Bowling Green area
Around Bowling Green area
Photo: OPMaster (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Greater area · Kentucky · 271k people
Bowling Green area
Locals say Bowling Green · “White Squirrel City”, “Corvette City”
Home of the Hilltoppers and the Corvette.
WKU RedWhiteDeep Blue
Welcome to Bowling Green, where the hills are rolling and the Corvettes are rolling out of the factory. Whether you're here for a Hot Rods game, a cave tour, or a taste of burgoo, you'll find a friendly community with a love for the outdoors and a good time.
Clubs for Bowling Green area
No clubs for Bowling Green area yet.
The room
Bowling Green area is big: its rooms are its areas'. This is Bowling Green's; the others are below.
One room for everyone around Bowling Green. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Bowling Green area. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- National Corvette Museum Showcases the history of America's sports car, with a sinkhole exhibit.
- Mammoth Cave National Park World's longest known cave system, offering tours and hiking.
- WKU campus Historic hilltop campus with cherry trees and iconic buildings.
- Downtown square Shops, restaurants, and the Warren County courthouse.
- Lost River Cave Underground boat tour and nature trails.
- Beech Bend Park Family rides, water park, and drag racing.
- Outdoors Hike the trails at Lost River Cave
- Outdoors Boat or fish at Barren River Lake
- With kids Visit the National Corvette Museum
- With kids Ride rides at Beech Bend Park
- Evenings Catch a show at SKyPAC
- Evenings Bar hop on the square
- Locals love Patio bars on the square
- Locals love Cave tours and hiking
Through the year
- WKU Hilltoppers football games Fall Fall Saturdays at Houchens Industries–L.T. Smith Stadium
- Bowling Green Hot Rods baseball season Summer Minor league baseball at Bowling Green Ballpark
- Beech Bend Raceway drag racing events Spring through fall NHRA and local drag racing
- Warren County Fair July Carnival rides, livestock, and local exhibits
- Corvette Weekend May Car shows and festivities at the Corvette Museum
Humid subtropical with four distinct seasons. Best time to be out is spring and fall. Best: Spring and fall are ideal for being outdoors.
Talk like a local
- “BG”
- Short for Bowling Green
- “The Hill”
- WKU campus
- “The Square”
- Downtown Bowling Green
- “Cave Country”
- Nickname for the region
Getaways
- Nashville Music, food, and nightlife
- Clarksville Historic downtown and Cumberland River
- Glasgow Small-town charm and nearby lakes
- Franklin Antique shops and Civil War history
Local flavour
Teams
- WKU Hilltoppers NCAA Division I
- Bowling Green Hot Rods MiLB High-A
Eat and drink
- Country ham A Kentucky staple, often served with biscuits and red-eye gravy.
- Burgoo A thick Kentucky stew, traditionally made with game or meats and vegetables, popular at local gatherings.
- Bourbon While not unique to Bowling Green, bourbon culture is central to Kentucky identity and local bars and distilleries nearby.
Where people go
- Cave systems The region is part of the largest cave system in the world, with Mammoth Cave nearby.
- National Corvette Museum A landmark celebrating the Corvette, located next to the assembly plant.
- WKU campus The university campus is a central gathering place, known for its hilltop location and white squirrels.
- Downtown square A classic small-town square with local shops and eateries, hosting community events.
Heritage and traditions
Bowling Green is proud of its blend of Southern hospitality and industrial grit, from the world's only Corvette assembly plant to its historic downtown and bluegrass roots.
This time of year in Bowling Green area
- Farmers Market Summer to fall May through October, fresh produce and crafts fill the parking lot at Circus Square.
Say it like a local: “fixin' to” — Getting ready to
Festivals
- Bowling Green International Festival September Celebrates the area's diversity with food, music, and dance from around the world.
- Downtown Christmas Parade December A festive parade with floats, marching bands, and Santa.
- Allen County Fair July Classic county fair with livestock shows, carnival rides, and local food.
- Butler County Fair July Another traditional county fair in Morgantown with tractor pulls and 4-H exhibits.
Landmarks with a story
- Riverview at Hobson Grove A Victorian mansion preserved with original furnishings, offering a glimpse into 19th-century life.
- The Capitol Arts Center A 1925 movie palace now hosting live performances.
- Bowling Green National Cemetery A Civil War-era national cemetery with graves of Union and Confederate soldiers.
- Fort Anderson Remains of a Confederate earthwork fort on a hill overlooking the city.
- Allen County Courthouse Historic courthouse in Scottsville with a classic domed design.
- Butler County Courthouse A 19th-century courthouse in Morgantown with a distinctive clock tower.
Food traditions
- Beer cheese A spicy cheese spread served with crackers, a Kentucky original.
- Spoonbread A cornmeal soufflé often served at holiday meals and Sunday dinners.
- Fried apple pies Hand pies made with local apples, popular at fairs and roadside stands.
- Bourbon balls Chocolate candies filled with bourbon and pecans, a Kentucky sweet.
- Sorghum syrup Sweet syrup made from sorghum cane, drizzled on biscuits or cornbread.
Music and arts
- Bluegrass and newgrass Sam Bush pioneered a progressive style that blends bluegrass with rock and jazz.
- Capitol Arts Center A historic theater hosting local theater productions and concerts.
- SKyPAC The Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center brings Broadway tours and national acts.
- Downtown art galleries A growing arts scene with local painters and potters in the historic district.
A little history
- 1798 Bowling Green founded
- 1861 Served as Confederate capital of Kentucky during the Civil War
- 1862 Union forces occupied the city
- Early 1900s Became a major railroad hub with L&N lines
- 1880 Duncan Hines, the famous food critic, was born here
Rivalries
- WKU vs. MTSU The '100 Miles of Hate' football rivalry.
- WKU vs. Murray State Basketball rivalry in Kentucky.
- Bowling Green vs. Glasgow Friendly high school football rivalry.
- Game day High school basketball
- Game day Fishing tournaments
- Outdoors Horseback riding on country trails
- Outdoors Picking apples at local orchards
- With kids Visit the Bowling Green International Festival
- With kids Go to the Warren County Public Library
A mild Southern accent with Appalachian influences. Locals often say 'y'all' and 'fixin' to', and may call all sodas 'coke'. The drawl is softer than in the Deep South.
Only here
- The world's only Corvette assembly plant is in Bowling Green, and you can watch them being built.
- The city's name comes from the bowling green lawn of a plantation owned by the founder.
- The National Corvette Museum is located here, with a sinkhole exhibit that collapsed in 2014.
- The 'Hobson House' is one of the few Victorian mansions in Kentucky with original gas lighting fixtures.
New here? A few tips
- Get used to hot, humid summers and mild winters with occasional ice storms.
- Try a burgoo bowl at a local diner and a country ham biscuit for breakfast.
- Embrace the Corvette culture—even if you don't drive one, you'll see them everywhere.
- I-65 can be congested during rush hour; learn alternate routes through the city.
- Explore the caves and lakes early; they're the region's best-kept secrets.
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Areas in Bowling Green area
Nearby
Every areaRussellvilleKentuckyRolling hills, warm hearts, and a slower pace.GreenvilleKentuckyHometown roots along the Green RiverColumbiaKentuckyWhere country roads lead to lakefront sunsets.LeitchfieldKentuckyWhere the hills open into wonder.CampbellsvilleKentuckyWhere bluegrass meets Southern hospitality.NashvilleTennesseeThe sound of the SouthClarksvilleTennesseeWhere the Cumberland meets the Kentucky line.ElizabethtownKentuckyWhere Kentucky's story begins
Bowling Green-Glasgow-Franklin, KY CSA. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.