Cumberland Falls continues to shine as top ‘Travelers’ Choice’

It appears a lot of folks have caught on to something that local residents have known for a long time, which is that Cumberland Falls is a great place to visit.

Mark White is Editor of The News Journal.

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park recently won a Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award for 2024. It’s a pretty big deal.

“This prestigious honor places the park among the top 10 percent of attractions worldwide, thanks to your fantastic reviews and support. Come experience the breathtaking beauty of the ‘Niagara of the South’ and discover why we’re a must-visit destination,” Kentucky State Parks wrote in a release.

According to Tripadvisor’s website, the Traveler’s Choice award recognizes businesses that earn consistently great reviews. The awards honor select accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently demonstrate a commitment to hospitality excellence.

My congratulations to the folks over at the park for the great work that they do maintaining the nearly 1,650 acres, including the park’s centerpiece 125-foot water fall. This is only one of two places in the world where you can regularly view a moonbow. For those that don’t know, this is a rainbow at night.

The park gets nearly one million visitors annually.

Now for a few other thoughts before I conclude this column.

• Last week we got some exciting news regarding a possible new housing development for Williamsburg residents. It would be construction of a 42-unit multi-family development on South Second Street. It would consist of 34 single units with one bedroom and eight two-bedroom units. The development would exclusively serve those, who are 55 or older.

As Trevor Sherman’s recent series on housing insecurity has shown, there is a serious lack of affordable housing in the area. While there is no guarantee that these units will be affordable, a greater supply of housing should mean that at least rental prices won’t go up as quickly as there will be more competition to accommodate demand.

As a 53-year-old, I have to take issue with 55 being considered elderly. This is a bit of a stretch folks although I will concede that 53 feels elderly some days…LOL.

• The Whitley County Fair is coming up this week and they have lots of things lined up. In addition to favorite events, such as the demolition derby, horse show and mud bog, the fair also has some new things lined up this year, including hot air balloon rides on Saturday evening. I went up in one about 30 years ago, and it was kind of neat.

This year, the fair will debut Fair Idol, which is set for noon Saturday. This is a local spin on the “American Idol” television series. We have a lot of talented people here locally, and it will be interesting to see what they can do.

I suspect that the nightly Jurassic Mark Dinosaur Encounter will be a big hit with the kids and a quite a few adults, who are kids at heart.

The fair will take place July 17-20 at the Whitley County Fairgrounds, which are located in Savoy. Just go to the Exit 11 area in Williamsburg and follow the signs if you don’t know how to get there. If you are on US25W, turn between the backside of Firestone and Bill Berry’s Body Shop and follow the signs.