FOFC Tourism Board: Kentucky

[wade moore]

I am going next week to visit my in-laws in Elizabethtwon, KY (near Ft. Knox).

Well, I've come to realize that Kentucky doesn't tend to have a lot of great travel info. I guess Elizabethtown, Louisville, Lexington, etc are not exactly tourist destinations.

So, I think we'll be going to either Louisville or Lexington one day (likely Louisville).

Anyone have recommendations? I know Churchill Downs and the Louisville slugger plant are options. Any touristy type stuff?

In addition, my wife and I are budding foodies - so good food options would be awesome.

[Bad-example]

Mammoth Cave National Park - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammoth_Cave)

Well worth the drive.

[wade moore]

Mammoth Cave National Park - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammoth_Cave)

Well worth the drive.

The in-laws have mentioned this, ok, cool - might have to put this on the list.

[digamma]

Bourbon Trail is on my life list.

[wade moore]

Bourbon Trail is on my life list.

Hrm, this could be interesting. I don't drink (in fact, have never had a drink) so it may have less appeal to me, but the process is still very cool to me.

[cougarfreak]

Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington if you are into that kind of thing. Malone's in Lexington is a great steak house.

[cougarfreak]

The Reds AAA team is in Louisville, they start their season at home on April 7th. The Louisville Slugger Museum is very cool as well.

[wade moore]

The Reds AAA team is in Louisville, they start their season at home on April 7th. The Louisville Slugger Museum is very cool as well.
Figures, I think we're heading back on the 6th ;).

[wade moore]

Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington if you are into that kind of thing. Malone's in Lexington is a great steak house.

I think we're already leaning towards Louisville, so I'll keep this in mind, but migh not make it cause of doing Louisville.

My wife wants us to go to a "woolery" in Frankfort (she's BIG into knitting) and then head to Louisville.

It's not 100% that we do Louisville rather than Lexington, but it seems to be the early favorite.

[TargetPractice6]

I'll second Mammoth Cave. I went camping there last summer and had a good time. There are also be several distilleries near E-town that do tours. Kentucky Bourbon Trail (http://kybourbontrail.com/index.php/guide/)

[digamma]

Hrm, this could be interesting. I don't drink (in fact, have never had a drink) so it may have less appeal to me, but the process is still very cool to me.

I can't think of a better way to start.

[ColtCrazy]

I live about 30 minutes from Louisville. What types of food do you and your wife like? As far as tourist options, you have the big two, Churchill and the Slugger museum. There's also the Frazier(sp) Museum across the street from Slugger. It's a historical weapons museum if that's up your alley.

If the day is nice, a walk along the river is great too. At night, cross to the Indiana side and eat at one of the restaurants on the river and enjoy the view of downtown Louisville. Kingfish is a local seafood place that's pretty good (looks blah, but food is good). There's a Rocky's Italian Grill that's nice there too.

There's plenty great places to eat in Louisville. One of my favorites is Molly Malone's, an Irish Pub on Baxter Avenue. Baxter and Bardstown Roads are the trendy areas of town (2nd hand music stores, eclectic clothes, etc) but several good restaurants. Try Wick's for some great pizza. Dittos is good place with a varied menu.

If you like the nightlife, downtown Louisville has 4th Street Live...a bar area that usually has some sort of live music.

[CrimsonFox]

PLease do yourself a favor and go to a Skyline Chili. There are many in Kentucky. Order a 3-way and a skyliner. Your mouth will thank me.
And they have vegetarian options too if there are any of those in your family.


Skyline Chili - Restaurant Locations (http://skylinechili.com/locations.php)

[Ksyrup]

Definitely consider the bourbon distilleries. We took my parents and brother/wife over Thanksgiving and they had a blast. I live about 10 minutes from Woodford Reserve. We hit 3 distilleries/tours in half a day. There are some good ones down your way that we didn't even get to.

Also, not sure the timing of your visit, but horse racing at Keeneland in Lexington starts up next Friday (April 8th). Honestly, it's a much nicer track/racing experience than Churchill Downs.

