Why visit Cave City
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 21 places to eat, 15 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cave City Commercial District, Mammoth Cave Wildlife Museum, Kentucky Action Park and Roy Dickey Reynolds Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 91°F; January lows average 29°F.
Weather in Cave City
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Cave City
Cave City is a home rule-class city in Barren County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 2,356 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Glasgow Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Cave City, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks2
Cave City Commercial District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic district in Kentucky, United States
Mammoth Cave Wildlife Museum
Museum · 0.8 mi
409 East Happy Valley Street, Cave City
Mar-Oct 09:00-17:00; Nov-Feb Sa,Su 09:00-17:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Dinosaur World
Sports field and stadium · 0.8 mi
711 Mammoth Cave Road, Cave City
Restaurants and cafes21
Bucky Bee's BBQ
Restaurant · Barbecue · 0.4 mi
403 Mammoth Cave Street, Cave City
Mo-Th 10:00-19:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-20:00
Ace Coffee Company
Cafe · 0.6 mi
Mo 07:00-14:00; Tu,We 07:00-16:00; Th,Fr 07:00-18:00; Sa...
9 more on the map.
History
The site upon which Cave City stands was acquired in October 1853 by the Knob City Land Company, composed of Messrs. Graham, Quigly, Adams, and Hopson, all of whom were from Louisville and envisioned the place as a resort town due to its proximity to Mammoth Cave. The town was incorporated in 1866.
Originally, 200 acres (81 ha) of what would become the town site was acquired by James Perry in a 1798 land grant. In 1811, Henry Roundtree (an assignee of James Perry) sold the land to John Owens for $190. Owens added 142.5 acres (57.7 ha) to the tract. After his death, his executor sold his 342½ acres to Thomas T. Duke for $1,732.00. Duke, in turn, sold the entire tract to the Knob City Land Company. Duke received $6,850.00 for the land, or $20 per acre—a record amount for a land sale in Barren County at that time.
From the History section of Cave City, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay15
Red Roof Inn & Suites Cave City
Motel and hotel
807 Mammoth Cave Street, Cave City
Churches and places of worship4
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries4
Healthcare2
Best Care Medical Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.6 mi
701 South Dixie Highway, Cave City
Cave City Prescription Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 mi
101 South Dixie Highway, Cave City
Map of Cave City
63 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 29°F | 3.7 in | 0.7 in |
| Feb | 53°F | 32°F | 4.5 in | 1.4 in |
| Mar | 62°F | 40°F | 5.0 in | 0.6 in |
| Apr | 73°F | 48°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 81°F | 57°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 88°F | 64°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 91°F | 68°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 67°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 85°F | 60°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 49°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 40°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 51°F | 33°F | 4.8 in | 1.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Mammoth Cave (10 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Barren County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-05-29: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-05-23: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2025-04-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2025-04-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Glasgow Municipal Airport (GLW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Glasgow 9 mi south, about 15 min by car
- Brownsville 17 mi west, about 27 min by car
- Bowling Green 28 mi southwest, about 45 min by car
- Campbellsville 37 mi northeast, about 59 min by car
- Elizabethtown 39 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Burkesville 41 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Franklin 44 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Radcliff 47 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Portland 48 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Hartsville/Trousdale County 52 mi south, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Broadway in Cave City, Nyttend, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.