All Other Destinations and Attractions in Kentucky

South-eastern Kentucky extends into the Cumberland Mountains. The most important passage through the hills is the Cumberland Gap (1663 ft), an 760 ft deep cut through the range that was used as a traffic route in Indian times and was discovered by pioneers moving west in the mid-18th C. After the legendary Daniel Boone had driven his Wilderness Trail into Kentucky in 1775 over 200,000 white settlers made their way through the Cumberland Mountains to the west. The Visitor Center is situated in Middleboro, KY. From Pinnacle Overview (2460 ft) there are magnificent views of the hills and the Gap. A popular hike is to the Hensley Settlement, a well preserved old country township.

In the Daniel Boone National Forest south-east of Lexington is the Natural Bridge (65 ft high, 75 ft wide), created by the erosive forces of wind and water. In the surrounding area, now a State Park, are other bizarre rock formations. A few miles north the Red River, surges through a wild and romantic gorge.The forest has over 707,000 acres of mainly rugged terrain with over 3,400 miles of sandstone cliffs.

The small country town of Harrodsburg, 32 mi. to the south-west, is the oldest settlement of European immigrants west of the Alleghenies, founded in 1774. Old Fort Harrod State Park has a Living History Museum and open-air theatre where the life story of Daniel Boone is presented on stage.Harrodsburg (pop. 8,000) was originally known as Harrodstown.

Richmond (pop. 30,000) was named after the capital of Virginia and was the site of a major Civil War battle in August 1862. The town is home to Eastern Kentucky University.

Owensboro (pop. 55,500) is the third largest city in Kentucky. It is located on the banks of the Ohio River. Ben Hawes State Park, 4mi/6km west of town, offers an archery range, golf courses and tennis courts.

Morehead (pop. 5,900) was the site of the first of Cora Wilson Stewart's "moonlight schools" in 1911. The classes were held on moonlit nights to adults from 18 to 86 and was a factor in eliminating illiteracy in Kentucky. The Morehead area offers recreational opportunities such as hiking, bicycling and horseback riding.

Maysville (pop. 7,300) was originally established in 1833 as Limestone. It was one of the earliest Ohio River ports of entry to the old west. It was also the center for export of hemp, tobacco and the terminus of the Underground Railroad.

The Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area is located between Barkley and Kentucky lakes. More than 200 miles of hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding are available.

Slade is located near the Natural Bridge State Resort Park where recreational opportunities include hiking, swimming and golfing.

The town of Horse Cave (pop. 2,300) was named for a large cavern around which it grew. An underground river was used to generate electricity in the late 1800s.

A further 25 mi. south-west of Bardstown lies Hodgenville, and the simple log cabin where Abraham Lincoln first saw the light of day on 12 February 1809.Hodgenville (2,900) is located on the Nolin River.

Georgetown (pop. 18,000) was incorporated in 1790 and named for George Washington. The town grew around Royal Springs and it became a way station for settlers passing through Indian territory. Recreational opportunities include canoeing, bass fishing, bicycling and hiking.

Some 30 mi. south-west of Louisville is Fort Knox, where most of the United States' gold reserves are stored. There is an interesting Cavalry Museum.Fort Knox (pop. 12,000) is a US Army post. It has a daily population of more than 30,000.

Originally settled in 1779 by three settlers from Virginia, Elizabethtown (pop. 22,500) was also the home of Abraham Lincoln's father, Thomas from 1796 to 1816.

Danville (pop. 15,000) was founded in 1775 and was the capital of the Kentucky District of Virginia for many years. Many landmark structures are found in the town including Kentucky's first college, a school for the deaf, law school, log cabin courthouse as well as the first post office west of the Allegheny Mountains.

Covington (pop. 43,000) is connected to Cincinnati by three bridges that span the Ohio River. A highlight of the city is Main Strasse Village, a restored 19th C German neighborhood that covers a five to six block area.

Corbin (pop. 7,700) is located in southeastern Kentucky. The town is bordered by Laurel Lake to the west and a scenic portion of I-75 to the south.

