Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

Bluegrass Country


This area was home to a community of the Shaker religious sect until the early 1900s. Tour dozens of impeccably restored buildings, set amid buttercup meadows and winding stone paths. There's an inn and restaurant, and a gift shop selling the Shakers' famous handicrafts. Hour-long riverboat rides show off the stunning limestone cliffs that rise up along the Kentucky River.

The village consisted of 500 men and women who lived here communally between 1805 and 1910. The Shakers got their name from the ecstatic trembling they experienced during worship services. They were known for their simple lifestyle, pacifism and belief in equality between sexes and races. Alas, they practiced strict celibacy, which ultimately led to the group's demise.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Bluegrass Country attractions

1. Four Roses

13.83 MILES

One of the most scenic distilleries, Four Roses sits on the banks of the Salt River in red-roofed, Spanish Mission–style buildings. Hour-long tours with a…

2. Wild Turkey

16.82 MILES

This distillery sits on Wild Turkey Hill overlooking the Kentucky River. More industrial and less self-consciously old-fashioned than many of its…

3. WinStar Farm

19.2 MILES

Family-owned since the 1700s, this 1864-acre ranch has born, broken and trained numerous champions. Hour-long tours take place on various Monday and…

4. Coolmoore at Ashford Stud

20.07 MILES

Coolmore is an international breeding giant, so it’s no surprise top racehorses American Pharaoh and Justify – both Triple Crown winners – have retired to…

5. Ashland

20.42 MILES

Part historic home and part public park with storybook gardens, Ashland was the Italianate estate of famed statesman and great compromiser Henry Clay …

7. Barrel House Distilling Co

20.49 MILES

A micro-distiller set in the barrel house of the now-defunct Pepper Distillery. It bottles bourbon, two moonshines (one aged in bourbon barrels), vodka…

8. Headley-Whitney Museum

20.54 MILES

The museum houses a 1940s Hollywood jewelry designer's remarkable collection of stones, trinkets and dollhouses. Don't miss the Shell Grotto, an old…