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Western KY Recommendations Please

CB3UK

CB3UK

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Apr 15, 2012
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Lexington, KY
Im headed out to Western KY Saturday to see what there is to see and do what there is to do and especially eat whatever there is to eat. I've done Mammoth Cave, and I've been to Moonlite BBQ in Owensboro twice. In my 33 yrs, all in Lexington, that's the extent of my experiences in Western KY and I'm trying to remedy that.

This is just a "get up early Saturday and go" day trip trying to cover as much territory as I can and get back to Lexington that evening since I have to work Sunday morning. I would like to see Land Between the Lakes and Paducah both the most. I'd also like to go see the Confederate fort in Hickman, see Murray State's campus, see what's what in Bowling Green, etc.

Essentially what I'm wanting to know is what is truly worth seeing on such a short trip? Also, what is the best of the best for lunch and dinner options. Do not care about style or cost. Greasy spoon or $30/plate....I just want good food. I'm inclined to drive to Moonlite unless y'all can point me in the direction of other quality BBQ establishments.

Anyway any feedback from BBN is much appreciated. As a lifelong Kentuckian I love this state and I feel an obligation to get out and explore the rest of it
 
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Philpot Cat said:
Agree on Old Hickory in Owensboro. If you're going to the Lakes you should check out Patti's in Grand Rivers. The 2" pork chops are as good as any steak I've ever had.
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Patti's is worth going to once in a while but it's kinda touristy. Old Hickory and Moonlite in Oboro are definitely good. Peak Brothers in Waverly is good but it's off the beaten path. Between Waverly and Morganfield is the Feed Mill restaurant, it's a great place to eat.

Land Between the Lakes is a peaceful drive, especially if you to go to Patti's. The KY Dam has a nice visitors center that shows the history and technology of how they built the dams.

Gotta go, may post more on this thread later.
 
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CB3UK said:
Im headed out to Western KY Saturday to see what there is to see and do what there is to do and especially eat whatever there is to eat. I've done Mammoth Cave, and I've been to Moonlite BBQ in Owensboro twice. In my 33 yrs, all in Lexington, that's the extent of my experiences in Western KY and I'm trying to remedy that.

This is just a "get up early Saturday and go" day trip trying to cover as much territory as I can and get back to Lexington that evening since I have to work Sunday morning. I would like to see Land Between the Lakes and Paducah both the most. I'd also like to go see the Confederate fort in Hickman, see Murray State's campus, see what's what in Bowling Green, etc.

Essentially what I'm wanting to know is what is truly worth seeing on such a short trip? Also, what is the best of the best for lunch and dinner options. Do not care about style or cost. Greasy spoon or $30/plate....I just want good food. I'm inclined to drive to Moonlite unless y'all can point me in the direction of other quality BBQ establishments.

Anyway any feedback from BBN is much appreciated. As a lifelong Kentuckian I love this state and I feel an obligation to get out and explore the rest of it
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The Corvette factory/museum in Bowling Green is a must!
 
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If you're going through Owensboro, stop at Whittaker Guns and buy a new shotgun. If you like bluegrass music stop in Rosine at Bill Monroe's birthplace. Also could do Everly Brothers in Central City. If you're going to LBL enter toward the south end via Hwy 68 near Cadiz, stop off at the Golden Pond visitors center to get a map. You can then go north on the Trace and take the bison & elk tour and also go to the nature center which has some cool animals. Last time I was there they a bald eagle and a golden eagle. Eat at Patti's in Grand Rivers. Like others have said get the pork chop and their spinach salad, love that salad. Stop in Eddyville and drive by the state penitentiary. Built in like 1900, the Castle on the Cumberland. A very impressive and eerie place; it'd make you want to straighten up and fly right!

Driving all the way to Murray and/or Paducah would make for a very long day. Driving to LBL and taking in a few sights and eating makes for a long day.

Dan
 
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If you like BBQ you need to go to Leigh's in Paducah (near the airport). Just go before 12:30pm. The old timers there just cook however much they have that day and once it's gone, its wait until the next day. I think it's better than Moonlight.
 
