Kentucky is probably the last place people would think they’d find a beach — but The Bluegrass State is full of surprises. We may not have tropical trees and fruits, but we have some amazing beaches bordering on some of our beautiful lakes. Kentuckians and visitors to our fair state can relax, fish, sun, camp in cabins or a tent, swim, and just plain enjoy the beauty of The Bluegrass State.
Here are 10 of our favorite beautiful beaches in Kentucky:
- Cherokee State Park/Kenlake State Resort Park
Steve Beshear/Flickr This lovely spot is a family-oriented resort park located inside a bigger resort park, known as Kenlake State Park, on Kentucky Lake. It offers entire afternoons of swimming, fishing, hiking, sunning, and other family friendly activities.
Address: 542 Kenlake Road, Hardin, Kentucky, 42048
- Rough River Dam State Park
WineGuy/Wikimedia This gorgeous state park offers more than just beaches; there are also rental cabins, camping spots, RV parking areas, grilling to be done, and chilling’ in the sunshine, of course.
Address: 450 Ic-1003, Falls of Rough, Kentucky, 40119
- The Green River
Orange Suede Sofa/Wikimedia The Green River in eastern Kentucky has a beautiful beach surrounding calm waters, perfect for swimming or fishing - most people don’t think “beach” when they think “river”, but perhaps they should. When it comes to beautiful beaches in Kentucky, the Green River offers plenty of respite and natural wonder.
- Lake Barkley State Resort Park
wbrentprice/Flickr This home-away-from-home getaway in Cadiz has some of the nicest cabins you will ever sleep in in an incredibly serene environment. Sunrises on the lake are simply magical.
Address: 3500 State Park Road, Cadiz, Kentucky, 42211
- The Moors Resort and Marina
Moors Resort & Marina/Facebook This little slice of heaven is in the Gilbertsville section of Kentucky Lake. It offers camping, swimming, fishing, and plenty of relaxation for families and friends!
Address: 570 Moors Road, Gilbertsville, Kentucky, 42044
- Lake Malone State Park
Kentucky State Parks This can’t-miss state treasure in Muhlenberg County is a beach surrounding a pristine lake that offers a beach house for changing, and plenty of fresh water and warm sunshine for swimming and fishing. It’s all the best of the ocean without the saltwater!
Address: 331 Ic-8001A, Dunmor, Kentucky, 42339
- Barren River Lake
Ichabod/Wikimedia This little piece o’ paradise in southern Kentucky is actually a reservoir, and it offers both lake and pool swimming, plus cabins, camping, fishing, and family fun. This one is a must-do on a hot day.
Address: 1149 State Park Road, Lucas, Kentucky, 42156
- Pennyrile State Park
Kentucky Photo File/Flickr This awe-inspiring state park and lake in Dawson Springs has cabins and camping for guests, along with all the beach-side fun you can probably handle.
Address: 20781 Pennyrile Forest State Park Road, Dawson Springs, Kentucky, 42408
- Buckhorn State Park
LouisvilleUSACE/Flickr Buckhorn Lake, nestled inside Buckhorn State Park in eastern Kentucky, offers a lakeside beach house with changing quarters and restrooms. It’s the perfect blend of nature and comfort.
Address: 4441 KY-1833, Buckhorn, Kentucky, 41721
- Carr Creek State Park
PEO ACWA/Flickr This beautiful lake in Kentucky has a marshy ecosystem that’s unique to the area. The 700-acre lake has plenty of space for fishing, swimming, or just sunning. Much like the other entries on this list, it’s all up to you and how you relax.
Address: 2086 Smithboro Road, Highway 15, Sassafras, Kentucky, 41759
Kentucky isn’t exactly well-known for its beautiful beaches, but perhaps it should be! The Bluegrass State has a lot to offer its residents and visitors. Whether you enjoy swimming, fishing, camping, or simply relaxing in the serenity of nature, there’s a beautiful beach in Kentucky for you. Most are surrounded by lush green forestry and colorful natural rock formations, but some have unique cave systems as well!
Steve Beshear/Flickr
This lovely spot is a family-oriented resort park located inside a bigger resort park, known as Kenlake State Park, on Kentucky Lake. It offers entire afternoons of swimming, fishing, hiking, sunning, and other family friendly activities.
Address: 542 Kenlake Road, Hardin, Kentucky, 42048
WineGuy/Wikimedia
This gorgeous state park offers more than just beaches; there are also rental cabins, camping spots, RV parking areas, grilling to be done, and chilling’ in the sunshine, of course.
