10 Picture-Perfect Towns in Kentucky
Kentucky’s name has many meanings from various indigenous cultures. For example, the Wyandots or Huron people called it "Kah-ten-tah-teh," meaning "Fair Land of Tomorrow”; then the Shawnee named it "Kain-tuck-ee," for "At the Head Of The River." Then there are references to “meadows” and “prairies” from the Mohawks, Delawares, and Catawbas. Obviously, Kentucky is more commonly renowned for being the headquarters and birthplace of the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). But it is the picture-perfect towns of Kentucky that encapsulate all those meanings and titles into a delicious cornucopia of delights. Drink merrily in bourbon-making towns like Bardstown; step back in time in historic villages like Harrodsburg and Frankfort; and roam President Abraham Lincoln’s hometown of Hodgenville. So grab a bucket of KFC chicken, put on some Bluegrass music while traveling the Bluegrass region in the Appalachian Mountains, and venture into these picture-perfect towns of Kentucky.
Bardstown
Steel your stomachs as you visit the Bourbon Capital of the World, Bardstown. With 11 unique distilleries about an hour away from Louisville, Bardstown offers that compelling southern accentuation to kick your spirits high. For local events, consider attending the six-day Kentucky Bourbon Festival in September for that Kentucky hospitality and Bardstown bourbon. Or you can enjoy the whimsical Stephen Foster Story, a Broadway-like show centered on American composer, Stephen Collins Foster. If you fancy more bourbon, visit the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History for a history lesson on the town’s popular produce, or get to the source of the liquor in the Barton 1792 Distillery & Visitor Center, the oldest operating distillery in Bardstown. You will most certainly be enchanted by the deciduous beauty of the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest. If you ever feel wobbly and woozy after all that bourbon, then settle down at the Old Bardstown Inn, the Fairfield by Marriot Bardstown, and Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast.
Berea
With a self-proclamation like “the Folk Art & Crafts Capital of Kentucky,” the town of Berea lives up to the moniker with an abundance of artisan studios, craft galleries, and gift shops. Aside from these material attractions, Berea is notable for being the launching point of the historic Boone Trace—a meandering series of trails through the Cumberland Gap. The Boone Trace connects Berea to Middlesboro and Pineville northward, and it was first improved for modern traversal by the famous Daniel Boone using buffalo herd paths once walked by Native Americans. It also crosses the Rockcastle River to reach Boonesborough on the south bank of the Kentucky River in the outer Bluegrass region. To get a better glimpse of Berea’s stunning natural beauty and that of the Daniel Boone National Forest, ascend The Pinnacles in the Berea College Forest, the best hike to experience in Kentucky. Keep in mind to book rooms at the Historic Boone Tavern Hotel or Red Roof Inn.
Paducah
Few cities are honored as a UNESCO Creative City. But Paducah proudly displays its honorary title for being a sanctum of creative expression and liberties in various fields and media. In a town fed by the Ohio River and bordering the state of Illinois, marvel at Paducah’s many ingenious wonders at the National Quilt Museum, which showcases award-winning quilts and advanced quilting techniques in today’s milieu. Gaze at Robert Dafford’s Paducah "Wall to Wall" Murals, fifty painted panels displaying the panoramic and visionary history of Paducah. Most of all, experience the Dogwood Trail Celebration in mid-April when the dogwood trees come out in full bloom. Be sure to find aesthetically pleasing accommodations at Candlewood Suites and Baymont Inn.
Danville
Danville, located 35 miles southwest of Lexington and near the Herrington Lake and the Dix River, is widely considered “The City of Firsts.” The first Courthouse in Kentucky (1785) was built there. The first U.S. Post Office west of the Allegheny Mountains (1792) was founded there. Most of all, Dr. Ephraim McDowell became the first physician in the world to successfully remove an ovarian tumor in 1809 on Mrs. Jane Todd Crawford. It was also in Danville that the Bluegrass region was established, since the first Constitutional Convention in the West was held at Danville’s Constitution Square in 1792. If Danville was not so interesting enough, the Perryville Battlefield, the site of Kentucky’s bloodiest American Civil War battle, is located 10 miles west of Danville. The Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, the third largest Shaker community in the United States from 1805 to 1910, sends visitors back to a bygone time. So be the first to explore Danville by firmly staying at Hampton Inn Danville, Comfort Suites, and Quality Inn.
Harrodsburg
As a former pioneer settlement, Harrodsburg proudly promotes its heritage through its Victorian architecture and laidback atmosphere. Harrodsburg, only about 10 miles from Danville, is the oldest and first permanent English settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains. A replica of an old fort where frontiersman Daniel Boone once stayed can be found in the Old Fort Harrod State Park. The park also contains the George Rogers Clark Memorial and the Lincoln Marriage Temple, where Abraham Lincoln’s parents were married. Additionally, Harrodsburg shares the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill with nearby Danville. Other historic structures in or around town include Morgan Row Houses and the Old Mud Meeting House of the Dutch Reformed Church. Do remember to find fine lodgings at the Clarion Pointe Harrodsburg-Danville and the Beaumont Inn.
