Nicknamed the “Horse Capital of the World,” Lexington, Kentucky is renowned for its thoroughbred horse farms and racing heritage. But beyond its equine appeal, the city also offers a variety of history, culture, food and entertainment. Downtown Lexington features iconic sights like the regal courthouse and vibrant Cheapside Park.
| Attraction | Description |
|---|---|
| Keeneland Race Course | Prestigious racetrack hosting live racing events and offering guided tours. |
| The Kentucky Horse Park | Education center and museum showcasing Kentucky’s equine heritage. |
| Red River Gorge | Scenic area in Daniel Boone National Forest, known for its sandstone cliffs and natural beauty. |
| Bourbon Trail | Access to famous bourbon distilleries near Lexington for tours and tastings. |
| Lexington Cemetery | Historic cemetery with artful statues and monuments. |
| Rupp Arena | Home of the University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team. |
| Mary Todd Lincoln House | Museum in the childhood home of Abraham Lincoln’s wife. |
| Aviation Museum of Kentucky | Exhibits on aviation history with a range of aircraft on display. |
| Cheapside Park | Downtown park and event space, a hub for local festivals and activities. |
| University of Kentucky Arboretum | Botanical garden featuring diverse plant species and walking trails. |
| Boone Tavern | Historic tavern offering regional cuisine and accommodations. |
| Lexington Distillery District | A hub for shopping, dining, and drinking in renovated distillery warehouses. |
The surrounding Bluegrass region’s natural beauty creates a scenic backdrop. From tours of legendary horse farms to top-notch museums and dynamic distilleries, Lexington entices visitors to discover its southern charms. Here are 12 of the top attractions to see on a trip to this friendly Kentucky city.
Keeneland Race Course
Name and Location: Keeneland Race Course, located in Lexington, Kentucky.
History and Significance: Founded in 1935, Keeneland is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and sales complex. It hosts two race meets each year – in April and October. Keeneland is known for its lush green grounds and is designated as a National Historic Landmark.
What to Expect: Visitors can watch live racing, place bets, tour the grounds, and visit the saddling paddock. The Racing Museum shows artifacts and trophies. Fans enjoy tailgating and mingling.
Visitor Information: General admission starts at $5. Racing days are Friday to Sunday. Guided tours are available.
No trip to Lexington is complete without experiencing the thoroughbred racing at Keeneland. This prestigious racetrack hosts live racing meets in April and October with an electric atmosphere. Marvel at magnificent horses rounding the track and thundering down the home stretch. Between races, enjoy people watching from the paddock area and grandstands. Don’t miss the trademark tailgating scenes as locals party in style at the track. Guided Backside Tours also provide an insider’s glimpse into the barns and training areas. Wager a few bucks, snag a Mint Julep and soak in an essential Lexington outing.
The Kentucky Horse Park
Name and Location: The Kentucky Horse Park, located in Lexington, Kentucky.
History and Significance: Opened in 1978, The Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm and educational theme park. It features museums, attractions, and over 50 breeds of horses. The park hosts events like the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event.
What to Expect: Visitors can see horse shows, exhibits, ride horses, and learn about horses. Attractions include the International Museum of the Horse, the American Saddlebred Museum, and equine-themed sculptures.
Visitor Information: The park is open daily 9am-5pm. Admission is $20 for adults. Guided tours are available for an additional fee.
At this leading horse park and education center, visitors immerse themselves in all aspects of Kentucky’s equine heritage. See famous residents like champion Cigar enjoying their paddocks. Watch artisans demonstrate horse trades like blacksmithing in the 1890s village. The museum traces the history of the horse in Kentucky from settlers to the racing industry. Also on site are the Hall of Champions, film tribute Horse History Theatre, draft horse barn and kid’s rides. Don’t miss watching graceful horses and their riders perform in the “Alltech Arena” show. For horse enthusiasts, the park provides an informative and inspiring experience.
Red River Gorge
Name and Location: Red River Gorge, located in the Daniel Boone National Forest in east-central Kentucky.
History and Significance: Known for its natural bridge formations, sandstone cliffs, and scenic hiking trails. It features over 100 natural arches and miles of streams ideal for fishing and kayaking.
What to Expect: Hiking, rock climbing, camping, fishing, and outdoor recreation. Popular trails include Gray’s Arch, Auxier Ridge, and Rough Trail.
Visitor Information: Free general admission. Some areas require parking fees. The Visitor Center provides maps and information.