Address: 450 Ic-1003, Falls of Rough, Kentucky, 40119
Orange Suede Sofa/Wikimedia
The Green River in eastern Kentucky has a beautiful beach surrounding calm waters, perfect for swimming or fishing - most people don’t think “beach” when they think “river”, but perhaps they should. When it comes to beautiful beaches in Kentucky, the Green River offers plenty of respite and natural wonder.
wbrentprice/Flickr
This home-away-from-home getaway in Cadiz has some of the nicest cabins you will ever sleep in in an incredibly serene environment. Sunrises on the lake are simply magical.
Address: 3500 State Park Road, Cadiz, Kentucky, 42211
Moors Resort & Marina/Facebook
This little slice of heaven is in the Gilbertsville section of Kentucky Lake. It offers camping, swimming, fishing, and plenty of relaxation for families and friends!
Address: 570 Moors Road, Gilbertsville, Kentucky, 42044
Kentucky State Parks
This can’t-miss state treasure in Muhlenberg County is a beach surrounding a pristine lake that offers a beach house for changing, and plenty of fresh water and warm sunshine for swimming and fishing. It’s all the best of the ocean without the saltwater!
Address: 331 Ic-8001A, Dunmor, Kentucky, 42339
Ichabod/Wikimedia
This little piece o’ paradise in southern Kentucky is actually a reservoir, and it offers both lake and pool swimming, plus cabins, camping, fishing, and family fun. This one is a must-do on a hot day.
Address: 1149 State Park Road, Lucas, Kentucky, 42156
Kentucky Photo File/Flickr
This awe-inspiring state park and lake in Dawson Springs has cabins and camping for guests, along with all the beach-side fun you can probably handle.
Address: 20781 Pennyrile Forest State Park Road, Dawson Springs, Kentucky, 42408
LouisvilleUSACE/Flickr
Buckhorn Lake, nestled inside Buckhorn State Park in eastern Kentucky, offers a lakeside beach house with changing quarters and restrooms. It’s the perfect blend of nature and comfort.
Address: 4441 KY-1833, Buckhorn, Kentucky, 41721
PEO ACWA/Flickr
This beautiful lake in Kentucky has a marshy ecosystem that’s unique to the area. The 700-acre lake has plenty of space for fishing, swimming, or just sunning. Much like the other entries on this list, it’s all up to you and how you relax.
Address: 2086 Smithboro Road, Highway 15, Sassafras, Kentucky, 41759
Planning a Kentucky staycation soon? Check this article out for some inspiration!
If any of you know of any other beautiful beaches in Kentucky we missed, or if you would like to share images of your own Kentucky beach adventures, please post them in the comments!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: 542 Kenlake Rd, Hardin, KY 42048, USAAddress: 450 Ic-1003, Falls of Rough, KY 40119, USAAddress: Green River, Kentucky, USAAddress: 3500 State Park Rd, Cadiz, KY 42211, USAAddress: 570 Moors Rd, Gilbertsville, KY 42044, USAAddress: Ic-8001A, Kentucky 42324, USAAddress: 1149 State Park Rd, Lucas, KY 42156, USAAddress: 20781 Pennyrile Lodge Rd, Dawson Springs, KY 42408, USAAddress: KY-1833, Kentucky, USAAddress: 2086 Smithboro Rd, Sassafras, KY 41759, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Beautiful Beaches in Kentucky April 08, 2021 Tori Jane Is there a such thing as Kentucky beaches? There sure is, and believe it or not, they’re all just as beautiful as the real thing! Some of the most popular ones include such gems as the shoreline around Lake Barkley, which will seriously make you forget you’re not on an actual ocean beach, and Kentucky Dam Village Resort Park is an amazing place on Kentucky Lake that you could seriously kill an entire afternoon lounging at. Pennyrile Forest State Park also has bunches of Kentucky shoreline just waiting to be explored, so you’ll want to check that one out, too. Where are the best swimming beaches in Kentucky? You can take your pick from a hearty list of excellent swimming beaches in the state of Kentucky. Some of our favorites include places like Barren River Lake, which is great for a family beach day - and not just for the swimming! You can also picnic, sunbathe, and play volleyball at this gorgeous beach park. Buckhorn Lake, in eastern Kentucky, is great for swimmers and sunbathers, and Lake Malone is a large lake in the western part of the state with plenty of beach-like shoreline and some of the best swimming in the state! The water is clean and cool and always refreshing. Looking to swim in Kentucky’s clearest lake? Make sure to visit this article to learn more about one of the best lake trips you can take in the Bluegrass State. What kind of outdoor recreation in Kentucky can I do? Anything you can do anywhere else you can usually find in Kentucky, too! Fishing and hunting are popular, but so are boating, hiking, and landscape photography, as Kentucky is ridiculously photogenic, and just about any short hike you can find will take you to somewhere breathtaking. The camping here is second to none, as there’s nothing as outstanding as waking up to the stunning wilderness of rural Kentucky. It’s a truly beautiful state with tons to do; other recreational activities include things like snow sledding during the occasional cold snap, though we don’t get as much snow in the Bluegrass State as we wish we would during the summer months when the temperatures are sweltering. No worries, though - there’s plenty of watering holes and waterfalls to explore when it gets hot! The possibilities are endless.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Beautiful Beaches in Kentucky
