-Kentucky Bluegrass Music
-Kentucky Bourbon (Whiskey)
-Kentucky Horses and Racing: Breeding, Breeding, and More Breeding
-Kentucky Boxing: Legend Cassius Clay / Muhammad Ali
-Kentucky Baseball Bats: Louisville Slugger
–Birth of Chicken Franchise
-Cave Hill Cemetery to Pay Your Respects to Kentucky’s Most Famous
-Phenomenal Murals
“I was sixty-six years old. I still had to make a living. I looked at my social security check of 105 dollars and decided to use that to try to franchise my chicken recipe. Folks had always liked my chicken.”
-Colonel [Harland David] Sanders
Kentucky Bluegrass Music
A Kentucky bluegrass music resurgence has taken much of the country by storm and the birthplace of one of the most beautiful music genres is KY.
If you want to get more specific, it was born in the rolling hills of Ohio County and the village of Rosine, where Bill Monroe — father of bluegrass — was born and raised.
🔴AMAZING Value Alert 🔴
–> The Bluegrass Concerts at Red Barn Radio and Woodsongs. Both are in downtown Lexington every week.
It’s a low cost way to enjoy an evening of entertainment up close and personal.
Red Barn Radio
A Red Barn Radio concert in an intimate indoor venue in downtown Lexington is spectacular.
It is only $10, and is on Wednesday nights.
Join the audience for a performance of Bluegrass and traditional music that is recorded for the live broadcast.
Their website is Redbarnradio.com
Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour at the Lyric Theatre in Lexington
Join in the fun of a music show taped live and broadcast around the world.
Nationally known Bluegrass acts join a line up of traditional and folk music year round.
The show is only $10, and it was outstanding.
The website is Woodsongs.com
If you always like to listen to the local music when you travel, read our guide on how to experience Fado in Lisbon Portugal.
Kentucky Bourbon
There’s only one home of bourbon- 14 distilleries within 45 minutes of downtown Lexington.
One surefire way to pester a Kentuckian is to confuse bourbon with whiskey.
True bourbon is made only in the States. Kentucky produces 95% of Bourbon and the best place to try is along the bourbon trail, which takes you to different distilleries.
The label can’t say “bourbon” unless it is distilled in the US, and it can’t say “Kentucky Bourbon” unless it is distilled in Kentucky.
The only thing you can add to Bourbon is water: no added colors or flavors allowed. Bourbon can only be aged in new, charred American white oak barrels. That other stuff can age in re-used barrels.
Bourbon must be at least 51% corn. The rest of the recipe might contain other grains, but the exact mash bill is top secret.
By law, bourbon must go in the barrel no higher than 125 proof and be bottled no lower than 80 proof.
Just about every distiller adds water to the final product, not to save money but to balance the ABV, flavor and color. Some bourbons get bottled up uncut.
So many variables can affect the outcome of bourbon — from the weather to the location of a barrel in a warehouse — most distillers blend a range of barrels to create an end bourbon that’s fairly consistent. Unless it’s single barrel.
That means no blending — what came out of the barrel goes into the bottle (with maybe a touch of water).
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 20 Year
90.4 Proof • Extremely Limited • Frankfort, KY
They release stock once a year and retailers lucky enough to carry it hold lotteries to decide who gets to buy a bottle.
After that, resellers ask upwards of $2,000.
Why the heavy price tag?
Connoisseurs call it the best bourbon whiskey in the world.
Should you get a hold of some, expect a velvety-ish smooth texture, notes of leather and smoke, with a balanced finish.
Maker’s Mark Distillery – Loretto, KY
This is a favorite tour on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail for several reasons.
The tour gives a fabulous insight to the making of bourbon; the property is gorgeous and the bourbon is delicious.
To get to Maker’s Mark you’ll drive through rural Kentucky.
One lane roads snake through the hills and farms, and you may wonder if you are going to the right place!
Seemingly in the middle of nowhere is the beautiful property of Maker’s Mark.
Before bourbon goes into the barrel to age, it’s clear, fiery, and not delicious. The magic of the barrels brings the mellowness, the vanilla, the amber color and the depth.
The limestone shelf where the distillery is located is key to crafting the unique taste of Maker’s Mark – the only distillery with its own water source and watershed.
Kentucky limestone filters out iron from water, which is unpleasant in bourbon.
The pure calcium- and magnesium-rich water surrounding the distillery makes better drinking water and a better sour mash in which yeast can flourish.
Star Hill Provisions is located on the campus in the beautifully renovated Distiller’s House. The menu offered at the distillery’s restaurant changes seasonally and features locally sourced and inspired ingredients.
I absolutely loved the menu there!
If you visit one distillery on the Bourbon Trail, make sure it is Maker’s Mark with lunch at the café.
