Got a tank of gas? Check out these 4 day trip destinations from Lexington this summer

If you’re pining for a summer getaway, but feel daunted by the dizzying cost of airfare this summer, there’s plenty to see and do in Kentucky — and you can get to several destinations on just one tank of gas.

It could be a rock-climbing adventure in Red River Gorge, bourbon tasting and distillery tours with your friends or an outdoor experience for your whole family.

Here are four Kentucky day trip ideas for this summer, each offering something different without breaking the bank.

Bernheim Arboretum

Located about 25 miles south of Louisville, the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest makes for an easy day trip from Lexington or Bowling Green, about a 90-minute drive from each.

The arboretum takes its name from Isaac Bernheim, a German immigrant who first came to the U.S. in 1867 as a young man with just $4 in his pocket. He would go on to become a successful bourbon distiller and philanthropist. In 1929, it was Bernheim who bought and endowed the land that became the Bernheim Forest.

With more than 40 miles of trails and a lot to take in along the way, the Bernheim Arboretum is worth a few trips. The arboretum’s most well-trodden trails are often paved or level dirt paths.

Perhaps the arboretum’s most iconic feature are its giants: towering wooden figures that loom 15 to 20 feet tall. Along the forest giants path, which leads from the visitor center in a 2-mile loop, there are three giants to see.

Though you might be expecting to hike through the woods, where you’re shielded from the sun, it pays to bring sunscreen given many parts of the trail are open to the sky. Along the way, you can tour Bernheim’s extensive collection of trees and the Hubbuch holly collection.

Bardstown

Bardstown has existed since the late 1700s. It got its start when the pioneering Bard brothers, David and William, first settled and laid out the town on land granted to them by the governor of Virginia, back when Kentucky was a part of that state.

Today, tourists are drawn to Bardstown by its beauty and small town charm, not to mention its status as a bourbon destination. There are almost a dozen unique bourbon distilleries to see here.

You can get an historical overview of bourbon at the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History, which is located in Spalding Hall downtown. You can have a meal and drink at Old Talbott Tavern or visit the American Civil War museums to brush up on your history.

There’s also My Old Kentucky Home State Park, where tour guides in period-specific attire will sing the famous Stephen Foster ballad. The center piece of the park is Federal Hill, an old plantation home owned by the Rowan family, whom Foster was kin to and said to have visited several times in his life.

These 4 Kentucky spots are among Southern Living’s ‘Best 50 Small Towns in the South’

Natural Bridge

Natural Bridge State Resort Park is defined by its awe-inspiring natural sandstone arch, which spans 78 feet and towers 65 feet above the ground. It is in fact one of an estimated 150 arches within the Red River Gorge.

Author Zoe Strecker, who wrote “Kentucky: Off the Beaten Path,” compares their formation to how the Colorado River carved the Grand Canyon over millions of years. Through the weathering process, the Red River cut the sandstone arches that today make Red River Gorge a destination for rock climbers, according to Strecker.

To reach the top of the Natural Bridge, you can take the skylight for some picture-perfect views around the great arch or challenge yourself by hiking one of the trails.

Mammoth Cave

Mammoth Cave National Park is the site of the world’s longest known cave system, stretching more than 400 miles.

You can take a cave tour, but there’s plenty to do above ground, too. For hiking try the Green River bluffs trail for a stunning view of the Green River. The cedar sink trail is an opposite, though equally wondrous, experience as you descend nearly 300 steps into a canyon with seasonal wildflowers.

For something slower paced, try floating down the Green River in a kayak or canoe and go picnicking on one of the sandbars.

Do you have a question about recreation in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear form you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.