Unique Places and Experiences in Kentucky
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Don’t Miss these Unforgettable Stops
When most people think of Kentucky, they think of bourbon and the Kentucky Derby. These two things alone make Kentucky unique and can provide some unforgettable experiences. But did you know that you can find countless other unique places and experiences in Kentucky? The Bluegrass state is also home to several one-of-a-kind museums, natural phenomenon, and more. I hope this collection of special spots inspires you to add a few to your next Kentucky adventure.
Bourbon Tastings
Home to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, if you are over 21 and a fan of spirits you must do at least one stop to complete a bourbon tasting. What’s so special about bourbon in Kentucky? Kentucky is where the majority of bourbon is made. And by law, Kentucky bourbon must be made in Kentucky. There are distilleries all around the state and many offer tours as well as tastings so you can learn more about the bourbon and whiskey-making process.
To fully complete the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, you will need to visit 37 distilleries. If that seems too daunting to you, consider the Stateline Whiskey Trail. This trail only has 3 stops on it making it much more doable if you have limited time. Either way, wherever your Kentucky travels may take you, there is sure to be a distillery a short drive away! Some tastings do have a small fee and others will require you to make reservations ahead of time, so make sure to call ahead or check their websites if you are on a tight schedule or budget.
Jeptha Creed Distillery was one of the distilleries we stopped at during our travels. They provide free liquor tastings that you can schedule in advance or as a walk-in. They also have a bar menu available which makes it a great spot for lunch or dinner.
Ark Encounter & Creation Museum
Most people have heard the Bible story about Noah’s Ark. To put it as simply as possible; God told Noah to build an incredibly huge boat in the middle of a desert, gather his family and a pair of almost every animal in the world so they could survive a flood that wiped out the Earth. This Museum is home to the only life-sized Ark in the world and is set up perfectly to bring Noah’s story to life.
About 45 minutes away from the Ark Encounter is its sister site; the Creation Museum. The Creation Museum offers a unique insight into the major differences between Creation and Evolution Theory. This location will walk you through the history of the Bible and the world while providing arguments in favor of Creation Theory.
Both locations are in Northern Kentucky, not too far from Cincinnati Ohio. Each site offers food, a petting zoo, movies, and even a zipline. For more detailed information, our Ark Encounter and Creation Museum post will go into further detail on what you can expect from each site so you can decide where to go and know how long you should plan to spend there.
My Old Kentucky Home
Bardstown Kentucky is where you can find this historical mansion located inside My Old Kentucky Home State Park. The Park itself is also home to a golf course and campgrounds in addition to the welcome center and historic buildings. Whereas I do not recommend tent camping at this park as it was by a surprisingly busy road with a lot of traffic noise throughout the night, I do recommend the mansion tour.
This site is considered to have one of the most complete collections of any historic plantation in the U.S. which you can see during the $14 guided tour of the mansion. The guides are dressed in period clothing and will take you through each room while talking about the history of the house and the people who lived there. The highlight of this tour (and why I booked it) is when the song “My Old Kentucky Home” is sung to you by one of your guides. This song was written by Stephen Foster who had visited the mansion and is what the building was named after. The mansion also puts on special events throughout the year if you are looking for a more festive experience.
Outside of the house, you are able to walk the gardens and see other areas like the carriage house, cabin, and smokehouse. There is also a gift shop in the visitor center full of local goods, and memorabilia for purchase to remind you of your trip.
See a Rare Moonbow
A moonbow is a rainbow that is formed in a waterfall at night. These are rare occurrences because there has to be the right combination of factors to create one. They are so rare, that moonbows can only be found consistently in two places in the entire world; Victoria Falls in Zambia-Zimbabwe and Cumberland Falls in Kentucky. Visit Cumberland Fall State Park during the full moon for your chance to see this unique event.
Vent Haven Ventriloquist Museum
The Vent Haven Ventriloquist Museum in Fort Mitchell is one of my favorite stops in Kentucky. It consists of 5 separate buildings on the grounds. The curator of the museum, Lisa, lives onsite and is also the person that leads the tours. Tours need to be booked in advance but are available any day of the week from May 1st to September 30th. They typically last about 30 minutes but can be longer depending on how many questions you may have.
Lisa is an amazing tour guide and easily adapts the tour to fit your interests. She can recall facts about any individual dummy that you point out and nicely explains the differences between the types of shows that occurred. The tour starts outside where Lisa explains how the museum started and an overview of the property. She will ask how comfortable you are around dolls and then will explain automatonophobia, a common fear of human-like figures.
Inside the first building of the tour, you will be met with a variety of ventriloquist dummies. Lisa will explain the basics of ventriloquism and show you the two main types of dummies, ones that have a cut-out jaw and ones that have a leather jaw. You will also get to see the inner workings of the dummies and the many additions that can be added to make them do things like wink or even blow smoke. This building has dolls from all over the world, the latest acquisition was from the Philippines!
The next building covers more of the history of the ventriloquist trade. It has displays of the main ventriloquist headliners over the years like Edgar Bergen and his doll, Charlie McCarthy, and ends with Jeff Dunham and his array of dolls. It has a lot of items that were popular at the height of ventriloquism and had some posters and stage bills of different acts.
In the last building, the dolls were set up in a way that led to a discussion about the different creators of the dolls. Vent Haven normally has conferences throughout the year with ventriloquists, like Jeff Dunham, who will make appearances at them. They also have events where they give ventriloquist lessons which Danny and I both thought it would be cool to attend one day.
Fun things to try: Find a YouTube video with lessons on ventriloquism. We had a blast with an introduction to a ventriloquist course until we reached our next stop.
Horses
Kentucky is famous for horses and horse racing. So, can you even say that you visited Kentucky if you did not do something with horses? The most unique experience of course would be watching the world-renowned Kentucky Derby. The race itself happens at the end of a two-week festival that occurs every year in May.
If you are a huge horse racing fan, then you will be interested in visiting the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville. Here you can learn about the life of a Thoroughbred and the history of horse racing.
For those of you that are looking for a more hands-on experience with horses, there are multiple places around the state where you can go horseback riding. Stepping Stone Ranch at Deer Run Stable is located near Lexington and they offer a 60-minute trail ride for only $30/rider. Cumberland State Park also offers horseback riding in the summer. Check out the Hiking Cumberland State Park post to see what else that park has to offer.
The Kentucky Horse Park is also in Lexington where you can go horseback riding, watch horse shows, and visit their museum. They also have a large campground onsite complete with amenities like tennis courts and a pool.
Why You Should Visit:
Kentucky is full of opportunities for unique experiences while you visit the state. Take a stop on the Bourbon Trail, ride a horse, or visit a one-of-a-kind museum. Learn about ventriloquists or see a life-sized Ark. If you love visiting interesting places, this state is full of them. Make sure you add some of these stops to your itinerary when you travel to Kentucky!
Looking for some fun stops to break up the drive? Take a look at Quick Roadside Attractions in Kentucky to get some great ideas for your road trip.
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