Give yourself two hours minimum here. The grounds are beautiful and the tour itself is interactive and takes you throughout the entire process.
Woodford Reserve Distillery – Versailles, KY
Nestled amid the rolling hills of bluegrass and thoroughbred farms sits the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery.
It’s one of Kentucky’s oldest and smallest distilleries.
They also boast one of the few heat cycled barrelhouses in the world, ensuring every drop seeps into the charred and toasted white oak, giving Woodford Reserve its color and signature flavor.
That is really a key contribution to its phenomenal taste.
Glenn’s Creek Cafe is a small cafe in their Visitors Center where they serve sandwiches, salads and soups and bourbon trail chili. There is a patio right outside the cafe where you can eat and relax.
Woodford Reserve is a first-class tour on the Bourbon Trail. Guides take the time to explain the entire process of making small batch bourbon. Woodford is the smoothest-sipping bourbon I’ve had.
This is a distillery to put high on your list.
Horses and Racing: Breeding,
Breeding & More Breeding
There’s only one horse capital of the world and that’s Lexington.
There are 450 horse farms and it is the center of the thoroughbred breeding universe.
VALUE TIP*****
To help you navigate through all of your horse-related touring options, go through the portal Horsecountrytours.com.
These tours are reasonably priced and you can line up your whole vacation in one shot. You just need to show up at your allotted time at the farm location.
I used them for all three of the tours I selected and it went seamlessly.
Mill Ridge Farm
You’re able to see mares, foals, and yearlings up close and in the pasture. I could pet across the fence and fed carrots to them.
The grounds were impeccable and the interaction with the horses is a highlight of the visit.
I felt the passion, pride, and love for horses in this sixth-generation farm.
While on tour and learning about breeding horses and what life looks like for a racehorse, the home-grown authenticity of Mill Ridge and their values was inspiring and exciting.
Old Friends Retirement Farm- Georgetown, KY
A tour of the Old Friends Farm in Georgetown, just north of, Lexington, is a remarkable place to spend an afternoon.
To some, it triggers a rush of highlight memories of some of thoroughbred racing’s greatest stars. Those horses are now in retirement there.
The last time we saw these greats were while winning Breeders Cup races and other marquee events. War Emblem and Silver Charm are the biggest names.
They each won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes but both fell short of winning the Triple Crown.
I learned Touch Gold, another well-known horse, isn’t as warm as his paddock neighbor, Silver Charm. But to say it was cool to be with both would be an understatement.
The tour is thorough, intimate, educational and memorable.
Popcorn Deelites, whose only claim to racing fame was starring in the film Seabiscuit, also lives there.
Coolmore at Ashford Stud
It was one highlight of my trip being able to tour while American Pharoah and Justify were in residence this spring.
It thrilled me I could see both recent Triple Crown champions, and if you go, you can. Just double check if they are in residence when you plan on going.
Kentucky Boxing: Legend Cassius
Clay/Muhammad Ali
The Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville celebrates the life of Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali, one of Kentucky’s favorite sons.
The “People’s Champion” spent much of his post-boxing life traveling the world, spreading wisdom and the message of world peace and harmony.
You’ll learn about that, but also get to take a brilliant stroll through Ali’s fighting history, from his Gold Medal victory in Rome as Cassius Clay, to the Frazier trilogy of fights, to his stunning win over George Foreman in the “Rumble in the Jungle.”
The movies in the museum bring him to life, and I felt like I learned so much about him when I left that museum.
Over fifty years after he burst upon the scene as a gold-medal winner at the 1960 Olympics, in Rome, Muhammad Ali remains a magical figure, known and loved throughout the world.
His accomplishments in the ring were the stuff of legend. But there was always far more to Muhammad than what took place in a boxing ring.
Muhammad’s life and career played out as much on the front pages of national and international newspapers as on the inside sports pages.
His early embrace of the Nation of Islam and his insistence on being called Muhammad Ali instead of his “slave name,” Cassius Clay, heralded a new era in black pride.
He was the recipient of countless awards, one of the most notable being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Baseball Bats: Louisville Slugger
Allow around two hours to enjoy the museum and factory experience.
Guided factory tours depart every 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the season. Factory tours last approximately 30 minutes. Guests will see bats being made on every tour.
Everyone receives a miniature souvenir bat at the end of the tour!
According to company legend, a 17-year-old Bud Hillerich for Pete Browning created the first pro bat in 1884. Browning was a megastar on Louisville’s major league team, the Eclipse.
One afternoon, Bud skipped out of work to watch the Eclipse play. He saw Browning break his bat and offered to make a new one at the woodworking shop.
