knlsmith

Gander Mountain and the mall just off exit 4, you could drop them off while you visit Hancocks of Paducah then get the before you go downtown to the museum and E.Burns shop. Whaler's Catch is across from the museum. Good food and grown up drinks and family friendly.

BellaBoo

Carol Bayer Fallert has a shop in Paducah. Quilt in a Day, Hancocks, and the quilt museum. Several small nice quilt shops down the street from the museum in the historic part of town. Send your crew on ahead, rent a car and meet up with them later. I have done this several times when DH gets in a hurry to get there when there is no big reason to get there. I stop at every interesting place I see. I catch up with him and all he did was wait for me to get there. He hurried up to wait. LOL.

melodyr

Hancock's and Eleanor Burns and the Museum, and as others have mentioned, several smaller shops near the museum...Downtown has candy, ice cream stores and Kirchoff's Bakery (great lunches) The floodwall has historical murals and tons of antique shops to keep folks interested while you're playing in quilts. here's a decent mall about 1/2 mile from Hancock's that has any number of diversions for men and youngsters. Grand rivers is the little town near the Lakes and Patti's Settlement is a great place to shop and eat.

NikkiLu

You did not say how old the children are - but doubt if many would enjoy the quilt museum. Hancocks of Paducah and Quilt in a Day would be my must see shops. Bragging a bit here - but my daughter got married at Patti's 1880's Settlement in 2009 - in the gazebo - it was a "destination wedding" - all we (the family) and guests had to do was show up. (And supply the money - LOL) It was so beautiful - she hired the Patti's wedding planner.