The Official Kentucky Visitor's Guide - The Official Kentucky Visitor's Guide 2026

Bourbon, Horses & History

2026-05-04 07:24:06

The Birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, the epicenter of America’s Native Spirit — bourbon — and the singularly sensational setting for the greatest two minutes in sports. This land of Iegends is also where you'll find the historical My Old Kentucky Home, the splashy musical “The Stephen Foster Story” and one of Kentucky’s newest trail towns, Leitchfield.

Whitney Young Birthplace and Museum, Simpsonville

Springhill Plantation B&B and Winery, Bloomfield

Swope's Cars of Yesteryear Museum, Elizabethtown

BEST-KEPT LOCAL SECRETS

ALICE THEATRE, Leitchfield

The historical Alice Theatre, originally opened in 1935, has been restored to its former glory and offers a variety of programming, including tribute concerts, touring comedians and musicians in a variety of musical genres and more.

LITTLE COLONEL PLAYHOUSE, Pewee Valley

Presented by the Little Colonel Players, a full season of theater is staged in the Little Colonel Playhouse, a vintage venue that dates back to the early 1900s. Check their seasonal calendar for classics and holiday favorites.

NETTIE JARVIS ANTIQUES, Bloomfield

Sip coffee from Jarvis & Co. Espresso Bar or bourbon from Jarvis & Co. Bourbon Bar while browsing the furniture, signage, glassware, classic vinyl and other yesteryear goodies at Nettie Jarvis Antiques.

LINCOLN HOMESTEAD STATE PARK, Springfield

Abraham Lincoln’s parents courted and married near what is today the Lincoln Homestead State Park. See their original marriage certificate, among other treasures, in the nearby historical 1816 Washington County Courthouse, which houses the Lincoln Legacy Museum.

SWOPE’S CARS OF YESTERYEAR MUSEUM, Elizabethtown

A 1910 Brush Roadster, a 1919 Chandler Motor Car (or “gangster car”) and a 1930 Hupmobile Victoria — see these classics and others among the variety of makes and models in both original and restored condition at Swope’s Cars of Yesteryear Museum.

KENTUCKY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN POCKETKNIVES, Radcliff

How big is the world’s largest pocketknife? Visit the free-admission Kentucky Museum of American Pocketknives and see for yourself, along with a historical display of W.R. Case and Sons Cutlery, whose craftsmanship pedigree dates back to 1889.

HONEYFEST, Clarkson

You might spot costumed bees, honey-shaped hive floats and even inveterate honey lover Winnie the Pooh during Kentucky’s Official State Honey Festival. Held in September, Honeyfest buzzes with activities: live music, crafts booths, a parade, a carnival, an antique tractor show and more.

Photo: Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls of Rough

Photo: General George Patton Museum of Leadership, Fort Knox

OTTER CREEK OUTDOOR RECREATION AREA, Brandenburg

There's so much outdoors to be enjoyed amid the rolling terrain of Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area, with bluffs overlooking the Ohio River and Otter Creek. Popular activities include camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, disc golf, shooting ranges, birding and wildlife viewing.

MULBERRY ORCHARD, Shelbyville

Families love to play at Mulberry Orchard spring through fall, with hayrides through the orchard, pumpkin picking, the apple mountain slide, zip lines, fresh produce, a corn maze, farm tours, picnicking and eating at the Mulberry Kitchen. Apple-cider donuts, anyone?

YEW DELL GARDENS, Crestwood

An enchanted fairy forest, seasonal scavenger hunts, drop-in nature- and garden-themed crafts, themed gardens including the Castle Gardens, guided plant walks and more — it’s always busy in the Yew Dell Gardens, a stop on the Kentucky Garden Trail.

BEECH FORK, Springfield

Outdoor memories are made at Beech Fork, with challenging sporting-clay courses and guided upland bird hunts across diverse and rugged terrain along Beech Fork River. Book the onsite two-bedroom loft suite in a renovated, converted milking barn.

Photo: Louisville Mega Cavern, Louisville

FOUR MUSTS

Grab a Bite: Our Best Restaurant, Smithfield

Stop & Shop: Crestwood Mercantile, Crestwood

Magical Moments: WineDown Sunday at Forest Edge Winery (one Sunday a month, May–October), Shepherdsville

Local Heritage & Culture: Belle of Louisville riverboat cruise, Louisville

Photo: Bardstown Bourbon Company, Bardstown

THE SUN SHINES BRIGHT IN THE OLD KENTUCKY HOME …Stephen Collins Foster, Father of American Music

REGIONAL ROAD TRIPS

1 Louisville: How about an epic start to your day? Once Louisville’s best-kept secret, the former limestone quarry, now Louisville Mega Cavern, rocks with adventure, including zip lines, an aerial ropes challenge course and tram rides. And it’s all beneath the feet of the grizzly bears, Sumatran tigers, Cuban crocodiles and vampire bats of the Louisville Zoo.

2 Hodgenville: That afternoon, tour the grounds of the country’s first memorial to the 16th president: the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park. See the Memorial Building and Symbolic Birth Cabin. Then, visit Abraham Lincoln’s Boyhood Home at Knob Creek to see where Kentucky’s favorite son spent his childhood laughing, learning and playing.

3 New Haven: Next up? A luxe retreat with a stay in a Homestead, Heritage House or Cottage suite on the picturesque grounds of Log Still Distillery.

4 Lebanon/Loretto: The following morning, drop a line for rainbow trout and bass at Fagan Branch or hike the storybook Gorley Naturalist Trail and its 47 bridges. Then, watch flames lick the insides of white-oak bourbon barrels to achieve that perfect char at Kentucky Cooperage. Afterward, go “Behind the Bourbon” at Maker’s Mark® for an insider’s look at the distilling process — with a tasting to follow, of course.

5 Bardstown: Finish the day with an exceptional dining experience (murder mystery, bourbon or holiday) through the rolling countryside with My Old Kentucky Dinner Train. Tuck in for the night at bourbon-centric lodgings, like Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast or The Trail Hotel.

6 Shelbyville: In the morning, take a drive to women-owned Jeptha Creed, where you’ll learn the distillery’s motto: “Ne Oublie” (“Never Forget”). And you won’t. Not the tours, tastings, barrel barns or the name of that heirloom ingredient — Bloody Butcher corn — that goes into the making of Jeptha Creed spirits.