The Domes & Dripstones Tour at Mammoth Cave National Park was easily one of the highlights of our…read moretrip to Kentucky. If you're looking for a cave tour that combines incredible scenery, fascinating geology, and a bit of a workout, this is the one to book. The ranger-guided tour is well organized and packed with interesting information about the cave's history, formations, and the natural processes that shaped this underground world over millions of years. The descent into the cave through the natural sinkhole entrance is an adventure in itself, and while the 638-640 stairs sound intimidating, they're absolutely worth it. The highlight for us was Frozen Niagara. The stunning collection of stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, and delicate cave curtains is unlike anything we've ever seen. It's amazing to think these formations were created one drop of water at a time over thousands of years. Throughout the tour, the massive domes and enormous passageways constantly reminded us why Mammoth Cave is the world's longest known cave system. The guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and happy to answer questions, making the experience both educational and enjoyable. The cave's constant 54-degree temperature also makes it a comfortable activity no matter the season. Be prepared for plenty of stairs and wear comfortable shoes, but don't let that discourage you. The tour is paced well, with opportunities to stop and admire the scenery along the way. If you're visiting Mammoth Cave National Park, the Domes & Dripstones Tour is an unforgettable experience and one we would enthusiastically recommend to anyone looking for a memorable underground adventure. Five stars! Check out our video on our socials @reessroots

I wish I just day tripped it and did not spend money to stay the night. I was travelling solo and…read morethis was my last stop before heading back to Maryland. I was arriving from St. Louis. I booked one of the historic cottages to stay the night and planned on hanging out in the bar on site. When I first arrived my cottage wasn't ready to check in yet and I still had a couple hours until my tour. I went to the restaurant and sat at the bar. I was informed that they did not have a bartender but the servers were rotating serving the guests at the bar. I was promptly greeted by the waitress but ultimately moved to a table because the chairs are not tall enough for the height of the bar. It would have been extremely awkward and uncomfortable to eat up there. I had a salad and sweet potato fries and two IPA beers. Everything was delicious and the service was great. I went on the Historic Cave tour which was great. I wish I remembered the rangers name who gave the tour because he was amazing and hilarious! After the tour we (another solo traveler and I) planned to go to the bar and grab a drink before she hit the road for her next stop. Upon arrival to the restaurant, the bar was open but the host (who admitted he was new and did not know what he was doing) refused to let us sit there. He said there was no bartender. I told him earlier they allowed people to sit there and the servers helped. He said they only had 3 servers so he handed us a buzzer to wait for a table. The restaurant had half of its tables open. She decided she didn't want to wait so she left. I was then frustrated because I did not want to sit at a table alone again so I ordered food to go and ate in my cabin. There is no service in the cabins because you are in the middle of nowhere. As a solo female traveler I rely on meeting people at restaurants by sitting at the bar. This on site restaurant clearly was not staffed well enough to accommodate their guests in the middle of the summer when everyone is travelling. The other stores that served coffee and ice cream were closed by the time I finished my 3:30 tour. The prices in the gift shop were extremely high and I refused to pay for a magnet that was $12.00. I ended up going to bed super early and hit the road at 3 am because there was nothing else to do. For these reasons and more, I would have preferred to come for my tour and left to stay somewhere else.

I didn't know anything about Mammoth Cave when we signed up for it, other than vaguely being aware…read morethat it was one of the bigger tourist attractions in Kentucky, but this was legitimately cool. My top-tier chum who literally went to the school of hospitality and I drove over from Lincoln's Birthplace (we packed a lot in that day) last Thursday in the early afternoon. Despite a great deal of attention to our itinerary, someone (cough cough top tier chum cough cough) didn't realize that this adventure required us to make a cameo appearance in the Central Time Zone, which threw us off a bit but ultimately wasn't a big deal. But if you're scheduling something involving these caves literally to the hour or minute, be aware of that important detail. The Visitor Center is predictably...pretty mammoth. Definitely not meant as a negative or insult, but the larger main room with the side stores/rooms reminded me of a nicer rest stop on a toll highway. It was spacious, clean and informative, and I thought the donation area where you could drop some dollar bills into a box based on the state you came from was a clever gimmick. It also seems bigger because it's connected with the Mammoth Cave Hotel building behind it via a pedestrian bridge, which feels like an extension of the Center more than an actual hotel. It was easy to locate the ticket booths and make a quick determination on the best tour and accompanying times. We went with the Domes and Dripstones Tour (that was more of the top-tier chum's call because she specifically wanted to see the Dripstones) at 1:45pm. Very easy as well to get going on that - we just had to walk outside the building to the clearly labeled bus stop area in the parking lot and wait for our guide and his bullhorn to take charge. I was a little apprehensive about a three-hour tour, but it honestly didn't feel like it (and part of those three hours is the short bus ride to and from the actual cave entrance/exit, so I think the cave portion is closer to two hours). We started out at a metal door in the side of a wooded sinkhole that looked VERY reminiscent of the one Laura Dern runs through to escape a raptor in Jurassic Park, and then went down literally hundreds of steps into the actual cave. (As an aside, this is a legit workout. I'm in good shape, but I was out of breath a few times and it's a lot of steps throughout the tour, both up and down.) It's pretty wild - I went to the Lost River Caverns in Hellertown, PA when I was a pup, but it wasn't particularly memorable (I remember the gem stone collection I bought at the gift store more so than any underground attractions). This is such a different animal. The caverns are literally mouth-dropping, and I've never seen anything like it in person. The beginning of the tour seemed "dustier" if that makes sense, and a lot of those caverns reminded me of that opening scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where young Indy is roaming around in the desert. The star of the show is towards the end when you actually lay eyes on the stalagmites and stalactites. It's just gorgeous, and I'd say it makes the whole trip worthwhile but I thought all of it was great so maybe your mileage may vary. But if you're comparing it to a cinematic experience - and there's a reason I keep doing that; this stuff feels like something you'd see in a movie, not in real life - it's very Aliens to me, with rocks that look like they're dripping in real time even though they're not. Our guide was very knowledgeable and clearly has been doing this for years. My only nitpick was that he literally kept repeating every single sentence. My chum didn't see that as an issue - she felt it was an effective way to get his information across - but for me I thought it made some of his dialogue repetitive. But I could for sure be in the minority on that one; it ultimately didn't take away from the experience for me. After being underwhelmed by Lincoln's Birthplace, the NPS redeemed themselves here and then some. If you're in this area of Kentucky, I think you have to give this a shot. Bring a hoodie - it gets nippy underground.

