Best Glamping near Central City, KY

Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park houses the region's most distinctive glamping accommodations within 1.5 hours of Central City, Kentucky. Glamping options at Pennyrile include well-equipped cabin-style structures with modern amenities alongside traditional camping sites. Visitors enjoy comfortable accommodations with electricity, climate control, and proper bedding – a significant upgrade from standard tent camping. "This is such a beautiful park. The views here are breathtaking," noted one reviewer who appreciated the balance of nature and comfort. The park maintains several glamping units throughout the property, each positioned to maximize privacy while providing convenient access to the park's central facilities. These units feature private entrances, dedicated parking, and strategically placed windows that showcase the surrounding woodland landscape and lake views.

Surrounded by a scenic forest landscape and situated near a picturesque lake, Pennyrile's glamping sites serve as an ideal base for exploring the park's extensive recreational offerings. The property features hiking trails, paddle boating, canoeing, and kayaking opportunities that glampers can access directly from their accommodation. Swimming at the white sand beach remains particularly popular during summer months, with glamping guests receiving priority morning access before public admission begins at 10am. One camper enthusiastically shared, "If you want a campground that has it all, Pennyrile State Park is where you want to be! It has a GORGEOUS white sand beach with breathtaking blue water. Crazy to see that in KY!" The eco-friendly glamping experience includes geocaching activities, tennis courts, basketball facilities, and even an 18-hole golf course with pro shop for those seeking more structured recreation during their stay.

Best Glamping Sites Near Central City, Kentucky (10)

    1. Livermore RV Park

    2 Reviews
    Mount Vernon, KY
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 278-2854

    "There’s a shower house and a nice pavilion for use. Affordable!!!"

    "These sites are right off the green river, there is a boat ramp adjacent. Good people all around , and the monthly is amazingly low. You can opt to pay for 50 or 30 amp service."

    2. Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park

    19 Reviews
    Dawson Springs, KY
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 797-3421

    $20 - $45 / night

    "First of all, the drive to Dawson Springs is GORGEOUS. Rolling hills, farmland, trees, really gets you in the mood!"

    "Also at the beach are picnic tables, grills, a playground, and concessions. From the beach area, you can hike the lake trail, but it is moderate."

    3. Ohio County Park And Campground

    2 Reviews
    Hartford, KY
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 298-4466

    4. Bowling Green KOA

    19 Reviews
    Bowling Green, KY
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 843-1919

    "Made it less than enjoyable sitting by the beautiful fire pit provided. Had higher expectations for KOA based on other experiences but should have researched to know how close the highway was."

    "This was a nice KOA, but some sites were small with all sites having very small fire pits made from only old tire wheels."

    5. Cave Creek - Rough River Lake

    6 Reviews
    Falls of Rough, KY
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 879-4304

    $18 - $50 / night

    "It was empty, possibly because it has no direct access to the lake? It is a nice shaded area, very open, spread throughout a small hilly area."

    "I found this campground looking for a spot near mammoth cave National park. It’s about an hour away but just beautiful."

    6. Spring Creek Campground

    6 Reviews
    Clarksville, TN
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (931) 648-0280

    $26 - $44 / night

    "Clean bathrooms. Hear a little bit of highway noise but the beauty and peace far outweighed that."

    "Gave it 4 stars for the set up. Cozy little place next to a creek."

    7. Rough River Dam State Resort Park

    3 Reviews
    Falls of Rough, KY
    41 miles
    Website

    "The Rough River Lodge , Falls of Rough , Ky no longer has a campground co-located, it was closed a few years ago when the dam was renovated."

    "We stay in various places all over the park and the best thing about this is there are no fees to access the public areas of the dam to fish or lake!"

    8. Beech Bend Family Campground

    4 Reviews
    Bowling Green, KY
    44 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 781-7634

    "Pricing is above moderate for offerings at this area, Future electric vehicular racing will be an ear candy."

    "The campground was paved and almost every spot had a small grass patch next to it. There were several larger grass spots on the edges of the campground. "

    9. Vastwood Co Park

    4 Reviews
    Hawesville, KY
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 927-8778

    $8 - $20 / night

    "Park features playground, paved biking and walking trails, disc golf, plenty of shade, lake with boat dock (non-motorized boats only), bath house, and dump station."

    "Nice lake, trails, swimming area. Etc. Sites have water and electric, dump station on site. Weekends are busy. We would stay here again."

    10. Military Park Eagle's Rest Army Travel Camp Fort Campbell

    4 Reviews
    Clarksville, TN
    50 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 798-2175

    $25 - $28 / night

    "Nice areas to walk and field to play with the dogs when its not being used. The dumpsters do get full quick with non campers using the field and pavilion for events."

