The best family things to do near Mammoth Cave National Park
We got to spend a few days near Mammoth Cave National Park as part of a mini road trip between Nashville, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Mammoth Cave. And while we loved our cave tour and time in the park, we also had some free time to spend elsewhere. There are plenty of things to entertain your family at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, but if you have extra time in the area here are some great activities near Mammoth Cave for you and your family to enjoy.
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Wanting to plan a trip to Mammoth Cave?
Check out this post all about visiting the park as a family!
Day Trips from Mammoth Cave
If you are staying in or near Mammoth Cave, but want to experience more of Kentucky and Tennessee, there is so much for you to explore. From the big city of Nashville, to historical sites like Abraham Lincoln’s Birthplace, or destinations that are sure to excite the kids like Dinosaur World – there are plenty of things to do near Mammoth Cave National Park for everyone.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is located about 90 minutes southwest of Mammoth Cave, making it a perfect day trip to add-on to your Mammoth Cave adventure. As the largest city in Tennessee, and home to so much rich history, there is plenty to do in Nashville. However, if you are only visiting Nashville as a day trip from Mammoth Cave, consider visiting only one or two of the following stops in the Music City:
Take a Bus Tour and Scout your Next Stop
This is a great way to get a feel for the city, learn more about what it has to offer and create a list of where you want to explore after the tour. This tour lasts one hour, so you have plenty of time to explore after. Or consider this tour which is a hop-on-hop-off option you can use all day. Either way, a bus tour is a fantastic way to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time without having to worry about navigating, parking, and with the bonus of narration to learn more about the city.
Spend Time at the Nashville Zoo
My kids love visiting the zoo, big or small, and the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere is perfect for a half-day visit. Here you can spot a variety of animals including Sumatran tigers, zebra, and red pandas, as well as enjoy the Jungle Gym playground or purchase a ride on the Wild Animal Carousel.
Hours: Open daily at 9 am. Closes at 6 pm in peak season (usually early March – early October) and 4 pm otherwise. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.
Fees: Prices vary by day, but adult tickets are usually $14-$25 and children (12 and under) $10-$21. There is an $8 parking fee as well.
Activities: There are additional activities and rides available for a fee. They include a zip line, animal feeding, carousel, train, and 4D theater.
Location: 3777 Nolensville Pike, Nashville, TN 37211 – about 1 hr 45 minutes from Mammoth Cave
Important Information: Tickets are timed entry and can be bought online here.
Visit the Adventure Science Center
A day at the Adventure Science Center is a great option rain or shine. Kids can enjoy interactive exhibits, planetarium shows, and hands-on tinkering lab that they are sure to love. And if you are a member of an ASTC Passport Museum, you can get free entry up to 2 adults and 4 children!
Hours: Monday, Thursday, Friday: 9am – 3pm, Saturday and Sunday: 9am – 5 pm (Note: it is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Fees: Adults $22, Kids (2-12) $18. Planetarium shows are an additional fee (about $9/person). Parking is free.
Activities: Popular activities include the multi-story Adventure Tower, i2 Makerspace, and Wonders of the Universe where you can see an actual NASA rover vehicle.
Location: 800 Fort Negley Blvd. Nashville, TN 37203 – 90 minutes from Mammoth Cave
Important Information: Visitors are encouraged to purchase a timed entry ticket, but can still purchase tickets at the door if available.
Enjoy Centennial Park and the Parthenon
Grab some food to go or bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it at Centennial Park, home to a full-scale replica of the Parthenon. We loved walking along Lake Watauga and watching the ducks swim by and running around the large fields before we headed to the airport for a long flight. Make sure to take a minute to find and enjoy one of the swinging benches found throughout the park – it’s sure to be a hit with your kids! You have the option to enjoy the art gallery inside the Parthenon featuring a statue of Athena. We opted to skip it and just enjoy the grounds. It was perfect for our young family.
Hours: The park is open from Dawn until 11pm and the Parthenon museum hours vary, but can be checked here.
Fees: Adults: $10.00, Seniors (62+): $8.00, Youth (4-17): $8.00, Children under 4: Free
Activities: Watch the ducks, try the swinging benches, visit the Parthenon (inside or out), and play at the playgrounds – have your kids try each one and rate them on a scale of 1-5!
Location: 2500 West End Avenue Nashville, TN 37203 – just over an hour and a half from Mammoth Cave
Important Information: There are several parking lots and playgrounds throughout the park so you really can’t go wrong with picking a place to park. While the park is large, it is manageable and you can explore most of it at a leisurely pace.
