Ashland, KY

Address:Ashland, Kentucky

Known by its motto, "A proud past, a bright future," Ashland, Kentucky is both the site of an ancient Indian village and the birth of several country music legends. Ashland proudly displays its history at its excellent museum, the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center. Located along the banks of the Ohio River, the town is a good place to stop for a day on your travels through Eastern Kentucky.

On your way through town, visit The Paramount Arts Center, a restored historic art deco building on Winchester Avenue that was originally intended to showcase silent films in the 1930s. The theater, which was renovated in the 90s and became famous as the setting where Billy Ray Cirus filmed the music video for "Achy Breaky Heart," serves as an important venue for the arts in eastern Kentucky and the surrounding states of Ohio and West Virginia. Many visitors come during the Christmas season for the Festival of Trees, in which the historic theater is illuminated by hundreds of light-strewn trees.

Also along Winchester Avenue is the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center. The museum attracts more than 21,000 visitors each year, and more than 10,000 children attend special activities - workshops, camps, traveling exhibits and events. Here you can learn about the history of Ashland and Eastern Kentucky. The Country Music Heritage exhibit pays tribute to the local music artists, including Wynona and Naomi Judd from Ashland, and Billy Ray Cyrus, who was raised in nearby Flatwoods.

Ashland is a very green town, with many local parks. Armco Park, in Boyd County, is a beautiful a community park with rolling hills and wooded areas. The park has nature trails, playground equipment and five shelter houses with restrooms. While at the park stop and look at the Boyd County War Memorial that lists Boyd County's fallen war soldiers. To the south, Yatesville Lake State Park offers fine bass fishing. Central Park, founded in 1854, is a 47-acre wooded park, located between Central and Lexington Avenues. It has three playgrounds, several baseball diamonds, a volleyball court and a traditional bandstand. Ashland used to be an ancient Indian village, so you can even see ancient Indian burial mounds at this park! Come back in the winter to see Central Park's annual holiday light show, the Winter Wonderland of Lights. AK Steel Sports Park in South Ashland is a sports park featuring several baseball diamonds and soccer fields.

Ashland's Pendleton's Art Center is a collective where many local artists work. Among the art produced there are paintings, stained glass, carved gourds, and wood carvings. The works are on view at the Pendleton the first Friday and Saturday of every month. Locals shop at Ashland Town Center, a mall with restaurants, cafes and a movie theater. In addition to standard fast food and American-style fare, Ashland also has several Chinese restaurants, a mandarin restaurant, pizza parlors, cozy coffee shops and other local eateries.

You don't have to go far to rest after a day in Ashland. You can spend the night at one of several chain hotels or local inns and bed & breakfasts. All are in town and near the attractions.

Ashland is located in Northeastern Kentucky, on the border of West Virginia. Tri-State Airport, located in nearby Ceredo, West Virginia, provides commercial airline service to the city. Greyhound offers service to Ashland out of the Ashland Transportation Center, which is also the hub of local bus service in and around town. To get to Ashland by car, take US 23 or US 60, or nearby US 52 or Interstate 64.