Beautiful area of Kentucky. We've done several cave tours now with the most recent tour being the…read moreBlack Onyx Lantern Tour. Tour Guide staff has always been great. The bigger tours will book up several weeks in advance, especially during holiday seasons, so plan ahead if you want some of the more popular ones. However with so many options you can usually get a tour if you have flexibility in your schedule. We typically go while we are traveling up I65 but look forward to camping in the area and doing more in the near future.

A great and unique cave experience in Bowling Green. We…read morerecently took the underground boat tour at Lost River Cave in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and it was a very cool and unique adventure! This is Kentucky's only underground boat tour, and we were lucky to visit right after the river had lowered enough to reopen following flooding. (When the water is high, the cave becomes submerged, so timing is everything.) Our tour guide, Bri, was fantastic. She was funny, engaging, and an incredibly skilled boat driver. She kept the group entertained with corny but hilarious jokes while sharing the rich history of the cave, from its days as a Native American hunting ground and Civil War campground to its time as a hideout. It was even a 1930s nightclub which was being used as a wedding venue when we visited. She navigated us as far back into the cave as possible, pointing out beautiful and interesting rock formations along the way. The tour was about 45-minutes and included a guided walk to the cave entrance with 3 stops before you board the boat. Be aware that it involves a steep walk down (and back up) and requires bending over low in the boat with your torso flat toward the seat when the water is high as you first aneter and leave the cave. This makes the ride difficult or impossible for those with mobility impairments. Despite the physical aspects, I thought the experience was truly unique and peaceful as you glide through the cool, dark cave. I highly recommend this for anyone who is interested in unique cave experiences or anyone who enjoys a blend of nature, history, and corny jokes.

Fun, easy cave experience! We had two small children, so it was perfect! Cave experience without…read moretoo much walking! The short boat ride through the cave was beautiful

Nice clean rooms. Friendly service with a large business area in the lobby. We'd stay again.read more

Wonderful Hotel from the very courteous front desk help to the staff around the Hotel. Its location…read moreseems to be centrally located to a lot of restaurants all around you. A nice experience you will not mind repeating.

I've stayed at the Embassy Suites twice for business purposes. I'm not sure if the entire hotel is…read moresuite-style, but both of the rooms I stayed in were. I loved having extra space to set up my laptop and work area without having to do that in the same room as my bed. Plus, both the living room area and the bedroom have TVs. Both stays, my room was extra quiet and I never experienced any noise or issues. The hotel's neighborhood feels new. A few restaurants and a coffee shop are within walking distance, and the soccer field/recreational complex is right there. Ironically, I could see two free-standing ERs from the hotel; thankfully I didn't have any emergencies and need them. The hotel sells some snack food items, but if you need gas or want fast food, you will have to drive for that. The free included breakfast is highly worth waking up early for and delicious. I recommend the made-to-order omelets. I filled out my omelet form first, then got coffee and fruit and found a seat. By then, my omelet was done. I loved that the breakfast buffet has fountain soda Coke products. The bar area had a fun happy hour with some free snacks, and I got a card for two free drinks each day, likely because my reservation was booked through a loyalty program. I'm not sure if everyone gets this, but if you do, take advantage of it. The hotel bar downstairs also plays whatever sport is in season on TV. If you're here for a conference or meeting (I was), the conference rooms are large and spacious. If you're hosting a conference, several rooms are available and this is probably the best option in town for that. Parking is free and chargers for electric cars are in the lot. I didn't use the fitness room or pool, but they looked nice. The gym has a Peleton bike. If you want to run or walk, I recommend outside because the area is fairly calm, and the park is close by. The only negative I've experienced here is that one of my in-room hair dryers was terrible and barely worked at all. If you're picky about your hair dryer or any sort of shower/bath products, I encourage you to bring your own. So far this is the only Embassy Suites hotel I've stayed in, but I have a great impression of the brand now. I'd stay here again and also seek out Embassy Suites on a personal or business trip.

Clean, comfortable and accommodating. Requested extra towels and 2 minutes later, they were…read moredelivered. Staff were exceptional!! We really felt the management and staff took pride in their work. Breakfast was excellent with an omelette station.