11 Amazing Kentucky Day Trips That Are Worth The Drive
The Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is an ideal jumping-off spot for several great attractions situated around the majestic state of Kentucky. This allows visitors to experience a multitude of adventure-filled day trips, each less than a three-hour drive from the airport. From Old Bardstown Village, located less than 45 minutes from Louisville, to Red River Gorge, just under a two-hour drive from the city, there is something for everyone at these amazing places. Whether it is natural, historical, or even cultural, these 11 places await the avid adventurer or keen historian who wants only to experience Kentucky at its best.
Bardstown
Situated 45 minutes south of Louisville, Bardstown is a perfect place for a day trip with friends. Home to several distilleries, like Willett and Lux Row, Bardstown is known best for being the “Bourbon Capital of the World.” Yet this town of just under 14,000 people possesses historic values as well. My Old Kentucky Home, located in My Old Kentucky Home State Park, the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History, and the Civil War Museum all call this quaint town home. Several haunted venues are also located in town, including Old Talbott Tavern, which began as a stagecoach stop at the end of the 18th century, and the Jailer’s Inn Bed & Breakfast, housing criminals from as early as the 1700s.
Frankfort
The charming town of Frankfort, home to Kentucky State University, is less than an hour from Louisville and home to a plethora of natural and historic attractions as well, including Cove Spring Park and Liberty Hall. While the park possesses challenging hiking trails, magnificent waterfalls, and animals in their own habitats, Liberty Hall consists of four acres of tranquil, serene grounds with scenic gardens to explore with friends or family. There are also several festivals held throughout the year annually. The Frankfort Fall Festival takes place at the end of August and showcases the splendor of the fall harvest, while Candlelight Weekend occurs each November, featuring a petting zoo, horse carriage rides, a window decorating contest, and much more.
Versailles
Approximately 13 miles from Lexington and an hour from the airport in Louisville, the town of Versailles is a haven for horses, history, and Bourbon. Home to Three Chimneys, WinStar, and Lane’s End farms, horses are well known within the town of Versailles. Yet, this town of around ten thousand residents also has a strong sense of heritage and history, especially when it comes to producing excellent Bourbon and raising award-winning horses. The Woodford Reserve, Eckert’s Orchard, and Wildside Winery all call Versailles home. Also, in regard to heritage, several places await the avid historian. The Bluegrass Scenic Railroad & Museum, the Kentucky Castle, built approximately 50 years ago, and the Irish Acres Gallery of Antiques all can be appreciated in the town of Versailles.
Cave City
Just over an hour south of Louisville and outside Mammoth Cave National Park, the town of Cave City was obviously named correctly. If cave spelunking is a favorite activity of yours, this town of just over two thousand people is the perfect place for you. Along with the four hundred-plus caves located around Mammoth Cave National Park, Cave City is also in close proximity to the town of Horse Cave, which is best known for Hidden River Cave and American Cave. If exploring caves is not one of your hobbies, though, Cave City is also home to Dinosaur World, a premier dinosaur-themed amusement park; Treasure Trove Park, displaying artifacts from around the world; and the Hatfield McCoy Museum & Bakery, which is most famous for being in close proximity to the Hatfield Cemetery.
Shaker Village
Covering 3,000 acres of ground, quaint Shaker Village, a part of Pleasant Hill and situated just outside of the town of Harrodsburg, is the ideal vacation spot. Only just over an hour from the Louisville airport and minutes away from Harrodsburg, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill offers almost everything. Historical importance can be seen through the artifacts and architecture, including 34 buildings still standing on the grounds, while cultural value is experienced through various activities on the Farm and maintaining an understanding of growth and sustainability. One can also taste the beauty of nature in hikes through the preserve, allowing for a better look into animal habitats and how they survive.