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Most of the tips you are getting are spot on but you can't do much at all in one day, sorry. Patti's 2" pork chop is to die for, and the Brass Lantern in Aurora was once named the top restaurant in the state by Billy Reed(yeah I know) but they've always had surf and turf and great salad bar too. Heaton's in Princeton has very good BarBQ and Newsome's Grocery on Main St. is a must see, ask Bill Samuels of Makers Mark. This is a more direct path into western KY. You wouldn't go wrong if you drive to Princeton for lunch(Heatons) or Pagliai's Pizzi--both right off west ky parkway or Black Patch Grill downtown, then go on to the LBL but not the whole distance, and maybe work one more town in like Murray(college) Paducah(on the river) AND MAKE RESERVATIONS AT PATTI'S IN ADVANCE, don't wait til you get here.. I would make Bowling Green or Owensboro their own trip some other time. ENJOY
 
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Old Hickory is good and I've eaten there a lot, in fact just had some of their food this past weekend, but I think people who say Moonlight isn't good is blowing smoke up somebodies skirt for reasons other than food. The church crowd likes to go there because they do not serve alcohol. I grew up in O'boro and never in my 65 years had a bad meal at Moonlight. Not even close. Plus I like to have a beer with my Bar-B-Q, can't do that at old Hickory unless they've changed recently. Old Hickory doesn't put out a spread like Moonlight does either. You can go to the Moonlight and fill up on home style vegetables with out touching the Bar-B-Q and then have a dozen different desserts. If you know Owensboro I can assure you there are some really places to eat that a lot of folk simply passing through don't know about. The Briarpatch is a great steakhouse, The Bistro is good Mediterranean food, Niko's is good also, Colby's heck even Jay Dee's is a good spot. I don't live there anymore but I do know where the locals like to go. Problem I have is I like to cook.
 
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wickersham said:
Most of the tips you are getting are spot on but you can't do much at all in one day, sorry. Patti's 2" pork chop is to die for, and the Brass Lantern in Aurora was once named the top restaurant in the state by Billy Reed(yeah I know) but they've always had surf and turf and great salad bar too. Heaton's in Princeton has very good BarBQ and Newsome's Grocery on Main St. is a must see, ask Bill Samuels of Makers Mark. This is a more direct path into western KY. You wouldn't go wrong if you drive to Princeton for lunch(Heatons) or Pagliai's Pizzi--both right off west ky parkway or Black Patch Grill downtown, then go on to the LBL but not the whole distance, and maybe work one more town in like Murray(college) Paducah(on the river) AND MAKE RESERVATIONS AT PATTI'S IN ADVANCE, don't wait til you get here.. I would make Bowling Green or Owensboro their own trip some other time. ENJOY
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I agree that you can't do it in one day. It's about 2.5 hours just to Bowling Green, and then it's 2 more to get to LBL. That doesn't even include going to Paducah or Owensboro. I don't think I'd make a random trip to Owensboro as I don't think there is that much to see/do. If they still have the BBQ Festival, a separate trip may be worth it.

If you make it a weekend, it would work. On Friday night, you could get to Bowling Green and hit Mariah's for dinner. I highly recommend the Galaxy Ice Cream Pie. Get up in the morning and hit the Corvette Museum. Then head to LBL along highway 68/80. I'd stop along the way at Ferrell's in Hopkinsville or Cadiz for a nice greasy burger for lunch.

Definitely hit Patti's for dinner, but definitely call ahead and make a reservation. Maybe hit Paducah for the night. Stay there and catch brunch on Sunday before you head back to Lex.
 
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Bbq....go to knoths in Lake City...
If you want a steak.Go to Doe's Eat Place in downtown Paducah. Paducah has 2 breweries in dry Ground and Paducah Beer Works...also a distillery called Silent Brigade and a neat little ice cream shop where they roll the ice cream called CurlsNCream.
 
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CB3UK said:
Im headed out to Western KY Saturday to see what there is to see and do what there is to do and especially eat whatever there is to eat. I've done Mammoth Cave, and I've been to Moonlite BBQ in Owensboro twice. In my 33 yrs, all in Lexington, that's the extent of my experiences in Western KY and I'm trying to remedy that.

This is just a "get up early Saturday and go" day trip trying to cover as much territory as I can and get back to Lexington that evening since I have to work Sunday morning. I would like to see Land Between the Lakes and Paducah both the most. I'd also like to go see the Confederate fort in Hickman, see Murray State's campus, see what's what in Bowling Green, etc.

Essentially what I'm wanting to know is what is truly worth seeing on such a short trip? Also, what is the best of the best for lunch and dinner options. Do not care about style or cost. Greasy spoon or $30/plate....I just want good food. I'm inclined to drive to Moonlite unless y'all can point me in the direction of other quality BBQ establishments.

