9 Prettiest Downtown Strips In Kentucky
When most people think of downtown, they envision a bustling metropolitan area with honking cars, bright lights, and busy sidewalks. However, downtown strips in small-town Kentucky offer a completely different experience. Here, one can relax in the laid-back atmosphere amid many pretty buildings, parks, and other attractions. Within these pretty downtowns, you can take a main street train, tour the best plantation home in Kentucky, stroll by riverside murals, and much more. Here are 9 of the prettiest downtown strips in Kentucky.
La Grange
Real beauty comes from within, and La Grange embodies this with its reputation as the Kindness Capital of Kentucky. This cute small town is just a short drive away from Louisville, and it's certainly worth the journey to see its quirky downtown attractions. Among these is the Main Street Train, which runs up to 30 times a day down its main strip, making it the ideal way to explore downtown. Once you're on Main Street, there's another railroad to explore at the La Grange Railroad Museum, which hosts classic trains, model train sets, and regular dinner train events. You can grab a bite to eat and a drink at the Main Street Bourbon and Ale House Grill or sip on local coffee at La Grange Coffee Roasters. This is a relaxing town for anyone looking to sit down and take in the sights, whether on foot or on a train.
Berea
Berea is a beautiful town situated in the middle of the mighty Appalachian Mountains. It has a grand reputation in Kentucky as the Arts and Crafts Capital. In fact, students at Berea College keep this tradition alive by crafting Appalachian art and crafts of their own. Art is on display everywhere in downtown Berea, from student artwork at the Berea College Student Craft, the Appalachian Fireside Gallery, and Doris Ulmann Galleries. Visitors can spend an entire day exploring the historic campus of Berea College, such as the red brick 1887 Lincoln Hall, named in honor of the emancipator Abraham Lincoln. This three-story building was a major center for those fighting for civil rights in Kentucky. A favorite spot for people to spend the night is the Historic Boone Tavern, a 1909 building made of bricks that students manufactured. For those who want to get out into the woods and explore, the Pinnacles hike within the Berea College Forest is a top-ranked hike in the state for its beautiful views.
Harrodsburg
Some of the best downtowns also happen to be the oldest, and there's nowhere older in Kentucky than Harrodsburg. It was founded in 1774, making it the oldest town in Kentucky. Anyone who visits here is going to want to get out and explore the downtown strip, especially to see the Old Fort Harrod State Park. There's a little bit of everything here in this park, such as a reconstruction of the original 1774 fort, the Lincoln Marriage Temple where Abraham Lincoln's parents were wed, and the Greek Revival style Mansion Museum, which houses relics from the American Civil War, Native Americans, and much more. Once you've learned all about the history of Harrodsburg, try out a local drink at SiTBE Cider or Lemons Hill Brewery, or relax with a treat at the Blackbird Bakery & Café.
Paducah
Paducah is a wonderful Kentucky town with a highly creative downtown strip. After all, it has been designated as a UNESCO Creative City. This creativity takes many forms in Paducah, especially with the traditional art of quilting. The National Quilt Museum is nestled right on the downtown strip close to the Ohio River, and it offers both exhibits on traditional and nontraditional quilts and classes on how to begin quilting yourself. Just a short walk away is the Yeiser Art Center, an art gallery with more than 200 pieces of artwork on display, and the Carson Center for the Performing Arts, which regularly hosts plays. Lastly, you can experience the history of Paducah while taking a stroll by the river at the Wall to Wall Murals, which were designed by the famous Dafford Muralists.
Elizabethtown
Elizabethtown is renowned for its cute historic downtown strip. Locals call it Etown for short, but encourage visitors to use the nickname as well. When you go downtown in Etown, expect to find world-class boutiques and historic oddities. For example, in 1862, Etown was the site of a Civil War battle, where a cannonball lodged itself in a building. Although that building would burn down, Etown kept the cannonball and later placed it back in its former spot in a new building with arrows pointing to the cannonball. For other historic places, there's the Hardin County History Museum, which has exhibits on Abraham Lincoln, Native Americans, and more. There's a fantastic range of shopping options available downtown as well, ranging from the Sweet Rebel Boutique to the That Cute Little Shop, a local women's clothing store.
Bardstown
Some Kentucky towns have a grand reputation for hospitality, and Bardstown regularly ranks among the very best. Bardstown stands at the center of the Bourbon Trail, a network of Kentucky towns that produce and sell Bourbon whiskey at local distilleries. Bourbon lies at the very heart of downtown, like at the Barton 1792 Distillery or the Oscar Getz Museum of Bourbon History, which proudly displays bottles from hundreds of years ago. Bardstown also has a rich architectural heritage that makes for beautiful scenery. Just off of N 1st Street, visitors can explore Colonial-style log cabins and a Civil War museum at the Old Bardstown Village & Civil War Museum. The most beautiful building in town by far is at the My Old Kentucky Home State Park. At the park, you can see the 1818 Federal Hill mansion, which was renamed after Stephen Foster's famous song about Kentucky. This mansion is one of the finest plantations in the Bluegrass state and regularly hosts tours, including food-based ones like Apple Cider Tour, Mint Julep Tour, and the Lemonade Tour.
Corbin
Corbin is an underrated Kentucky town with a big legacy. Colonel Harland Sanders established his first café in Corbin to sell his secret recipe fried chicken. He later sold the café and founded the chain Kentucky is known for: KFC. Within the town's lovely downtown strip, visitors can find a few KFC-themed attractions, including the original Harland Sanders Café & Museum, which has been lovingly preserved, along with Sanders Park, which has a statue of the founder himself. On the main street, visitors can see pinball machines from days past at the Pinball Museum of Corbin or try out ceramics at Campbell's Ceramics. Lastly, for those who want an outdoor adventure, take a short drive over to the magnificent Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. Its waterfalls are known as the Niagara of the West.
Pikeville
Pikeville doesn't have a big reputation, which is a shame considering the climactic historical events that took place here. This small town was at the center of the infamous Hatfield and McCoy feud, where two families engaged in a back-and-forth violent struggle for land, livestock, and revenge. However, one wouldn't guess this town had such a bloody reputation based on its cute downtown. Visitors can learn about the history of this beautiful Appalachian town at the Big Sandy Heritage Museum, go for a walk across the quaint Foot Bridge, or begin your Hatfield McCoy Historical Feud Driving Tour at Loretta Lynn's Home Place, where the country musician grew up. Lastly, you can see how the Appalachian Mountains inspired local artists at the Appalachian Center for the Arts.
Georgetown
Georgetown sits proudly in Kentucky as the fastest-growing town in the state. This is due to both Georgetown College and the Toyota Plant, which are the biggest employers in town by a wide margin. Due to its prosperity, it has a wide mix of activities downtown, both historic and artistic. One such spot is Georgetown College itself, which used to be called Lebanon and was founded by Elijah Craig, a Baptist minister and inventor of Bourbon whiskey. At the university, visitors can also see art at The Galleries. Other spots downtown include the Georgetown and Scott County Museum and Royal Springs Park, which has the first paper mill west of the Appalachians and a 1874 log cabin. Lastly, visitors can enjoy locally made food at Galvin's on Main.
These downtown strips offer a little something for everyone. If you're looking for a homemade craft, you can visit Berea's artisan shops. If history is more your cup of tea, you can learn about Fort Harrod in Harrodsburg or go on a Hatfield-McCoy Historical Feud Driving Tour in Pikeville. That's not to mention all the beautiful architecture to see in these downtown strips, from mansions to cute boutiques. It's definitely worth it to spend a day or night on the town in these 9 downtown strips in Kentucky.
