Getaways Don't Have to be Exotic

 

When most people think about the words "getaway" or "vacation" they probably picture themselves on a nice, sandy beach with palm trees blowing in the wind. The smell of saltwater in the air and the sound of waves crashing in the background. Or, maybe for others, its an image of them waving goodbye to the green landscape as they disembark on a cruise headed to the Caribbean. According to a study conducted by Harvard, taking a vacation "...results in improved productivity, lower stress and better overall mental health." However, with inflation and gas prices, the thought of affording a getaway may have you feeling down. 

Good news is - GETAWAYS DON'T HAVE TO BE EXOTIC OR EXPENSIVE

My husband and I recently visited a couple state parks for a weekend trip and had an amazing time. Our first stop was Jenny Wiley State Park in Prestonsburg, KY. Here you can find a lodge, cabins, a campground, hiking trails, marina, amphitheater, and a restaurant with live music. As an added bonus, Loretta Lynn's homestead is about 20 minutes away. Pictured up top is the cabin we stayed in. It was a one-bedroom, unassuming cabin that offered us some privacy and a kitchen if we wanted to cook (more on food later). From our cabin, we had a nice view of the marina and could sit on the front porch and watch the boats come in and out. Views from the lodge were incredible and in hindsight, I wish we would have stayed in one of those rooms. 

         










We didn't get to see the musical that was being held at the amphitheater but at $12/ticket, it would have been a great option for a date night. We did get to hear live music every evening at Admiral Dewey's Bar and Grill located inside the lodge and let me tell you... do yourself a favor and look up "Nathan & Chesi Arnett Music" on Facebook. They were awesome! I took some videos and was planning on uploading them, but it doesn't do them justice at all so I decided not to. 

Now, let's talk about Prestonsburg, KY food choices. I love it when we travel and find "mom & pops" places to eat. We didn't have a bad meal all weekend and bonus was the meals were dirt cheap! Friday night we ate at a little place downtown called Billy Ray's. (For people from my hometown, this place reminded me of BJ's Restaurant). You could tell this was a local favorite spot and even though it was a little crowded, we didn't have to wait to be seated. For 2 entrees and 2 cream horns for dessert, our bill was $20.23. (The cream horns were so good, we went back on Sunday to get some to go.) Our breakfast at Bodine's Biscuits was delicious. We were disappointed that you only got 1 biscuit with an order of biscuits & gravy, but after seeing how huge the biscuits were - neither of us could've eaten 2!! Finally, we had dinner on Saturday at The Brickhouse. This was our most expensive meal for the weekend but we did order an appetizer and I had a cider. Their pulled pork mac & cheese was top notch! With all of that being said, we could have easily gotten some groceries and cooked in our cabin to save some money but if you look at the pictures below, I think you will agree with me, that it was a good choice to go out! 

On Sunday, we made an unplanned visit to Breaks Interstate Park in Breaks, VA. Why do I say "unplanned"? Well... one thing we've learned to do whenever we travel is talk to people from the area and ask for recommendations. We met a lovely couple Friday night who suggested we drive about an hour to see this state park. They talked it up so much, we figured the drive was worth checking it out. WOW! IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! The scenery is beautiful. Similar to Jenny Wiley State Park, there is a lodge, cabins, a campground, hiking trails, and a restaurant. The Breaks also has a small water park type area for kids, yurt rentals, ziplining, and some nice pedal boats. If choosing between these two parks, I would hands down choose this one to visit. 

Finally, I will say that this weekend was one our more relaxing weekend getaways that we've had. Sometimes, it almost feels like you need a vacation from your vacation and that wasn't the case with visiting state parks. With 45 state parks in Kentucky, it is on our bucket list to visit each one and maybe throw in a few other state visits too. 

The biggest suggestion I can give is when you're on vacation, be flexible and leave room for the unexpected pleasures. 💓 









Location: CUMBERLND CLG, KY 40769, USA

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