LexingtonThe capital of Kentucky’s horse country, Lexington has more than 250 horse farms in the area. The Kentucky Horse Park, a working horse farm, provides an educational look at the State’s equestrian history. Visitors can watch films about horse racing and breeding, and demonstrations of horse shoeing and harness-making. The International Museum of the Horse and the American Saddle Horse Museum are also located here. Keeneland Racecourse is the setting for exciting thoroughbred races in April and October. Standard breeds compete at the nation’s oldest existing
racetrack, the Red Mile Harness Track, throughout the year. Other attractions in Lexington include the Mary Todd Lincoln House, the home of Abraham Lincoln’s wife. During visits to the Todd home, Lincoln loved to spend time reading in his father-in-law’s extensive library. The Lexington Children’s Museum has a number of exciting exhibits that can be touched and explored by children, including a
Bubble Factory and the
Science Station X.
LouisvilleLocated at the Falls of the Ohio River, Louisville was founded by General George Rogers Clark in 1778 as a base from which to harass British troops during the American Revolution. Today, restored historic sites sit side-by-side with modern structures, and visitors can wander through the quaint streets in Old Louisville. The nation’s oldest steamboat, the Belle of Louisville, still sails along the Ohio River. Other highlights in the city are Glassworks, a unique facility that includes glass studios, galleries and a cafe; the Portland Museum of Art, which includes a sound and light show; the Falls of the Ohio State Park, where visitors can walk onto the world’s largest exposed Devonian fossil bed; Louisville Science Center; and the Speed Art Museum.
The two weeks of Derby celebrations lead up to the most important date on Louisville’s calendar – the first Saturday in May, when the famous
Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs provides an exciting climax to the festivities.
Elsewhere in Bluegrass CountryThe region gets its name from the variety of grass that produces a small blue flower in early spring. Bluegrass country is famous for horses, tobacco and bourbon.
Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill lies about 30 minutes southwest of Lexington. Members of the 19th-century Shaker religious sect lived a simple life here, and, today, visitors can tour their 2024 hectare (5000 acre) farm and living history museum. Nearby Harrodsburg is the oldest permanent English settlement west of the Alleghenies. Old Fort Harrod State Park contains a part of the replica 1774 fort. Actors dressed in 18th-century costume demonstrate skills, such as blacksmithing and quilting.
Hodgenville, south of Louisville, is the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln family lived at the Sinking Spring Farm for more than two years before moving to Knob Creek. Lincoln’s Boyhood Home is a reproduction cabin located on the original site where he lived until he was eight years old. The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site has 56 steps, one for each year of his life. The 47 hectare (116 acre) park traces the history of the President’s humble roots. In Newport, in the north of the State, across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio, is the Newport Aquarium, open daily, with 66 exhibits of fresh and saltwater fish from around the world, with a new permanent exhibit opened in 2004.
Eastern HighlandsThe vast Daniel Boone National Forest, with its magnificent Red River Gorge, runs through the entire region. Two of Kentucky’s most beautiful lakes, Cave Run Lake and Laurel River Lake, lie at each end of the forest. The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, is a national park wilderness straddling the Kentucky–Tennessee border.
One of the most popular areas is Cumberland Gap National Park, with its breathtaking views of the Appalachian Mountains. The Cumberland Falls are known as the ‘Niagara of the South’ and this is one of the few places in the world where one can see a ‘moonbow’ on a regular basis. Canoeing and rafting trips are very popular in this area.
Mammoth Cave National ParkMammoth Cave is the largest known network of natural caves and underground passageways in the world, with more than 560km (350 miles) of explored passageways. Many species of animals and different types of cave formation can be found within the national park. Park rangers lead tours of varying length from 30 minutes to six hours 30 minutes. Above ground, the park offers miles of hiking trails, including a wheelchair access route.
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