Our Research TravelingMom recently visited the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Kentucky. What she found there was not the Shaker Village she visited in the days of field trips oh so many years ago. Read on to find out how things have changed (for the better) since she last visited!

Can I be brutally honest with ya’ll for just a bit? When I found out that my travels would be taking me to the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Kentucky, I groaned a bit internally. My mind instantly took me back to what seemed like the most excruciatingly long trip that I took to the village when I was a child.

But surprise! This most recent trip was nothing like the Shaker Village visits of my past. It was a breath of fresh air and a welcomed escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The Accommodations

Until this trip, it didn’t dawn on me there was lodging available on site. I just always assumed there were only tours and various activities offered at the Shaker Village.

I was sadly mistaken; the rooms are the show stoppers of the property. Light, airy and simple is the best way to describe them.

The rates are extremely reasonable for a very large room. The key is to know what you are looking for on their website. The room I ended up in was very small and not quite as lovely as the others that I had the chance to take a look at. It didn’t matter since I was traveling solo, but to be very honest I wouldn’t have wanted to share the room with another person, like say my husband.

However, I found that my room was the exception to the rule. Take a peek at this room one of my friends had the pleasure of staying in. I think it is totally dreamy.

Activities at Shaker Village

A wide variety of activities happen at the Shaker Village ranging from daily staples, weekly and monthly activities. Of course, there are also special annual events.

Starting at 10 a.m., the village starts to bustle with activity. The tours and other daily adventures start at 10 a.m. and continue through the evening with the last ending at 7 p.m.. Follow this link to check out the wide variety of choices for your day.

What really stuck with me while we were visiting was the constant encouragement for the children to get hands on and learn about the Shakers through participating in the activities.

Additionally, during the summer months, summer camps for kids have made quite a splash on the Shaker Village scene. Just a note, this is not an overnight camp. Instead, it’s a day camp with daily drop off and pick up. The camp is only $225 for the week; if you live close to the Shaker Village, your kids are bound to make fantastic memories.

If you don’t live within driving distance, making a family week of it is a very viable option. The parents can go explore on their own, either on the property or at the nearby distilleries, while the kids can have a blast at the camp. Unfortunately, the Shaker Village doesn’t have their newest camp information up on the website just yet. Here is the link to last years information for reference.

Eating at the Shaker Village

Please don’t skip out on the meals on site while you are visiting. The chef and the garden manager work closely together to utilize the produce grown on site. This results in some incredibly amazing dishes that are served in the restaurant.

At this point, everything that is grown in the garden is used in the restaurant. The farm manager shared that, should they get to a point where they have a surplus, the Shaker Village would work out a farmers market type set up on the property. Until then, go and enjoy the fruits of their labor in the restaurant.

Takeaways from Staying at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

• Do the research on the type of room that would be most appropriate for your stay. If all else fails, call and speak to the front desk. There isn’t much of a difference in pricing for the larger rooms, so go ahead and splurge! We are talking the difference between spending $120 per night and $180.
• The Shaker Village has 3,000 acres to explore, so go take a hike. Literally, exploring the property is encouraged!
• While the property is extremely kid friendly and kids are certainly welcome, in my opinion it makes more sense to wait until the kids are a bit older to bring them for an overnight stay. The accommodations are more like a bed and breakfast and less like a hotel. Since the buildings are historic, the walls are thin. If your kids are anything like mine they tend to run everywhere! This would be exceptionally disruptive to the other guests, so keep that in mind when booking.

I loved my time at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill and I can’t wait to plan my return trip with the family! Do you think your family would enjoy a visit here?