7 Great Road Trips to Take in Kentucky
Known for the abundant growth of bluegrass across its picturesque landscape, the state of Kentucky, aptly known as the “Bluegrass State,” is not only home to awesome paths and trails for the avid pedestrian. This picturesque southern state has some popular scenic road trips as well for those individuals who might want to experience nature at a slightly faster pace. Whether it is the Kentucky BlueGrass Parkway, named after the first female governor of Kentucky, or Red River Gorge Scenic Byway, famous for several one-of-a-kind natural wonders, these seven road trips in Kentucky, either out of Lexington or Louisville, are all great ways to escape the hectic stress of home.
Martha Layne Collins Bluegrass Parkway - Elizabethtown
Named after the first female governor of Kentucky, the 71-mile-long Martha Layne Collins BlueGrass Parkway runs from Elizabethtown to Lexington. Less than an hour's drive from Louisville to Elizabethtown, patrons can shop at unique stores in several small towns, including Lebanon Junction and Shepherdsville. The downtown area of Elizabethtown also offers some great historical attractions, like Swope’s Cars of Yesteryear and Elizabethtown Nature Park, the latter possessing its own Veterans Memorial Wall, honoring those who perished fighting for freedom in the Vietnam War. The Martha Layne Collins BlueGrass Parkway also offers its own attractions, including hiking, fishing, and camping overnight at My Old Kentucky Home State Park in Bardstown, and visiting Stonewall Farm in Versailles, its origins beginning as a thoroughbred horse farm as early as the late 1800s.
Pine Mountain Road - Cumberland
With around 350 turns along its 38-mile length through the Appalachian Mountain Range, Pine Mountain Road is known as the “twistiest road in all of Kentucky.” From its first stunning sight to its last amazing panorama, an abounding natural beauty surrounds each curve of this phenomenal road trip. Also known as Little Shepherd Trail, Pine Mountain Road is definitely worth the nearly three-hour drive from Lexington. Some attractions along the way include Raven Run Nature Sanctuary in Lexington and Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park in London. Pine Mountain State Resort Park awaits those who complete the road trip with a rustic campsite or a cozy cottage for the evening.
Kentucky Town Road Trip #1 - Bardstown to Winchester
History can easily be experienced with a scenic road trip past these picturesque Kentucky towns. Starting with quaint Bardstown, known for the Civil War Museum and My Old Kentucky Home, guests can also visit Old Bardstown Village, a replica of a 1790s pioneer village. The town of Springfield is next, with Lincoln Homestead State Park. Farther along, small-town Danville is home to the Great American Dollhouse Museum, displaying an awesome collection of distinct neighborhoods and historic miniatures. Hwy. 127, out of Danville, leads to rural Harrodsburg and Devine’s Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch. After a stop by the Mary Todd Lincoln House in Lexington, take Hwy. 60 to Winchester to visit the Bluegrass Heritage Museum. Great overnight lodging choices in Winchester include Guerrant Mountain Mission and the Bush House.
Alexandria-Ashland Highway - State Highway # 9
The A.A. Highway, or the Alexandria-Ashland Highway, connects picturesque Grayson with Newport, a Kentucky suburb of Cincinnati. Depending on the starting point, avid travelers await several great amenities before they reach Grayson or Newport. From Lexington to Grayson, the town of Morehead is home to Cave Run Lake and Carrington Rock, while the journey from Lexington to Newport passes through Cynthiana and Quiet Trails State Nature Preserve. Along the Alexandria-Ashland Highway, some historic places in Maysville include the National Underground Railroad Museum and the Kentucky Gateway Museum. Other sights along State Highway #9, as it passes by the Ohio River, involve a tasty menu at the Smoking Pig in the town of North Butler and Kincaid Lake State Park in Falmouth.
Louisville to Lexington - United States Route #60
The scenic, picturesque road trip from Louisville to Lexington, or vice versa, inside the “Bluegrass State” has a variety of great amenities and attributes that are well worth mentioning. Visitors can check out the Louisville Slugger Factory and the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville. At the same time, Lexington is home to Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, the Arboretum, and the Kentucky Horse Park. Several other activities are also available along the United States Route #60. Shelbyville has several farms, distilleries, and orchards, Williamstown is home to the Ark Encounter and a tasty menu at Emzara’s Buffet, and the Salato Wildlife Education Center and Cove Springs Park await the avid outdoor enthusiast in Frankfort.
Kentucky Town Road-Trip Two - Elizabethtown to Calvert City
Beginning in picturesque Elizabethtown, approximately 45 minutes outside of Louisville, this scenic yet historic road trip passes through several awesome towns that offer their own unique amenities and venues. Downtown Elizabethtown is known for Freeman Lake Park and the Lincoln Heritage House, while just down the road, the town of Hartford is home to the Bluegrass Motorcycle Museum. Further along the trip, visitors can stop and smell the flowers at Brizendine Brothers Nature Park in Greenville or enjoy a walk through Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park in Dawson Springs. Once at Calvert City, be sure to stop by Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden & Toyland, featuring an Apple Valley Country Store Museum, a Hillbilly Garden, and a Toyland, displaying everything from SpongeBob SquarePants to the Ghostbusters’ iconic hearse.
Red River Gorge Scenic Byway - Stanton, Kentucky
The Red River Gorge Scenic Byway is most definitely one of the best road trips in Kentucky. Approximately 46 miles in length and located less than two hours from Louisville, this picturesque highway has a plethora of excellent scenic attractions and venues, including Raven Rock, Sky Bridge, and Natural Bridge State Park, the last offering rustic, as well as refined, camping. There are many attractions along the road to Red River Gorge Scenic Byway as well. The Liberty Hall Historic Site in Frankfort was first built in 1796 by John Brown, one of the state’s first United States Senators, while the Kentucky Horse Park in the city of Lexington adds to the factor that Lexington is considered the “Horse Capital of the World.”
Do you wish to drive through a sublime wood, enjoying stunning colors of fall foliage while listening to tranquil music? Want to stop by a state park during the summer for a delicious picnic with the family or drive from one town to the next during spring with friends, experiencing unique facets in each town you pass through? Whether it is driving along Martha Layne Collins Bluegrass Parkway, stopping by My Old Kentucky Home State Park in Bardstown, or cruising through the Red River Gorge Scenic Byway, home of Raven Rock and Sky Bridge, these seven great road trips in Kentucky, hold something for everyone who appreciates the great outdoors.
