*NOTICE: Please excuse the date stamps on the photos.*
In June of 2019, my parents and I embarked on a road trip to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, where we had the opportunity to experience some of the state’s local culture and cuisine. It was, as always, intriguing to see how different traditions and conventions are in another destination!
We first stopped at West Virginia, where New River Gorge roars through valleys at the base of mountains carpeted in greenery. We followed a set of wooden stairs, which occasionally overlooked the flourishing vegetation that grew densely on the mountains. The sun shone brightly in a blue sky that day, illuminating the majestic view of the mountainous land towering over the river. The New River Gorge Bridge, a deep maroon steel structure made of entwined metal spanned the massive gorge. According to the official National Park Service website, the bridge was such a picturesque sight that in 2006 the US Mint printed an image of it on the state quarter representing West Virginia! On the shores of the river, leafy trees crowded the sand. The water flowed in a rushing green stream below the rolling emerald hills; it was beautiful!
Our next stop was downtown Louisville, Kentucky. The streets ran between a mix of modern and classical buildings. It reminded me of Savannah, Georgia, the town we stopped in through on our trip to Florida. However, most of the architecture still leaned towards a traditional style, often featuring neutral tones of stone and brick. There were also several pops of color along the street in the form of murals and street art!
One dish that Kentucky is known for is the Hot Brown, which was conceived in Louisville at the Brown Hotel in the 1920s. It’s an open-faced sandwich with turkey, bacon, and topped with what is essentially cheese sauce. We actually did stop at the Brown Hotel, but a single hot brown would have set us back more than twenty bucks, so we decided to try the signature sandwich at a local diner in Lexington called Ramsey’s. We ordered two variations of the dish: the traditional version topped cheddar cheese and bacon, and one topped with diced tomatoes and mozzarella. Obviously, the classic combination of carbs, meat, and cheese was going to be a winner; the savory taste of dairy coupled with the juicy meat and yeasty bread was delicious!
Other stores along the street introduced elements of the local culture, including a bourbon exhibit and a baseball museum (featuring a massive Louisville Slugger in the front, of course). One unique stop I particularly enjoyed was the KMAC Museum, which (during the time we were visiting) was displaying a collection of different artists’ interpretations of chairs. During our stay in Louisville we were also able to watch an outdoor live orchestra performance. It was fascinating watching the musicians play their pieces under an open sky, although that proved to have its drawbacks when the event was stopped early because of a thunderstorm.
After we went on a guided tour of the underground system of Mammoth Cave National Park, we were able to try some southern barbeque family-owned restaurant called Bucky Bee’s BBQ. The restaurant wasn’t fancy at all, but the food was amazing. They served all elements of a traditional southern dinner: creamy mashed potatoes, sweet corn, and of course, grilled meats sauced with barbeque. Even the dessert- assorted flavors of cheesecake- was delectable! The entire restaurant had a homey, hospitable sort of atmosphere, with walls of paneled wood and checkered red and white tables. It was a delicious way to end our time in Kentucky!
On our drive back, we stopped in Pennsylvania to tour Phipps Botanical Gardens, which I will link here after I post it. Please check it out if you want to see some beautiful and strange plants!
In West Virginia, we marveled at the structural wonder of the New River Gorge, which was an amazing spectacle of man made architecture and nature. We then learned about the local culture and traditions during our time in Kentucky, tasting some delicious chow and ambling through the downtown streets of Louisville. This varied experience is part of the reason I would highly recommend stopping in different places along the way on a road trip; you get to go to more places and make more memories!
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