The Official Kentucky Visitor's Guide - The Official Kentucky Visitor's Guide 2026
Daniel Boone Country
2026-02-06 05:45:53
Adventure as big as the great outdoors is found in this region named for the frontier explorer who helped pave the way to the American West: the ruggedly beautiful Red River Gorge Geological Area; Natural Bridge, among Kentucky’s thousands of natural sandstone arches; the Niagara of the South at Cumberland Falls; and Daniel Boone National Forest. See Kentucky from top to bottom — from its highest peak at Black Mountain to one of its lowest at Portal 31 Coal Mine.
BEST-KEPT LOCAL SECRETS
FORT MCCOOK TRAIL AT CUMBERLAND GAP NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, Middlesboro
Soldiers from North and South both walked what’s now the Fort McCook Trail at Cumberland Gap National Historic Site, today a 1.5-mile out-and-back trail connecting the Civil War earthwork to the Pinnacle Overlook boardwalk.
POKE SALLET FESTIVAL, Harlan
June’s Poke Sallet Festival kicks off summer with three days of nationally touring musical acts, a classic car show, a pet show, food booths, a carnival and other kid-size fun in downtown Harlan, where Petunia the Opossum hangs by her tail in a mural.
PINBALL MUSEUM OF CORBIN, Corbin
Take a nostalgic trip through the family-friendly Pinball Museum of Corbin, filled with dozens and dozens of working machines from 1969 to 2022, featuring games from “Doctor Who” to “Guardians of the Galaxy,” plus classic video games. Magic Cube, anyone?
BATTLE OF LEATHERWOOD CIVIL WAR REENACTMENT, Hazard
A chapter of Kentucky history marches to life during October’s annual Battle of Leatherwood Civil War Reenactment, when participants in historically accurate period attire recreate that fateful day in 1862 when Union and Confederate armies skirmished over a saltworks.
PALACE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, London
The arcade lights aren’t all that mesmerize at the Palace Entertainment Center. Tame, train and fight dinosaurs in the holographic theater, bringing creatures to life through augmented-reality visors. Laser tag, go-karting, bowling, a golf simulator and an escape room, too.
GOOSE CREEK RIVER, Manchester
Revel in nature’s hush in this mountain town, paddling Goose Creek River. With both shallow and deeper pools, the river flows through 30 miles of picturesque scenery. Be on the lookout for one of the county’s many swinging bridges suspended over the creek.
DOWNTOWN BARBOURVILLE, Barbourville
Brick-paved streets and beautiful murals — historical downtown Barbourville is a charmer, cozied up by Court Square’s shops, The Ugly Mug Coffee House and Redbud Quilters’ Garden, a quiet corner blossoming with a colorful display of framed quilt blocks.
LILLEY CORNETT WOODS, Letcher County
Hikers are ushered into Lilley Cornett Woods, an old-growth forest with extraordinary biodiversity, by guided tour only. Arrange a two- or four-hour tour to see this wildland sheltering hundreds of species of flowering plants and breeding pairs of birds.
SNUG HOLLOW FARM BED & BREAKFAST, Irvine
Walking trails, wildflowers, breathtaking scenery and unspoiled beauty, with an ever-changing landscape that always lets Mother Nature shine, Snug Hollow Farm Bed & Breakfast is an Appalachian Mountain getaway with gourmet dinner delivered to your cabin door.
KENTUCKY COAL MUSEUM, Benham
Mining tools, a coal-camp hospital and school, a look into the lives of coal miners, their families and even the Coal Miner’s Daughter, Loretta Lynn — the Kentucky Coal Museum, located in a former coal-camp town, has four levels of exhibits.
FOUR MUSTS
Grab a Bite:
Official Kentucky Food Truck Championship, Mt. Vernon
Stop & Shop:
Turtle Farm Pottery, Campton, and Gallery at The Brick, Pine Ridge
Magical Moments:
Cumberland Gap Pinnacle Overlook, Middlesboro
Local Heritage & Culture:
Pilot Knob Nature Preserve, Clay City
“NATURE WAS HERE A SERIES OF WONDERS, AND A FUND OF DELIGHT.” Daniel Boone, Frontiersman & Kentucky Settler
REGIONAL ROAD TRIPS
1 Bledsoe: Learn about traditional folkways, connect to the region’s natural and cultural heritage and take home skills that have kept Appalachia alive through classes in the mountain arts — everything from carving wooden spoons to blacksmithing — through Pine Mountain Settlement School’s “Pass It On Pine Mountain” Series.
2 Sassafras: Afterward, head to Carr Creek State Park, a gorgeous, forested setting in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, with boating, fishing, wildlife and history dating back to the pioneers of the 1770s. Camp, build sandcastles on the beach, swim in the lake and reconnect with the family.
3 Powell County: Then, head for Red River Gorge Scenic Byway. Hike one of many trails along the Scenic Loop with its overlooks, stone arches and striking rock formations, or simply soak in the views — breathtaking year-round, but especially so when autumn’s seasonal splendor comes to life.
4 Jackson County: Continue with a hike, picnic and search for a waterfall. Tumbling into an irresistible deep pool, Flat Lick Falls within Daniel Boone National Forest is made even grander by the spectacular scenery of the Flat Lick Falls Scenic and Recreation Area.
5 London: Less than an hour’s drive brings you to Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park. Here, families will find so much to love, including the woodland campground, a treetop canopy tour, a swimming pool, mini golf, the Mountain Life Museum and gift shop and McHargue’s Mill, a reproduction working watermill on the banks of the Little Laurel River.
6 Laurel County: Last on the agenda: Laurel River Lake with hidden coves and cliff-lined shores. Go scuba diving or swimming in its deep, crystal-clear waters. After working up an appetite, crunch into some secret-recipe KFC at the Sanders Café and Museum and pose for a selfie with charming depictions of the Colonel.
TRAVEL RESOURCES
Barbourville/Knox County
606-545-9674
barbourvilletourism.com
Beattyville/Lee County
606-464-5038, visitleecountyky.com
Breathitt County
606-666-4159
Corbin
606-528-8860
corbinkytourism.com
Cumberland/Benham/Lynch
606-573-4156
harlancountytrails.com/explore/tri-cities
Evarts
606-837-0609, evartskentucky.com
Harlan
606-573-4156
harlancountytourism.com
Hazard/Perry County
606-487-1580
hazardperrytourism.com
Irvine/Estill County
606-723-2450, exploreestill.com
London/Laurel County
606-878-6900, visitlondonky.com
Middlesboro/Pineville/Bell County
606-248-2482
bellcountytourism.com
Mount Vernon/Rockcastle County
606-256-9814
rockcastletourism.com
Powell County-Red River Gorge
606-663-1161, gopoco.org
Whitesburg/Letcher County
606-634-1814, discoverletcher.com
Whitley County
606-549-6000
whitleycountytourism.com
Williamsburg
606-549-0530, williamsburgky.com
Wolfe County
606-668-7979
visitwolfecounty.com
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