Fans of fried chicken will love Kentucky, the birthplace of international fast food chain KFC. If you’re not a fan Colonel Sanders will forgive you, and the state will instead charm you with its classy bluegrass music and bourbon.
Explore: Berea • Bowling Green • Lexington • Louisville
Famous for its thoroughbred horses, Kentucky also boasts a vast array of wildlife. Visitors will be thrilled to find the largest cave system in the world here, and the cities that sit amongst the state’s hills are a wonderful combination of northern and southern American culture. If funds run low, check out Fort Knox as James Bond did.
State capital Frankfort has many attractions to boast of including Liberty Hall, the State Historical Society, the Old State House and adventurer Daniel Boone’s grave. Young trendy things will enjoy fashionable Louisville, home to some vibrant coffee shops and bars along its riverfront and downtown area. Fans of horseback riding will relish the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
Lovers of country and rockabilly music should head to Lexington to groove to some famous old Bluegrass music and sip on some tasty Kentucky whiskey. Also in Lexington is Henry Clay’s house. Music enthusiasts should also head for the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, which claims to be the barbeque capital of the world. The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum can be found in the Renfro Valley.
For some rural action, the Appalachian region of eastern Kentucky is a beautiful and rugged area to explore. With its vast mountains, clear lakes and chalky cliffs, Daniel Boone National Forest is the perfect place to hike, swim, camp and fish. Wildlife in the park includes black bears, elk, bald eagles and bison, and a popular attraction is the huge sandstone arch that towers over a deep gorge at Natural Bridge State Park. Mammoth Cave National Park boasts the largest known cave system in the world while above ground there is much to do in the way of horseback riding, hiking and canoeing.