park is more like camping on a cruise ship. There are activities like every hour and range anywhere from doing crafts to entering into a hot dog eating contest. It was definitely a new experience for these seasoned campers. The first morning we made it over to the Ranger Station for all-you-can-eat waffles! We essentially stuffed our faces and loved every minute of it. From there the girls painted a few crafts while Carter and I played mini-golf.
We then ventured out to Mammoth Cave to do some exploring. Mammoth Cave is a really neat spot and one that is definitely a site to behold. It is wild how long and intricate the cave is, as well as how cold it is down there. We spent about 30 minutes in the cave and then headed back to the campground. After a little hang out time we worked our way over to the 300 foot long water slide! Everyone rode it multiple times but Carter and Caroline managed over 40 times a piece. Cora definitely had her fill too but she tired a little faster than the other two. We also got some pool time in before heading to the camper for dinner and the Auburn game.
We got the kids to bed at a decent hour and prepared ourselves for day two. We once again headed to the waffle feast before deciding to spend the day at the beach area. The kids put on their suits and we stayed out there most of the day. More water slide, the inflatable playground, some weird looking boats, plenty of fun floats, and of course some chili cheese fries! The kids had an absolute blast, and Kelly and I were worn out.
The girls hung out at the camper while Carter and I went exploring for a bit. We found plenty of fun things to do, did them all, and then headed back to the camper for the evening. Another good dinner later and we were all ready for bed.
On the last day we packed and managed to find more time for some activities. The best of all, though, was playing “friendly fire” as a family! We all had a blast, well except for some crying here and there. Oops.
All in all, it was a fun trip that I’m sure we won’t soon forget. The kids loved all of the activities, even if Kelly and I wish it was a little more secluded. The campground is well taken care of and the staff does everything they can to accommodate. The kids will likely be begging us to go back....