The founder of Churchill Weavers was David Carroll Churchill who was a missionary in India at the turn of the century. He designed and built hand looms to help the impoverished people. When he returned to the U.S. in 1922 he and his wife, Eleanor began Churchill Weavers. The same equipment and very similar production practices are still practiced as they were 80 years ago.

John James Audubon State Park is a memorial to John James Audubon who was the first artist to depict life-size birds and animals in their natural surroundings. The Nature Center houses a collection of Audubon's water colors, oils, engravings, and personal memorabilia. Other highlights include a wildlife observatory and a Discovery Center.

Blue Licks was the site of the last battle of the Revolutionary War in Kentucky. It also has a 15-acre nature preserve which is home to the federally-endangered Short's Goldenrod. The River Trail is a one-mile loop trail to the Licking River, near the site where Daniel Boone and his men were captured by Shawnee Indians on a saltmaking expedition.

The Kentucky Coal Mining Museum in Benham displays the floor plan of a typical underground coal mine featuring all aspects of a coal mine including the tipple. Items from the company hospital, early mining tools, items from a miner's home and a working scale model of a coal tipple are displayed.

The General Butler State Resort Park was named for William Orlando Butler, a hero of the War of 1812 and the Mexican War. The Butler-Turpin Historic House, located on the grounds, has been restored and is furnished in period. The park has a mountain bike track.

The Breaks Interstate Park is located on the Kentucky-Virginia border. It features the largest canyon east of the Mississippi. The gorge was carved by the Russell Fork River. Twelve miles of hiking trails and four scenic overlooks are highlights of the park.

The Jefferson Davis Monument State Historic Site near Hopkinsville is a memorial to the man who served as President of the Confederate States of America, was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero, Mississippi congressman and senator, and Secretary of War during the administration of Franklin Pierce.

The theme of the Don F Pratt Museum centers on the history of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the "Screaming Eagle." The museum was established in memory of 101st Brigadier general Don F Pratt. BG Pratt was killed in World War II during the Normandy Invasion.

Hopkinsville was settled by a couple from Tennessee in 1796. During the Civil War, Hopkinsville was the site of a Union Camp that trained men for the 35th Kentucky Cavalry, the 25th Kentucky Infantry and the 35th Kentucky Mounted Infantry. The town was also a stop along the Trail of Tears.

The Downtown Arts Center in Lexington houses three organizations: LexArts, The Ann Tower Gallery and Actors' Guild of Lexington. The Performance Theater is a contemporary "Black Box" theater and the Ann Tower Gallery specializes in contemporary fine art and folk art.

The Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park features more than 800 acres and includes the Defeated Camp Pioneer Burial Ground, McHargue's Mill, and the Mountain Life Museum. The Wilderness Road and Boone's Trace were both thoroughfares for pioneers.

A restored cabin furnished as it was when the former governor lived there in the late 1800s is on the grounds of Governor Ruby Laffoon's Birthplace as well as a museum with displays of old photographs, Civil War items and other artifacts relating to the period.

Displays at the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum are a portion of Ben Clement's collection. He collected artifacts, minerals, mining equipment, as well as flourite crystals over a 60 year period. The items were discovered locally as well as world wide.

Wilderness Road Tours in Middlesboro visit the site of a World War II aircraft restoration project; the Pinnacle, a mountaintop which offers a view of three states; a Civil War fortification; the early-19th century Newlee Iron Furnace; and the towns of Middleboro and Cumberland Gap.

Some of Kentucky's early settlers built Cane Ridge Meeting House in 1791 as a Presbyterian church. The museum features mementoes of the congregation, Stone and his family, the Stone-Campbell movement, and a collection of 19th century farm and domestic implements.

The Adsmore Living History Museum in Princeton is the former home of the Smith and Garrett families. The 1850s mansion, log house and gun shop are decorated according to periods in the residents' lives, such as the marriage of one of the family members in 1907.

Boonesborough was established in 1775 by Richard Henderson and Daniel Boone. The fort was completed in September 1778 - just in time to withstand a nine-day attack by Indians and Frenchmen, later known as "The Great Siege." A rebuilt working fort with blockhouses, cabins, and period furnishings is now on the site.

The Lincoln Homestead State Park showcases the heritage of President Abraham Lincoln's parents, Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. Within the park are a reproduction of the cabin that was the boyhood home of Lincoln's father, and the actual house in which the President's mother lived during her courtship with Thomas Lincoln.

