Kentucky, also known as the state of Bluegrass, has a diverse geography and cultural history, offering many attractions for couples, families and everyone else.
It is most widely known as the home of Kentucky Derby, held in May near Louisville, the state's largest city, also known as the birthplace of Louisville Slugger. Another popular destination for equestrian enthusiasts is Lexington, home to the Kentucky Horse Park. Kentucky is also a great place to spend the weekend, perhaps in a romantic cabin along Appalachia or one of the state's other popular vacation spots. Discover some of the state's best attractions and places in our list of top-rated attractions in Kentucky.
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1. Kentucky Derby
Kentucky's most famous event and one of the most prestigious horse racing competitions is the Kentucky Derby, held at Churchill Downs outside Louisville. It takes place on the first Sunday in May and draws a huge crowd to the city.
Right next to the track, the Kentucky Derby Museum has exhibited many exhibits exploring the history of the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs since the first race in 1875. The museum also features a series of exhibits about thoroughbred horses and each stage of their lives and training.
Among the museum's artifacts are belongings of famous trainers Bill Shoemaker and D. Wayne Lukas, as well as other important historical items. The museum also conducts off-season tours of Churchill Downs, giving visitors a behind-the-scenes view at the site.
Address: 700 Central Ave, Louisville, Kentucky
Official site: www.kentuckyderby.com
2. Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
The first thing you'll see when approaching the factory and the museum is a 120-foot-tall replica of Babe Ruth's Slugger Louis Ruth, located at the entrance.
Inside, tourists have the opportunity to visit the factory where Louisville Slugger is manufactured, as a simple piece of wood turned into a tool that professional baseball players have broken a record since 1884.
Attached to the factory is a museum filled with memorabilia and exhibits that look at the history of the Louisville Slugger and the careers of some of the most legendary players who wielded it.
The museum's most prized items are the bat used to hit Hank Aaron's 700th home run, Joe DiMaggio's bat from his 56-game hitting streak, and the bat used by Babe Ruth for 21 of his 1927 home runs, complete with the notches that the Bambino carved around the logo for each of those runs.
The museum also has polished cages, simulated throwing balls, and 17-ton limestone baseball gloves, often climbed by children and adults.
Address: 800 West Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky
Official site: www.sluggermuseum.com
3. Daniel Boone National Forest
The Daniel Boone National Forest occupies a stretch of land that runs through 21 counties in eastern Kentucky, covering more than 708,000 acres.
The park's most distinguishing feature is its varied terrain, which includes more than 3,400 miles of sandstone cliffs, gorges, and ravines cut by rivers and streams, and the Natural Bridge, which measures 65 feet high and 75 feet wide.
Created by the erosive forces of wind and water, it is just one of the many bizarre rock formations found in the park. Among the many trails of the park, the Sheltowee trail is the largest, extending for 273 miles through Daniel Boone National Forest.
The Barren Folk Heritage Trail is closest to the city of Whitley and has a 0.75-mile paved trail, retelling the history of Barren Folk Mining and Mining and hundreds of people occupying isolated mining towns.
Official site: https://ift.tt/LYolvB
4. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Southeast Kentucky extends into the Cumberland Mountains, and the most important passage through the hills is Cumberland Gap. This 760-foot-deep cut through the range was used as a traffic route by Native Americans and was discovered by pioneers moving west in the mid-18th century.
After the legendary Daniel Boone drove his wild road to Kentucky in 1775, more than 200,000 white settlers passed through the Cumberland Mountains in the west. The Visitor Center is located in Middleboro, offering a small interactive museum and rangers on duty to answer questions.
Tourists can also take a tour of Hensley Settlement, a well-preserved old town, departing by shuttle from the visitor center. The park also offers guided hiking tours of Gap Cave, and a popular hike is to Pinnacle Overview where, at an altitude of 2460 feet, there are magnificent views of the hills and the Gap.
Official site: https://ift.tt/1csr3LA
5. Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park
The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park is located on the former site of Sinking Springs Farm, established by the 16th President's father, Thomas Lincoln. In 1911, construction was finished on the Memorial Building, which houses the Symbolic Birth Cabin, a replica of the one-room home where Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809.
The Neoclassical Memorial Building is constructed of Tennessee marble and pink granite from Connecticut and was designed by architect John Russell Pope. Its 56 steps represent Lincoln's age at his death, and other features represent his presidency.
Also on the property is Sinking Spring, a natural water source named for the way in which the water disappears back into the earth below.