Berea
The picturesque town of Berea, about 35 miles south of the city of Lexington and around an hour and a half southeast of the Louisville airport, is home to a plethora of excellent cultural venues. From Kentucky Artisan Center to Tater Knob Pottery to Spotlight Theater, the last showcasing plays and films like the “Little Shop of Horrors,” this pastoral town of 15,000 people displays vivid artistic integrity. There are also several natural locales to be experienced in and around the town of Berea. The Berea Pinnacles is home to a multitude of great trailheads, like Davis Hollow Trail, Sacred Shadow Trail, and Indian Fort Trail, the last leading to the Indian Fort Lookout, which offers the chance to capture some inspiring photos of the picturesque landscape surrounding Indian Fort mountain.
Red River Gorge
Located inside the Daniel Boone National Forest, situated just over two hours from downtown Louisville, Red River Gorge is one of the best natural attractions in the state. Offering guests the chance to zip-line, swim, fish, take a ride on horseback, rock climb, and hike several scenic trails, like Rock Bridge, Sky Bridge, and Indian Staircase, Red River Gorge has at least one adventure-filled outdoor activity for everyone. Several festivities and events also occur within the boundaries of Red River Gorge, including community block parties that feature live music and games, as well as the Ascent 5K and the Rugged Red Half marathons. These races not only add to one’s physical endurance; they provide some great scenery within the Kentucky mountains.
Cumberland Falls
Just over two and a half hours drive from Louisville, through the city of Lexington, Cumberland Falls State Park has several natural and cultural amenities, urging even the most skeptical of people to return again and again. Located in the Daniel Boone National Forest, this awesome state park offers several great hiking trails, like the Cumberland River trail, as well as some epic sights, like Cumberland Falls, which is sometimes quoted as being the “Niagara Falls of the South” and is the largest waterfall in the state. There are a variety of other outdoor activities available at Cumberland Falls State Park as well, including camping at one of the best campgrounds in Kentucky.
Elizabethtown
The picturesque town of Elizabethtown, located approximately 45 minutes south of Louisville and established in 1793, is home to several historic venues, allowing guests to understand how this town of 30,000 people first began. Swope’s Cars of Yesteryear Museum displays antique cars from the first half of the 20th century, including a 1925 Pierce Arrow; Freeman Lake Park honors Sarah Bush Johnson, the stepmother of Abe Lincoln, and the Brown-Pusey House displays antique artifacts from before the Civil War. A variety of cultural attributes also call Elizabethtown home, like the Heartland Harvest Festival, the Elizabethtown BBQ, Brews, & Bikes Fest, and the Elizabethtown Christmas Parade, which begins on St. John Rd. and ends at the Square.
Lexington
The city of Lexington, with a population of over 300,000 people, should definitely be mentioned on this list, as it holds a plethora of awesome activities and attributes that make this city worthy of visiting for the day with friends or family. From the Kentucky Horse Park, which provides guided horseback riding tours, to Keeneland, to Mill Ridge Farm, to Godolphin, horses are predominant within Lexington. There are also several historic venues in the city of Lexington that are necessary to see, including the Mary Todd Lincoln House, which was built in 1832, the Lexington Cemetery, which was established in 1824, and Ashland: the Henry Clay Estate, honoring Henry Clay, a statesman and one of the biggest influences of young Abraham Lincoln.
Louisville
Last but not least, and home to some great attractions, like the Louisville Mega Cavern, the Big Four Bridge, and Churchill Downs, the city of Louisville possesses so many historical and cultural attributes that someone would have to visit multiple times to see even half of it. From a historical aspect, the Louisville Slugger Museum, the Kentucky Derby Museum, Conrad’s Castle, which displays a true taste of Victorian splendor, and Cave Hill Cemetery, home to Colonel Harlan Sanders and Muhammad Ali, all call Louisville home. In its cultural integrity, Louisville presents some great events and festivals every year, like the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, and the North American Championship Rodeo.
So, whether you like the natural, the historic, or the cultural aspects of Kentucky, or even a nice blending of all three, this magnificent state possesses a plethora of attributes that are worth visiting over and over. From Cumberland Falls, located in Cumberland Falls State Park, to Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, outside of the town of Harrodsburg, to the Kentucky Derby, held every year in downtown Louisville, the great day trips listed above, located less than a three-hour drive from the airport in Louisville, are only a few of the amazing towns and locations awaiting exploration in the great state of Kentucky.
