Beech Bend Park has the feel of a state fair, amusement park and water park all rolled into one sweet package; tucked away in the beautiful country side of Bowling Green, Kentucky. This park boasts thrill rides, family rides; kiddie rides a new addition to their Splash Lagoon and a convenient campground.
Two weeks ago I had the privilege of accompanying my son’s 5th grade class to Beech Bend Park for their end of the year, moving on to middle school field trip.
Traveling from Hendersonville, Tennessee to Bowling Green, Kentucky took a little over an hour but it was well worth the drive.
We knew ahead of time that the Splash Lagoon was not open (it opened for the season a couple weeks later) but we had a blast exploring the rest of the park and going on as many rides as we could fit into our allotted 4 hours. It was a quick pace, but we were able to ride everything that 5th grade boys desired to ride.
About The Rides
Beech Bend’s feature attraction is the Kentucky Rumbler. This is a 96-foot “wooden twister coaster” that reaches 50 miles per hour, has 3 station fly-bys, 30 crossovers and 12 “airtime” moments (per the website). I don’t really know what all that lingo means, but this was my first time riding a wooden coaster and I thoroughly enjoyed the many twists, turns, drops and speed (let’s not forget the rumbling)! There is a minimum height requirement of 48 inches, but this coaster gets better and better the more you ride it.
The day of our field trip was very hot and muggy, which would have been a perfect day to go to the Splash Lagoon, but since that was not open we cooled ourselves off by riding the White Water Express. This is a water flume log ride (up to 4 riders per log and you have to be 36 inches tall to ride with an adult or 48 inches tall to ride by yourself). It features 2 water drops, the second drop slightly steeper than the first. You do get a little wet while you’re on the ride, but if you need a real soaking there is a designated “splash zone” where non-riders can stand and get soaked as the logs make their final free fall. This is a fun ride for all ages to enjoy!
Two other featured rides at Beech Bend Park are the Shock Drop and the Wild Mouse roller coaster.
The Shock Drop (42 inches to ride) does exactly what you think it will do, it pulls you up an 88-foot tower and then releases you into a free fall. (They have a watered down version of this ride for younger kids or ((cough)) adults called the Hip Hop Drop.) I may have ridden the Shock Drop had we not just eaten lunch -– now I have to visit Beech Bend again!- The Wild Mouse coaster was one of my favorite rides of the day it reminded me of the board game “Mouse Trap”. You sit in a circular coaster (4 people maximum, 42 inches to ride with an adult or 48 inches to ride alone), and not only does the coaster travel along a metal track but the coaster spins freely as you travel throughout the ride — even as you’re going down a quick drop. We noticed that the carts that had 2 people riding in them (both people sitting on same side) were off balance and this caused their cart to spin more. Wild Mouse is fun and unpredictable; you get a unique ride every time!
In between the large thrill rides at Beech Bend Park there are many smaller, state fair type thrill rides like Moby Dick (riders are seated on a platform which rotates clockwise and counter clockwise), Power Surge, Scat II, Sea Dragon and the Flying Bobs — just to mention a few. There are also many family rides like the bumper cars, Dizzy Dragon, Rock N Tug and the Tilt-a-Whirl. For the little ones, Beech Bend offers the Bumble Bee Bop, Crazy Bus, Jalopy Junction, Super Slide and let’s not forget about Granny Jones’s Petting Farm, Gold Rush Golf, live stage shows, and much more.
I got a small glimpse of the new Tiki Island which features a 4-story interactive water area with 7 different water slides and a giant tipping bucket. It’s a huge bucket that is high up fills with water. When full, it tips over and pours this large amount of water onto very excited or unsuspecting folks below. This process repeats all day.
There is much more to the water area: a wave pool with eight different wave patterns from “mild to wild”, a lazy river that runs through the wave pool (making it not so lazy when the waves are rolling in), raging rapids water slides, Lotta Watta Island for children and a leisure pool. The Splash Lagoon looks like so much fun; I can’t wait to go back!
Beech Bend Park is fun for all ages!
We will definitely visit Beech Bend Park again, and next time we’ll be sure to go when Splash Lagoon is open.
Beech Bend Park Tickets & Freebies
Tickets for Beech Bend Park & Splash Lagoon are $29.99 for adults 54 inches or taller, $25.99 for children under 54 inches as well as senior citizens. Children 2 and under are FREE. Tickets can be purchased at the front gate or online. Season passes are also available. There is a park schedule to view for specific opening and closing times.
Admission includes: FREE self- serve soft drinks (found throughout the park), FREE parking, FREE sunscreen and FREE mats & tubes (for Splash Lagoon) every day!
There are also onsite ATM machines located in the gift shops as well as lockers, strollers and scooters available to rent. Outside coolers, food and drink are NOT permitted into the park, however there are many places to eat (D.J.’s Diner, Rumbler Café, and Good Times Grill).
Proper attire is required for park admission in all areas of Beech Bend Park: shoes, shorts/pants and shirts. For the Splash Lagoon proper swim attire is required and swim diapers are required for all un-potty trained infants and children.
Camping & More Nearby
Beech Bend has an onsite campground for tents and RVs making it convenient to stay within walking distance of the amusement park. There are over 500 campsites and 250 of these sites have full hookups. The schedule and rates for camping fees are online.
If you don’t have your own RV you can rent one ($150 to $200 per night).
If you’re not a campground sort of person, there are many local hotels that Beech Bend Park recommends.
Beech Bend Park also has an onsite Dragstrip and an Oval Track (racing tracks), if you’re looking for something else to do while you’re visiting.
For More Information
Beech Bend Park & Splash Lagoon
798 Beech Bend Road
Bowling Green, KY 42101
(270) 781-7634
[email protected]
Other Reviews Of Beech Bend Park
- Kentucky Rumbler Photos
- A Brentwood Tennessee Day Trip: Beech Bend Park
- Trip Advisor’s Visitor Reviews Of Beech Bend Park
- Kentucky Rumbler Video Review
I’m a happily married mom to 3 wonderful children: Taylor (13), Gavin (10) and Garrett (8). We recently relocated to the Nashville area from Florida and we’re enjoying exploring Middle Tennessee and all it has to offer. My hobbies are: writing, photography, digital scrapbooking, cooking, and all things parenting.
