Summer is different this year due to COVID-19, there is just no way around that. And even as stay-at-home orders are slowly lifting, summertime has already started to feel like the movie "Groundhog Day" as our families wake up to essentially the same routine day after day.
One way to break up the monotony, especially if you've canceled vacation plans due to health concerns associated with the virus, is to plan a series of day trips throughout the summer. We've pulled together a list of five single-day outdoor excursions within an hour or less from Louisville that will make you feel like you traveled out of town, even if you just went down the road.
So go ahead and pencil these into your family calendar. Use our ideas or come up with your own. If you haven't already explored the many Metro Parks and Olmsted Conservancy Parks, you might start there. But if you are itching to feel like you have traveled somewhere — even just 20 miles from home — we have a few family-friendly suggestions to get you started.
Waterfront Botanical Gardens
1435 Frankfort Ave., waterfrontgardens.org
The view of downtown Louisville is spectacular from the hilltop where the newly developed Waterfront Botanical Gardens is located at 1435 Frankfort Ave.
Hundreds of labeled flowers, shrubs, trees and an edible garden line the stone paths that meander between outdoor art, including two water features. There is also a new winding pathway with bridges that span a waterfall from the gardens down the hill to the Butchertown Greenway, which runs along Beargrass Creek. The serpentine pathway is currently under construction and scheduled to open within a couple of weeks, said Waterfront Botanical Gardens executive director Kasey Maier.
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The Waterfront Botanical Gardens is a good starting point for your outdoor family adventure for a couple of reasons. The gardens are pretty convenient to get to — they are just down River Road to the east of the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge on Frankfort Avenue. Plus, this isn't a big park, yet. The gardens are still in development, which means you can walk through the completed section in about an hour. It won't be a huge time commitment or require much physical exertion.
The glass-and-wood Glaeser Family Education Center is not open for programming at this time, but the indoor restrooms are available. Maier said guests will want to check the website for upcoming outdoor yoga classes and details on the Music in the Garden live concert series. A maximum of 50 audience members will be able to enjoy music in the outdoor space. The first concert is July 9 at 7 p.m. Reservations are required, and $25 tickets can be purchased now.
General admission to the Waterfront Botanical Gardens is free. The site is open to the public Saturday and Sunday from noon-3 p.m. Masks and social distancing are required.
For more information, visit waterfrontgardens.org
Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve
12501 Harmony Landing Road, creaseymahannaturepreserve.org/
Pack a picnic lunch for your next outing and head east. A 168-acre preserve situated on donated farmland in Goshen, the Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve offers nine miles of winding trails along a horse pasture, old farm lane, wetlands and a forest stream.
Located at 12501 Harmony Landing Road, Creasey Mahan is a pleasant destination for hiking, trail running and nature exploration. Print out a map from the website to lead you to the waterfall, a frog pond, the footbridge, a forest trail and a native grass meadow.
The preserve's trails are open, but the playgrounds and restrooms are currently closed due to the coronavirus.
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"Nature isn't canceled," said Creasey Mahan executive director Tavia Cathcart Brown. "Our trails and grounds are open every day from dawn to dusk, free of charge."
For more information, visit creaseymahannaturepreserve.org or call 502 228-4362.
Yew Dell Botanical Gardens
6220 Old LaGrange Road, yewdellgardens.org
This place has a castle!
While that may be more than enough reason to head out to Crestwood for some outdoor fun, there are many other reasons to add Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, 6220 Old LaGrange Road, to your summer day-tripping agenda.
"Yew Dell is a great place for a varied hike," Yew Dell executive director Paul E. Cappiello said. "We offer about 30 acres of display gardens and arboretum with a combination of hard surface paths and mowed grass trails — all showing off one of the best plant collections in the region."
Don't forget a picnic lunch and your phone. The arboretum path is lined with QR Code signs that you can scan with your smartphone to watch and listen to videos covering the background and garden attributes of the trees.
The Fairy Forest, with about two dozen fairy houses made of natural materials, "is a favorite family destination," said Cappiello.