If you are just looking for a nice driving experience, Frankfort Pike between Frankfort and Lexington is prime horse farm country and a great drive. Some famous farms out that way, including the one where Rachel Alexandra and Curlin were bred last month. If you do a bit of planning, you can tour a horse farm as well. If you go to Lexington, make sure you take 60 past CastlePost, Versailles famous castle in the middle of horse farm country. You can even put a bid on it if you want (I think they're asking $30M).

Louisville sucks, but that might just be 5 years of living near Lexington talking. :p

[wade moore]

Definitely consider the bourbon distilleries. We took my parents and brother/wife over Thanksgiving and they had a blast. I live about 10 minutes from Woodford Reserve. We hit 3 distilleries/tours in half a day. There are some good ones down your way that we didn't even get to.

Also, not sure the timing of your visit, but horse racing at Keeneland in Lexington starts up next Friday (April 8th). Honestly, it's a much nicer track/racing experience than Churchill Downs.

If you are just looking for a nice driving experience, Frankfort Pike between Frankfort and Lexington is prime horse farm country and a great drive. Some famous farms out that way, including the one where Rachel Alexandra and Curlin were bred last month. If you do a bit of planning, you can tour a horse farm as well. If you go to Lexington, make sure you take 60 past CastlePost, Versailles famous castle in the middle of horse farm country. You can even put a bid on it if you want (I think they're asking $30M).

Louisville sucks, but that might just be 5 years of living near Lexington talking. :p

Looks like my timing is slightly off - I'll be driving out this Friday and coming back probably on the 6th.

FWIW, our driving directions have us cutting right through Lexington on 64, so in theory we could do stuff on the way out - but it's a bit harder because we will have 3 dogs with us.

[Ksyrup]

If all you have time for in Lexington is a quick driving tour...

Coming back from Louisville towards Lexington, jump off 64 at Exit 58 (Frankfort/Versailles 60). Go right off the exit ramp, go through 1 stop light and on the left will be a turn onto State Hwy 1681. That will eventually turn into the start of Old Frankfort Pike and the scenic highway. You can take that straight into Lexington and have some great scenery on the way.

A couple of quick points of interests from there... just past the intersection of 62/Midway Rd on 1681 is Wallace Station, a great sandwich shop featured on Diners Drive-ins and Dives (that Guy Fieri show). Instead of taking 1681 straight into Lexington, when you get to State Hwy 1967, hang a right and you'll eventually come to the main intersection of Versailles Rd/60 (which goes past Keeneland, Calumet Farm, and the airport) that leads to Lexington, and on your left will be CastlePost. Or you can just continue on 1681 through the horse farms until you get to Lexington. From there it's not too difficult to get back onto 64. Just grab New Circle/4 North and you'll see signs for 64/75.

[wade moore]

Hrm, we are 100% going here on Tuesday:

woolery frankfort, ky - Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=woolery+frankfort,+ky&aq=&sll=38.397644,-85.097351&sspn=0.867461,2.705383&ie=UTF8&hq=woolery&hnear=Frankfort,+Franklin,+Kentucky&ll=38.187331,-84.857712&spn=0.054375,0.169086&z=13)

Looks like the sandwich place is only about 10 miles away, that might even work on that day. And maybe pushes us towards Lexington instead of Louisville ;).

[CrimsonFox]

Isn't the place with Jesus riding a dinosaur down there somewhere? Actual lifesize photographs!

[ColtCrazy]

Forgot to mention a great place to eat. Claudia Sanders. It was run by the wife of the Colonel. Excellent fried chicken and tons of country style vegetables (mock oysters are a must). It's outside of Louisville, you might need to look it up if interested, on the way to Lexington.

[Ksyrup]

Isn't the place with Jesus riding a dinosaur down there somewhere? Actual lifesize photographs!

The Creation Museum? I think that's closer to Cincinnati, up 75 in No. KY.

[QuikSand]

If you ultimately choose to venture to Louisville, a brunch here would be an outstanding choice:

Lynn's Paradise Cafe (http://www.lynnsparadisecafe.com/)

[nZane]

If you ultimately choose to venture to Louisville, a brunch here would be an outstanding choice:

Lynn's Paradise Cafe (http://www.lynnsparadisecafe.com/)This. Their Matador omelet still ranks as one of the best breakfast choices I've ever made.

[stevew]

If you need some Jesus, a friend of mine is at the Anglican Church in Elizabethton.