Staying in Nashville over night? Find a place to stay here:
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
A stop at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace is a must for history buffs, or fans of the former president (and who doesn’t love Abe?!). Here you can walk in the footsteps of one of America’s greatest presidents, and explore both the memorial building and his boyhood home. You can also spend more time at the park by enjoying the walking trails and visitor center. Most kids know and love our 16th president, and might be a little more willing to stop at this historical site than most others.
Hours: Double check the site before visiting, but the sites are open most days between 9:00am and 4:30pm. They are closed New Years, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Fees: It’s free!
Activities: Take time to visit the memorial building that houses the Symbolic Birh Cabin – a reconstruction of a cabin representing the one in which President Lincoln was born. Download free audio tours on the NPS app ahead of time and/or consider a ranger led tour if they are being offered.
Location: About an hour northeast of Mammoth Cave
Birthplace: 2995 Lincoln Farm Rd, Hodgenville, KY 42748
Boyhood home: Google Maps Location
Important Information: The memorial building and birthplace unit are separated by about ten miles, so plan accordingly.
National Corvette Museum
Just a short drive from Mammoth Cave National Park, families can enjoy a fun afternoon at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. This museum showcases an impressive collection of over 80 Corvettes, including rare models like the 1962 Corvette and the iconic Stingray. Also on display is the remains of a sinkhole that swallowed several Corvettes in 2014. Thankfully, the vehicles were restored, and visitors can now see the exact location of this unusual event.
Our kids spent nearly an hour at the interactive drawing activity where they could design their dream Corvette. Because there was only one other family visiting the exhibit at the time, our kids came up with design after design. Once they completed it, the picture would project on a large screen and they would get so excited when theirs came up.
Hours: Vary by season, but the shortest opening hours are 10am – 5pm. Closed Tuesdays in January and February.
Fees: $14 for kids (5-12), $25 adults, 4 and under are free.
Additional fees for guided tours and Corvette simulator activity
Activities: There are so many awesome cars to look at! Beyond that, kids (and adults) will love drawing their own car on a tablet that is then projected onto a screen. The exhibit about the sinkhole is also very interesting. Plan to be there for 90 minutes minimum.
Location: 350 Corvette Dr, Bowling Green, KY 42101 – about 30 minutes southwest of Mammoth Cave
Important Information: Previously, they offered tours of the plant for an additional cost, but those tours are no longer available. However, the museum alone is a great experience!
Get your tickets for the Corvette Museum HERE
Lost River Cave
All photos courtesy of Lost River Cave Facebook Page – Used with permission
If you can’t get enough caves, or want a more unique experience exploring by boat, Lost River Cave is a great option for families. While your tour will take about 45 minutes, you can easily plan half a day for your visit and check out the butterfly habitat in the summer, play on the nature-focused playground, and explore the hiking trails or geocache. Check their events calendar before you plan, and see if there are any additional activities being offered before you go.
Hours: Boat tour times vary, but are often available from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Advanced reservations are recommended. Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & New Year’s Day.
Fees: Boat Tour: Adult (13+) $23.95, Youth (4-12) $16.95, Child (3 and Under) $5.95
Activities: Boat tour, natural entrance walking tour (no boat), butterfly habitat (open summer only), nature-based playground, trails, visitor center and gift shop.
Location: 2818 Nashville Rd, Bowling Green, KY 42101 – about 40 minutes from Mammoth Cave
Important Information: At times, water levels are too high to run the boat tours. Check to make sure you are able to complete your tour beforehand. Their website also provides detailed explanations of what to expect on your tour here.
Aviation Heritage Park
For those with kids (and adults) who love all things airplanes, the Aviation Heritage Park is a great stop, especially if you are headed to the Corvette Museum or other attractions in Bowling Green. Just over 30 minutes from the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center, this park features aircraft in an outdoor display – including a Huey Helicopter and other helicopters and planes that have flown over the last 50+ years. Visiting the museum will give you a chance to sneak a peek a few other aircraft as well as informative displays all about aviation.
Hours: Grounds are open daily during daylight hours. Museum open Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Fees: Free to visit (including the museum)
Activities: Walk around and grab pictures of the planes on display and explore the museum if open.
Location: 1825 Three Springs Rd, Bowling Green, KY 42104 – about 35 minutes from the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center
Important Information: Unless you have major aviation or history buffs in your group, don’t plan on spending more than an hour or two here.
