It’s time to begin planning your trip to Fort Knox to see your soon-to-be Soldier at Army Basic and Advanced Camp Graduation. While you begin to plan your trip to Fort Knox, you’ll want to make sure you know what there is to do in and around the area with your Soldier.
Whether looking for a place to eat or something to do while visiting, we’ve found the top 9 things to do near Fort Knox during Army OCS graduation.
1. General George Patton Museum of Leadership (Cavalry and Armor)
Located on base, the George Patton Museum of Leadership/ Cavalry and Armor is a great way to spend half of the day. Known for his strong leadership and history as a General in the U.S. Army, the museum details the story and history of General Patton and the Armies he commanded during WWII. With lots of historical artifacts, the museum is a nice on-base activity option for cadets and their families.
Admission:
Free
Location:
2. Patriots Commons Restaurant
Eating on base is a great way to reduce stress among family members to decide upon a restaurant. The Patriots Commons Restaurant is located right on base and offers breakfast and lunch.
They are open Monday through Friday 7am-9am and 11am-1:30pm. The Patriots Commons offers traditional American cuisine, a Habanero-themed menu, Hissho Sushi menu and daily specials. If you’re looking to spice up your lunch routine, Patriots Commons has lots of options.
View the menu here.
Location:
3. Houston Bowling Center
A fun pre- or post-lunch activity that involves the whole family is to go bowling. More often than not, most bases have a bowling center that offer special pricing and hours during Graduation Weekend. The Houston Bowling Center at Fort Knox does just this and is an exciting spot to be during Family Day. They also offer snacks and food at the Strike Zone food bar, so you can fuel up while you bowl away the afternoon.
Admission:
$2.75 shoe rental
$2.75 per game/ person
*Cosmic Bowling and Special Bowling times have separate prices
Location:
4. Saber and Quill Restaurant
The Saber and Quill Restaurant is located on base but is a more upscale dining option for your Soldier and family. Open for lunch, dinner and brunch on Sunday mornings, the Saber and Quill takes call-ahead reservations.
In addition to an omelet bar on Sunday mornings, their brunch buffet includes fresh fruit, waffles, pancakes, a selection of breakfast meats, pastries, biscuits and gravy, and much more.
The Breakfast buffet is only $9.95 for adults and $7.75 for children (ages 11-5, under 5 years-old is free) so make sure to take advantage of the delicious breakfast food before it’s gone.
You can view the full menu here.
Location:
5. Armor Unit Memorial Park
The Armor Unit Memorial park is located on the grounds of the General George Patton Museum and memorializes all the armor and cavalry units that have been previously stationed out of Fort Knox.
Monuments on the grounds of the park memorialize the Tank Destroyer Forces, World War I Tank Corps, five Cavalry and Armor Regiments, sixteen Armor Divisions with 1811 battalions and twenty-three separate Armor Battalions.
After spending time inside the museum, taking a visit through the memorial park is a nice way to remember heroes all throughout history.
Admission:
Free
Location:
6. Squire Boone Caverns
Even though this adventure is located a bit further from base (roughly a 35 minute drive), spending a day at the Squire Boone Caverns is well worth the travel.
Located in Indiana, the Squire Boone Caverns are a collection of underground caves that you can walk through and see. The grounds also house wildlife and a historic mill. After seeing the caves you can visit the candy shop, or even go zip lining through the Squire Boone Caverns’ zipline adventure.
Admission:
Cave tours $21/ adults
Zip lining $59+/adults ($10 military discount with ID)
Location:
7. Tuscany Italian Restaurant
While off-base dining in the immediate Fort Knox area is slightly limited to various types of fast food and gas stations, a short 2 mile (9 minute) drive to Tuscany Italian Restaurant will give you stronger seated dining options.
The Italian restaurant offers traditional Italian food at moderate pricing for lunch and dinner. The restaurant also has dessert and various wine offerings. See the to-go menu here.
Location:
8. Bridges to the Past
Bridges to the Past is a self-guided tour through two miles of historically preserved paved trails and roadways. The trails, which wind through the woods, are fairly flat and covered. They were also traversed by Andrew Jackson and then the Union Army frequently during the Civil War.
The trails are open to the public and only 8 miles north of the Fort Knox main gate on Louisville Nashville Turnpike. The trailhead is located at the same location of the Tioga Falls Trail.
Admission:
Free
Location:
9. Kentucky 9/11 Memorial
The Kentucky 9/11 Memorial is a great place to stop by and appreciate on a warm summer day. Located 2.5 miles from base, the memorial was erected to remember the events of September 11, 2001.
The memorial is constructed from one of the steel beams that remained after the World Trade center burned and collapsed on that morning. The memorial is open to the public 24/7.
Admission:
Free
Location:
Regardless of what you have planned for your trip to Fort Knox, as long as you are spending time with your Soldier you are guaranteed to have a good time.
Make sure to be aware of your Soldier’s travel restrictions and whether or not they need a day-pass to travel off base. Otherwise, enjoy some of the events we’ve listed and start planning your trip to Fort Knox. Need help planning your travel to graduation? We’ve got a team waiting to help you plan the most perfect trip.
