Day Trips
There are excellent experiences within a one-hour drive of Somerset and Pulaski County.
Renfro Valley Entertainment Center
2380 Richmond St.
Mt Vernon
800- 765-7464
Country music fans will appreciate Renfro Valley, home of the world-famous Barn Dance Show and the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum. Check out the schedule of headliner concerts and be sure to visit the Village Shops, where lights are abundant during the Christmas season.
Big South Fork Scenic Railway
66 Henderson St.
Stearns
800-462-5664
The Big South Fork Scenic Railway is a heritage railroad in historic Stearns, Kentucky. The route runs for 16 miles through lush countryside in the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. There is a stop in the historic coal mining town of Blue Heron, Kentucky, which can be toured.
Cumberland Falls
The guides at Sheltowee Trace Outfitters at Cumberland Falls make whitewater rafting, canoeing or kayaking on the forks of the Cumberland River an outdoor water adventure worth remembering. Cumberland Falls, sometimes called the Little Niagara, the Niagara of the South, or the Great Falls, is a waterfall on the Cumberland River. Spanning the river at the border of McCreary and Whitley counties, the waterfall is the central feature of Cumberland Falls State Resort Park.
Mill Springs Mill
See the world’s largest overshot waterwheel in action at Mill Springs Mill on the shores of Lake Cumberland in Monticello, Kentucky. Built in 1877 and restored in 1976, old battlefields, new innovations and extensive restorations, make up much of Mill Springs Mill’s history. It is located in Mill Springs Park, near the site of the 1862 Battle of Mill Springs, one of the first great battles of the Civil War.
Dunagan’s Store
1748 Old Mill Springs Rd.
Monticello, KY 42633
606-396-1447
This quaint country store, located across from the Mill Springs Mill Park and the Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument’s Brown-Lanier House, began operation in the late 1920s. The store was moved 100 yards, to its current location by mule power in 1935. The store was a real “Country Store”, carrying almost anything the Mill Springs community might need and served as the Mill Springs Post Office. Times change, but the overall appearance of the store has not. The store has been locally owned and operated since the 1920’s. Current owner and Mill Springs native Carolyn Boston Speers now owns the beloved old store. She and her son have steadily worked toward the preservation of Dunagan’s recreating the “sit down and stay awhile” warmth that Everette Dunagan always extended to the community. Dunagan’s Store now serves smoked meats, BBQ and the homemade sides to go with it. Dine in, outdoor seating or carryout is available. For more history on the store and a menu visit http://www.facebook.com/dunagansstoreoldmillspringsky/ or stop in and talk with Carolyn or her son.
Wayne County Museum
75 N. Main St.
Monticello
(606) 340-2300
The identification, preservation, interpretation and promotion of Wayne County’s history is socially, culturally, and economically valuable. The lessons of history provide direction to the future and contribute to quality of life, scholarship, and a better appreciation of society and culture. The William Crenshaw Kennedy, Jr. Memorial Museum (Wayne County Museum) will identify, preserve, interpret, and promote the heritage of Monticello and Wayne County and its people.
Wolf Creek Fish Hatchery
50 Kendall Road
Jamestown
(270) 343-3797
Come face to face with the region’s trout, explore karst terrain, and see the hatchery’s exhibit hall. Much more awaits the entire family in a fun and engaging educational journey at Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery. Visitors are welcome to tour the hatchery, visitor/environmental education center and to fish in the creek. Hatchery grounds are open 365 days a year while the visitor/environmental education center remains open 364 days annually (only closing on Christmas Day).
Wayne County Swinging Bridges
Take a step back in time in Wayne County, Kentucky, when the only way to cross creeks or rivers was by swinging bridges. These bridges have been brought back to life and are worth exploring: Freedom Swinging Bridge, Ritner Swinging Bridge, Greenford Swinging Bridge.