Check out these other fun activities near Bowling Green HERE.
Dinosaur World
Most families will end up with a dinosaur enthusiast at some point, which makes Dinosaur World such a good stop. With hundreds of life-sized dinosaurs to spot, as well as animatronic displays, and playground that’s dinosaur themed, it’s sure to be popular with many kids (and grown-ups!)
Hours: Open daily from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Fees: Adults (13+) $17.95, Kids (3-12) $13.95, 2 and under free, Senior (60+) $15.95
Activities: Interactive exhibits, large gift shop, playground, fossil dig + gem mining (additional cost)
Location: 711 Mammoth Cave Rd, Cave City, KY 42127 – about 15 minutes from Mammoth Cave Visitor Center
Important Information: Visitors to the area may struggle with humidity, and while much of the park is located outdoors, there is an indoor exhibit with animatronic dinos to help you beat the weather. Visitors are allowed to bring coolers and outside food with them.
Mammoth Valley Park
While this stop caters to those with slightly older children, there are still a few options for little ones. Formerly known as Kentucky Action Park, Mammoth Valley Park offers the only alpine slide in Kentucky, the longest twin zipline in the state, a climbing wall, go-karts, and a bungee trampoline. They also offer a scenic chairlift for those looking for a less adventurous activity. This is a great stop for any family wanting to get an adrenaline rush.
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday 10:00 am – 8:00 pm (Closed Monday and Tuesday)
Fees: Prices vary for each attraction and range from $8-$45, with discounts for bundling – make sure to ask!
Activities: Zipline (weight restrictions), scenic chairlift, alpine slide (6 and older), rock wall (30 pounds +), go-karts, bungee trampoline
Location: 3061 Mammoth Cave Road, Cave City, Kentucky 42127 – about 15 minutes from the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center
Important Information: Be prepared to sign waivers for ziplining, and possibly other activities.
Ravens Cross Village of Adventure
While there are several spooky attractions at Raven’s Cross Village of Adventure, there are still several activities for families with little kids or those who don’t like scary things. In the fall they offer a haunted house for thrill seekers, and escape rooms, Gellyball (like paintball, but not as hard), and VR experiences. Families can bring a picnic lunch and hit a few attractions for a few hours. Their extensive gift shop does have a horror focus, so consider this before entering with sensitive kiddos.
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday 10:00 am – 8:00 pm (Closed Monday and Tuesday), Escape Room hours differ.
Fees: Gellyball – $5/person, Realms of Reality – $5/ride, Escape Room $25/person
Activities: Gellyball, Escape Rooms, Realms of Reality 3D Attraction, Collectibles gift shop (including horror film memorabilia)
Location: 907 Mammoth Cave Rd, Cave City, KY 42127 – about 15 minutes from the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center
Important Information: Some of the attractions at this location may be scary for younger kids, but it also hosts birthday parties and events that can be family-friendly. Please note, some attractions are seasonal, so consider calling ahead to schedule.
FAQs About Visiting the Mammoth Cave Area
Are there other caves near Mammoth Cave National Park?
Yes! If you want more caves outside of the park consider Lost River Cave, Onyx Cave, and Diamond Caverns.
What are some free things to do near Mammoth Cave National Park?
Already mentioned is Centennial Park in Nashville, as well as the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace Historical Monument and Aviation Heritage Park. Other great, free, activities include playgrounds in nearby Cave City like Funtopia Park and Roy Dickey Reynolds Park. If you venture to Bowling Green you can visit the campus of Western Kentucky University or stroll around Fountain Square Park.
What other National Parks are near Mammoth Cave?
We combined a trip to Mammoth Cave with a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains, which is about 4.5 hours away. Check out this post all about things to see and do between the two parks – it’s a beautiful drive!
If you are traveling northwest, Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis is less than 5 hours away, and New River Gorge National Park is just under 6 hours to the east.
Where should we stay near Mammoth Cave?
I almost always start my accommodation research for any trip at booking.com. While I don’t always book through them, they are a great OTA (Online Travel Agency) to use for research.
Cities to consider staying in include:
Cave City (15 minutes)
Bowling Green (30 minutes)
Nashville (1.5 hours)
Louisville (1.5 hours)
Final Thoughts
While a visit to Mammoth Cave is worth the travel in and of itself, the surrounding area has tons of options to keep families busy. There are so many things for families to do near the park, so start planning a trip today!
If you are interested in visiting more national parks with your family, please join my free Facebook group:
National Parks for Families