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Kentucky
Houseboating
by Paris Permenter & John Bigley
For all its urban areas, much of Kentucky remains rural, perfect
for romantic getaways. The Highlands and Waterways Region, tucked
deep in Southern Kentucky, is best known as the capital of the
houseboating world.
Kentucky ranks as
the houseboat capital of the world, building more craft than any
other destination. Most are constructed within a few miles of
the shoreline of Lake Cumberland.
Today this area is
often called the "Detroit of Houseboats," turning out
high-end craft of special interest to couples who would like their
own floating home away from home for a few days. Houseboats include
options such as holographic fireplaces, satellite TV on big screens,
Jacuzzi tubs, water slides, pool tables, and more.
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Houseboats
range from simple to luxurious.
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Cumberland
State Park
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Once on board, travelers
can chart their own course, literally exploring the 63,000 acres
of water and over 1260 miles of shoreline on Lake Cumberland.
When it's time to get out and explore, nearby Cumberland State
Park is home of what's called the Niagara Falls of the South.
At 125 feet wide with a 65-foot drop, these mammoth falls boast
one of only two “Moonbows” found in the world. Like
a nighttime rainbow, the only other location of this natural occurrence
is Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls. Nearby,
the DuPont Lodge, built in 1941, serves as a popular stop and
often a wedding venue.
Nicknamed the “Gateway
to the Cumberlands," the town of Williamsburg
is an easy stop for groups headed to Lake Cumberland on north-south
Interstate 75. Just seconds from the highways stands a property
well known among romantic travelers: the Cumberland Inn. Operated
by Cumberland College and largely staffed by students, the two-story
inn stands in regal colonial style.
Another lake that's top with houseboaters (and scuba divers) is
Dale Hollow. Also well-known for its birding and bald eagle population,
Dale Hollow is a favorite with anglers, holding the world record
for smallmouth bass fishing.
For groups that don't
want to overnight on a houseboat, Dale Hollow State Resort Park
is perched at the edge of the 28,000-acre lake.
Along with watersports
and area hiking, couples find diversions such as visits to the
Barthell Coal Mining Camp, a ghost town populated from 1902 to
1948 by coal miners and their families. Today the former camp
can be reached by car or, for the most scenic arrival, by the
Big South Fork Scenic Railway. The camp is open daily from April
through December and visitors have the chance to stroll through
the buildings formerly used as a barber shop, bath house, machine
shop, and restaurant.
For
more information:
- contact the Southern
and Eastern Kentucky Tourism Development Association
- call 877.868.7735
or 877.TOUR.SEKY
- fax 606.677.6059
- visit www.tourseky.com
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