Kenlake State Resort Park

We camped at Kenlake State Resort Park over Memoral weekend. We stayed at the campground and tent camped. We will never, ever, ever go back. I recommend not using the campground there. Here is why:
1.) While it is on the lake there is NO lake access at the campground. No place to swim, etc.
2.) It is VERY poorly managed. We were there 3 days and saw the manager 1x… over a major holiday weekend with a full campground.
3.) Bathrooms were disgusting. No toilet paper, dirty sinks, filthy toilets, clogged showers and over flowing trash cans.
4.) The playground on site was mucky because the base is dirt-​sand. The equipment was mediocre at best.
5.) The pool advertised when looking at the state website cannot be used by campers only those lodging at the hotel/​cottages. The 1x we saw the manager we asked were do we go to swim– he sent us to Barkley State park resort. We get there and 1– are not allowed to use the outdoor pool 2-​the river swimming beach was still CLOSED 3– were allowed to swim in the indoor pool for a fee (which the receptionist at the resort forgot to mention but the attendants at the pool did)
6.) picnic tables are a novelty. not every campsite has them. unfortunately we got a site without one.
7.) Sites are poorly planned. The lake view sites were amazing, with decks and views. But the majority of the sites in the center of the park were very small. Ours was in fact so small that our camping neighbors let us use their green space since they were in a camper.
8.) Poor management= rules not followed which = safety issues, parking issues and lots of other issues. The rules for the sites are 2 vehicles per site. So if you have a trailer/​RV it is your RV and your vehicle. Great. BUT most people had that, plus their trailer, plus their boats, plus their ATVs, or another car. It looked like a boat & car show. People had problems getting up and down the road. Limited space meant you better park your vehicle with some magic or end up with some dents and scrapes.
9.) Poor Management= rules not followed. Rules states no noise after 11 pm and anyone not lodging at the grounds must also leave by then. On our first night our neighbors serenaded us with country music sung and played by them. Hoots and howls. Then finally at almost 1 am, they decided to call it a night which meant all their buddies (with their extra large loud trucks) had to leave… big truck engines and lights flashing every where. When we expressed our concerns to the manager, he simply said with a holiday weekend and a full park it wasn’t plausible to enforce the rules. Of course when he leaves the site by noon everyday and doesn’t return, i can see the difficulty in enforcing anything.
It was not a good experience for us. We won’t be heading back to the Kentucky lakes region anytime soon.

Wonderful experience for my week long stay. Cottages are cozy and a steal for the price. You get your own high speed router in each cottage. Very clean and the staff is top notch. Beautiful scenery and very relaxing.

Beautiful resort near the LBL. Good restaurant, lovely lodge with tennis courts, pool and archery range. They have a nice marina. Also the cabins here are really nice and well kept. I love coming here and staying in their cabins which some are pet friendly.
The cabins are all updated with flat screen tvs, and wifi. Everything is painted a nice beige.

Like the reviewer from 2007 said– It’s 1955 all over again, and I’m totally fine with that! Lovely turquoise colored walls with two beds and a TV, a small table to the side, and a fine bathroom to boot. The rooms were well-​priced, and if you are that far near there neck of the woods, it’s a fine place to stay the night. Enjoy the retro vibe!

AFter driving all day my wife and I were ready for a good meal and relaxing atmosphere. What we found was relaxing atmosphere and a great meal. The steak I had was fixed to perfection and my wife said her chicken was great. my sincere compliments to Toby the chef, who took the time to come out front to talk to us, as well as the Kentucky State Park Department. Thank You!

It doesn’t get much better than this at a State Park Resort. Kentucky has some of the finest resort parks in the country. We try to stop whenever we are near one and this is the first time we tried this park. This location will not disappoint you. It is a very beautiful, quiet location. The off-​season with the crowds gone, offers some great deals. We got a room for $ 49 less a Senior discount of $ 5. The room was small but, adequately appointed with everything one would need. And the view of Kentucky Lake was spectacular. We ate our meals in the dining room that also offers a panoramic view of the lake. Meals are moderately priced. The lunch and dinner all-​you-​can-​eat buffets have an abundance of food that will fill anyone. Lunch is usually a two soup variety and fully stocked salad bar. Dinner is a variety of fried offerings, catfish, steak, pork chops fixed Southern Style with all the trimmings. They also offer special holiday meals for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, etc. Prices are always reasonable. If you are close and you need a «getaway», this is a place i would highly recommend.

Hello 1955. Did you like Dirty Dancing? Well here’s the place where you can put yourself into the movie, complete with period piece décor, food, and a big-​ass dessert menu. And you can stay on premise, too, just in case you want the experience to extend beyond dinner. The only real difference is that there’s no coat and tie or dresses required to eat here… but I’m sure they’ll be pleased if that’s how you show up.
The food was more or less what I expected: southern, everything fried, and extra helpings of «you want gravy with that?» I was a little bit disappointed in the quality of some of the entrees (the catfish was overly battered, the steak was not seared, the hot brown was more like a hot casserole with some bread). But my father scored with the only true vegetables of the week. His side salad was actually a side veggie tray: tomatoes, raw broccoli, fresh carrots, whole mushrooms, and only a couple of lettuce leaves.
No, this place gets higher ratings than it should simply because there aren’t many places like this left in the country. Plus, you’re on a hill with big picture windows overlooking Kentucky Lake. So what if the food is a bit marginal with added heart attack accelerant? It’s not like I live here or anything.