By Leigh Landini Wright

Mar. 27, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) --
With spring break just around the corner, parents might wonder what to do to keep the kids busy without spending a small fortune.

With gas now more than $3 a gallon, most people probably don't want to travel too far. Western Kentucky offers several outdoors destinations with low-cost activities that also are educational.

Land Between the Lakes

Elk and Bison Prairie

Return to the wild with a trip through the Elk and Bison Prairie, north of the Golden Pond Visitor Center.

Hours: Dawn to dusk, year round.

Admission: $5 per car or 50 cents per passenger for buses and commercial vans.

The Homeplace

Take a stroll through time in rural Tennessee -- Pryor Hollow in Stewart County. The land remains pristine and uncluttered by modern conveniences. You can see and smell life as it was in the mid-19th century. Demonstrations are offered as are special programs.

Follow the Trace south from the Golden Pond Visitor Center.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday beginning Tuesday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Admission: $4 for ages 13 and up, $2 for ages 5-12 and free for 4 and under.

Upcoming special events:

--"Let There Be Light," 1 p.m., April 5, help the staff dip beeswax candles.

--"What Does the Man in the Moon Say," 1 p.m. April 6, learn about planting by the zodiac signs.

--April 12-13 Spring Wildflower Weekend, multiple programs offered throughout the weekend.

The Nature Station

Grown-ups will have just as much fun as children at this wooded wonderland. Stroll through the woodland to view owls, fallow deer, coyotes, bald eagle and even a bob cat. If you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse at the elusive red wolf. Be sure to arrive near feeding time if you want to hear the coyotes howl.

Inside the Nature Station, even those people who are deathly afraid of snakes can watch them slither in glass cages.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Admission: $4 for ages 13 and up, $2 for ages 5-12 and free for under 4.

Upcoming activities:

--"Strut Your Stuff," 2 p.m. Wednesday , view the resident turkey strutting and listen to his calls.

--"Make Your Own Rainstick," 2 p.m. April 4.

--"Wildlife Emergency 101," 1:30 p.m. April 5, learn what to do if you find an orphaned critter.

--"Night Sights Wagon Rides," 7:30-9 p.m. April 5, travel on an old-fashioned hay wagon through the woods at night and listen to nature's symphony, $4. Reservations required at 924-2020.

--"Nature's Calling," 1:30 p.m. April 6, learn crucial outdoors skills before venturing into the woods.

--"A Handful of Sand," 2-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 9. Learn how to make your own sand wheel and view sand from around the world. $2 for a sand wheel.

--"Tales of Scales," 2 p.m. Friday, April 11, get close to the creepy crawlies if you dare.

--"Crafty Stepping Stones," 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. April 12, children's activity in which they will decorate a stepping stone with scrap glass, beads and leaves. $3 per stone. Reservations required at 924-2020.

--Wildflower Hike for Kids, 1-2 p.m., learn about wildflowers on a 1-mile, kid-friendly hike.

Golden Pond Planetarium

Don't feel like hiking or spending time outdoors? Take a break inside the planetarium and view constellations in a simulated night sky.

Hours: Beginning in April, programs offered at noon and 2 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Admission: $4 for ages 13 and up, $2 children ages 5-12 and free for under 4.

Upcoming programs: "Blown Away: The Wild World of Weather," "Search for Life in the Universe," "Far Out Places," "Explorers of the International Space Station" and "Kentucky Skies."

Educational opportunities: A group program guide offers information that coordinates with either Kentucky or Tennessee's public school curriculum. Or design your own by selecting nature and wildlife, history and heritage or historic sites.

For nature and wildlife, consider guided nature hikes, canoe excursions or birding trips. For history, consider demonstrations at The Homeplace. Historic sites are abundant.

Other activities: With more than 200 miles of hiking and biking trails, families shouldn't become bored at LBL. Campers can choose from among 985 campsites ranging from developed campgrounds to backcountry camping.

Or stroll through historic sites. Ruins of two iron furnaces, a staple of life in the mid-19th century, are visible.

Grand Rivers

Of course, western Kentucky natives know Patti's 1880s Settlement is a must-stop on any area excursion. Think thick pork chops followed by enormously high meringue pies. After lunch or dinner, stroll through the grounds as spring flowers bloom. Children will enjoy the sights and sounds of the animals. If you feel the need to work off some of those calories, try Arielle's Miniature Golf. Hours generally are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Or watch the kids play on the playground while you rest on a bench.

Besides Patti's, other restaurants are Mr. Bill's and the Iron Kettle. The Tullar family, owner of Patti's, owns and operates both restaurants.

For a down-home laugh, check out the "Hee Haw Tribute" at the Badgett Playhouse with showings at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. April 5 and 12 and at 7 p.m. April 11 and 18.

Tickets: $19.99 for adults, $17.99 for seniors and $14.99 for children under 17. Phone the box office at 1-888-362-4223.

State parks

The region also is home to three state resort parks (Kenlake, Kentucky Dam Village and Lake Barkley). Columbus-Belmont, overlooking the Mississippi River, offers a unique history lesson if you have time to explore the earthworks.

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Newstex ID: KRTB-0153-24055624