A trip to the lake is by no means a cheap vacation. But even when everything else seems to cost more, many say you just can't cut back on the fun at Lake Cumberland.

“You really can't put a price on it. We cut back in other areas,” says boater David Wyatt.

Wyatt says tough financial times requires tough choices.

“Well that's one of the things you have to decide. You make your choices. Our choice is to really enjoy the lake.”

The combination of higher gas, worries of a troubled economy...and lower water levels from the leak at the dam that
holds back the lake could have spelled doom for docks like Burnside Marina.

“I think people come down and see everything's fine. Plenty of water,” says manager Layne Wilson.

Wilson says his business is better than last year.

“We've pumped more fuel this year than last year,” said Wilson.

And that could be surprising considering the cost of fuel paid on the dock.

“Our gas prices here are $4.52 a gallon,” he says.

But boaters like Kim Kolling of Ohio say they just fill up away from the lake. Kolling's been coming to the lake for decades. She says you don't stop coming to the lake in tough economic times. You just change your behavior once here.

“We don't go out. Take as long of trips. We'll just go out in the middle of the lake and sit more. Instead of driving the boat further,” said Kolling.