Lottie Davies
Kentucky
Horses thunder around race tracks, bourbon pours from distilleries and banjos twang in Kentucky, a geographical and cultural crossroads that's part North, part South, part genteel and part country cousin. Every corner is easy on the eye, but there are few sights more beautiful than the rolling limestone hills around Lexington, where long-legged steeds nibble under poplar trees on multi-million dollar farms that you can visit. Bourbon distilleries also speckle the countryside, prime for scenic road tripping to swirl and sniff a dram at the source. It's like an offbeat version of California's Napa Valley, but with fewer crowds and headier alcohol. Caving, rock climbing and hiking prevail in the unspoiled parks and forests. And while big cities Louisville and Lexington have farm-to-table restaurants, cocktail bars and all of the other hipster requirements, most of Kentucky is made up of small towns with quiet scenes.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Louisville
This must-see museum tells the tale of the city's most famous native: a local boxer nicknamed the Louisville Lip or, simply, The Greatest. Highlights…
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
Louisville
See how baseball's most famous bat is made. Hillerich & Bradsby Co have been manufacturing the Louisville Slugger here since 1884. Admission includes a…
Bluegrass Country
Restored to its 1800s glory, Woodford is perhaps the prettiest distillery in Kentucky. The company still uses old-fashioned copper pots to triple distill…
Mammoth Cave National Park
With the longest cave system on earth, this national park has some 400 miles of surveyed passageways. Mammoth is at least three times longer than any…
Louisville
Built in 1927 and revamped to the tune of $60 million in recent years, Kentucky's most important art museum – unaffiliated but on the University of…
Kentucky
Touring Maker's is like visiting a historic theme park, in a good way. You'll see the old gristmill, the 1840s master distiller's house and the old…
Louisville
On the Churchill Downs racetrack grounds, the museum has exhibits on derby history, including a peek into the life of jockeys and a roundup of the most…
Bluegrass Country
Castle & Key looks like something out of a fairy tale. Colonel EH Taylor built it as a distillery in 1887, complete with a turreted stone castle, lush…
Attractions
Top picks from our travel experts
Kentucky
Touring Maker's is like visiting a historic theme park, in a good way. You'll see the old gristmill, the 1840s master distiller's house and the old…
Kentucky
Car buffs should make a pit stop to ogle some 80 shiny Corvette models, including slick one-off concept cars and prototypes. You can’t miss the place, as…
Kentucky
The largest producer in Kentucky, Heaven Hill makes Evan Williams, Elijah Craig and Larceny. There are two ways to immerse in the scene. The Mashbill Tour…
Articles
Latest stories from Kentucky
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Activities
The 8 best things to see and do in Kentucky from bourbon to bluegrassMay 9, 2022 • 6 min read
National ParksThe world's longest cave system grows as new underground passages found in Mammoth CaveSep 17, 2021 • 2 min read
HotelsThis Queen’s Gambit-inspired hotel room features chess pieces on the ceilingJan 11, 2021 • 2 min read
CocktailsA new Black-owned bourbon company plans to open a distillery in KentuckyDec 8, 2020 • 2 min read
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