According to the story, in the next game Browning got three hits with the bat Bud made. Pete Browning’s nickname was, “The Louisville Slugger.”
The Hillerich’s baseball bat business grew. The name “Louisville Slugger” became their registered trademark in 1894.
The success of the growing bat company took another leap in 1905 when Honus “The Flying Dutchman” Wagner, a superstar shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates, signed a contract as the first player ever to endorse a bat.
His autograph was also the first to be used on a bat and the first time a professional athlete endorsed an athletic product.
H&B’s wood bat business branched out into aluminum bats in 1970 and moved its factory just over the Ohio River to Southern Indiana from 1970 to 1995 when the company needed more production room.
The corporate headquarters always remained in Louisville.
H&B owns about 6,500 acres of timberland in Pennsylvania and New York.
I learned at the factory that the best timber comes from parts of Pennsylvania, New York and other northeastern states where the terrain and climate are most favorable to its growth.
Birth of Fried Chicken
688 US Hwy 25W, Corbin, KY
Dine where it all began – at Harland Sanders original restaurant in Corbin.
Built in 1937, Sanders Cafe is like stepping back when the Colonel created his secret of 11 herbs and spices for that “finger lickin’” good chicken.
There are exhibits featuring artifacts and memorabilia from the early days of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
He had many professions including running a gas station in Corbin.
He was cooking his own fried chicken and selling it to his customers as they filled up their gas tanks and found that the sales of his chicken were surpassing the money he was making on the fill-ups.
By 1932, he had to create a restaurant because of the popularity of Sanders Café Chicken and in 1952, renamed Kentucky Fried Chicken.
In 1964, he sold the whole empire and agreed to be the chain’s mascot and making appearances. He died in 1980. The city of Corbin unveiled a life-sized bronze statue of him in Sanders Park in Corbin.
Cave Hill Cemetery – Louisville
Clay/Ali, a Louisville native, was laid to rest on June 10 at Cave Hill Cemetery.
He originally had a simple marker, under his wish to remain humble, but in Oct. 2016 his grave was given a more elaborate monument.
Muhammad Ali’s Grave Site – Section U
Follow the green line on the cemetery roads and it will take you right to the spot.
Colonel Harland Sanders’s Grave Site – Section 33
Colonel Harland Sanders is clear across the property.
The Colonel has his own line, in chicken yellow.
His monument, which includes a bronze bust designed by his daughter Margaret, is suggestive of the KFC headquarters building.
Pete Browning – Section A
A professional baseball player and one of the best right-handed hitters and fighters ever.
Used John Hillerich’s bats to create the Louisville Slugger.
Patty Hill – Section G
A kindergarten teacher who wrote the “Happy Birthday” song. She wrote it with her sister Mildred.
According to the sisters, they penned the “Happy Birthday” melody in the 1890s for Patty’s kindergarten students. At first, they called it “Good Morning to All,” and sung each morning in class.
When a student’s birthday arrived, the class would replace the “Good Morning to All” lyrics with “Happy Birthday to You.”
Take A Hike In Red River Gorge
Before you leave Louisville and Lexington, spend some time hiking at Red River Gorge. This beautiful canyon system is located right in the heart of the Daniel Boone National Forest. Of course, hiking trails are most widely recognized for their spectacular caves and rock formations. At the same time, the Red River, which runs directly through the gorge is a magnificent sight to see. For photos, stop by the Natural Bridge. This impressive sandstone arch stands at over fifty feet high and seventy-five feet long. Also, you’ll see plenty of rock climbers in the area. If you are a climber or mountaineer yourself, check out our guide on preventing altitude sickness in Colorado.
Phenomenal Murals
Kentucky Rushmore 1583 Bardstown Rd, Louisville
At the corner of Bonnycastle and Bardstown Rds.
The Kentucky Rushmore mural depicts Kentucky icons Muhammad Ali, Abraham Lincoln, Colonel Sanders and Secretariat.
Originally conceived to be a giant mountain sculpture, the project failed because of budget issues but artist Margaret Morely has brought it to life.
247 Water St, Lexington
Kentucky Theatre is 214 E Main Street, the street behind is Water St.
A 60-ft tall mural painted in 2013 by artist Eduardo Kobra depicts DC’s Lincoln Memorial sculpture overlaid with hallucinogenic colors and checkered clown pants.
On the corner of West 6th Street and Bellaire Avenue in Lexington, art seekers can find a large mural of horses created by street artist Gaia. Known for his use of animals in various forms, Gaia is a Brooklyn native but creates art in public spaces around the world.
This large mural features five thoroughbred horses leaping and you can find it in front of West Sixth Brewery.
Jennifer Lawrence
East Louisville/Kammerer Middle School – Nice area to visit and drive through to trace her roots.
