The Most Affordable Kentucky Road Trip Takes You To 5 Stunning Sites For Under $100

Here at OnlyInYourState, we're all about having adventures - big and small. And while there are certainly many bucket-list-worthy trips that require a bit of planning and saving to accomplish, we firmly believe that travel shouldn't break the bank. Luckily for us here in the Bluegrass, it doesn't have to! We designed the following affordable Kentucky road trip to prove just that.

One road trip, five stops, all for under $100? Only in Kentucky!

View the Google Map to plan your affordable (and delicious!) adventure in the Bluegrass State.

One of the quirkiest museums in the Bluegrass, our affordable road trip through Kentucky begins at the eponymous Kentucky Museum.

Did you know Duncan Hines was an actual person? And that he was from Kentucky? At the Kentucky Museum, "Recommended by Duncan Hines" is an eight-section exhibit celebrating the life and work of the boxed cake king. The exhibit is a look into Hines's own Kentucky kitchen, complete with retro appliances, mid-century decor, and a rather uncanny wax figure of Mr. Hines himself. The best part? Admission to this only-in-Kentucky museum is free!

Kentucky is known for its lovely lakes, and Land Between the Lakes celebrates the Bluegrass State's natural beauty in a big way.

This natural paradise in Kentucky also stretches into Tennessee and when combined, offers 170,000 acres of outdoor beauty and adventure.

In addition to amazing hiking and water recreation, one of the most popular areas of Land Between the Lakes is the Elk & Bison Prairie.

This road winds through the prairie where bison and elk roam and graze in herds. They will walk right up to your car, so you have to stay inside and watch through the window, but this unique experience is a must when in the area. Oh, and admission into this Kentucky paradise? Free.

Next up, a stop at the World's Best Dairy Queen in Murray, Kentucky. The Murray Dairy Queen opened in 1949, and has basically operated the same since then.

The prices are also totally '40s, too, with pretty much every menu favorite (foot-long hot dogs, shakes, and cones) costing under $5.

Man cannot live on ice cream alone, so we're headed to dine at Bluegrass BBQ royalty: Old Hickory Bar-B-Q in Owensboro.

Hailed as the "world's best barbecue," Old Hickory Bar-B-Q certainly lives up to this bold claim.

Grab a BBQ Plate and feast like a king or queen; all of these epic meals cost under $20!

Our last stop is a destination that needs to be on every Kentuckian's bucket list: Mammoth Cave. But today, we're not going underground.

The above-ground hiking at Mammoth Cave is unrivaled, with the park boasting some of the most beautiful trails in the country -- over 90 miles of surface hiking trails, in fact!

One of the most popular treks is the Sinkhole Trail, a 2.4-mile hike that traverses past several small caves and the River Styx. And guess what? Entry to Mammoth Cave National Park and its surface features is free of charge! There is, however, a charge to tour the cave, stay in campgrounds, or reserve picnic shelters; these fees are nominal, however, and you could easily tack on a tour and not break the $100 budget we set for this road trip!

If you're doing the math, this road trip (excluding gas) costs well under $100 -- well under $50, even if you feast like royalty at the two restaurants. So the next time you're looking for an epic adventure without an epic price tag, hop in the car on this amazing *and* affordable Kentucky road trip!