Greenville
Two hours away from Nashville, the hillside village of Greenville is a relaxing hideaway from metropolitan hassle. Deemed the safest city in Kentucky, you will feel blissfully untroubled as you rove through the many parks and scenic routes of the town. Start your trip at the Brizendine Brothers Nature Park, a 12-acre woodland guarded by the sculptured bear woodwork of Yogi. Afterwards, stroll along Lake Malone by traversing Laurel Trail or Wildflower Trail. Get your fitness and athletic health going in the Muhlenberg County Park where numerous sports facilities are available. Most of all, pay tribute to a one-of-a-kind 9/11 Memorial, featuring a 17-foot box beam that fell from the North Tower of the World Trade Center. You will want to stay the night, so consider your options in Convention Center Inn (CCI Express Inn) and The Wickliffe House.
Glasgow
Try not to mistake Glasgow, Kentucky, with Glasgow, Scotland. Even though John Matthews, a Scottish pioneer, founded the opulent town and named it after the bona fide Glasgow, there are many American attractions in this quiet Kentucky town. For instance, the remains of Fort Williams, a Union fortress that withstood John Hunt Morgan and his raiding armies, testifies to Glasgow’s strategic positioning in Kentucky. Glasgow is also a site of natural beauty, where Mammoth Cave National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve, is situated. Alongside this cave is the Prehistoric Jewel Site Complex, where artifacts and articles of Native American hunters continue to astound archaeologists. Do consider staying in pre-Civil War historic lodgings like the 1852 Hall Place Bed & Breakfast, which Abraham Lincoln once visited.
Frankfort
“Frank’s Ford”, or Kentucky's capital city, Frankfort, is set in one of several fords on the Kentucky River between Louisville and Lexington. It was widely treated as a major trading center in the Bluegrass region. Visitors can glean into the town’s involvement in the American Civil War at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. Or if you want a direct experience of the past, tour the 18th and 19th-century architectural formats in Liberty Hall, a Georgian mansion built by former US Senator, John Brown. Inside Liberty Hall is designer Gideon Shryock’s Orlando Brown House, from the same man who designed the Old State Capitol building. Interestingly enough, renowned trailblazer Daniel Boone and his wife, Rebecca, are buried in the Frankfort Cemetery. It was also in Frankfort that Ruth Hanly Booe and Rebecca Gooch made the famous Kentucky Bourbon Ball. For lodgings, the Capital Plaza Hotel and Bluegrass Inn are among the many fine establishments in Frankfort.
Hodgenville
If Abraham Lincoln is the father of modern America, then Hodgenville is the birthplace of the American dream. This small town sitting on the North Fork of the Nolin River and about 12 miles from Elizabethtown is where President Lincoln spent much of his childhood before he and his family moved to Indiana. Today, you can explore the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site, adjacent to the Old Sinking Spring Farm. Both sites preserve about one-third of the original farm where Abraham Lincoln was born. You might also be entreated to touring The Knob Creek Farm, where Lincoln’s family moved when he was two. Nearby, Salem Lake and Pearman Forest are fantastic natural preserves to enjoy the outdoor scenery. And of course, Lincoln Lodge is a fine establishment to spend the evening in.
Maysville
An hour away from Cincinnati, Ohio and Lexington, Kentucky, the town of Maysville is a gorgeous settlement on the banks of the Ohio River. Pass through the covered bridges or “Timbered Tunnels” that connect Maysville to Aberdeen, Ohio, and other communities nearby. In the town, the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center collects a plethora of local stories and histories of the region, including award-winning dioramas and about 4,000 regional artifacts. The Underground Railroad, not a real railroad but a mural of one, exemplifies the struggles and tribulations of escaping slaves during the Civil War. The mural also commemorates Reverend John Rankin, an abolitionist and stationmaster conductor of the actual Underground Railroad, whose house can be found across the Ohio River. Do not forget to find accommodations at the Hampton Inn, French Quarter Inn, and Lee House Inn.
In Conclusion
There is a myriad of treasures and treats to find in “The Fair Land of Tomorrow.” Horse racing solidified in Kentucky’s lush, sunny pastures and in Louisville, specifically, forming the world-famous Kentucky Derby. The music genre Bluegrass music was established in the Bluegrass region from early pioneer Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys. And the picture-perfect towns of Kentucky will certainly leave few storage spaces in your phones and cameras. If your KFC bucket gets empty along your travels, remember that you are in a bountiful, meadowy land where KFC was born.
