A Day Trip to Owensboro, Kentucky

Take a day trip to Owensboro with kids, family fun!

Owensboro has a lot to offer families and kids! We found a ton of free and inexpensive fun for everyone.

Downtown Tips:

• There's a Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn on either side of the modern looking convention center - great location for an overnight stay.
• Free Trolley rides around downtown for hopping on and off!
• Cute shops downtown- boutiques, antiques - something for everyone.

Owensboro Museum of Science and History

• Affordable and they allow you to come and go as long as you have your ticket stub for the day
• Free downtown on street parking 
• A tad of an old place that needs some TLC- not everything works.
• Good for younger kids - the upstairs play area is nice!
• Lots of state history for elementary to middle school aged kids that are learning that topic in school

Smothers Park 

• Jumping water fountains all over
• VERY clean and well-maintained - close to downtown for easy access
• Huge/unique playground for all ages 
• Restrooms were clean 
• Stocked Snack bar
• Lots of tables in the playground and surrounding park 
• Splash pad open during warmer months

Giant Sassafrass Tree

• We drove into the commercial and residential area searching for this tree!
• It's not as impressive as it seemed online so, save your time. Cool idea but didn't have much of an impact or leave an impression.

Wonder Whip

• Walk up burger joint with small selection of ice cream but delicious shakes
• Recommend fried apple slices with vanilla ice cream
• Great location for stopping on your way out of town (depending on your direction, of course)

Yellow Creek Park

• AWESOME park!!!! Not just any park, it's a destination - really.
• Multiple playgrounds, covered picnic spots, disc golf, fishing, fields and more.
• Pioneer Village and hiking trail were our favorite - we spent significant time there
• Bathrooms near the pioneer village for convenience
• Cool suspension bridge and covered bridge on the walking trail

Other things to note about Owensboro:

• We noticed a couple of orchards for fruit picking during the season
• Walk-up pizza placer called Fetta by playground - easy lunch spot
• There's wifi at playground and Bee Bop, but not museum
• Many of the area hotels have pools - kids love hotels with pools! 
• Camping, RV, cottage, and motel room rentals at Diamond Lake Resort - theater, go-karts, bumper boats, pedal boats, mini golf, disc golf, fishing, pizza and ice cream parlor, grill, grocery and laundry on site.
• The city also has a tennis complex, ice center and a skate park and lots of festivals and shows throughout the year

Stephanie & Caryn