    "We brought our camper here to visit family living at the Fort Campbell base, I don’t like that you can’t reserve a spot ahead of time especially since it was an 8 hour drive, but thankfully we did find"

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Recent Glamping Photos near Central City, KY

5 Photos of 10 Central City Campgrounds


Glamping Reviews near Central City, KY

70 Reviews of 10 Central City Campgrounds


  • Eleanor the Airstream R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 9, 2024

    Bowling Green KOA

    Clean but noisy

    Nice campground but very loud due to interstate. Made it less than enjoyable sitting by the beautiful fire pit provided. Had higher expectations for KOA based on other experiences but should have researched to know how close the highway was.

    Convenient to stores and restaurants. Laundry open 24/7 ($2.50). Campstore has most of what you need but you are less than a couple miles from most other places.

    Campsites are long and ideal for bigger rigs, but our little 25’ would have been too far back from the pad in order to reach the sewer, even with two hoses, so we disconnected the camper and parked the TV behind the camper. This enabled us to parked the camper on the most level part of the gravel spot without leveling boards and be able to step out on to the concrete pad. We are only here a couple days, so we’ll pump out before leaving. An inconvenience but not a deal breaker.

    Looks like a new pool being built near the front!

  • K
    Apr. 13, 2021

    Bowling Green KOA

    1 star

    It is under new ownership at this time. It is not worth the price you pay for a KOA. It is extremely run down. None of the amenities are kept up such as the kids playground, mini golf course and campsite extras. Some of the campsites have wheels for fire pits while others have nice stone pits. Some of the campsites have picnic tables while others have nice patio tables and chairs. You are greeted at the nature trail by dumped trash and a dumped Seadoo. It is very noisy due to it’s proximity to the interstate. The sewer hookups are damaged in several sites. I would recommend you check out Beach Bend until they can get this campground up to KOA standards. I’m not sure what drugs the 4 star reviewers were taken but it is definitely not 4 stars.

  • J
    Aug. 19, 2020

    Bowling Green KOA

    Nice KOA

    This was a nice KOA, but some sites were small with all sites having very small fire pits made from only old tire wheels. This KOA has a pool, fishing, putt putt, dump station, general store, cabins, a little run down restroom/bath houses, kids play scape, large chess board, and a dog park. This KOA was about 20 minutes from Mammoth Cave National Park and the National Corvette Museum. Both are worth the trip to.

  • Evan G.
    Aug. 1, 2021

    Bowling Green KOA

    Needs some love

    The camp ground itself isn't bad. I don't think it's quite up to the usual KOA standards. Bathrooms were centrally located which was fine unless you're tent camping on the outer edge. The shower curtains were moldy and the bathrooms seemed a little run down, but everything functioned well.

    Some TLC would definitely help this place out a bit.

  • C
    Aug. 9, 2020

    Vastwood Co Park

    Family Friendly Campground

    Park features playground, paved biking and walking trails, disc golf, plenty of shade, lake with boat dock (non-motorized boats only), bath house, and dump station. Friendly staff; trash seemed to be emptied each weekday. Galaxy Pizza is conveniently located within the park - they will even deliver to your campsite!

  • Kacie E.
    Aug. 22, 2018

    Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park

    Beautiful and Spacious

    First of all, the drive to Dawson Springs is GORGEOUS. Rolling hills, farmland, trees, really gets you in the mood! Upon arrival, the camp store worker was very friendly, gave us a campground map and hiking map and answered all of our questions. We stayed in the regular campground but they also have a campground for people with horses/horse trailers, as the park has horse trails to go on as well! We didn’t swim in the lake, but it did look beautiful and looked to be a nice place to swim and kayak and paddle boat (which they have for rental as well). The hiking trails are gorgeous and vary in length and intensity. The spot that we were at had plenty of room to spread out and relax. One side had the picnic table and fire pit, and the other side was a grassy area with trees where we hung our hammock. It was stunning! We will definitely be back!

  • D
    May. 21, 2021

    Vastwood Co Park

    Awesome city campground

    Very pretty city park with wide sites though some are close together. Nice lake, trails, swimming area. Etc. Sites have water and electric, dump station on site. Weekends are busy. We would stay here again.

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 30, 2018

    Bowling Green KOA

    Why would I pay that much?!

