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

Western Waterlands

2026-02-06 05:52:17

As the proud home of one of only nine designated UNESCO Creative Cities in the country, the largest manmade lake in the eastern U.S. and a vast playground peninsula with the Elk & Bison Prairie set in a native grassland habitat — looking very much like the Kentucky of more than a century ago — this region is audacious, artistic and authentic.

Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park, Gilbertsville

BEST-KEPT LOCAL SECRETS

Photo: "Wall To Wall" Floodwall Murals, Paducah

VICEROY BUTTERFLY GARDEN, Oak Grove

Be in the moment amid showstopping sunflowers and butterflies alighting on milkweed and coneflowers in the Viceroy Butterfly Garden, a certified Monarch Waystation. Then, take a stroll through the peaceful Oak Grove War Memorial Walking Trail Park.

NINE PINES RETREATS, Cadiz

Wi-Fi, Jacuzzi tub and coffee machine in a tent? Yes! Nine Pines Retreats' luxury safari tents and geo domes present nature with all the queen-size comforts: private decks, barrel saunas, pizza ovens and other amenities.

MANTLE ROCK PRESERVE, Smithland

Thousands of members of the Cherokee Nation trudged through Mantle Rock Preserve along the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, passing Mantle Rock, the largest freestanding arch east of the Mississippi River.

Photo: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum, Marion

GOLDEN POND PLANETARIUM & OBSERVATORY, Golden Pond

Sea monsters among the stars, weekend laser shows (some featuring hits from superstar Taylor Swift!), close-ups of the universe and Observatory Star Parties — all thanks to the high-powered telescope at the Golden Pond Planetarium & Observatory.

FULTON RAILROADERS, Fulton

Take me out to the ballgame to see the Fulton Railroaders. This wood-bat league team plays a 40-game summer season, with home games at Lohaus Field, featuring open-air patio decks, grandstand seating, family-friendly theme nights and major league-level fun and excitement.

SHARON GROVE COMMUNITY PARK, Elkton

Among the picnic pavilion, playground, basketball court and paved walking trail at Sharon Grove Community Park is an unexpected find: a natural cave where bands once played. Learn the history on a guided tour.

DORAN ARBORETUM, Murray

Meander along the walking path at the Doran Arboretum, winding through ever-growing collections of flowering plants, shrubs, trees, butterflies and rain gardens, accompanied by the soothing sounds of a water fountain spraying into the pond.

THE INGRAM DISTILLERY, Columbus

Discover how The Ingram Distillery has returned bourbon to its roots, using floating barrelhouses on the Mississippi River for its “fleet” of river-aged whiskeys, at its new visitor center. The center is set to open in spring 2026. Be sure to book your tour in advance.

ATOMIC CITY WALKING TOURS, Paducah

Delve into Paducah’s not-so-savory days (and characters) and its relationship to bourbon with two spirited Atomic City walking tours — Wicked Paducah and Forgotten Spirits: Paducah’s Contributions to Bourbon — unfolding through downtown.

BIG SPRINGS PARK, Princeton

Quiet, peaceful and scenic, with a footbridge, walking paths, picnic areas and a spring-fed cave, Big Springs Park, a stopping point on the Long March of 1838–1839, is a site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail.

Lighthouse Landing Resort and Marina, Grand Rivers

FOUR MUSTS

Grab a Bite: Stephano’s Trattoria, Murray

Stop & Shop: Marion Amish Country self-guided tour, Crittenden County

Magical Moments: Live on the Lawn Music Festival (September), Kuttawa

Local Heritage & Culture: Hotel Metropolitan on the African American Heritage Driving Tour, Paducah

"TELL ME A STORY. MAKE IT A STORY OF GREAT DISTANCES, AND STARLIGHT." Robert Penn Warren, American Novelist, Poet & Kentuckian

Photo: Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area

REGIONAL ROAD TRIPS

1 Mayfield-Graves County: You’re invited: October’s month-long Haunted Graves Celebration features the Wooldridge Monuments in Maplewood Cemetery; A-Maizeing Farms, the largest corn maze in Kentucky; Talon Falls Screampark and the Industrial Slaughterhouse; the Wild West town Cartwright Grove’s Haunted Fall Festival; and the region’s only nighttime lighted Halloween parade.

2 Grand Rivers: Come see American Cruise Lines’ ships pull into port in the only western Kentucky town bordering both Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley — vacation paradises for water lovers. Catch a live stage show (from tribute concerts to magicians) at Badgett Playhouse and dine on the 2-inch pork chop specialty at Patti’s 1880’s Settlement, where you can also settle in for the night.

3 Princeton: In the morning, snoop into the lifestyle and legacy of a wealthy Kentucky family in their home, resplendent in its Victorian- era grandeur, at the interactive Adsmore Museum. Peek into the bedrooms, closets and other living spaces, each one arrayed with authentic and original belongings, on tour with a costumed docent.

4 Cadiz: Head next to this Main Street antiques hub where Cadi the Pig, a 10-foot-tall fiberglass swine, greets visitors. Explore ever-changing exhibits at the Janice Mason Art Museum, then head to a converted grain bin for dinner: The Harper House Restaurant is famous for its smoked prime rib and silo-turned bar.

5 Hopkinsville: Set out next for the Trail of Tears Commemorative Park and Heritage Center. On what Native Americans call “The Trail Where They Cried,” see the winter encampment of 1838–1839 and the burial site for two Cherokee chiefs. An intertribal Pow Wow takes place here annually on the first full weekend after Labor Day.

6 Guthrie: A quick drive brings you to the Robert Penn Warren Birthplace Museum to learn about one of Kentucky’s most famous poets and novelists. Next, shop for handmade quilts at Kentucky’s oldest Amish settlement and pick up a sweet treat from Schlabach’s Bakery. Love food, crafts, music and shopping in a small-town setting? Attend September’s Guthrie Heritage Days Festival.

TRAVEL RESOURCES

Cadiz/Trigg County

Calloway County

City of Fulton

Grand Rivers