Summer is a great time to take a road trip. We recently covered a north and north eastern Kentucky road trip that you could take on one tank of gas. It is only fair we do a follow-up with a one tank trip in southern Kentucky. The entire state is beautiful and offers and abundance of unique activities and places to visit. Here are 9 places you can go on one tank of gas in southern Kentucky, complete with a map for your convenience.

9. Stearns

The little town of Stearns is located on the northwest side of Kentucky. It is a relatively quiet community but it has some unique venues. One exciting things to do in town is take a ride at the Big South Fork Railroad on 66 Henderson Street. It is a pleasant ride through the woods and some of the beautiful scenic parts of our state.

8. Williamsburg

When it comes to cooling off in the summer heat, Williamsburg is a great stop to make. The serene Laurel River Lake is easily accessible, but if natural bodies of water aren’t to your liking, visit the Splash Park at 1050 Highway 92 West. It is also home to the Cumberland Museum at 649 S Tenth Street, which offers a variety of "life" exhibitions, along with free admission.

7. Corbin

Corbin might be best known for the Niagara of the South, Cumberland Falls at 7351 Highway 90. Visitors flock their throughout the year to witness the renowned moonbow. It is also home to Shelltree Trace at 2001 Hwy 90, where you can take a raft and lunch ride. Not appealing? Just stop in for lunch at the Harland Sanders Café and Restaurant and enjoy some good ole’ Kentucky fried chicken.

6. Harlan

The beautiful land of Harlan is enough to just mesmerize you along the ride. Its been said that there isn’t anything in Harlan, but I’d have to disagree. The scenery on a ride through parts of this area can be absolutely breathtaking.

5. Hazard

The unique Mother Goose House sits at KY Hwy 451, and it you’ve never seen it… well, it is Mother Goose, complete with egg shaped windows. The Holiday Farm and Garden at 18354 KY Hwy 476 offers a relaxing country visit where you can get fresh vegetables, flowers, and get a snack at the concession stand.

4. Jackson

The Breathitt County Museum is at 329 Broadway in town. It offers a refreshing look at the history and growth of the community. Showtime Pizza, at 860 Hwy 15 S, is a good place to go for a handmade pie or some loaded fries and a drink if you happen to be driving through at lunch or dinner time. The country side offers a beautiful view with some lushly forested areas and rolling hills.

3. Paintsville

One awesome stop in this community is the Paintsville Lake State Park at 1551 Kentucky Route 2275. It offers a serene woodlands surrounding a quiet lake with some comfortable seating. It’s a nice place just to sit and water gaze for a bit, or drop a line in the water.

2. Prestonburg

Getting lost in the stars is always a pleasure, and the East Kentucky Science Center and Planetarium at 1 Bert Combs Drive is just the place. It overs around 3000 square feet of exhibit space, a 40 foot domed planetarium, and a gift shop. This planetarium is one of the most technologically advanced of its kind in the entire US. It is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, featuring laser shows at 2 and 3:15 pm through the week. There is an additional show on Saturdays at 12:30. There is always the option to star gaze outside in some of the gorgeous local scenery too.

1. Pikeville

This renowned coal mining town is also known for 4 historic Hatfield and McCoy incident sites, starting at 831 Hambley Blvd. For more history in the area, the Big Sandy Heritage Center is located at 172 Division Street. It offers visitors some local lore and historic information, along with some memorabilia from over the decades. The historic Pauley Bridge, built in 1936 is a unique historical landmark to check out. Overall, parts of Pikeville are quite lovely in the Summer and Fall, with lots of foliage along the roadways as you travel.

A good economy car will get you about 300 miles to the tank. We made this a 286 mile journey, so travelers could enjoy an easy one tank trip in southern Kentucky. Obviously, if you have a non-economy car, especially a V8, you might have to cut the trip into a third to make it one tank, but there are still some entertaining possibilities. Let’s take advantage of the gorgeous weather and see some of the beautiful places Kentucky has to offer!