    My brother visits KOA’s all the time for camping. Me, not so much. I have a hard time paying $40 for a tent site when I can camp for free or under $20. The Bowling Green KOA, Ky is located on the outskirts of Bowling Green near the I65 and Natcher interchange. You can actually see the back end of the campground from the ramp that connects the two. My first thought when considering a stay.
    I spoke with two of the very friendly and helpful ladies in the office and got a plethora of information. So much so that I’m sure I’ll forget some of it, but here goes;) So first with your fee you recieve (you and all your group) a free game of Minature Golf a day. Next there is wifi and cable available. There is a swimming pool on site and two pay lakes with paddle boats. A dog park and short trail. Depending on the month you visit there are also special incentives to stay an extra night. In May some of your fee is donated to Camp. With a KOA card there are special incentives too and you earn points with every stay. So, all that being said I did purchase a KOA card. Though this is not my favorite type of camping it will come in handy on an upcoming trip and when I camp with my brother ;) I was pleasantly surprised that the interstate noise was mostly not noticiple. There are plenty of trees that help block the noise and offer a lot of shade. We were in a busier site at the end of Abby Dr but it was an easy walk to the two small “lakes“( more like ponds ) and the dog park and showerhouse (with dogwash station) were a short walk away. Not much else to do but a fun enough spot for younger kids. ( no “bears“ to take photos with) and not as many special activities as some other theme campgrounds. This is a nice older campground, worth a night or two visit to get away from the grind for a bit.

  • Mary H.
    Jun. 20, 2019

    Bowling Green KOA

    Pleasant Stop

    Clean, well kept KOA. Friendly staff & convenient location. We fished in the pond & enjoyed breakfast with some feathered friends. Surprisingly quiet even though it’s close to the highway. Will stay here again if we’re in the area.


Guide to Central City

Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park sits 49 miles southwest of Central City, Kentucky at approximately 600 feet elevation in the western coal fields region. The park covers over 800 acres with varied terrain including forested hills and a 56-acre lake. Winter temperatures typically range from 25-45°F while summer temperatures average 65-90°F with high humidity.

What to do

Disc golf at Cave Creek Recreation Area: Located at Rough River Lake, the course offers wooded fairways and lake views. "There is a disc golf course in the area so if you're in one of the sites near it you might want to keep your head down," notes one Cave Creek visitor.

Fishing at Vastwood County Park: The lake permits non-motorized boats for fishing access with convenient dock facilities. "Very pretty city park with wide sites though some are close together. Nice lake, trails, swimming area," reports a Vastwood County Park camper.

Golfing near Bowling Green KOA: Access an 18-hole course within 15 minutes of the campground. "This KOA has a pool, fishing, putt putt, dump station, general store, cabins, a little run down restroom/bath houses, kids play scape, large chess board, and a dog park," according to one visitor.

What campers like

Natural swimming areas: Vastwood offers a designated swimming area with gradual entry points suitable for various skill levels. A visitor mentioned, "Beautiful lakeside campsites. Great for small groups or individuals."

Hiking trail networks: Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park features multiple interconnected trails of varying difficulty. "I love this park! Camping, cabins, hiking, horseback, swimming, and even mini golf. There are numerous trails, and a plethora of wildlife," a camper shared.

Photography opportunities: Seasonal photography contests draw visitors to Pennyrile. "I've gone to Pennyroyal for the fall photography contest. I've also been there a few springs for the spring photography contest," reports one regular visitor.

What you should know

Site leveling challenges: Many parks in the region have significant slope issues requiring extra equipment. "The sites are hard to back in with a camper, we had to buy longer extension cables and a longer water hose, sites are very close together," notes a Bowling Green KOA visitor.

Weather considerations: Summer thunderstorms occur frequently, and spring brings heavy rainfall that can affect trail conditions. "In June, it's hot as heck and 100% humidity here," warns one Cave Creek camper.

Reservation requirements: Peak season (May-September) often fills completely, especially holiday weekends. "Reserve ahead if you want anything close to the water and it's a good chance that this is one of those campgrounds that is booked for the season," advises a camper.

Tips for camping with families

Beach access timing: Arrive early for best swimming spots during summer months. "The beach is free to public so very crowded and some elements are not family friendly," notes a Bowling Green KOA reviewer.

Kid-friendly amenities: Spring Creek Campground offers creek access for safe water play. "Creek is awesome. No shade. Great staff, clean bathrooms," reports a visitor.

Affordable activities: Many parks offer low-cost recreation options. "They have one of the cleanest parks! This is a Corp of Engineers reservoir that is well maintained. We stay in various places all over the park and the best thing about this is there are no fees to access the public areas of the dam to fish or lake! Our children love to camp and play around the lake!" shares a Rough River Dam visitor.

Tips from RVers

Extension cord requirements: Many sites require longer-than-standard power cords due to hookup placement. "We had to buy longer extension cables and a longer water hose," notes one camper about regional sites.

Road access considerations: Some campgrounds have challenging approach roads. "Cave Creek Campground at Rough River Lake is off a single and a half country road. If your pulling a trailer or RV take your time, curvy road," warns an experienced camper.

Alternative site options: For more level terrain, consider equestrian areas if available. "When I talked to the campground host, he was very pleasant and explained that you do not have to have a horse to camp in the equestrian sites. Those sites are level pull-through sites."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Central City, KY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Central City, KY is Livermore RV Park with a 5-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find glamping camping near Central City, KY?

TheDyrt.com has all 10 glamping camping locations near Central City, KY, with real photos and reviews from campers.