[tw-divider]Area Parks [/tw-divider]
One thing I’ve always loved about Owensboro is our park system. I can remember sliding down the rocket slide at Ben Hawes as a kid, and now our boys can climb straight up that same ladder to the second landing and zoom down that shiny metal sliding board. But the thing is there are lots of smaller neighborhood parks tucked away in almost every area of Owensboro. For example, Horse Creek Park off 54 has a great new playground. From our house we can walk to York Park or Shifley Park, which are hardly ever crowded. For longer walks or wagon rides we can catch the greenbelt. Chautauqua, Moreland, Legion, English, Thompson-Berry; why not go on a “park tour” and try to hit them all? Each one is a new adventure.
[tw-divider]The Edge[/tw-divider]
The Edge Ice Center will be open for Special Sessions during Fall Break, October 6-10. Special Sessions will take place Monday through Friday, noon to 4 p.m. at $5 per person. Regularly scheduled public session take place throughout the season. They are Thursday evenings, 6-8 p.m., $4 per person; Friday and Saturday evenings, 7-10 p.m., $6 per person; and Saturday and Sunday afternoons, 1-4 p.m., $5 per person. All fees include admission and skate rental. There are no spectator fees for parents or guardians.
[tw-divider]Hit the Museums [/tw-divider]
The Rotary Club “playzeum” alone is well worth the $3 admission to the Owensboro Museum of Science and History (2 and under free). Kids will get a kick out of climbing through the tunnel overhanging Allen Street and the big tree house. All the Lightning McQueen fans in your house will love the racing exhibit in the “speedzeum” featuring Owensboro natives Darrel & Michael Waltrip, the Green family, and the Hayden brothers. “Encounter” will keep them busy for a while too.
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Mad Science with Kim Ray: Come join Mad Scientist Kim Ray for some crazy fun chemistry experiments!
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Scary Robots!: Come and join former Slaugther on Second Street Ringmaster Ralph Mitchell as he demonstrates some of the super scary robots used in haunted attractions.
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Children of the Night – LIVE ANIMAL SHOW: Enjoy the creatures from Wesselman’s Woods as they present Creatures of the Night, a collection of nocturnal animals and insects.
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Spooky Tales for Kids Who doesn’t like huddling together on a nice fall day and hearing ghost stories? Join museum educator Todd Reynolds as he tells spooky stories for kids! (But not TOO spooky!)
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The Owensboro Museum of Fine Art also has several fall break activities planned. Click here to read about the RiverArtes Art Camp.“RiverArtes: Fun with Public Art” is a unique camp that will offer children the opportunity to create a collaborative outdoor sculpture and is being presented in conjunction with the museum’s current exhibition, RIVERARTES: The Art of Placemaking.
[tw-divider]Think “Agritainment” [/tw-divider]
You can easily spend a half day at Trunnell’s or Reid’s. The “Family Fun Acre” at Trunnell’s Farm Market has enough to keep anybody busy: pedal tractors, corn crib, big slide, and much more. Plus a corn maze and brand new jumping pillow. It’s a blast! They also have a festival with a different theme every weekend through November 1st! See [website] for more details.
Or try Reid’s Orchard’s “Reidland Play Area” featuring the Apple Slider, Apple Racers, Corn Crib, Tractor Tires, Train Swing, Peach Slide, Tractor and Horse Swing, Corn Maze, Soybean Maze, Pony Hops, and more! See [website] for details.
[tw-divider]Vastwood Park (Hancock County) [/tw-divider]
Vastwood Park is a great fall destination just 30 minutes from town. Enjoy a paved walking trail that goes all the way around the beautiful 19 acre lake. There are other hiking trails as well, but the paved trail winds through the woods, over several bridges and across the dam. For an additional challenge, there is a fitness course along the trail. Disc Golf players who have already played Panther Creek and Yellow Creek will enjoy the 18 basket course. For the youngsters there is a large fenced-in playground. Also a basketball court, tennis court, ball fields, and picnic shelters. For lunch, there is a pizza place (Galaxy Pizza) inside the park with a few arcade games. Or as my boys call it: “PIZZA PLANET!”
[tw-divider]Audubon State Park (Henderson) [/tw-divider]
Audubon State Park is best known for its namesake, John James Audubon, who wrote an exhaustive book about birds that was a landmark work in the 1800s. The museum is the main attraction, but there is also a 9-hole golf course, fishing and pedal boats on the main lake, several picnic shelters, and playgrounds by the lake. It really is a beautiful place to spend a fall afternoon. The one mile “lake trail” offers a beautiful view of Wilderness Lake with another two mile “backcountry trail” as an add-on. I’ve never been there when I didn’t see deer and so many birds I couldn’t count them. For overnight stays there are cottages and a campground as well.
[tw-divider]Holiday World’s “Halloween Fun” [/tw-divider]
If you can’t get away during the week, remember Holiday World has Halloween Fun every Saturday in October. All the rides plus corn maze and other goodies.
For more ideas of one tank road trips, read “One Tank Road Trips“.