An hour east of Lexington, the Red River Gorge area of the Daniel Boone National Forest provides some of Kentucky’s most spectacular scenery. This canyon system contains towering sandstone cliffs, rock arches, waterfalls and thick forests perfect for hiking. The 24,000-acre Natural Bridge State Resort Park contains the towering sandstone arch along with scenic trails. Rock climbing, kayaking, fishing and camping opportunities abound for outdoors enthusiasts. For a beautiful diversion into nature, Red River Gorge’s dramatic landscapes never cease to amaze.
Bourbon Trail
Name and Location: The Bourbon Trail, located in Kentucky around the cities of Louisville, Bardstown, Lawrenceburg, and Frankfort.
History and Significance: A tourism attraction linking distilleries producing Kentucky Bourbon whiskey. Includes tours, tastings, dining, and learning the history and process of bourbon-making.
What to Expect: Guided tours of distilleries like Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, and Woodford Reserve. Tastings of various bourbons. Gift shops and restaurants.
Visitor Information: Self-guided tours. Some distilleries charge admission fees. Reservations recommended for tours.
Lexington provides easy access to many of Kentucky’s revered bourbon distilleries clustered near the city. Tour operations like Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey, Town Branch and Four Roses to sip the famous spirit straight from the source. Learn about the distillation process and aging on behind-the-scenes tours. Historic facilities like Woodford Reserve offer a scenic look at traditional bourbon making. Most tours end with a tasting sampling of their products. Visitors can customize their own bourbon trail experience in the countryside surrounding Lexington.
Lexington Cemetery
Name and Location: Lexington Cemetery, located in Lexington, Kentucky.
History and Significance: Founded in 1849, it is the oldest public cemetery in Lexington. Features historic monuments, rolling landscapes, and the graves of prominent Kentuckians.
What to Expect: Walking tours to view the historic grave sites and monuments. The cemetery offers maps for self-guided tours.
Visitor Information: Open daily 8am-5pm. Guided walking tours available.
This sprawling cemetery dating to 1849 provides a tranquil scenic spot on Lexington’s west side. The rolling hills dotted with old trees create a garden-like setting. Walking the grounds reveals elaborate marble statues and tombstones carved with intricate designs and epitaphs. Notable politicians, entrepreneurs, artists and pioneers are buried here. Maps guide visitors to sites like the Confederate monument made in Italy and the Angel of Grief bronze statue. The cemetery offers artistry, architecture and glimpses into local history within its peaceful confines.
Rupp Arena
Name and Location: Rupp Arena, located in downtown Lexington, Kentucky.
History and Significance: Opened in 1976, Rupp Arena is one of the largest arenas in the US. It is home to the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team and hosts concerts and major events.
What to Expect: Attending University of Kentucky basketball games, concerts, shows, conventions, and other sporting events in the arena. A festive atmosphere with cheering fans.
Visitor Information: Ticket prices vary by event. Public tours may be available when not in use.
Home court of the beloved University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team, Rupp Arena hosts some of the most frenzied fandom in college sports. With over 23,000 screaming blue and white clad fans, the arena’s energy is palpable during Wildcats games. Tickets are difficult to get, but visitors can still admire the massive downtown arena named for coach Adolph Rupp. Sports history buffs may also appreciate the plaques and tributes to UK basketball legends. Catching a game here is the dream, but simply seeing the “Big Blue Nation’s” epicenter offers a taste of Lexington’s Wildcats pride.
Mary Todd Lincoln House
Name and Location: Mary Todd Lincoln House, located in Lexington, Kentucky.
History and Significance: The childhood home of Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of President Abraham Lincoln. Built in 1806, it has been restored and is now a museum showing what Lexington life was like in the 1800s.
What to Expect: Guided tours of the historic home and museum exhibits about Mary Todd Lincoln’s life. Gift shop and adjacent gardens.
Visitor Information: Open for guided tours daily. Admission charged. Tour reservations recommended.
This downtown home provides a look into the early life of Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of 16th president Abraham Lincoln. Built in 1806, the house museum contains period furnishings, artifacts and exhibits detailing Mary Todd’s childhood in Lexington. Costumed interpreters share stories from her upbringing in a wealthy family. Also on the property are a carriage house, formal gardens and a museum shop. Though the Lincolns later left Kentucky, this well-preserved house offers insight into the young life of the future First Lady.
Aviation Museum of Kentucky
Name and Location: Aviation Museum of Kentucky, located in Lexington, Kentucky.
History and Significance: Opened in 1995, this museum is dedicated to the Commonwealth’s aviation history. Exhibits include pioneer aircraft, engines, models, artifacts, and interactives.
