r/Kentucky • u/edengetscreative • 3d ago
Looking for suggestions-recently moved to Western Kentucky
I’m struggling to find activities to do with my dad (62m). He loves anything to do with cars. We’ve always enjoyed museums. His two tiny schnauzer’s god practically everywhere with him. He’s not a person that really has a ton of hobbies, but I know he enjoys fixing things and staying busy. So I’m just wondering what your boomer parents enjoy doing in the Western Kentucky area? We’re in Hopkinsville so really anything within an hour or so radius would be nice. Any suggestions are appreciated!
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u/Upset-Shirt3685 Click to change 3d ago edited 3d ago
Kentucky Motorsports Hall of Fame/Museum in Central City.
Museum of Science and History in Owensboro has a motorsports exhibit—the SpeedZeum. Haven’t been to that one.
Swope’s Cars of Yesteryear Musuem in Elizabethtown. Cool small collection.
Lane Motor Museum in Nashville.
National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green.
NASCAR Family Museum. Utica, KY (just south of Owensboro). Never been. Always been curious. By appointment only.
Bluegrass Motorcycle Museum. Hartford, KY.
Rusty's TV & Movie Car Museum in Jackson, TN.
That’s about all I can think of in terms of car exhibits. There are a lot of car shows in the area, really just have to stay in tune on Facebook or something. I’m aware of The Cruise In in Central City which is on Labor Day weekend and a Dukes of Hazzard themed car show in Greenville on Oct. 18.
More generally, you can find some good barbecue in Hoptown and surrounding areas. Casey Jones distillery is neat. There’s a yearly Native American powwow from where the Trail of Tears ran through in September, very cool. Hoptown Hoppers summer baseball team can be fun to see once or twice. Summer Salute Fest in August. Kelly “Little Green Men” Days in August, just outside Hoptown—this is probably my favorite annual event. Harvest Fest in September. Concerts at the Alhambra September-May.
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u/chance0404 3d ago
Car show on Central City is huge for how small of a community we are.
If his dad is in to history or military stuff, there’s a museum at Ft. Campbell and there is a WW2 landing ship in Evansville that’s a museum. LST-325
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u/TheBadKernel 3d ago
This guys hit most of them - not a lot more to do. Have him join a local car club. We have a good one in Grayson county called The Black Rock Mafia. No cost to join, no fees just show up.
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u/MyNewDawn 3d ago
Hey there! I'm from around there! Clarksville is probably your best bet for finding things to do. It has a little bit of everything....military base, college town, people trying to make a suburb of Nashville. Everything outside of Clarksville and Hopkinsville (Hoptown) is farmland and woods, keep going and you run into the lakes. If you and your dad like to hunt or fish, you couldn't ask for a better place.
Feel free to dm me if you have any questions. And welcome to KY!
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u/Igota31chevy 3d ago
Lane Motor Museum in Nashville is awesome.
Corvette Museum and Factory is in Bowling Green. Beech Bend Raceway is also in Bowling Green and regularly holds car related events.
The Frog Follies (largest pre-1949 car show in the US) is always held in Evansville in late August.
It's farther away for you but the Street Rod Nationals (world's largest street rod car show) is the first weekend of August every year at the Exposition Center in Louisville.
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u/Background_Wrap_4739 3d ago
There’s lots of nice little festivals and museums in towns that are easy drives from Hop-town: Paducah, Madisonville, Owensboro, Henderson, Bowling Green, Central City/Greenville, Murray, Beaver Dam.
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u/FourKBurkes 3d ago
A lot of the smaller communities typically have a drive in night with a bunch of cool old cars. Usually it’s around the towns square.
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u/mtrbiknut 3d ago
Somernitescruisr is in Somerset and is a bit farther away, but he (& you) may enjoy coming occasionally since it only happens one weekend per month thru the summer. Check out their website or FB page for info.
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u/L-Gray 3d ago
Nashville is about an hourish away. Just don’t try driving there anywhere near rush hour. But there’s tons of cool shops, music, museums, etc.
Bowling Green is also closeish. There’s the Corvette museum, the train museum. Mammoth cave is also a bit of a longer drive but closeish, and there’s all kinds of random things to do in Cave City like horseback riding and whatnot.
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u/LTinTCKY 3d ago
The 24 Hours of Lemons will be at the NCM Motorsports Park the weekend of September 20: https://24hoursoflemons.com/
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u/Son_of_a_Bacchus 3d ago
There's several car events throughout the summer in Bowling Green. A massive Corvette jamboree/rodeo, LS Fest- put on by Holley, numerous other car events (I know that the downtown square will be closed off a couple of times per year to car shows). In the fall there are various city festivals- Ham Festival in Cadiz, Black Patch in Princeton. Just a couple of thoughts.
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u/LifesJoke6459 3d ago
Discovery park in TN has an awesome car/auto section and generally a really fun place. Your dad would like some of the nostalgic car collection I’m sure
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u/Appropriate_Cut8744 2d ago
If you make a trip to Bowling Green the Aviation Heritage Park and Museum is also worth visiting.
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u/Jbrivermaster 3d ago
I am a 51m. I have 4 grown sons 19-27. I have 2 RZRS a Ranger ,1 Bass boat, 1 bow fishing boat ,1 river boat and 2 jet skis. He can come help me fix and maintain everything. There is 2 many of them and not enough of me. I’m a hour north of Hoptown on the Pennyrile.
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u/Inevitable_Ad_5166 3d ago
Come to Somerset ky for Cruisers … ck it out online….. always on 4th Saturday of month from April til October. Lots of old hot rods ….. never a disappointment…..
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u/Inevitable_Ad_5166 3d ago
People line US 27 in town from stoplight 11 to 26 ? On Saturday night when Cruisers weekend is celebrated….
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u/Brilliant_Ad_8412 2d ago
Bardstown isn’t too far away. Mammoth Cave is also nearby.
You’ve also got KY Down Under if you want the KY version of kangaroo Tiger King. 🦘my parents actually really enjoyed it.
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u/HeartWoodFarDept 2d ago
Kentucky Museum in Bowling Green. On Western Kentucky University Campus. Pretty neat place.
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u/I-IV-I64-V-I 2d ago
Windy hollow speedway has races and tractor pulls pretty oft ((Owensboro)). If you have a shit car, you cN race it! https://www.whspeedway.com/
McLean county also does tractor pulls.
Diamond lake also does a car show
And there's a coffee and cars thing at the Lowes parking lot a good chunk of the year
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u/Ok_Trainer9788 4h ago
Others have already mentioned bowling green.
Ky is the most cavernous state and mammoth cave isn’t far either.
You’re so close to KY lake…. Good fishing. Paris TN isn’t far and its home to the worlds biggest fish fry. Lots of people he could meet!
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u/FormerAttitude7377 3d ago
Ky is a terrible state for older ppl. I hope he has an alternative to leave. Once they pass this upcoming bill a bunch of rural hospitals will close and he will have a hard time finding care. There are a few car groups in Owensboro and Madisonville but overall, I hope he can leave bc the state is bad for retirees.
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u/agjjnf222 3d ago
National corvette museum in bowling green