Stop one on my cross-country adventure was the Land between the Lakes (LBL.) This 150,000+ acre recreation area in western Kentucky was absolutely going to be a stop on my adventure. A huge hiker, I knew I was going to love stopping in this national treasure first. I first discovered the Land between the Lakes years ago, as we passed it several times between Missouri and Alabama but never stopped. This time, I was for sure going to stop for sure.
If you are uncertain of what stops to include on a cross-country adventure, while doing research definitely check out the Welcome Centers on most highways in America. They are filled with tourist information from restaurants, local attractions, accommodations and sites to see. Also the employees are usually quite friendly and eager to help you explore their state. Here’s a link for the Kentucky Welcome Centers on the highways.
The Welcome Centers and Rest Areas also typically have clean bathrooms. They are filled with information about the state and sometimes even regional information. Worth a STOP!
Welcome to Land between the Lakes
On a hot July day while traveling through to Missouri, my first real stop on this cross country adventure, Land between the Lakes seemed like the perfect stop to gather information, find out a little history and check out a few of the hiking trails.
Visitor Passes
So you want to plan a visit to Land between the Lakes! Here’s a little information on their passes.
The LBL offers military discount passes to the lake for Military/Veterans/Gold Star families and several others. As a military and veteran spouse I love when parks do this! THANK YOU!
Outdoor Rec
The Land between the Lakes motto is “come outside and play” and boy do they mean it! Whether it is boating, hiking, camping, fishing, visiting the Elk and Bison Refuge, bird watching (with over 250 bird species), and much much more.
You’ll want to start gathering information and making your plans by downloading this helpful PDF brochure, visiting their website or checking out their Facebook page. You can also stop by the Golden Pond Visitor’s Center and historical center to learn a little bit of history too. There’s also a planetarium and laser show too, as well as an 1850s working farm and Woodland Nature Station.
Golden Pond Welcome Center
I was absolutely blown away and impressed with the Golden Pond Visitors Center. To be honest, I was just looking for a place to have my veggie meal (a picnic table or such) and find out a little information to share with you all. I was happily surprised with this wonderful tribute to the people who lived here and the changes over the years.
I met Leigh who helped me find a picnic area pull off on the island and relax for a bit. She was super helpful too! There really is so much to do any nature lover could easily spend a week here, no problem. Water, land and sky – absolutely get out and play!
Explore the peninsula with over 170,000 acres of forest and wetlands AND 300 miles of shoreline. You will be busy for a while. Since I still had to make my way to Missouri, today was just for exploring so I set off to find my picnic spot.
It was a wonderful day on the water, my only regret is I didn’t plan for a longer stay. For sure, I will be coming and staying longer to explore this wonderful National Recreation Center. Thank you Bambi for my wonderful lunch. I found a perfect spot along the water, in the shade to take in a bit of the natural beauty.
Whether you are traveling to the south or maybe heading north, Land between the Lakes is a little over three hours from Huntsville, Alabama and just under an hour and a half from Nashville, Tennessee. So it is an absolute perfect weekend getaway with the kids, with the family or your significant other. You can lock up the cell phones, disconnect and reconnect with nature.
It’s always an adventure when you ©Travel with Wendy!
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