Anyway any feedback from BBN is much appreciated. As a lifelong Kentuckian I love this state and I feel an obligation to get out and explore the rest of it
Click to expand...

Jesse James robbed the bank in Russellville.

They race horses and grow soybeans at Ellis Park in Henderson.

The Ohio River meets the Mississippi at Wickliffe.
 
Great stuff so far guys! Keep em coming.

I know very well I can't do much of anything in a day trip out there. This is mostly going to be a lazy Saturday drive through just to look and see, maybe get out at a state park or on the river, and enjoy some local lunch/dinner.

I've never been to Land Between the Lakes....lived in Lexington my entire life, and that more than anything drives me crazy and I finally told the girlfriend I'm tired of waiting....we're just going to get up early Saturday and go.

I definitely plan on making future plans to do other trips back out to do and see stuff so this isn't an end all be all by any means.

Has anyone gone out to that little bend in the Mississippi River you have to go to Tennessee to get to? Is there any reason I would drive 5 hours out there other than to say as a Kentuckian I have been to that tiny spot of land?
 
So far from what I've heard and read here, Old Hickory in the Boro, or Starnes or Harned's in Paducah for BBQ.

Of those 3 which would y'all say is the best? I really like Moonlite so if they're better than that I'm pretty excited to try em.

I would try 2 of the 3 for lunch/dinner but my girlfriend would kill me if I dragged to 2 BBQ shacks in one day [laughing]
 
CB3UK said:
So far from what I've heard and read here, Old Hickory in the Boro, or Starnes or Harned's in Paducah for BBQ.

Of those 3 which would y'all say is the best? I really like Moonlite so if they're better than that I'm pretty excited to try em.

I would try 2 of the 3 for lunch/dinner but my girlfriend would kill me if I dragged to 2 BBQ shacks in one day [laughing]
Click to expand...

Doreena-Hickman Ferry over the mississippi

Connects Doreena, MO- Hickman, KY i want to take the family in a couple of weeks to that.
 
If you go to Owensboro it would be well worth your time to go by Reids Orchard east of town. It is a pretty nice farm store on a 400+ acre orchard/farm that has great produce and canned goods. It is home to several small festivals a year. It is just a very nice farm that started out as an orchard and they have put a lot of effort into being an interesting country market with lots of afternoon wandering around interest.
 
If you try LBL go to Grand Rivers and eat at Patti's in Grand Rivers. Yes it's a hard ticket on any day without reservations but if it's one no problem . I recommend early afternoon arrival and you should be fine. They are known for their 2" Pork Chop but offer prime rib and other fine steaks! A must to eat at least once in a life time. Be careful on your drive and you might see enough to come back again. We are a friendly bunch down here!
 
So far I think I'm going to hit Patti's for Lunch and Starne's for dinner.

Most likely going to drive around LBL and enjoy the afternoon then head to Paducah and try Starne's for dinner and just check out the town. Probably cruise back through Bowling Green and head home late that evening.

From you guys, my coworkers, and looking around online, I didn't realize how much I had missed by not exploring thst end of the state. Been all over Northern, Eastern and Southern KY.
 
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If you get close to Cadiz you have to stop in Ferrel's and get the best flat-top burger you'll have in KY. It's a hole in the wall but damn, the cheeseburgers are a greasy form of heaven.

And count me as being Team Old Hickory.

Old Hickory > Moonlight. I'm not ashamed.
 
And Cumberland Falls is a beautiful place to visit.

Yeah, yeah, I know where it is, but we already have him booked up for a year.

What I am worried about is that after visiting all those places with great food will they be able to fit in the car for the drive home?
 
CB3UK said:
Great stuff so far guys! Keep em coming.

I know very well I can't do much of anything in a day trip out there. This is mostly going to be a lazy Saturday drive through just to look and see, maybe get out at a state park or on the river, and enjoy some local lunch/dinner.

I've never been to Land Between the Lakes....lived in Lexington my entire life, and that more than anything drives me crazy and I finally told the girlfriend I'm tired of waiting....we're just going to get up early Saturday and go.

I definitely plan on making future plans to do other trips back out to do and see stuff so this isn't an end all be all by any means.

Has anyone gone out to that little bend in the Mississippi River you have to go to Tennessee to get to? Is there any reason I would drive 5 hours out there other than to say as a Kentuckian I have been to that tiny spot of land?
Click to expand...