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There are natural areas too with several ponds where you can see turtles, beavers, fox, deer and turkeys, a 3-acre pollinator meadow, and more than a mile of easy hiking trails through meadows and woods.
Don't forget to check out activity backpacks and scavenger hunts which your family can use while you tour Yew Dell.
Yew Dell is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday noon-4 p.m. They're closed Monday.
During the pandemic, guests are required to wear masks at the gardens, and the number of people visiting at one time will be limited. In the Garden Gift Shop, two visitors at a time will be allowed in the building.
Admission is free for children 5 years old and under and for Military personal with identification. Regular adult admission is $9, and for seniors 55 and over and children ages 6-17, the cost is $5.
Yew Dell is also starting up its Thursday evening music series. Thursdays in July and August, you can pre-order a boxed sandwich from Red Pepper Deli in Crestwood and enjoy live music and bourbon and beer in the beautiful outdoor setting.
For more information, visit yewdellgardens.org/ and call 502- 241-4788
Jefferson Memorial Forest
11311 Mitchell Hill Road, louisvilleky.gov/government/jefferson-memorial-forest
Now that you've gotten into a groove with this outdoor exploration routine, how about adding a bit of elevation? Only 15 miles from downtown Louisville, the Jefferson Memorial Forest, 11311 Mitchell Hill Road, has nearly 50 miles of trail available for hiking.
The hiking trails at Jefferson Memorial Forest range in distance from less than a mile to a trek just over six miles long (one way) so there are lots of options for all ability levels. Additionally, the Tulip Tree and Memorial Trails are handicapped accessible.
The Welcome Center has reopened and is a good place to check-in before you head out onto the trails. To encourage safe social distancing, only two people are allowed in the center at a time. You can pick up maps, get suggestions from the staff and use bathrooms that are accessible from outside the building.
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Before you go, print out the checklist of Wildflowers, Plants and Trees of Mitchell Hill Lake and see how many your family can spot. For more information, visit louisvilleky.gov/government/jefferson-memorial-forest.
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest
2075 Clermont Road, bernheim.org
The Giants are waiting for your return.
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, 2075 Clermont Road, is the home of the uber-popular three wooden sculpture "Forest Giants" by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, and they have been patiently waiting for visitors to return for the past few months.
Aside from the giants, which are made of recycled wood, the grounds at Berhenim are sprinkled with outdoor art and labeled trees, shrubs and plants. For the family outing or the seasoned hiker, Bernheim also offers over 40 miles of trails with varying degrees of ease and difficulty that weave through the forest, which begins a phased reopening in July.
Between July 6 and 26, Bernheim members will be allowed to make reservations to visit the park. Reservations must be made in advance by registering online or calling 502-955-8512. Reservations will be made in 15-minute increments beginning at 7 a.m. and ending at 2:15 p.m.
There is no time limit to your visit once you are inside.
Between July 27 and Aug. 23, the forest reopens to members and nonmembers from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. using the same reservation system.
There will be handwashing stations on site, and while the Forest Giants are accessible, you must view the sculptures from a distance. No climbing.
The Visitor Center is temporarily open for information at the front entrance between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. All other buildings at Bernheim will remain closed; however, there will be limited restrooms available.
The park recommends each family bring a good supply of water because water fountains will not be available.
For additional information, reservations and pricing visit bernheim.org/ or call 502-555-8512.
No matter where you plan to "get away" this summer, health experts recommend we stay outdoors in well-ventilated areas as much as possible and avoid indoor activities where the coronavirus can more easily spread.
"Hiking should be done alone or with people from the same household," said Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases. Be sure each family member keeps a mask with them at all times, remember to safely distance six feet or more from other hikers, stay home if you feel sick and don't forget to wash your hands with soap and water immediately when you return home.
Making a plan for outdoor excursions, no matter how close or far from your home, will give your family something to look forward to throughout the summer months, and you'll feel a sense of accomplishment when you look back at all you've done at summer's end.
Reach Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com or Twitter @kirbylouisville. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/kirbya.
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