Famous for bourbon, horse racing, and old money, Lexington, Kentucky is one of the best cities to visit whenever you find yourself traveling through the Bluegrass state.
Lexington has been called the Horse Capital of the World, but the city is also home to a wealth of American history and natural beauty.
Join Viewcation as we discuss our top picks of the best things to do in Lexington, Kentucky.
Kentucky Horse Park
This operating horse farm is also a theme park and the venue that hosts the High Hope Steeplechase event, which is held on the third Sunday in May every year. Visitors to the park can learn all about the rich history of horses and the relationships that humans have historically cultivated with them while touring the park’s four museums. There are also numerous statues, memorials, and other landmarks to discover.
The park regularly plays host to several shows, demonstrations, and presentations from some of the top prize-winning horses that call the property’s Hall of Champions their home. Visitors can go horseback riding along a series of well-manicured trails. Younger guests can take a pony ride or participate in a number of different hands-on activities designed to educate them about all-things-equestrian.
The park also boasts a campground, but for those that aren’t interested in sleeping underneath the stars, there are quite a few hotels located nearby.
Headley-Whitney Museum
This museum first opened it’s doors in 1968. Originally it was meant as a private gallery, built to showcase the museum’s founder’s creations. Jeweler George Headley III and his beloved wife Barbara Whitney were remarkably talented at their craft, and today the museum is home to various collections of jewelry, bibelots, and semiprecious stones collected, mounted, and designed by them. There is also an impressive display of antique dollhouses designed by artisans for Headley and Whitney’s daughter.
On top of all of that, the museum is home to the creative couple’s vast collection of fine and decorative art pieces collected on their travels around the globe.
Children and adults can participate in workshops designed to develop skills like jewelry making and flower arrangement. It’s worth noting, however, that the museum is not open year-round and closes down during the winter months.
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Raven Run Nature Sanctuary
This nature sanctuary is the perfect place to spend the day hiking and wildlife viewing. It’s also an excellent destination for those wanting to spend a little time in the great outdoors while enjoying themselves and getting lost in the glory of mother nature.
The sanctuary has a very effective method of organizing it’s many trails. Each trail is designated with a color code indicating it’s type and difficulty level. Regardless of which one you choose to take, you can expect a unique and satisfying experience.
While hiking through the sanctuary’s trails, you’ll see scenic sights like the Kentucky River Overlook, The Prather Homestead, and The Evans Mill. ‘
This place is really beyond words. But to ensure that it remains pristine, please remember to pack out everything that you pack in so as to not disrupt the delicate balance of nature.
The Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company
Established in 1999, this fantastic distillery and brewery produces a wide variety of craft beers, seltzers, malt beverages, spirits, and of course, whiskey! A tour through the facility takes you through the complex brewing and distilling process and includes several tasting tokens that you can redeem to sample some of the products that you see being made.
It’s also the only location along the famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail where visitors can sample both bourbon and beer at the same time. After wrapping up your tour, you can enjoy a pint of your favorite brew over at the beer garden. You can also pick up a bottle of your drink of choice over at the Brewery and Distilleries shop.
Keeneland Race Course
Keeneland is both one of the world’s most famous and renowned racecourses as well as an auction house. If you’ve never had the chance of watching a live horse race before, this can be a great place to experience this Kentucky tradition firsthand while maybe even placing a little bet on your favorite equestrian competitor.
By visiting Keenland’s auction house, you can learn about the process of buying and selling racehorses. If you’re curious about the sport’s history, consider taking a guided or self-guided tour of the immaculate grounds.
While touring the facility, you’ll witness morning workouts, get to visit the jockey quarters, and much more. If Keeneland is high up on your list of reasons to visit Lexington, you can always book a night or two at a nearby hotel such as The Eighth Pole Inn or the Origin Hotel Lexington.
The Kentucky Castle
This famous landmark, located in the nearby town of Versailles, Kentucky, was first built as a private residence. Also known as Martin Castle, Castle Post, and Versailles Castle, this seemingly out-of-place structure was built in 1969 by eccentric real estate developer Rex Martin for his wife Caroline Martin. After Rex and Caroline divorced, the castle was left in an unfinished state. Since then it has changed hands several times and underwent a major renovation in 2004.
Today it operates as a luxury bed and breakfast hotel and specialty functions venue. The castle regularly hosts weddings, business conventions, and even has an operational farm-to-table restaurant inside. Tours of the castle are available upon request.
Festival of the Bluegrass
What’s a visit to Kentucky without a dose of bluegrass music? This festival is in fact the oldest bluegrass festival in the region. The musical genre remains incredibly popular, especially with people from the Appalachian region.
The festival has been taking place every year since 1974. The Cornett Family keeps the time-honored tradition alive to this day. If you’re interested in attending the musical event, it’s held annually on the first weekend of June. For Americana music fans, we can’t think of a better way to experience this much-beloved genre.
University of Kentucky Art Museum
This award-winning museum is a part of the University of Kentucky’s College of Fine Arts. Visitors are encouraged to learn about the various styles of art from many different cultural backgrounds and historical eras.
The museum is very proud of the fact that they have more than 5,000 objects in it’s permanent collection. The curators do their due diligence to promote diversity and appreciation of art from many different perspectives.
If you plan on visiting the museum, it’s open Tuesday through Friday from 10am to 5pm. On Saturdays, it’s open from Noon to 5pm. Admission is free, making it one of the best places to go on a rainy afternoon.
Aviation Museum of Kentucky
If you fancy yourself a fan of aero science and want to check out something truly unique, consider visiting the Aviation Museum of Kentucky, The museum promotes the aviation industry in Kentucky by serving as a focal point for educating the masses about aviation history.
There are numerous educational programs, exhibits, and tours on offer for guests to become more acquainted with the ins and out of the world of flight. Visitors can attend a group tour, virtual tour, or take a self-guided tour of the facility.
Woodford Reserve Distillery
Located in Versailles, not far from the Kentucky Castle, is this world-famous whiskey distillery. While officially established under it’s current name in 1996, distilling has been taking place on-site since 1812, making it one of the longest-operating distilleries in the bluegrass state.
Guests can sign up for an immersive and thought-provoking 70-minute tour. Throughout this tour, you’ll learn all about the history of the distillery while discovering what makes Woodford Reserve so unique. And yes, of course, at the end of your tour, you’ll have the chance to taste craft bourbon to see what all of the hype is about.
For those that don’t have time for the full tour, Woodford Reserve also puts on a 30-minute tasting program where you’ll get to taste five distinct samples. Just an FYI, however, tours are booked out about three months in advance at the moment, so be sure to sign up early if you’re interested in taking this once-in-a-lifetime tour.
Once again, we’re just about out of time. Being a Kentucky native myself, I wish I had another 20 or so minutes to tell you about everything that makes Lexington and the bluegrass state so special. Fortunately, we’ve covered enough that you should have a pretty good idea where to start.
Did you know that Lexington, Kentucky, is considered the Horse Capital of the World and that it is home to some of the most famous whiskey and bourbon distilleries in the country? Share your thoughts on this charming southern city in the comments section.
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