Not many kentuckians can say they been their. Or go to Missouri and travel down to an area called Wolf Island. Its on the Missouri side but is a part of kentucky. To be honest neither are worth the trip just to say you been their. Reelfoot Lake is in very southern Fulton County and extends south into tenn. It was created during the New Madrid earthquakes back in 1811 and 1812. That is when the Mississippi River ran backwards and filled that area up.
About the only thing to see in far west ky is Columbus Park thats north of Clinton overlooking the Miss R. Its a civial war battlefield site where General Grant (the future President) was defeated and could have been killed when he was fleeing. They have a chain their that draped across the river thats huge. I went there for the 150th anniversary battle. It was pretty neat that had lots of cannons firing during the reenactment and a commentator explaining how the battle took place and how long it was and such forth. I think it is done sometime in October if I remember correctly

LBL has several places you can go to. Go online or maybe a visitor center to see all the places to visit.


Its like 5.5hrs from Lexington to Fulton.
Far west Ky is very poor and neglected by Frankfort, if it wasnt for Paducah their would be nothing there.

Paducah has a range of restaurants to eat and i recommend going their.
Hickman has Hubbs which is all right, Fulton has the Keg, Smokehouse and a catfish place that i forgot its name but its on highway 51 fixing to leave fulton going north to Clinton. Mayfield doesnt have too much in regards to unique eating. When your in Mayfield just drive to Paducah ehh? Lol Murray has another Keg and a few other choice places and Patties is just north of their.
 
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The Civil War stuff is something that definitely intrigues me. That'll have to wait for a trip with my old man. The girlfriend is from upstate NY and couldn't care less. My family on my dad's side has deep roots here, helping to originally settle the state and Virginia before that. Lots of family roots in Washington and Marion Counties (Lebanon, Springfield, Hodgenville etc) though I haven't been there much myself.

Any other Civil War stuff besides the Jefferson Davis Monument and the fort in Hickman? I will definitely be making another trip out there for those in the future....love Civil War history especially as it pertains to Kentucky.
 
Sounds like a great trip! I've always wanted to do the same, but take maybe a week and cover South and Central Ky also. Definitely making the trip to Patties one of these days.
 
In relation to Civil War, BG was considered the Confederate capital of KY. Hobson House, that sets on a hill overlooking the Barren River was basically the confederate governor's mansion. There was a rebel encampment at Lost River Cave, that literally sets underneath the intersection of Cave Mill Rd and Nashville Rd (31W).
 
CB3UK said:
So far from what I've heard and read here, Old Hickory in the Boro, or Starnes or Harned's in Paducah for BBQ.

Of those 3 which would y'all say is the best? I really like Moonlite so if they're better than that I'm pretty excited to try em.

I would try 2 of the 3 for lunch/dinner but my girlfriend would kill me if I dragged to 2 BBQ shacks in one day [laughing]
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Starnes is overrated. Im serious, if you are in the area go to JMack bbq in Calvert City, Knoths in Lake City or Smokey D's in Lacenter.

There isn't anything at Betsys bend(that little part of KY you have to go into TN to get to. I wouldn't worry about going there,
 
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CB3UK said:
The Civil War stuff is something that definitely intrigues me. That'll have to wait for a trip with my old man. The girlfriend is from upstate NY and couldn't care less. My family on my dad's side has deep roots here, helping to originally settle the state and Virginia before that. Lots of family roots in Washington and Marion Counties (Lebanon, Springfield, Hodgenville etc) though I haven't been there much myself.

Any other Civil War stuff besides the Jefferson Davis Monument and the fort in Hickman? I will definitely be making another trip out there for those in the future....love Civil War history especially as it pertains to Kentucky.
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Nahh - Apart from what you mentioned the Civil War history in Western KY is fairly sparse. I can think of a few places were there some minor skirmishes but frankly they're not worth going to because they're little more than a state historical marker at the site. There's a little bit of Civil War history in Paducah but I don't know the details.

I certainly don't want to plan your trip for you but depending on when you leave Lex and when you get there I would suggest stopping by Ky Dam before going to Patti's. You can get up close to the dam and the visitor center is worth going to if you've never been there before. You can also check out the lake from the top of the dam which is a pretty neat view. From Patti's you would have plenty of time to cruise the LBL and then take US 68 all the way into Paducah unless you wanted to take a side trip to Murray Mayfield or the Columbus Belmont battlefield (not in Hickman). http://parks.ky.gov/parks/recreationparks/columbus-belmont/

Enjoy your trip. I share your love of our home state.
 
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