Are you planning a trip to Kentucky?  What are some of the best places to visit?  What is there to do in Kentucky?  Are you having trouble trying to decide what to do or where to visit?  Well, hopefully this bucket list will provide some help in planning your next trip to Kentucky! I hope to eventually visit each of these places myself, with the family, and write about our experiences at each.  Some of these places, I haven’t been to since I was a kid myself!

1) Kentucky Horse Park
When you think about Kentucky, chances are one of the first things that comes to mind is horses.  The Kentucky Horse Park celebrates the history of the horse and man’s relationship with the horse.  Visitors will have the opportunity to engage with and learn about horses and why Kentucky is truly horse country.  The horse park is open year around and has events and shows all through the summer months.  From November 17 through December 31, they have the Southern Lights Holiday Festival.  The Kentucky 3 day event is the largest equine competition at the horse park.  If you like camping or have an RV, there is a campground there as well.  Expect to spend at least 3 hours touring the horse park and more if you are there to see shows or events they put on.

2) Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
This was the third largest Shaker community in the US between 1805 and 1910.  Here you can learn about the Shakers, how they lived and worked. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to learn about this diverse group of people.

3) Mary Todd Lincoln House
In downtown Lexington, you can find the Mary Todd Lincoln House.  Learn about America’s most fascinating first lady.  Open March 15 through November 30.

4) Lexington Cemetery
While you are in Lexington, be sure to go to the Lexington Cemetery.  Even though this may seem like an odd place to go while on vacation, the grounds of the cemetery are beautiful and have the most beautiful trees.  In the spring you can enjoy the flowers and in the fall the changing leaves are abundant and amazing in color!

5) University of Kentucky Arboretum
A 100-acre botanical garden, this is another beautiful area, with a 2 mile paved path.  There are classes and events going on year around.  They have a 2-acre children’s garden that is designed to teach children learn about plants and the environment.  The children’s garden is open March 28 through October 27th and they offer activities throughout the day.  Even though there is no fee to the arboretum, there is an admission fee to the children’s garden.

6) Ashland: The Henry Clay Estate
Find out about Henry Clay and why he declared the estate “as good as any Moses would have found in the Promised Land”.  Enjoy a guided tour of the 18-room mansion (guided tours take 1 hour) and self-guided tours of the outdoor garden and walking trails.

7) Historic Bardstown
Bardstown is officially recognized as the “Bourbon County of the World” and has 9 distinct bourbon distilleries within 20 miles of downtown. There are more than 300 building on the National Register of Historic Places.  It is Kentucky’s 2nd oldest city, founded in 1780.  It is also rich in religious attractions.  While there, you can visit the Abbey of Gethsemani and the first catholic cathedral west of the Allegheny Mountains, the Basilica of St. Joseph.

8) Fort Boonesborough
If you are looking for a history lesson, look no further than Fort Boonesborough.  Originally built by Daniel Boone and his men in 1775, it is Kentucky’s second oldest European-American settlement.  Now a state park, it offers history programs and demonstrations of what life in Kentucky was like during those times.  The Kentucky River Museum, also located in the park, tells about the locks and dams in the 1900s.

9) Cumberland Falls
Cumberland Falls is a 60 foot waterfall on the Cumberland River.  On a clear night with a full moon, a moonbow is visible.  You can stay at DuPont Lodge, in a cottage or camp at one of 50 sites in this beautiful state park.

10) Louisville Mega Cavern
One of the best kept secret in Louisville, this massive limestone quarry was mined for over 42 years in the 20th century.  Even though it’s underground, it’s considered the biggest building in the state of Kentucky. 

11) Creation Museum
Located in Petersburg, KY the museum allows you to venture through biblical history with nearly 150 exhibits.  It also has a theater, petting zoo and planetarium and allows you to experience history as God revealed in the Bible. 

12) Ark Encounter
Only 45 minutes from it’s sister site, the Creation Museum, the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, KY is a life-size Noah’s Ark.  This ark was built to the dimensions given in the Bible.  If you have ever wondered how Noah completed the task given to him by God, you can find all the answers here.  At 500 feet long and 50 feet tall, the ark is the largest timber frame structure in the world. 
Click here to see what we thought of our visit to the Ark Encounter.

13) Natural Bridge
Natural bridge is a sandstone arch in the Daniel Boone National Forest, near the Red River Gorge.  It spans 78 feet in length and 65 feet in height.  The beauty all around this area is spectacular.  Hemlock Lodge, cabin rentals and campsites are available.