At 14 years old, during her 2004 NYC summer trip, Lawrence impressed agents with her auditions. She spent that summer in New York City.
Her home is off Blankenbaker Lane while going to school nearby at Kammerer Middle School. Her parents still own the house and Jennifer visits often.
The highest-paid actress in 2015 and 2016 is one of the most famous people to come from Louisville.
Toyota Camry Tour – Georgetown,
I HIGHLY Recommend
Go through the factory tour to learn about car parts, days and evenings of work at the factory, to learn how many cars they complete in a day, among many other car-lover’s tidbits.
I am not a car-lover, but I loved learning more about production on the Toyota Camry and the inner workings of the factory.
Make reservations weeks in advance because they fill up quickly for this free tour. No walking involved. You are driven around with a knowledgeable driver/guide. 16 people to an open air vehicle.
Eats
Star Hill Provisions Loretto, KY – Maker’s Mark Distillery. The menu changes seasonally and features locally sourced and inspired ingredients. I loved the chef’s fried chicken special and the bourbon slushie.
Breakfast at Rick’s White Light Diner Frankfurt, KY – Good food and you get to listen to owner Chef Rick solve the problems of the world. Seats around ten but it is the place to eat to interact with the locals.
This diner became popular after “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” featured it.
Don’t let the looks of the place deceive you. It adds to the experience, and it is downtown Frankfort.
It is small, counter seats for like 7-8 and 3-4 tables that seat roughly four. There are a few seats outside.
Rick is a cool guy.
Broom Wagon
It’s a bike shop, café and a beer garden. Monday nights they have live Bluegrass music.
The coffee and cafe menu are both terrific. It’s a can’t-miss experience in Lexington.
Carson’s – Downtown Lexington
It’s a combination of retro, hip and gourmet. It is pricey, so what I recommend is going for happy hour menu at a fraction of the cost.
The food is fabulous. I loved the bourbon-infused sweet and spicy ribs.
It is pretty close to the Woodsongs show if you end up doing that on a Monday night.
Varanese – Louisville
Fantastic menu in this nice restaurant with Bourbon-infused dishes.
Walk around the Historic Clifton neighborhood before you eat. Quaint, little neighborhood.
Fava’s Restaurant – Georgetown, KY
It’s a family-owned restaurant with a nice menu for breakfast or lunch. I loved the Country Boy breakfast meal.
Good place to combine with the Toyota factory or Old Friends Retirement Farm.
Kentucky Cave Country
When you travel to Kentucky, you must check out world-famous cave country. Cave country is located in Kentucky’s South Central region. The South Central region of Kentucky is home to other famous attractions like the southern shorelines of Jamestown, Lake Cumberland, Dale Hollow Lake, Somerset, and Green River Lake. Visiting Cave Country, you need to pay a visit two Mammoth Cave. Located in Cave City, KY, Mammoth Cave is the second oldest tourist attraction in the entire United States. Mammoth Cave is a World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve. The cave offers over 4,000 miles of passages along with 400 miles of mapped passageways.
🔴Don’t Waste Your Time ALERT 🔴
Abraham Lincoln was born in nearby Hodgenville.
In fact, it was here where he had his earliest memories, and where he shaped his life’s vision of what was possible – a vision that even today, continues to inspire others.
From his humble Kentucky beginnings, Abe Lincoln grew to become one of the best loved, most highly revered figures in American history.
And throughout his too short life, he often looked back fondly on his Kentucky roots.
BUT, the sixteenth President, and one of the most iconic figures in the history of our nation lived in Kentucky for only a short time early in his childhood before his family moved to Illinois.
Note – The Log Cabin is a replica, and he was born there but did not live there past age 7.
“Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
– Muhammad Ali
How To Save Money On The Kentucky Derby Racetrack At Churchill Downs
Learn How I Saved Over $15,274 On Booking Flights, Hotels, & Entire Vacations
This expert guide on "Travel Hacking Tactics To Slash Vacation Costs" has personally saved me over $15,274. Within the guide, you will learn how to:
Understand Credit Report
Impact On Travel
Leverage Travel Hacking
Credit Cards
Earn Substantial Travel
Miles & Points
Maximize Credit Card
Loyalty Programs
3 comments
I want to go to Kentucky but not during the Derby period. This really gave me great ideas on what to do there. I definitely want to see a distillery or two so you really helped me out here. Looks like a great destination!
Never thought of going to Kentucky before but now I am. Didn’t realize there was so much to do there. Your blogs are so informative. I am enjoying reading them.
Fried chicken and bourbon? Brother, you are speaking my language! I’ve been THROUGH Kentucky a few times but never to visit. This seems like a worthwhile trip…taking a bourbon crawl would be right up my alley!