9 Kentucky Towns That Locals Love
Kentucky locals have a lot to be proud of in the Bluegrass State. It is the birthplace of drinks such as Ale-8, bourbon whiskey, and mint juleps, as well as dishes like Kentucky Fried Chicken and beer cheese. Beyond food, Kentucky has many small towns that locals enjoy visiting or settling in.
These towns include modern experiences like a tram ride through a Toyota Plant and a skydiving center. They also have historic destinations such as Civil War forts and the first desegregated college in the state, along with outdoor attractions like one of the biggest waterfalls west of Niagara Falls.
Georgetown
Georgetown is the fastest-growing city in Kentucky, while still having a population just shy of 41,000 people. This growth is due to the Toyota Assembly Plant being a major employer. The plant is also a local attraction, as you can take a tram ride at the Toyota Kentucky Experience Center to see how the cars are made. Georgetown employs a more direct form of horsepower at the Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm. This is a renowned place where you can interact with retired horses who once ran in the Kentucky Derby.
For other places of interest in Georgetown, there is the Ward Hall mansion, which was home to the socialite Sallie Ward. The Bi-Water Farm & Greenhouse hosts a fall festival in Kentucky called the Autumn Fest. This festival is not a typical fall experience, since it includes Pumpkin Vine Zip Lines and a haunted farmhouse.
Winchester
Winchester is the birthplace of several Kentucky staples, including beer cheese and Ale-8. Locals enjoy sampling the dip at local brewpubs and bars on the Beer Cheese Tour. The Ale-8 One Bottling Company still produces the classic ginger ale beverage, first created during the Great Depression. The factory offers tours along with vintage bottles and other souvenirs.
There are several historic outdoor sites in Winchester, especially at the Civil War Fort in Boonesboro, which was built by the Union Army to guard against Confederate raids through Kentucky. Fort Boonesboro State Park is equally historic, as it was used by Daniel Boone during his travels across the Bluegrass State when it was still a territory. If you visit Winchester in June, you can attend the Beer Cheese Festival with music, food trucks, and beer cheese.
London
Sometimes the best way to see a town is not on four wheels but two. London has a strong cycling tradition and is one of the most bike-friendly towns in Kentucky, with trails in the downtown area and through Appalachian Mountain vistas. The Laurel Lake Trail is one of the main mountain bike routes, going through pine and hardwood forests for 8 miles. Another popular option is the Redbud Ride, which has multiple routes that pass by redbud trees.
Much like Winchester, Daniel Boone was a trailblazer through the land that would become London, and you can explore this history at the Boone's Trace Trail. London was also the site of an early Civil War battle in 1861, which you can learn about at the Camp Wildcat Battlefield. Every September, London recognizes Kentucky's fried chicken legacy at the World Chicken Festival, which fries chicken on one of the largest stainless steel skillets in the world.
Bardstown
Bardstown sits at the heart of the Bourbon Trail, a network of distilleries that produce the alcoholic beverage for which Kentucky is known. Baptist minister Elijah Craig is credited as the first to make bourbon whiskey, since he aged the whiskey in oak barrels. Today, Bardstown has a mix of distilleries and historic sites. Distilleries such as the Bardstown Bourbon Company and Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience have samples and tours of their facilities. September is a common time for visitors who come for the Kentucky Bourbon Festival.
Bourbon is not the only well-known Kentucky attraction in Bardstown. The town also has the My Old Kentucky Home State Park. This park features the Federal Hill Mansion, an 1818 plantation that helped inspire Kentucky's state song, ‘My Old Kentucky Home.’ In addition, Bardstown has one of the largest collections of Western Theater artifacts from the American Civil War at the Civil War Museum and the Women's Museum of the Civil War.
Paducah
Paducah is called one of the most creative cities in Kentucky and in the world. UNESCO has honored it as a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Arts. Although Paducah recognizes many arts, including live performances at the Clemens Fine Arts Center and The Carson Center, it is most known for its quilts. The city has carried this art form into the present day with The National Quilt Museum, home to both traditional and contemporary quilts, and it regularly holds quilting classes for beginners to experts.
The American Quilter's Society hosts QuiltWeek in Paducah in April. For those who prefer to spend time outdoors, Paducah is close to the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, named for its location between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. Numerous historic family cemeteries remain within the area, reflecting the communities that lived there before it became a recreation area.
La Grange
La Grange is a small Kentucky town a few minutes east of Louisville. Like many Bluegrass towns, it was once a major railway hub. La Grange preserves this railway history not only in a museum but also in its downtown area. The Main Street Train goes up and down the strip several times a day and is a steady way to reach local attractions such as the splash pad at Springs Park or the La Grange Railroad Museum & Learning Center, which has a miniature railway and a 1929 L&N dining car available for rent.
Despite its rural setting, La Grange has a contemporary art scene that can be seen at The Cheeky Museum of Contemporary Art + Culture. The town also hosts an Arts Fest each June.
Corbin
Many locals mention Corbin as a notable place to visit in the state. This town contains two major Kentucky landmarks, a waterfall and the early home of a well-known fried chicken recipe. Corbin has one of the most recognized waterfalls west of Niagara Falls at the Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. The waterfall is a 125-foot curtain of water, and during full moons, the light may form a moonbow. This is the only place in the Western Hemisphere where this natural phenomenon occurs.
The other major site in Corbin is the Harland Sanders Cafe & Museum. Colonel Sanders first served his Kentucky Fried Chicken recipe to guests at this cafe. Corbin has several other places to visit, including the Pinball Museum of Corbin and Gerry's Roller Rink. Corbin also holds an annual event each August called the NIBROC Festival (which is Corbin spelled backwards) with carnival rides, food, and sporting tournaments.
Berea
Berea is widely regarded as the Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of the state, with many local artisans and artists. The town also has a long history of independent approaches to education. Berea College was founded in 1855 as the first interracial and coeducational college in the American South, making it a pioneering institution for integrated education in Kentucky. One of its earliest college halls was Lincoln Hall, built in 1887 in honor of the emancipator.
Arts and crafts remain central in Berean events, including the Berea Craft Festival held annually in July. If you visit at other times, you can still see or purchase local art at the Kentucky Artisan Center. Berea is within the Appalachian Mountains, which influences much of its artwork. You can also take on one of the top-rated hikes in Kentucky at The Pinnacles within Berea College Forest, known for its overlooks.
Elizabethtown
About an hour south of Louisville, Kentucky, is the town of Elizabethtown. Known as Etown by locals, it has several quirky and active experiences. There is an old Civil War cannonball stuck in a downtown building that was left there after a Confederate raid. Etown shows its history at places such as the 1892 Summit One-Room Schoolhouse, once called the best of its kind, and the Swope's Cars of Yesteryear Museum, which has vehicles dating back to the early 1900s.
For those interested in more active pursuits, Etown has Skydive Kentucky, a place to try tandem skydiving with an experienced instructor. If you visit Etown in September, you can attend free concerts and booths at the Heartland Harvest Festival.
Linking Heritage and Modern Life in Kentucky Towns
These towns are equal parts traditional and contemporary. They keep traditional styles alive through folk art in Berea and quilting in Paducah, while remaining open to contemporary styles such as the contemporary art museum in La Grange and the skydiving center in Etown. Locals value these towns not only for their history but also for how they move into the future while staying grounded in the present through regular festivals.
