Kentucky, known as the Bluegrass State due to its verdant blue-tipped green grass, is known for horse-racing, bourbon, and auto manufacturing, but also for its lush forests that pioneers tramped through on their way west, and for the world’s longest cave system.
Cities
Louisville, the largest city, is best known as the home of the world-famous Kentucky Derby. It’s a beautiful city full of parks, museums, and other attractions.
- Old Louisville is a fascinating neighborhood of Victorian buildings.
- At the Louisville Slugger Museum you can watch the famous bats being made and tour exhibits on baseball.
- Apart from the Derby itself, numerous festivals take place in Louisville. There’s the Kentucky State Fair; the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival; Abbey Road on the River, devoted to the Beatles; the Bluegrass Balloon Festival, with hot-air balloon races; and the Kentucky Bourbon Festival at nearby Bardstown.
- The premier festival, of course, is the Kentucky Derby. It takes place at Churchill Downs, three miles south of downtown. Seats are almost impossible to get; however, many other races are held there which are less crowded and much less expensive. On the grounds is the Kentucky Derby Museum.
Lexington, the second largest city, is also devoted to horseracing.
- In the downtown area are a number of historic houses. Guided tours can take you around to see them.
- To the north is Kentucky Horse Park, where you can see a working horse farm and check out the Museum of the Horse. You can also tour the nearby Thoroughbred Center.
Other Attractions
- At Hodgenville is the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site.
- For car enthusiasts, at Bowling Green is the plant where Corvettes are made, and the National Corvette Museum.
- In Daniel Boone National Forest is the popular Red River Gorge area, a beautiful vista of cliffs, waterfalls, and natural arches.
- Mammoth Cave National Park has the world’s longest known cave system, over twice as long as any other. Numerous ranger tours varying from one to several hours take you to different parts of the cave.
In conclusion, seniors, Kentucky is a very interesting state with unique attractions.