What to Expect: Viewing exhibits and full-size aircraft. Flight simulators. Educational programs related to aviation. Gift shop.
Visitor Information: Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm. Admission fee charged. Guided tours available.
Located at the Blue Grass Airport, this museum details the history of aviation in Kentucky and beyond. Aircraft on display range from prop planes to military jets, including a rare World War II Lancaster bomber. Exhibits highlight Kentucky aviation milestones and pioneers like Captain Thomas Fortune Ryan. Kids can climb into cockpits, simulate flights and construct aircraft models. Temporary exhibits also focus on various aspects of flight. The museum provides an immersive experience for aviation buffs and curious visitors looking to the skies.
Cheapside Park
Name and Location: Cheapside Park in downtown Lexington, Kentucky.
History and Significance: Formerly the site of one of the South’s largest slave auction blocks in the 1800s. Now a memorial park with events and public art.
What to Expect: Quiet reflection at the memorial art. Exercise or play at the outdoor fitness area. Events like concerts and festivals.
Visitor Information: Free and open daily 5am-11pm. Public parking available nearby.
In the heart of downtown, Cheapside Park is Lexington’s central gathering place and site of festivals throughout the year. Once home to the open-air marketplace dubbed the “Cheapside,” today the green space contains benches, fountains and a performance pavilion. The lively Thursday Night Live summer concert series draws big crowds. Year-round, office workers congregate for lunchtime relaxation and even yoga classes in the park. Whether passing through for a snapshot by the Cheapside clock tower or attending a lively event, Cheapside Park reflects Lexington’s vibrant spirit.
University of Kentucky Arboretum
Name and Location: University of Kentucky Arboretum, located in Lexington, Kentucky on the UK campus.
History and Significance: Established in 1991, the arboretum features extensive botanical gardens with over 1,000 species of trees and plants. It is an outdoor classroom and research facility.
What to Expect: Walking along landscaped paths to see diverse trees, flowering plants, gardens, and natural areas. Enjoying scenic views and wildlife.
Visitor Information: Free admission. Open daily dawn to dusk. Tours available by appointment.
Spanning 100 acres adjacent to campus, the University of Kentucky Arboretum features diverse botanical collections among rolling fields and woodlands. Curated gardens include nearly 1,000 species of trees and plants. Walking trails meander past fragrant lilacs, heirloom daffodils, native wildflowers and conifers. The roses, perennials and rock gardens display beautiful blooms suited for Kentucky’s climate. Seasonal enhancements like spring bulbs and fall colors make every visit unique. Benches scattered throughout provide quiet spots to enjoy natural beauty at the urban oasis.
Boone Tavern
Name and Location: Boone Tavern in Berea, Kentucky. Part of Berea College.
History and Significance: Built in 1909, it provided lodging and food service for Berea College visitors and students. Known for its Southern cuisine using local ingredients.
What to Expect: Staying overnight in historic accommodations. Dining at the restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Modeled after a 1930s Kentucky inn, Boone Tavern transports visitors back in time with regional cuisine and hospitality. Owned by Kentucky chef Ouita Michel, the renovated tavern restaurant inside the Isaac Murphy Memorial building evokes a refined historic ambiance. Southern favorites like fried chicken, country ham and Benedictine spread grace the tables. Nearby, the charming Waller rooms contain six guest suites decorated in rustic style with modern amenities. History meets southern charm at Boone Tavern’s accommodations and dining in downtown Lexington.
Lexington Distillery District
In a cluster of old distillery warehouses, the Lexington Distillery District provides unique shopping, dining and drinking. Browse home goods shops, galleries and boutiques housed within the 19th century stone buildings. Specialty stores offer Kentucky products from bourbon barrel crafts to sweets. Restaurants like Middle Fork Kitchen Bar serve creative farm-to-table fare in an airy loft space. Stop by the James E. Pepper distillery producing bourbon, rye and whiskey on site. The atmospheric historic structures harbor some of Lexington’s best retail, food and drink all in one spot.
Conclusion
From the rolling pastures of horse farms to the energy of downtown, Lexington offers memorable attractions that convey its distinctive heritage. Reveling in the Kentucky racing tradition at Keeneland Race Course and the Horse Park provides interactive experiences with these regal animals. Admiring heritage sites like Mary Todd Lincoln House and Cheapside Park reveal the city’s history. Scenic landscapes like the Red River Gorge show off the area’s natural beauty. And the bourbon trail, local cuisine and university pride exemplify Lexington’s hearty spirit. With this mix of horses, history, hospitality and happenings, Lexington delights visitors seeking quintessential Kentucky experiences and southern charm.