6 minute read
Things To Do
Explore Wonders Above and Below Ground On This Trip
I’d driven up and down I-65 countless times over the years, making my way back and forth between family in Nashville to home in Louisville, with hardly a thought given to making a stop at exit 58. In fact, the exits I paid most attention to were those with the best gas prices! But then, thanks in large part to conversations with a good friend from the area, I realized what a treasure we have in the small town of Horse Cave, Kentucky, located in Hart County. Only 75 miles south of Louisville, this charming town is full of unique history and natural wonder.
Whether you enjoy antiquing and lunching with friends, seeking adventure on a guided cave tour, or trying fun activities with your grandchildren, Horse Cave holds something for you. (You might even be pleasantly surprised by the gas prices!) As you plan your day, be sure to check out the Hart County Tourism Department. The staffed tourist information center is conveniently located at the rest stop at mile marker 60 on Interstate 65. You’ll also find a wealth of information on the Hart County Tourism website, kygetaway.com. Please note, Horse Cave is in the Central Time Zone.
Downtown Horse Cave is full of history, arts and culture, with more than 50 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. The downtown area is centered over Hidden River Cave, which features the American Cave Museum and is open for guided cave tours, ziplining, rappelling, and even extreme off-trail cave adventure tours. We opted for the one-hour guided tour, which leads you half a mile into the cave, across the world’s longest (100 feet) underground suspension bridge, and across a subterranean river. The tour ends at the spectacular Sunset Dome, one of the largest cave rooms in the nation. The entrance to the cave, located on Main Street, is the largest natural opening in the entire cave area. To quote naturalist John Muir, “The entrance seems like a noble gateway to the birthplace of springs and fountains and the dark treasuries of the mineral kingdom.”
As you stroll downtown (above ground), you will notice the aggregate trails throughout the sidewalks. These mark the pathways of the cave that are literally under your feet. You will also find signage to guide you along the Horse Cave Stories Cell Phone Tour, a 20-stop self-paced walking tour showcasing the town’s history and culture. The tour takes about 30 minutes. By scanning a QR code at each stop, you will hear stories shared by local citizens on Horse Cave’s connection to the Harlem Globetrotters, the early Kentucky cave wars, tobacco farming, the Kentucky Repertory Theater and much more.
The historic Thomas House on Main Street is a beautiful Victorian home built in 1860. It is now owned by the community and is utilized as an event space for a wide variety of activities, including Jammin’ on the Porch, the free bluegrass jam sessions held from 6pm - 9pm every Thursday. Just bring yourself, your acoustic instrument, and your enjoyment of music! The public is invited to attend.
What’s a small-town downtown without shopping?
Horse Cave has some great locally owned businesses featuring home decor, locally sourced wood carvings, paintings, jewelry, food products, boutique clothing, antiques and more. Stop in to see Gina at Geega’s Home Decor. You’re sure to find something you “need!”
Nothing says Southern hospitality like a delicious meal and a good cup of coffee. Whether you’re in the mood for bakery treats, a savory breakfast, or looking for lunch and dinner options, you’ll find a restaurant to satisfy your palate. With many locally sourced ingredients and farm-to-table options, you’ll have the chance to taste the freshest and most delicious flavors the region has to offer. Downtown you’ll find Sugar Land Bakery and Cafe and Boutique, serving both breakfast and lunch. Another local favorite is Two Birds Cafe and Sawdust Splinters Woodworking.
The Amish population in Hart County is the eighth largest in North America, with more than 200 families living and working in the area. The Horse Cave/Hart County Amish Businesses map, which can be downloaded or picked up at the tourism center, features more than 20 businesses that might be of interest as you plan your day. Farmwald’s Dutch Bakery and Restaurant, located immediately off exit 58, features fresh-baked donuts made daily, handcrafted Amish items, canned jams and sauces, and a casual restaurant. Detweiler Country Store in Cub Run carries old-fashioned candies, jams, bulk food supplies such as tri-colored popcorn, homemade baskets and crafts, and children’s vintage games and toys. The Hart County Produce Auction is open April through October. Locally grown fruits and vegetables in bulk for canning and freezing (or to share with a friend) are up for auction every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with bidding starting at 11:45am CST.
Throughout rural America, the artistry of traditional quilts has been displayed on the backdrop of barns and buildings in the form of painted quilt-patterned squares, and Hart County is no exception. The barn quilt project is a natural blending of the rich history of outstanding local quilters with a desire to preserve historic barns and structures. The Hart County Quilt Trail map will guide you on a beautiful country drive, highlighting more than 40 quilt-patterned squares found on structures throughout Hart County.
Last summer, our two grandsons came for a visit, and they thoroughly embraced the adventures we found in Hart County. We started at Dinosaur World, located a few miles outside of Horse Cave, where you can walk a wooded path lined with life-sized (and lifelike) dinosaurs, sift sand for a take-home treasure of genuine fossils, and play paleontologist by brushing sand away from dinosaur-sized plaster molds. Our next stop was Kentucky Down Under, located behind Farmwald’s Dutch Bakery and Restaurant immediately off exit 58, which features interactive animal shows, woolshed sheep herding, rainbow lorikeets, gem mining, and the opportunity to feed kangaroos. A tour of Mammoth Onyx Cave located within Kentucky Down Under was the perfect first caving experience for our 4- and 7-year-olds, and the grown-ups loved it as well. If you decide to make it an overnight, be sure to look into the Horse Cave KOA Campground, which includes the special accommodations of teepees, conestoga wagons, treehouses, and cabins.
Today's Transitions Spring 2024
Story and Photos by Patti Hartog
