25 Free (or Nearly Free) Things to Do with Kids Near Land Between the Lakes
Living in western Kentucky, Land Between the Lakes is basically our backyard, and I still don’t think most people realize how much free family fun is packed into it. We’re talking 170,000 acres of woods and water between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, and there is no entrance fee to get in. None. You just drive in and start exploring.
The handful of attractions that do charge are cheap by family outing standards, and at most of them the kids get in free. So if your family budget is tight but your kids are climbing the walls, this list is for you. Here are 25 free (or nearly free) things to do with kids at Land Between the Lakes.
One quick dad note before we start: prices change, so double check the Land Between the Lakes website before you go. The prices below were current when I checked in the fall of 2026.
On the Water
Swim at the Kentucky Dam Village beach. Just north of LBL, Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park has a free public swim beach on Kentucky Lake. Sand, shallow water for the little ones, and plenty of room. Pack a cooler and you have a whole day for the cost of gas.
Fish from the bank. You do not need a boat to fish at LBL. There are lake access spots and shorelines all over where you can set up a couple of chairs and fish from the bank. Kids under 16 fish free in Kentucky, so Dad’s license is the only cost. If you are new to it, start with our guide on how to take a kid fishing. Simple tackle, simple bait, low expectations, and the kids will remember it forever.
Watch the boats lock through at Kentucky Dam. Kids are strangely fascinated by watching huge barges and boats rise and fall in the lock at Kentucky Dam, and the viewing area is free. Honestly, I enjoy it too. It is one of those simple things that turns into an hour before you know it. Right there below the dam is a great place to catch some fish.
Explore the shoreline at Moss Creek Day Use Area. Moss Creek is one of our favorite swimming spots on the Kentucky Lake side of LBL. Shallow water for splashing, a shoreline for skipping rocks and hunting for interesting driftwood, and picnic tables when it is time to eat. Everything my kids want to do costs nothing. Just be mindful that the area gets crowded during the summer.
Watch the sunset over Kentucky Lake. Pick a west facing shoreline or overlook, bring a blanket, and end the day watching the sun drop over the lake. It costs zero dollars and it never gets old. Some of my favorite family pictures have come from doing exactly this.
Trails and Hiking
Hike the Hematite Lake Trail. This 2.2 mile loop around Hematite Lake is flat, shaded, and perfect for kids. It is one of the first real hikes we ever did as a family, and I wrote a whole post about the Hematite Lake Trail if you want the full rundown. Bring a snack for the halfway point and let the kids lead.
Walk the Woodland Walk Trail. Right by the Nature Station, this easy one-mile loop is built for little legs. It is short enough that nobody melts down, and there is enough to see that the kids stay interested. A great first trail for toddlers and preschoolers.
Take on the Honker Lake Trail. For older kids who are ready for a bigger adventure, the Honker Lake Trail starts at the Nature Station and loops about 4.5 miles around Honker Lake. Wetlands, boardwalk-style sections, turtles, and birds the whole way. Do it in the morning before the heat, and bring more water than you think you need.
Find the old iron furnace. Near Golden Pond, a short trail leads to the remains of the Center Furnace, an iron furnace from the 1850s. It is a quick walk, it is free, and it gives you a real piece of history to talk about. Kids love that people used to melt rock right there in the woods. There is another big furnace near the homeplace on the southern edge of LBL.
See the free exhibits at Golden Pond Visitor Center. Make this your first stop. The visitor center has free exhibits about the history of the Between the Rivers communities and the wildlife of the area, plus maps, clean bathrooms, and people who can tell you what is worth seeing that day. Starting here will make the rest of your trip better.
Animals and Wildlife
Drive the Elk and Bison Prairie. This is the best five bucks in western Kentucky. For $5 per vehicle you drive a 3.5 mile paved loop through 700 acres of prairie where elk and bison roam free. Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the animals are active. Midday in July, they are smarter than us and hiding in the shade. You stay in your vehicle the whole time, so even the littlest kids can do this one.
If you want to save even more money check out the southern Bison Prairie. Most of the time I have driven past there the Bison are right there by the road and you can see them safely from your car or on the other side of the fence.
Visit the Woodlands Nature Station. The Nature Station is home to rescued native animals that cannot be released back into the wild: red wolves, a bobcat, owls, eagles, deer, turkeys, and more. Admission is $7 for ages 16 and up, and kids 15 and under are free, which makes it one of the cheapest animal stops anywhere. The daily animal programs are included, so check the schedule when you arrive and plan around a feeding or a talk.
Watch wildlife at Honker Bay. Honker Bay is a quiet backwater area where you can watch for osprey, herons, deer, and all kinds of water birds, and it costs nothing but a little patience. Dawn and dusk are your best bets. Bring binoculars if you have them and turn it into a spotting game for the kids.
Time your trip for a special event day. The Nature Station runs events all year, like the Hummingbird Festival in August, Wolf Week in the fall, and Cub Scout and Girl Scout days where the programming is built for kids. Admission stays the same cheap price and the extras are included. Keep an eye on the Land Between the Lakes (LBL) events calendar and plan a trip around one.