April 08, 2021
Tori Jane
Is there a such thing as Kentucky beaches? There sure is, and believe it or not, they’re all just as beautiful as the real thing! Some of the most popular ones include such gems as the shoreline around Lake Barkley, which will seriously make you forget you’re not on an actual ocean beach, and Kentucky Dam Village Resort Park is an amazing place on Kentucky Lake that you could seriously kill an entire afternoon lounging at. Pennyrile Forest State Park also has bunches of Kentucky shoreline just waiting to be explored, so you’ll want to check that one out, too. Where are the best swimming beaches in Kentucky? You can take your pick from a hearty list of excellent swimming beaches in the state of Kentucky. Some of our favorites include places like Barren River Lake, which is great for a family beach day - and not just for the swimming! You can also picnic, sunbathe, and play volleyball at this gorgeous beach park. Buckhorn Lake, in eastern Kentucky, is great for swimmers and sunbathers, and Lake Malone is a large lake in the western part of the state with plenty of beach-like shoreline and some of the best swimming in the state! The water is clean and cool and always refreshing. Looking to swim in Kentucky’s clearest lake? Make sure to visit this article to learn more about one of the best lake trips you can take in the Bluegrass State. What kind of outdoor recreation in Kentucky can I do? Anything you can do anywhere else you can usually find in Kentucky, too! Fishing and hunting are popular, but so are boating, hiking, and landscape photography, as Kentucky is ridiculously photogenic, and just about any short hike you can find will take you to somewhere breathtaking. The camping here is second to none, as there’s nothing as outstanding as waking up to the stunning wilderness of rural Kentucky. It’s a truly beautiful state with tons to do; other recreational activities include things like snow sledding during the occasional cold snap, though we don’t get as much snow in the Bluegrass State as we wish we would during the summer months when the temperatures are sweltering. No worries, though - there’s plenty of watering holes and waterfalls to explore when it gets hot! The possibilities are endless.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
There sure is, and believe it or not, they’re all just as beautiful as the real thing! Some of the most popular ones include such gems as the shoreline around Lake Barkley, which will seriously make you forget you’re not on an actual ocean beach, and Kentucky Dam Village Resort Park is an amazing place on Kentucky Lake that you could seriously kill an entire afternoon lounging at. Pennyrile Forest State Park also has bunches of Kentucky shoreline just waiting to be explored, so you’ll want to check that one out, too.
Where are the best swimming beaches in Kentucky?
You can take your pick from a hearty list of excellent swimming beaches in the state of Kentucky. Some of our favorites include places like Barren River Lake, which is great for a family beach day - and not just for the swimming! You can also picnic, sunbathe, and play volleyball at this gorgeous beach park. Buckhorn Lake, in eastern Kentucky, is great for swimmers and sunbathers, and Lake Malone is a large lake in the western part of the state with plenty of beach-like shoreline and some of the best swimming in the state! The water is clean and cool and always refreshing. Looking to swim in Kentucky’s clearest lake? Make sure to visit this article to learn more about one of the best lake trips you can take in the Bluegrass State.
What kind of outdoor recreation in Kentucky can I do?
Anything you can do anywhere else you can usually find in Kentucky, too! Fishing and hunting are popular, but so are boating, hiking, and landscape photography, as Kentucky is ridiculously photogenic, and just about any short hike you can find will take you to somewhere breathtaking. The camping here is second to none, as there’s nothing as outstanding as waking up to the stunning wilderness of rural Kentucky. It’s a truly beautiful state with tons to do; other recreational activities include things like snow sledding during the occasional cold snap, though we don’t get as much snow in the Bluegrass State as we wish we would during the summer months when the temperatures are sweltering. No worries, though - there’s plenty of watering holes and waterfalls to explore when it gets hot! The possibilities are endless.
