A Day Trip to Owensboro, Kentucky

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

day trip to Owensboro

 

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

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.

day trip to Owensboro

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
  • 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
  • Trunnell’s Farm Market & Farm Experience is also great to visit while you are there. Depending on the season, they have a lot of different activities and produce available.