Guide to the National Corvette Museum, Kentucky
Everything the RV Renter Needs to Know
Everything the RV Renter Needs to Know
The Corvette is one of the great American sports cars. The little two-seater roadster with a big engine has evolved a lot over the years and is a testament to the engineering that was so prevalent in the 50s and 60s. Things have changed, and the Vette has changed right along with them.
One of the best ways to celebrate this car and its impact on the automotive industry is by visiting the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. A must for any gear head or even a more lackadaisical enthusiast, the museum sits just a quarter mile away from the plant where the car is made today. So, rev up your engine and make your way to Bowling Green—but be sure to obey all posted speed limits. You’re in a rental RV, after all.
The National Corvette Museum is striking in its architecture, thanks mostly due to its “Skydome.” This is a large, yellow, dome-esque area, with a large red needle pointing out of it. The Skydome is the “Generations Exhibit,” where you can see Corvettes from the first generation C1 to the current eight generation C8—the first-ever mid-engine Corvette.
There are millions of dollars’ worth of vintage cars in this exhibit, and it’s a prime opportunity to see the way the muscle car changed with the times. From its invention as a two-door convertible in 1953 to the high-powered, mid-engine racer it is now, you can see step by step the technological advances that made each new car possible.
There are several exhibits related to the Corvette’s history and technology inside the museum. While some exhibits change, several more are stalwarts and there for the long haul. Of course, if you’re just there to look at cool cars, you’ll see plenty of those in spades as well, including one of the very few 1953 Corvettes in existence.
Other exhibits include the Nostalgia exhibit, where you not only see classic Corvettes but also other relics of time preserved with them, like old neon gas station signs from Route 66. For the dreamers—or those of you realizing a dream—you can visit the Corvette Nursery, where factory-ordered Corvettes are delivered from the plant to be detailed before their owners arrive to take them home.
There’s no reason to expect a lesson in geology at a Corvette museum, but it’s what you get and it’s a doozy. In 2014, a sinkhole opened up beneath The Skydome area of the museum. It swallowed up eight Corvettes (valued at more than $1 million). Many of those cars have been repaired now, as was the sinkhole. But the museum saw it as a teaching moment.
You’ll learn about what happened on the day the sinkhole opened up, the cars that were affected, and just how it happened. You can also learn about karst landscapes—those that are common of caves and other areas with large amounts of limestone that have been dissolved over time. Plus, see the feats of engineering that it took to fix the sinkhole, making the Skydome one of the safest places in the area now.
Want to get behind the wheel of a Corvette? Who wouldn’t? Unfortunately, the museum doesn’t have Vettes just laying around for anyone to test drive, but they do have the Corvette Simulator. You’ll find the simulator in the lobby, and a trip in it is $10.
The simulator has you sit inside an actual C6-era Corvette, and pilot it around a virtual racecourse. Go through the gears and get a feel for what it’s like to handle the car at top speed— all while being completely safe. The bright side: if you can reach the pedals, you can take it for a cruise—no driver’s license required.
So, you’ve seen the originals, the vintages, the ones that made the Corvette what it is today. What now? Plan a trip to visit the plant that’s just across the street, and see them building the modern Corvettes, at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant.
Here, you can see C8-era Corvettes rolling right off the line. You’ll be watching a serious piece of history. Tour guides will give you a good idea of the parts that make the Corvette the sought-after American sports car that it is and will walk you through the build process. Just in case you decide to build your own someday, of course.
The Corvette Museum has a special area designated for RVers and busses. You can park your rig and set up like you would at any other site. You won’t find utility hookups, so you’ll be dry camping. But it puts you in closest proximity to the museum itself, plus it's free to stay there. You’ll no doubt be parking with other Corvette enthusiasts who will no doubt love to share in some company.
When you’re in the Bluegrass State, why not enjoy a Bluegrass Campground? Dad's Bluegrass Campground offers plenty of amenities to make the most of your RV vacation. You’ll get full utility hookups for your rental, as well as a fire ring at every site for campfire dinners and s’mores. There’s a laundry facility, plus a new playground. Best of all, there are live music acts that play in the area all summer. Because, it can’t be a bluegrass campground without bluegrass music.
Much of this part of Kentucky has extensive cave systems that run beneath it (see Corvette Cave-In Exhibit above), so you can say this is cave country. When you’re staying at Cave Country RV Campground, you’ll get full hookups with cable and Wi-Fi. There’s a game and fitness room for a quick workout or game of pool, plus full bathhouses and a store with all of the RV essentials. Bringing your pup on your road trip? There’s a huge, fully fenced bark park to let it stretch its legs.
Beech Bend Campground is so much more than just a campground. First of all, there are a whopping 400 sites, all of which are first come, first served. That means if you haven’t planned ahead, there’s a good likelihood that you may find a spot here (of course that’s not guaranteed). Second, Beech Bend has full utility hookups, plus Wi-Fi available for an additional fee. Beyond the camping, though, you’ll find two wholly unique amenities: an NHRA drag strip and a real, big, amusement park—complete with roller coasters. You’ll want to stay a while here.
Not far from the Corvette Museum and also in close proximity to Mammoth Cave, you’ll find Diamond Caverns RV Resort and Golf Course. When you’re looking for a real place to relax, this is your place. There’s a full, 18-course golf course, plus mini golf if the full one isn’t your game. There’s also bocce, horseshoes, and other sports courts—plus a playground. This is all in addition to a swimming pool, full utility hookups, plus Wi-Fi. So, go ahead: relax a while.
Food and drink isn’t allowed inside the museum (some of these cars are worth millions, of course), but there is a 1950s-era café inside that serves sandwiches, salads, and burgers. You can also get a milkshake or a malt, in true, period-correct style. It’s the perfect way to refuel midway through your museum visit.
Bowling Green offers any kind of food you could hope for. From southern-style barbecue or fried chicken restaurants to classic burgers and fries types of diners, you’ll find it. If you want to load up with breakfast before you go, you’ll find lots of options for those as well. Add in the several great Mexican, Chinese, and Thai restaurants, and you’ll no doubt have something that works for everyone.
You’ll enjoy plenty of good meals and other things to do in Bowling Green. It’s a great place to stop and enjoy yourself in the middle of a long road trip, or a place to wrap one up. Whether you’re out and about town, or simply checking out the Corvettes, it’s part of a trip you won’t soon forget.