Things to do / Travel Guide
Peruse the places and don't miss the (horse) races. From top to bottom, east to west, Central Kentucky and Tennessee is a Southern belle of a region.
Here are some of the places in central Kentucky you won't want to miss:
Louisville
Before you go to Louisville, let's get one thing straight. It isn't pronounced “lewis”ville, but rather “loo-ee”ville or, if you want to sound like a local, “loo-ah-vulle.” Having long outgrown its “ville” suffix, Louisville is Kentucky's largest city. The city is located on the Ohio River and is positioned near the state's border with Indiana and about 100 miles away from Ohio. Louisville boasts Thomas Edison's home, the historic estates of Locust Grove and Whitehall, and the neighborhood of Old Louisville is the largest Victorian district in the U.S. Louisville is best known for the yearly Kentucky Derby horse races held at the Churchill Downs racetrack, but the city also has a rich tradition of performing arts as well. The Kentucky Center for Performing Arts, on West Main Street, is Louisville's large performing arts complex and houses the Louisville Ballet, Louisville Orchestra, Louisville Opera, Stage One (“Professional Theater for Young Audiences), and the Martin Boyd Experimental Theater. In addition, more than 2 million visitors have made a pilgrimage to the city's Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory to honor the maker of Major League Baseball bats (since 1884). Producing close to 1 million of their white ash and maple Louisville Slugger bats each year for amateurs and hitting pros alike. The world's biggest baseball bat (120-feet tall, 68,000 pounds) leans nonchalantly against the building on West Main Street.
Lexington
Welcome to the “Horse Capital of the World” where excellent equestrian events and excursions are literally around every corner. Located southwest of Louisville, Lexington offers the Calumet Farms (breeders of Kentucky Derby horse racing winners) and the ever-popular Kentucky Horse Park. Drive or bike Lexington's less-traveled backroads and you'll see just the Kentucky you were hoping for: bucolic horse farms and white picket fences. For fantastic flora try the Horse Park's gardens or those of the University of Kentucky Arboretum. Ashland, a favorite destination among locals and tourists alike, is a beautifully-restored historic Italianate mansion that once belonged to Kentucky statesman Henry Clay and his family.
Berea
Though just a quaint little town south of Lexington appearing to boast little more than Berea College, Berea's Kentucky Artisan Center is a not-to-be-missed homemade arts and crafts extravaganza, bearing the proud title “Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky.” Berea is also home to Berea Forest with acres of hiking and several beautiful scenic overlooks.
Mammoth Cave National Park
A mammoth attraction in every sense of the word, Mammoth Cave National Park in central Kentucky doesn't just offer miles and miles of mountain biking, hiking, and horse riding trails. The park is also home to the world's longest cave system. The second-oldest tourist attraction in the U.S., folks have been spelunking Mammoth Cave year-round since 1816, and they continue to pour in by the hundreds of thousands. For those wishing to sleep out under a vast expanse of Southern sky, Mammoth Cave National Park is also popular for camping; wilderness backcountry camping is also available.
Daniel Boone National Forest
You will assume the persona of frontiersman Daniel Boone as you explore this area's natural wonders and pristine wildlife. Spanning 21 counties from the Kentucky-Tennessee border far into northern Kentucky, Daniel Boone National Forest is a prime spot for nature watching, hiking, backcountry camping, and kayaking. Located within, South Fork River and Recreation Area straddles both states and provides a premier location for fishing, watersports (beware of the river's treacherous whitewater), and hiking.
Here are some of the places in central Tennessee you won't want to miss:
Nashville
Take a deep breath before you begin to name the attractions and highlights in Nashville! Located on the Cumberland River, no matter your tastes or preferences, Nashville's got it. Country music fans will relish the Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium, Bluebird's Café, Wild Horse Saloon, Music Row, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the nutty Nash Trash tours. Those valuing academics and the fine arts will find fulfillment at Frist Center for Visual Arts and Fisk University's Carl Vechter Gallery. Avid architecture enthusiasts will enjoy the unique Parthenon in Centennial Park, the Tennessee State Capitol, and historic antebellum mansions such as Belle Meade. Love barbecue and southern cooking? Nashville's the place. Want international or haute cuisine? Nashville's got that, too.
Chattanooga
Home to the historic Chattanooga Choo-Choo (now a hotel, restaurant, and tourist attraction), Chattanooga is also a bastion of Civil War historical sites, the trendy Bluff Art District, and the Reflection Riding Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. People interested in visiting the Horsin' Around carousel carving school (the nation's only) or spelunking the Raccoon Mountain Caverns use Chattanooga as their shove-off spot.
Lookout Mountain
Just outside of Chattanooga on the Tennessee-Georgia border, factor in a stop to Lookout Mountain. Hike up the mountain or take the scenic Lookout Mountain Railway Incline (along the world's steepest tracks); you will give yourself a veritable feast for the eyes at the wide-sweeping panoramic vistas from Rock City Gardens, historically advertised as the “See 7 States View.” To visit battlefields and walk the land of some of the most important turning points in the Civil War, Lookout Mountain's Point Park is the place. But don't leave without stopping in to check out Ruby Falls - a 145-foot waterfall that's actually located 1,100 feet inside the mountain.
Places to Visit in Nashville, Louisville and Lexington in Central Kentucky and Tennessee
Places-to-Visit
Lookout Mountain Incline Railway
My Old Kentucky Home State Park
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