Kentucky

Over 450 Thoroughbred and Standardbred farms surround Lexington and at Kentucky Horse Park, you can get close to more than 40 breeds of horses. If you’re not able to see the famous Derby on Churchill Downs in May, you can explore the history and pageantry of the race at the Park, or visit the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville, Kentucky’s largest city and very close to Churchill Downs. You can also visit the Slugger Museum and Factory where Major League baseball bats are produced and the Muhammad Ali Center.  The city also features the Urban Bourbon Experience paved with micro-distilleries and craft cocktail bars. Also check out Whiskey Row; the Gold Rush cocktail is one to remember in the Silver Dollar.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail runs through the hills from Louisville to Lexington.  There are nine distilleries along the way including the famous Jim Beam, where guided tours at the Jim Beam Stillhouse will take you through the whole process including bottling your own Jim Beam product.

Kentucky is host to major music and art festivals throughout the year, including the week-long Festival of the Bluegrass each June. In Owensboro, the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum is worth a visit and while KFC does come from the state – you can see the original restaurant in Corbin – Kentucky is also known for its bbq’s. Slowcooked mutton (as well as pork and chicken) smoked over hickory all done to secret recipes. Try the Moonlight Bar-B-Q in Owensboro to see what we mean.

Near Bowling Green, one of the first Kentucky settlements, is the Mammoth Cave National Park, the world’s longest known cave system. They stretch over 400 miles of labyrinth passages and contact hundreds of ancient caverns. In Bowling Green you will also find Lost river Cave, where you can take an underground boat tour. If you prefer being above ground there are splendid walks among the rolling hills in Mammoth Cave National Park and lots to discover in Bowling Green itself.