[Ksyrup]

Well?

[wade moore]

Been meaning to update this, but you know, first day back at work is always busy. I'll give the short version, try to expand later:

Friday Night: The "Bluegrass Jam Session" in Vine Grove. It was awesome. Bunch of local musicians, they draw names from a hat, and build bands to play. 9 bands, good fun.

Saturday: Mammoth Cave - good
Sunday: Ft. Knox (her dad toured their facility) and BBQ in Louisville
Monday: Churchill Downs
Tuesday: My wife's yarn trip, Woodford Reserver Distillery tour - the tour was AWESOME
Wednesday: Came home

Saw some horse country, but did not follow your specific directions cause we just wanted to get home ;).

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Friday Night: The "Bluegrass Jam Session" in Vine Grove. It was awesome. Bunch of local musicians, they draw names from a hat, and build bands to play. 9 bands, good fun.

This sounds very cool.

[Ksyrup]

Cool. Woodford Reserve was my favorite of the tours we took. I hope you got a drink BEFORE the yarn place. :p

[wade moore]

This sounds very cool.

Yeah, it was really awesome. Good, down-home, country-folk just enjoying their music. Big mix of ages and talent level, but just fun.

Cool. Woodford Reserve was my favorite of the tours we took. I hope you got a drink BEFORE the yarn place. :p

We went there because the reviews seemed to show it had the best TOUR.

And as for the drink, well, as I mentioned above - I don't drink, so no such luck.

The yarn place was in downtown Frankfort. Boy what a depressing place that is.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

The Mammoth Cave is cool. Big Bone Lick is nice too.

[Ksyrup]

Yep. Frankfort is, um, not too great.

I didn't drink either. I did the driving, although I don't really drink anyway. Between the 3 places we went, I think Wild Turkey had the most liberal alcohol policy. Each adult got 2 free shots to choose from among the 6-8 different bourbons they had. There were 6 adults in our group, and only 2 were really drinking. But we got all 12 shots anyway. My brother went from zero to slurred speech from the time he swigged them to the point we walked out of the shop. That was the highlight of the day.

[wade moore]

Yep. Frankfort is, um, not too great.

I didn't drink either. I did the driving, although I don't really drink anyway. Between the 3 places we went, I think Wild Turkey had the most liberal alcohol policy. Each adult got 2 free shots to choose from among the 6-8 different bourbons they had. There were 6 adults in our group, and only 2 were really drinking. But we got all 12 shots anyway. My brother went from zero to slurred speech from the time he swigged them to the point we walked out of the shop. That was the highlight of the day.

Hah - awesome. Yeah, it wasn't a big sample - but the tour was also only $5.

[Ksyrup]

That's the only one that charges. At least around here.

[stevew]

Bluegrass Jam in person is probably pretty sweet. Bluegrass music on the radio, however, not so much. I think it's one of those things you appreciate more when you recognize the degree of difficulty.

[wade moore]

Bluegrass Jam in person is probably pretty sweet. Bluegrass music on the radio, however, not so much. I think it's one of those things you appreciate more when you recognize the degree of difficulty.

In fairness, I'm somewhat partial to at least some bluegrass, for instance the Avett Brothers and Mumford and Sons.

That being said, this was certainly pretty traditional and more easily enjoyed live.

[sterlingice]

Been meaning to update this, but you know, first day back at work is always busy. I'll give the short version, try to expand later:

Friday Night: The "Bluegrass Jam Session" in Vine Grove. It was awesome. Bunch of local musicians, they draw names from a hat, and build bands to play. 9 bands, good fun.

Saturday: Mammoth Cave - good
Sunday: Ft. Knox (her dad toured their facility) and BBQ in Louisville
Monday: Churchill Downs
Tuesday: My wife's yarn trip, Woodford Reserver Distillery tour - the tour was AWESOME
Wednesday: Came home

Saw some horse country, but did not follow your specific directions cause we just wanted to get home ;).

Nicely done. Goes to show that you can have a few quality days of fun pretty much anywhere. I saw "Kentucky" and thought "what's to do there" which was really dumb on my part as I should know better. I mean, I spent 4 days in Milwaukee and another 4 in St Louis last year and am in the midst of planning a trip to Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh in May :D

SI