Get away to the Bluegrass State
If you’re looking for a quick summer getaway — whether it’s a road trip for two or a vacation for the family — pack the car and head north. Several destinations in Kentucky offer plenty of options for an easy weekend road trip.
The “Bluegrass State” is well known for several things, perhaps most notably for its horses and bourbon. But you can also enjoy some good blues, explore baseball history, go caving and much more.
Ready to head north? Here’s a list of possible destinations to plug into your GPS before you hit the road. Pick a favorite — or group several of these together.
WC HANDY BLUES AND BARBECUE FESTIVAL
Audubon Mill Park, Henderson, Ky.
Now in its 26th year, this family-friendly festival is filled with music, food and fun. Slated for June 15-18, the festival has been named a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society. The event celebrates one-time Henderson resident W.C. Handy — known as the Father of the Blues — and his contribution to the blues genre. Enjoy some blues and Zydeco, chow down on barbecue or red beans and rice, take part in a Mardi-Gras-Style street strut, attend a lecture or take a dance class. And it’s all free!
LOUISVILLE SLUGGER MUSEUM & FACTORY
Louisville, Ky.
Any baseball fans in your house? Plan a visit to the home of the world-famous Louisville Slugger baseball bat. According to company lore, the business got its start in 1884 when John Andrew “Bud” Hillerich — then an apprentice in his father’s woodworking shop — made a bat for “Louisville Slugger” Pete Browning. Browning played for the Louisville team, and Hillerich was a fan. The rest, as they say, is history. But you can learn all about that (and more) with a visit to the museum, which includes a special Ripley’s exhibit with baseball memorabilia and related quirky items. See lifelike sculptures of baseball greats like Babe Ruth and Ted Williams, and get a glimpse of the bat Joe DiMaggio used to set a 56-game hitting streak. You can take a guided factory tour and even order your own personalized bat. Other activities include taking a swing at Bud’s Batting Cage.
CHURCHILL DOWNS
Louisville, Ky.
If the Kentucky Derby got you in the mood to watch the horses run, head on up to Churchill Downs to watch the thoroughbreds race around the track. Select Saturdays are designated as “Downs After Dark” events with live music, cocktails and racing under the lights. Twilight Thursdays offer thoroughbred racing, food trucks, live music and more. Family Adventure Days include pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting and other activities for the wee ones. And, of course, you may want to engage in a little wagering as well.
KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL
If you’re a fan of good bourbon, check out the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. There are stops in Louisville, Lexington and other towns near several of the destinations listed in this article. Savor a sip of Jim Beam, Woodford Reserve, Maker’s Mark and others. In addition to having a few samples, you can learn about the history of bourbon and the distillation and aging process.
KENTUCKY HORSE PARK
Lexington, Ky.
What’s a visit to the Bluegrass State — and home of the Kentucky Derby — without a stop in Lexington, the self-proclaimed “Horse Capital of the World”? If you love horses, don’t miss this opportunity to get up close and personal with a variety of breeds and to see and learn more about current and past champion horses. Visit the Hall of Champions, home to an elite group of champion racehorses. At the Draft Horse Barn, you can see demonstrations and attend a “meet and greet” with the park’s beautiful draft horses. Watch the blacksmith at work in the Farrier Shop and get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on at a working horse farm. There’s a horse-drawn trolley tour, pony rides and trail rides available. And the museum has racing artifacts, trophies and more on display. Special activities for kids include a scavenger hunt and a run through a miniature jumping course. There’s also a campground on the premises with walking and biking trails, so why not pitch a tent and stay a while?
SHAKER VILLAGE OF PLEASANT HILL
Pleasant Hill, Ky.
A visit to Shaker Village in Pleasant Hill offers a look at the simplistic lifestyle of these spiritual seekers, including their farming habits and craftsmanship in making brooms, furniture and more. The Shakers were known for their celibate lifestyle, love of the land and distinctive architecture. The 3,000-acre compound includes The Farm, The Preserve, The River and The Stable. You can visit with the farm animals, tour the vegetable garden, learn about beekeeping, lodge at The Inn and dine at The Trustees’ Table, a seed-to-table tradition featuring seasonal Kentucky dishes. Join a group for a Moonrise Hike, taste some fresh honey, hear some live music, take a flower-pressing class, churn some butter or go stargazing. Special events include trail run festivals, yoga weekends and more. Rides on the Kentucky River are available aboard the Dixie Belle Riverboat (which docks at Shaker Landing), and you can also bring your own kayak or canoe and paddle the river for a modest launch fee. Other activities include wagon and hay rides and hands-on demonstrations of the Shaker lifestyle.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN BIRTHPLACE & BOYHOOD HOME AT KNOB CREEK
Hodgenville, Ky.
Part of the national park service, the site of our 16th president’s birthplace is marked by a beautiful memorial styled after ancient Greek and Roman structures. The memorial stands near the spot where it’s believed the original Lincoln family cabin stood and it houses a symbolic birth cabin fashioned after the original. The memorial is made of Connecticut pink granite and Tennessee marble and sits near Sinking Spring, the source from which Lincoln likely tasted his first drink of water. Nearby is the Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home at Knob Creek where the Lincoln family lived for much of Abe’s youth.
MAMMOTH CAVE
Mammoth Cave, Ky.
Billed as the world’s longest known cave system, more than 400 miles of this subterranean world have been explored. Mammoth Cave offers several tour options, ranging from about 1.25 to 2.5 hours and with varying degrees of difficulty (in terms of length, stairs to climb, etc.). You can also get down and dirty on a Wild Cave Tour (must be at least age 16) that lasts about six hours and requires a degree of crawling and squeezing through some tight spaces. Aside from exploring the underground wonders here, you can also enjoy a bit of birding, take a nature walk or go horseback riding. (If you have horses, load up your trailer and use the 60 miles of trail open here for horseback riding.) There are biking and hiking trails, with six trailheads that range from short and easy to longer treks (one trail clocks in at 8.6 miles). Plus you can fish, canoe or kayak on 30 miles of water on the Green and Nolin rivers.
NATIONAL CORVETTE MUSEUM
Bowling Green, Ky.
Do you feel the need for speed? If you love cars — or Corvettes in particular — plan a stop at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green. Known as “America’s Sports Car,” the Corvette has been produced in Bowling Green since 1981, and you can witness one being made at the assembly plant right across the street from the museum. The museum itself has more than 80 ’Vettes on display, including prototypes and classics. Displays rotate, so even if you’ve visited before, you’re likely to see something new. Don’t miss Corvette Cave-In: The Skydome Sinkhole Experience, a semi-permanent exhibit that details the events of Feb. 12, 2014, when a sinkhole opened up at the museum and swallowed eight Corvettes on display. If you really do feel the need for speed, race on over to the NCM Motorsports Park — located adjacent to the museum — to take a lap (when the track is not in use for an event) or to spectate. Take a spin in a Corvette with a professional driver or drive your own performance car for a lap around the track (yes, there is a fee involved). You can also sit in on a high-performance driving school or watch a scheduled motorsports event.