The Cumberland Museum in Williamsburg houses a wide variety of items including mounted animals, crosses and crucifixes, Abraham Lincoln memorabilia, animated Christmas dolls and items highlighting the culture of the region and the local coal mining industry.

The Highlands Museum in Ashland is a regional history museum with exhibits that relate to the cultural, social and industrial history of the region. The Discovery Center has hands-on exhibits for children.

Dr Thomas Walker was a physician and surveyor who led the first expedition through Cumberland Gap in 1750. A replica of Walker's cabin was constructed on this State Historical Site.

The Columbus-Belmont State Park was the site of a fortified point on the Mississippi River during the Civil War. An on-site historical museum features early Indian artifacts and Civil War artillery.

The Dawson Springs Museum and Art Center features photographs, documents and other historical items. The art center presents changing exhibits displaying the works of regional and national artists.

Badgett Playhouse in Grand Rivers is a newly constructed facility that presents Variety!, a Branson-style musical celebrating American music from the 1940's to current with singers, dancers and a live band.

Robert Penn Warren was America's first poet laureate. The author's birthplace in Guthrie features photographs, books and other items from the author's life and writings.

To the south of Louisville begins Bourbon Country. Thoroughbred horses graze in green pastures bordered by age-old stone fences with historic homes and buildings and beautiful rolling countryside.

The Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven lets passengers travel on four vintage diesel locomotives and a 1905 steam locomotive on a 22mi/35km roundtrip. The museum has historical artifacts and models on display.

The Newport Aquarium features 70 exhibits and 14 galleries with aquatic life from every continent and ocean. Some of the themed galleries include Rivers of the World, Shore Gallery, The Dangerous and Deadly, and The Riverbank.

Carter Caves State Resort Park near Olive Hill is home to more than 20 caverns, 26mi/42km of nature trails and a mountain lake. The Bat Cave Nature Preserve has endangered species of bat.

Butcher Hollow is a small coal-mining community and the birthplace of country music singer, Loretta Lynn. Her childhood home is open for tours, given by her brother Herman. Butcher Hollow is mentioned in her song, Coal Miner's Daughter.

The Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site is home to one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The museum contains actual battle artifacts, a Civil War display, and a map with the layout of the battle.

The Jenny Wiley State Resort Park has a 1,500 acre mountain retreat, skylifts to the top of Sugar Camp Mountain and an outdoor theatre that presents the historical drama "The Legend of Jenny Wiley."

The Renfro Valley Entertainment Center offers weekly variety shows that include country, contemporary, traditional, bluegrass and gospel music. Other festivals and events are scheduled throughout the year.

The Shakers were a communal religious organization that flourished during the 19th C. The Shaker Museum at South Union is housed in the 1824 Centre House and features hundreds of items depicting the life of the Shaker sect.

William Whitley House near Stanford was the first brick home in Kentucky and the site of the nation's first circular racetrack, completed in 1788. The house is furnished with original pieces from the period.

The Old Mulkey Meetinghouse in Tompkinsville was built in 1804 during a period of religious revival. It is believed that the 12 corners represent the 12 apostles and the three doors are symbolic of the Holy Trinity.

Appalshop in Whitesburg is an arts center which focuses on Appalachian culture through films, videotapes, and music. A community radio station is on site as well as an art gallery with changing exhibits.

Wickliffe Mounds is the site of a prehistoric Indian village that existed between approximately 1000 and 1400 AD. A burial mound, home sites and temple mounds have been unearthed.

The Cadiz log cabin in Cadiz (pop. 2,400) is a 19th C home which is furnished in period, and serves as an information center and museum.

Clermont is located in northcentral Kentucky. It is home to the Bernheim Arboretum and Jim Beam's American Outpost.

Venture River is a water park in Eddyville with waterslides, an inner tube river, wave pool and wading pool.

The Historic Diamond Caverns is located next to the Mammoth Cave National Park. Tours of the limestone caves are strenuous with many steps.

The McCreary County Museum at Stearns features artifacts of area history dating from American Indian culture through local contemporary artwork.