By Corinne Minard
For a relaxing weekend getaway Carolyn Mounce says there is no better place to visit than Lake Cumberland. As executive director of Lake Cumberland Tourism, she would know.
“It is a year-round playground,” she says. She says that something is always happening on the lake or in nearby towns like Somerset, no matter the season.
Boating of all types—including speedboats, houseboats, pontoons and kayaks—is a popular activity all year round. Visitors can rent boats at the lake’s nine marinas, seven of which also rent houseboats. The lake also has many boat ramps for those looking to bring their own watercraft.
Fishing is another popular activity. “We have fishermen that fish our lake continually. It would be easy to say that at any given time there’s probably a fishing tournament out on our lake somewhere because they’re bass fishing, they’re crappie fishing, they’re catfishing,” Mounce says. “They love our lake because it is a deep, beautiful, clear lake that has all kinds of fish for people to fish for.”
When not on the water, nearby parks like Pulaski County Park and General Burnside Island State Park also provide opportunities for outdoor fun. Both have campgrounds and hiking trails. Pulaski County Park has tennis courts, volleyball courts and disc golf, while General Burnside Island State Park features a Brian Ault golf course.
“It is an absolutely gorgeous course,” says Mounce. “It’s a little hilly, but if you want good exercise you can walk the course and if you don’t want good exercise you can always use a golf cart.”
Away from the lake, visitors can experience the area’s many events. The Summernites Cruise, held every fourth Saturday of the month from April through October, features more than 1,000 show cars and trucks. While the official cruise happens on Saturday, the festivities kick off Friday at noon. “It is a mecca of old cars for the car enthusiast,” says Mounce.
The Master Musicians Festival, says Mounce, is another event that many visitors look forward to. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the July festival has showcased bands like Dawes, the Old 97’s, the Counting Crows and Willie Nelson in previous years.
For those looking for a relaxing weekend, though, Mounce says to look no further than the lake. “If you’ve never spent a weekend or a week on a houseboat as your vacation, nestled up into a cove, totally surrounded by beautiful blue water, you have not lived,” she says.