Look for bald eagles in the winter. When it gets cold, bald eagles gather around the lakes at LBL, and winter is prime eagle watching season. Dress warm, bring the binoculars, and scan the trees along the shoreline. Seeing a bald eagle in the wild never gets old, no matter how many times you have done it. We have spotted several around the Dam and some around the bridge in Aurora.
History and Learning
Step back in time at The Homeplace 1850s Working Farm. Down on the Tennessee end of LBL, The Homeplace is a working farm from the 1850s with sixteen authentic buildings, farm animals, and interpreters in period clothing doing real daily chores. Kids can watch, ask questions, and sometimes pitch in. Admission is $7 for adults and kids get in free. It is a history lesson your kids will actually enjoy, mostly because it does not feel like one.
The Homeplace has seasonal activities like making apple cider in the fall. My kids had a blast doing that. They also can catch animal feedings.
Catch a show at the Golden Pond Planetarium. Inside the visitor center, the planetarium runs shows under a 40 foot dome for $7 for ages 13 and up and $4.50 for ages 5 to 12, with ages 4 and under free. It is air conditioned, the seats recline, and it is the perfect midday break on a hot day. There is also an observatory that hosts summer star parties with local astronomers, and the outdoor viewing at those is free.
Go stargazing. Land Between the Lakes is far from city lights, which makes it one of the best stargazing spots in our part of the country. On a clear night, find an open spot away from the campgrounds, lay a blanket in the truck bed, and look up. Download a free stargazing app before you go, because cell service out there is spotty at best. Learn from my mistakes on that one.
Try geocaching. There are geocaches hidden all over Land Between the Lakes, and the basic app is free. It turns a regular hike into a treasure hunt, which is exactly the motivation some kids need to keep walking. Bring a few small trinkets to trade and a pen to sign the logs.
Do a photo scavenger hunt. Make a list before you leave: a turtle, a feather, a red leaf, a cool rock, animal tracks, a spider web, something that starts with the letter B. Hand each kid the list and a phone or cheap camera, and let them hunt while you hike. Costs nothing, works on any trail, and the kids will ask to do it again next trip.
Picnics, Play, and Slow Days
Pack a picnic. LBL is full of picnic areas and quiet lakeside spots, and a cooler full of sandwiches beats any restaurant with kids anyway. Find a table with a water view, let the kids run around between bites, and take your time. Some of our best family days out there have involved nothing more than this.
Drive the Woodlands Trace. The Trace is the 43 mile scenic road that runs the length of LBL from Grand Rivers down into Tennessee. The drive itself is free, and you can stop at overlooks, trailheads, and lake access points as you go. Roll the windows down, put on some music, and just wander. Half the fun of LBL is the stuff you find by accident.
Camp cheap and make it a weekend. If you have never taken the kids camping, LBL is a forgiving place to start, and camping there costs a fraction of a hotel room. I have written before about why you should take your kids camping, and everything in that post applies double here. Start with one night. If it goes sideways, home is close.
Hillman Ferry is the best of the best if you like a crowd. But look at Nickel Branch campground or other primitive sites for a quieter weekend.
Let the kids just be kids. Some of the best LBL days are the unplanned ones: climbing on rocks, throwing sticks in the lake, catching crawdads in a creek, building a fort out of fallen branches. Not everything needs a ticket or a schedule. Kids are wired for this stuff if we give them the chance and get out of the way.
Leave it better than you found it. This one is free and it matters. Bring a trash bag on every trip and pick up what you find along the trail or shoreline. It takes five minutes, it teaches the kids something real about taking care of the places we love, and I wrote more about it in our post on keeping our lands clean.
A Few Dad Tips Before You Go
Stop at Golden Pond first. The visitor center is free, the staff know what is happening that day, and you can grab a map. Cell service is unreliable in LBL, so a paper map is not old-fashioned; it is smart.
Ask about the discount pass. If you plan to do the Nature Station, The Homeplace, and the planetarium in one trip, ask the visitor center about their combo pass. It has run about $15 for adults and covers all three, which beats paying for each one separately.
Go early for the animals. Wildlife does not care about your schedule. The prairie and the bays are best in the first couple of hours of the morning and the last couple before dark.
Bring bug spray and check for ticks. This is the woods in Kentucky and Tennessee. Spray everybody down, and do a tick check when you get home. It is not glamorous advice, but it is the advice that keeps a good trip from becoming a bad week.
Pack more food and water than you think. There is basically no food for sale inside LBL. Grand Rivers, Cadiz, and Dover are your nearby options, but once you are in the middle of the recreation area, what you brought is what you have.
Download your maps before you leave home. Seriously. You will lose signal, usually right when you are trying to decide which road to take. Ask me how I know.
You do not need a big budget to give your kids big days outside. We are lucky to have a place like Land Between the Lakes this close to home, and most of what makes it great does not cost a thing.
What is your family’s favorite spot at LBL? Did I miss one that your kids love? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page.
