Foal in corral at Three Chimneys Horse Farm, Old Frankfort Pike.

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.

Best Things to Do

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Muhammad Ali Center
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…
Mammoth Cave National Park
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…
Speed Art Museum
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…
Maker's Mark
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 Derby Museum
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…
Willett
Kentucky
Micro-distiller Willett offers a terrific tour of its vintage 120-acre property, including a prolonged look into the refurbished chalet distillery where…
Angel's Envy
Louisville
A micro-distillery that's one of the hippest spots around, Angel's Envy bucks local tradition by finishing its bourbon in port barrels, giving it a hint…