There’s something magical about descending into the subterranean world, where the darkness and humid, earthy air signal that you’ve entered an ancient place. For more than 4,000 years, humans have wandered Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave, where massive chambers with towering rock formations create underground cathedrals.

Just a short drive (1.5 hours) from Nashville, Tennessee lies the worlds longest known cave system. The cave spans over 400 miles, and scientist believe there are corridors still to be discovered. The cave is full of cathedral-like chambers to claustrophobia-inducing squeezes. It wasn’t our first cave experience but the kids always enjoy exploring in the dark!

Bats were something the kids wanted to spot…we heard them, but did not see the fury little chicken nuggets (as a park ranger described them to the kids!) – we did, however, Adopt-A-bat, a fun program for the kids! The park ranger were extremely engaging both in and out of the caves which was definitely a huge bonus!