Dinosaur World

Traveling on the I-65 through Kentucky you probably notice “Dinosaur World” and, depending on your inclination for the kitschy, you are either thrilled or you keep on driving. From the signs, and the huge tiger-striped dinosaur, I thought this would be a very cheesy (i.e. super cool) place to visit so I stopped during a trip to Cincinnati. It turned out to be that and much more; I really enjoyed it! They have 150 life-size dinosaurs displayed outdoors, along paths through the woods. 

Signs give scientific information about the dinosaurs, including interesting information about the fossil finds. It’s less than a 3½-hr drive from Huntsville, just past Mammoth Cave National Park and next to the Jellystone Park campground. (Can you get any kitschier than that?!) It’s a great stop during a longer drive north or as a destination combined with other nearby attractions (Kentucky Down Under, Cave City, Mammoth Cave, Lincoln’s Birthplace, the Corvette factory tour, etc.).

When you see the herd of towering brachiosauruses you feel like you are in a scene from Jurassic Park. The outdoor setting is what makes this so much more impressive than a typical dinosaur replica exhibit (including the ones that have the actual dinosaurs used in the Jurassic Park movies – although those are awesome too).

Baby dinosaurs!!

There is a lot more here than just the well-known species of dinosaurs.

The tiger-striped roadside dinosaur is the only one in the park that 

does not represent an actual dinosaur species.

The 20-acre park also includes a museum with real and cast fossils, a playground, and activities for children.

“Dinosaur World!” is a chain with two other locations in Florida and Texas.