Kentucky

Known as the Bluegrass State, Kentucky is well known for thoroughbred horses, horse racing, bourbon whisky, and college basketball. Located in the southern United States, Kentucky has numerous natural attractions and activities. Major cities in Kentucky include Louisville and Lexington, along with the greater Cincinnati, Ohio, area, which extends into northern Kentucky.

Rich in natural resources, the state has more miles of running water than any state, except Alaska.

Attractions in Kentucky

The Cumberland Gap – a primary passageway through the Appalachian Mountains in early United States history.

Cumberland Falls State Park – Here, a moon-bow, the only such occurrence in the Western Hemisphere may be seen in the mists of the falls.

Mammoth Cave National Park – The world’s largest cave, located near Cave City, Kentucky.

Red River Gorge – This is a great place to experience the outdoors. The Gorge is part of the Daniel Boone National Forest, a great place for hiking and rock climbing.

Land Between the Lakes – a National Recreation Area managed by the US Forest Service.

Bernheim Forest – a 14,000 acre arboretum, forest, and nature preserve located in Clermont.

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area – Located near Whitley City.

Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve – A state nature preserve with 2,639 acres located on the southern slope of Pine Mountain in Letcher County. Home to one of the largest concentrations of rare and endangered species in the state, a 60 foot waterfall, and a Wild River.

Kentucky has more to offer than just nature. Corvettes anyone? In Bowling Green you can see where all Corvettes are made. How about Bourbon? Visit one of Kentucky’s many Bourbon distilleries, and while you’re at it, you can take in a horse race at Churchill Downs (Louisville) or Keeneland (in Lexington). There is also much to see and do in the cities of Louisville and Lexington; don’t forget Northern Kentucky, which makes up a portion of the greater Cincinnati area.

One last point of interest is the Kentucky Artesian Center, located in Berea off Interstate 75 south of Lexington. The center is a 25,000 square foot facility where you can shop for Kentucky products, experience Kentucky Hospitality, explore crafts and history of the state, enjoy Kentucky cuisine, and learn about other must-see places in the area.

Getting to Kentucky

Interstates I-65 and I-75 both run north-south through the state while I-64 runs east-west in the state. Interstate 71 starts in Louisville and continues north into Cincinnati, Ohio. It is easy to get here by automobile from nearby states. When driving around the state, keep the phone number 511 handy - this number will provide you with travel and traffic information.

To get to Kentucky by air, you can fly into Louisville International Airport (SDF), Lexington-Bluegrass Field (LEX), or the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). Louisville has service from all major US carriers including the low cost carrier Southwest. Lexington is a regional airport, primarily serviced by regional affiliates of the major air carriers. Last but not least, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, located in Hebron, Kentucky, is a hub for Delta Air Lines; in addition to non-stop service from most major US destinations, there are non-stop flights from Europe including London, Rome, and Paris.

All three of these of these airports are good jumping off points to explore the state and rental cars are readily available.