Mammoth Cave
Mammoth Cave is the world's longest known cave system. We chose a short guided tour, but will definitely consider a longer tour next time. The parts of the cave that we saw only touched on all there is to explore underground.
Abraham Lincoln's Birthplace and Boyhood Home
We always love to visit historical sites. I discovered a piece of history was not too far from Louisville so we made a quick stop to check it out. The actual home is encased in a building similar looking to the Lincoln Memorial. It is a very tiny house. We had to drive down the road a few miles and there stood Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home. It is just a small as the other house.
Kentucky Derby Museum
We were excited to take a quick guided tour of Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby. Again we learned to take a longer tour next time. There was so much we wanted to see!!! After taking the tour and seeing a 20 minute video, Craig and I quickly decided seeing the Kentucky Derby live was going on our Bucket List. Since Kroger hand sews the rose garland given to the winner, I wonder if we could get some discounted tickets? Hmmm....
The Ark Encounter
Yes, that Ark. Well, it's not the exact same Ark from the days of Noah, but it's an exact replica. It was built according to the same dimensions listed in the Bible. Some creative license was taken for the inside of the boat, but it was really cool to get a general idea of what it may have actually looked like.
There were 3 levels inside the boat, full of information and exhibits. Any possible question you could have about the Ark was addressed and answered. There were lots of comparison between what scientists believe and what creationists believe. One of our favorite things at the end was the depiction of real life scenarios and the struggles people currently have. Then at the end, the Salvation message is explained and there are pamphlets on the Salvation prayer. It was a great ending to the museum.
Louisville Slugger Museum
So the whole reason we wanted to visit Louisville specifically was to come to this museum. Every baseball loving boy needs to visit this place. We took the factory tour and loved all the insights into making the famous wooden bats. The tour ended with everyone receiving a mini bat. Of course, we couldn't leave there without Preston getting his own custom bat (orange) with his name and number embossed on it.
A new city visit would not be complete without checking out some local restaurants. And if there is a Hard Rock Café nearby, we are stopping there.
Troll Pub Under the Bridge
Hard Rock Café Louisville
After a few days in Kentucky, it was time to head south to our very favorite spot, Gulf Shores, Alabama. We rented a condo in our favorite place and just took in the sights and sounds of the ocean every chance we got. My parents and brother even stopped by for a couple nights.
The jellyfish were very prominent this year and Craig and Preston got plenty of stings. Thankfully, the stings weren't too bad and didn't really hurt them. We also noticed lots of dead fish would wash up on the shore every morning. One gigantic dead fish was found also. However, I read an article that there is currently a dead zone in the gulf causing lots of marine life to die. We also had lots of rain this time which we never experienced before. It was a different trip to the beach this year, but still wonderful. Kaitlyn enjoyed collecting shells and playing volleyball, Preston and Craig enjoyed the water and building sand castles, and I enjoyed some reading and staying in the shade.
I'm always so sad to leave such a beautiful place and can't wait to go back again. Overall, it was a fabulous vacation and we were very happy to get away for a little bit. Now time to plan next year's trips!
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