9 Most Hospitable Towns In Kentucky
Kentucky's most hospitable towns serve up fried chicken, Ale-8-One ginger ale, and beer cheese. Each comes with a side of historical sites and Appalachian Mountain overlooks. The Appalachian region holds artisan villages run by expert artists and students alongside high-elevation trails. Central Kentucky offers plenty of Bourbon whiskey and a palatial hotel built like a medieval castle. The nine towns ahead are some of the most welcoming Kentucky has to offer.
Corbin
Sitting near the border between Kentucky and Tennessee, Corbin is a lesser-known town that was the humble birthplace of KFC. Harland Sanders opened a small cafe here during the Great Depression, selling fried chicken. He sold off the cafe after starting his KFC franchise, and today it is part of the Harland Sanders Cafe & Museum, preserving his open kitchen design and several rare KFC memorabilia, like one of his early cookbooks. Every April, Corbin celebrates this heritage with a Colonel Fest, where Colonel Sanders lookalikes take part in a dress-up contest. Other than fried chicken, Corbin also offers vintage pinball machines going back to the 1960s at the Pinball Museum of Corbin and the roaring waterfall of Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. At 68 feet high by 125 feet wide, it's the second-largest waterfall in the Eastern United States.
La Grange
La Grange is a small town just to the east of Louisville that prides itself on being a kind place. Throughout the town, one can find yard signs with the words Be Kind, in honor of the town's efforts to become the Kindness Capital of Kentucky. Because of this kindness, La Grange is a hospitable place with many attractions, such as the Main Street Train, which runs down a rail line up to 30 times a day. Visitors who want more railroad history can visit the La Grange Railroad Museum & Learning Center, housed in a historic 1914 L&N depot with exhibits, model trains, and rail cars. Each May, La Grange hosts RailFest, which celebrates its 175 years of railroad history through vendors, rides, and family-friendly activities.
Winchester
One of the defining traits of good hospitality is great snacks and drinks. Winchester provides this in spades with its two native cuisines: beer cheese and Ale-8-One ginger ale. Both are tied to Winchester: visitors can tour the Ale-8-One Bottling Plant at 25 Carol Road and sample beer-cheese dishes along the official Beer Cheese Trail, a route of Winchester-area stops. Every June, the town comes alive with beer cheese tasting and more than 160 booths for its Beer Cheese Festival. The other cultural experience in Winchester is its Daniel Boone heritage. Daniel Boone was an explorer who ventured through Kentucky in the 18th century. Visitors can see one of the forts established by Daniel Boone at the Fort Boonesborough State Park, not far from Winchester.
Cumberland
Located in the Appalachian region of Kentucky, Cumberland was originally called Poor Man's Fork due to the poor soil quality in the 19th century. Today, the town is rich with natural beauty, especially at the Kingdom Come State Park. This 2,700-foot elevation state park is best known for its overlook views, like the 12 O'clock Overlook or Creech Overlook. Visitors can also catch bluegill and largemouth bass at the mountain lake or take a photo of the Log Rock natural sandstone bridge. Outside of the park, Cumberland has a 9-hole Sleepy Hollow Golf Course in the shadows of the mountains, and the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum just to the southeast of Cumberland in Benham, cataloging the coal mining heritage of the state.
Versailles
Versailles is a central Kentucky destination within the larger Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Area. Central Kentucky itself has a network of Bourbon whiskey distilleries where the drink is made with aged Bourbon barrels. One of the oldest distilleries in Versailles is Woodford Reserve, established in 1812. After touring the distillery or sampling whiskey, visitors can see the other Kentucky tradition at the Lane's End Farm for thoroughbred horses just a few minutes away. Versailles' most striking landmark isn't the horse farms but rather a medieval-style fort called the Kentucky Castle. This landmark is a boutique hotel and event center with a central keep that's enclosed by stone walls and towers like a real medieval castle. For those wanting to meet new friends in Versailles, the town has a rich biking culture. Cyclists can team up with others to take on the 26-mile Midway/Versailles loop.
Berea
Berea has had a welcoming spirit from its foundation. Berea College was famous for being the first racially integrated higher learning institution in Kentucky. Berea is still not afraid to stand out from the crowd with its tradition of crafting, which has earned the city the title of Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky. It is easy to discover both professional and student crafters via the Artisan Village, which contains several jewelry studios and other crafting stores, or the Log House Craft Gallery, with works from more than 470 artists, including local Berea College students. Berea College also maintains several miles of Appalachian trails via the Berea College Forest. The most popular hike in the forest is the Pinnacles for its scenic overlooks.
Paducah
Paducah's creativity is its greatest asset. It is one of 408 UNESCO Creative Cities, an honor given out to cities that go above and beyond to spark creativity. In Paducah's case, that creativity shines through at its art galleries, theatres, and museums. For example, Paducah keeps a revolving collection of quilts at The National Quilt Museum. This museum has a hands-on mindset with classes for beginners and experts in quilting. Throughout downtown Paducah, there are many other artistic centers, such as the Art Guild of Paducah for local artists and the Market House Theatre, which puts on shows and classes for theater students. For those who like to get outside, Paducah is close to several wildlife refuges and trails, such as the 5-mile Greenway Trail, which connects downtown Paducah to two other public parks.
Hodgenville
Hodgenville's culture revolves around one key historical figure: Abraham Lincoln. He was born here in 1809 in a tiny log cabin. The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park includes both the original site of his birth within the Memorial Building and the Boyhood Home Unit, with several landmarks that Lincoln later recalled, such as Sinking Spring. In Hodgenville, visitors can learn about Lincoln's career after his life in Kentucky at the Lincoln Museum, or enjoy food and a variety show at the Lincoln Jamboree. There are also a few nature retreats nearby, including the Pearman Forest, which has a small hiking trail and signage with information on the types of trees.
Harrodsburg
Harrodsburg has had a long time to develop its tradition of hospitality, as it's the oldest town in the state. James Harrod established a military fort here in 1774, 18 years before Kentucky became a state in 1792. The community is a history lover's paradise with the Old Fort Harrod State Park not only recreating the original fort, but also exhibiting artifacts from the American Revolutionary War and American Civil War at the Mansion Museum. Harrodsburg has a long tradition of welcoming new groups of people, including the Shakers, a religious community known for its ecstatic dancing worship services, celebrated lifestyles, and handmade goods. Visitors to Harrodsburg can see the site of the Shaker community at the Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill.
These Towns' Cultures Revolve Around Hospitality
All of these communities have a hospitable culture that is immediately apparent to anyone visiting. Berea has a heritage of welcoming all types of people and celebrating their talents through folk art and crafts. Hodgenville maintains its historical Abraham Lincoln landmarks while also putting on a good show at the Lincoln Jamboree, while La Grange prides itself on being the Kindness Capital of Kentucky. If there is one constant to all these communities, it's that they all will offer a welcoming place to relax for a day trip or a longer vacation.