Address: 2995 Lincoln Farm Road, Hodgenville, Kentucky
Official site: www.nps.gov/abli
6. Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave lies in "The land is 10,000 septic tanks" or the Corridor Caveland, an area in southwestern Kentucky about 80 miles south of Louisville. This area is strongly marked by karstic features of all types.
With more than 400 miles of passages surveyed so far, the Mammoth Cave is one of the world's largest known cave systems and was already known to the original native inhabitants of the region by the 1st millennium BC.
This is an extremely popular attraction for families, and a variety of tours are available. Top attractions in the park include the Mammoth Dome, which is almost 200 feet high, and the Ruins of Karnak, named for its massive limestone columns, which give the impression of a ruined temple.
Other highlights are the Snowball Dining Room, with its extraordinary rock formations; the imposing Frozen Niagara, with its magnificent stalactites and stalagmites; and the beautiful Crystal Lake.
All cave tours are ticketed, and hikers should come prepared for the much cooler subterranean temperatures. Additional things to do in Mammoth Cave National Park include camping, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, bicycling, hiking, horseback riding, and various ranger-led activities for kids.
Address: 1 Mammoth Cave Parkway, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky
7. Kentucky Horse Park
Kentucky Horse Park, a short drive north of Lexington, gives visitors a chance to see a horse farm working, exploring and visiting horses. The park has many attractions and activities, including horse riding or horse riding opportunities.
Farmers occupy a variety of themed stables, including the Kids Barn to meet smaller animals; Police sheds mounted; Breeds Barn, a selection of rare breeds; Championship hall; and Big Barn.
The Hall of Champions is home to retired champion racehorses, and the Big Barn houses the park's impressive draft horses. There are multiple shows each day featuring the various breeds and occupations of the horses, and the draft horses provide the power for an informational trolley tour.
The park is also home to four separate museums, including the Smithsonian's International Horse Museum, which explores the history of the horse's role. The additional museum is the Al-Marah Arabian Horse Gallery; Museum of American Saddles; and Wheeler Museum, a place for horses to compete.
Address: 4089 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, Kentucky
Official site: http://kyhorsepark.com/
8. Muhammad Ali Center
The Muhammad Ali Center was founded to further the ideals and life work of this legendary humanitarian. Visitors are first introduced to Ali via an orientation film and accompanying timelines, which provide an overview of his life.
Exhibits focus on various aspects of Ali's approach to living his life and helping make the world a better place, including interactive displays, artifacts, historic film, and multimedia presentations.
Topics include his role as a symbol of strength during the Civil Rights era, the importance of his spiritual life, and charitable acts. Other exhibits include a replica of the boxing great's practice room, where you can learn some moves and take a shot at the speed bag. The museum also houses three galleries, which feature changing exhibits and installations.
Address: 144 N 6th St, Louisville, Kentucky
Official site: www.alicenter.org
9. Lost River Cave
The Lost River Cave offers a number of ways for families to enjoy the wonders of Kentucky's unique karst geology and make children excited about the natural world. The biggest attraction here is a boat tour of a large, unique cave of this type in the state.
The Nature Center offers a range of activities and programs that encourage young travelers (or simply curious people) to explore the world around them. While exploring easy nature trails, children can take part in activities to become Tour guides or collect their discoveries and trade them at the Natural Transaction Post Office.
Other family activities include "bird bingo," geocaching, and sifting for gems. Visitors are also free to simply explore the grounds to discover the natural spring, limestone bluffs, and the remnants of old mining buildings. For those seeking a little more excitement, there is also a zipline tour available.
Address: 2818 Nashville Road, Bowling Green, Kentucky
Official site: https://ift.tt/36MOHTw
10. Louisville Mega Cavern
Louisville Mega Cavern is a unique attraction, located below the city of Louisville. Covering around 100 acres, space started out as a limestone quarry in the 1930s and was actively mined until the 1970s.
After years of emptiness, it was finally turned into a secure underground storage facility, as well as one of Kentucky's most popular family attractions.
The tram tour gives tourists an up-close look at the inner workings of the cavern and provides fascinating commentary on the cavern's history and engineering, and more active visitors can join a guided electric bike tour.
The more adventurous can choose from a two-hour zipline tour or an aerial rope course, and kids of all ages will have fun on the unique underground dirt bike course.
Address: 1841 Taylor Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky
Official site: https://ift.tt/1cGdk0w
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