Quick Roadside Attractions in Kentucky
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Interesting Roadside Attractions for Your Kentucky Road Trip
If you are road tripping and are looking for some fun and quick roadside attractions in Kentucky to break up your drive, then this post is for you. I love finding weird and interesting things that different states have to offer. You may not have even heard of many of these unique Kentucky attractions. These places will provide the perfect opportunity for bathroom breaks, the chance to stretch your legs, and wonderful memories of the ‘travel’ part of your trip. Make sure to add these interesting stops to your road trip through Kentucky!
Ancient Petroglyph Rock
In Manchester, Kentucky you can see an Ancient Petroglyph Rock located for easy access inside a public park. Upon quick glance it may seem unimpressive and just a gigantic rock but what makes it special is that it has 8 different ancient petroglyphs or languages carved into it. Even more interesting is the timeline of some of the languages found on the rock. Some of the writing was made up of Old-World Alphabet which would have no longer been in use by the time Christopher Columbus and other explorers had come to America. Don’t worry, they have signs that translate the petroglyphs and that will explain the history of the rock. This is a fun free stop with an easy-to-spot parking lot.
Yahoo Falls
Yahoo Falls in Whitley City is Kentucky’s highest waterfall. The trail to the Falls is about .25 mile and provides a nice break if you have been in your car for a while. There is an additional path available if you want to hike to the base of the falls. If you want to make the hike slightly longer, you can continue the trail to see Yahoo Arch. There are bathrooms available in the parking lot.
If you are looking for some more great hiking areas, check out our guides for Red River Gorge or Cumberland State Park.
World’s Largest Baseball Bat
You will find the “World’s Largest Baseball Bat” in downtown Louisville in front of the Louisville Slugger Museum. If you have time, go ahead, and explore the museum itself. Taking pictures of the bat outside is free, but you will most likely have to pay for parking at a meter since it is downtown. The museum tickets are around $15.
Fun fact: It is an exact scale replica of Babe Ruth’s bat!
Kentucky Mt Rushmore
The Kentucky Mt Rushmore is a mural in Louisville, that contains Muhammad Ali, Abraham Lincoln, Colonel Sanders, and the famous racehorse, Secretariat. Originally this was meant to be another rock sculpture but there were budgetary issues. Margaret Morely was the artist who created the mural on the building so the project was able to be completed in a different way. This stop is not in downtown but is still located in the city. You will have to park at a meter on the street. There are a lot of options for coffee or food on this stretch of road if you are hungry or need caffeine.
If you are around Louisville in the month of October, be sure to check out the festive Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular!
World’s Largest Sausage
Head to Simpsonville to see the “World’s Largest Sausage” in the United States which is in front of Purnell’s Sausage Factory as part of their sign. The ‘Largest Sausage’ is not nearly as impressive as the “World’s Largest Baseball Bat” in Louisville but is worth a stop if you are nearby and this is your sort of thing. While we were there, we saw a few empty animal cargo trucks that had obviously dropped off the next batch to be made into sausage which was a slight damper so be aware if anyone in your party is sensitive to things like that.
Original KFC and Sanders Park
Corbin, Kentucky is the home of the Original Kentucky Fried Chicken and Sanders Park. The Harland Sanders Café (the original KFC) is a working restaurant where you can get a bite to eat in addition to a museum. The museum covers the history of Kentucky Fried Chicken and Colonel Sanders (the founder of KFC). You can buy souvenirs here also.
A short drive away is Sanders Park where you can take your picture with a life-size statue of Colonel Sanders. There is also a fun mural which is another fun photo opportunity. The museum and park are both free.
Kentucky Stonehenge
If you have always wanted to go to England to visit Stonehenge, then take a drive to Munfordville, Kentucky to enjoy a smaller version of it. This stop is located at a private home, but not to worry; they don’t mind visitors. You will find a sign to show you where they would like you to park and don’t forget to drop some money in the donation bucket to help them with the upkeep of this unique attraction.
This stop is great for some cool photo opportunities and is well worth a visit. Remember to follow the rules on the signs (don’t climb on things, etc) so we can keep this place available for future visitors.
Dixie Cup Water Tower
When you are driving through Lexington, Kentucky, keep an eye out for the Dixie Cup Water Tower. The water tower was originally constructed after the Dixie company had built its headquarters there, but the company has since been bought out. You will have to be satisfied to enjoy this stop from a distance as it is on private property. For this reason, I don’t recommend you alter your road trip route for it but it is a sight to see if you are already driving by.
Why You Should Go:
These quick roadside attractions in Kentucky can make the road trip itself more enjoyable while you explore the state. I hope you found some interesting stops that you can add to your next Kentucky road trip!
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