Staying At • Barkley Lodge at Lake Barkley State Resort Park

Where  • 3500 State Park Road, Cadiz, Ky.

More info  • 1-800-325-1708, 1-270-924-1131 or visit parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/lake-barkley

The setup  • The recently renovated Barkley Lodge sits on 3,700 acres and provides a gorgeous view of Lake Barkley from the private balconies. The exterior is constructed of western cedar, Douglas fir and the equivalent of 3 1/2 acres acres of glass. A nature room located on the lower level of the lodge will keep the kids busy as they spend time petting snakes and eyeballing fish in aquariums. Across the hall is a game room, where family and friends can play pool, checkers and table tennis. After you've worked up an appetite, head upstairs to Windows on the Water. The restaurant has panoramic views from any seat in the house. If you're a fan of the breakfast sandwich, I had a really scrumptious one: bacon, sausage and egg on toast ($5.82, includes tax). Dinner at the lodge can be ordered from the menu, but the soup, salad and dinner buffet ($12.99 adults) was a treat, with hot foods, such as fried chicken, ham (delicious) and pork chops (mouth-watering). A cold bar with salad and all the fixin's, plus a Cheddar cheese block and crackers filled my tummy for the evening. The lodge has an outdoor pool, a kids pool and a public beach to keep everyone refreshed on hot sticky days.  You can also head for the trails in the park where you may run into some deer, raccoons, eagles and hawks. The resort also has a large conference room to accommodate a wedding reception or prom.

My room  • I stayed in one of the lodge rooms overlooking Lake Barkley. My room had all the amenities. It had two double beds, a small table and two chairs, a television, a dresser and a balcony overlooking the fishing pier.

Pricing  • Starting at $109 to $119 a day for a lodge room; $159 a day for a two-bedroom cabin and $159 a day for a two-bedroom, two-bath cottage.

Special pricing July through September (Sunday through Thursday)   • $69.95, with some blackout dates