9 Towns Made For A Quiet Getaway In Kentucky

Kentucky's towns often stay small around a single draw such as a moonbow waterfall or a frontier fort. Slade exists mainly as the entry point to the Red River Gorge where a sandstone arch crosses the canyon. Paducah on the Ohio River carries a UNESCO Creative City designation for quilting and runs workshops at the National Quilt Museum year-round. Across all nine of these towns accommodations tend toward historic inns and farm stays. Pack the car for a weekend that runs at the pace of a riverwalk rather than a highway.

Bardstown

About 14,000 people live in Bardstown, the Bourbon Capital of the World. Much like Versailles, it sits on the Bourbon Trail and has a multitude of distilleries and bourbon-related attractions. For example, there is the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History, which houses liquor memorabilia from the 1700s to today, and Barton 1792, one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in town. Every September, Bardstown hosts the Kentucky Bourbon Festival with vendors, drinks, and music. Outside of the town, it sits close to the more than 16,000-acre Bernheim Forest and Arboretum. The forest is especially beloved by children for its eco-friendly playgrounds and the Forest Giants, three large wooden sculptures by Danish artist Thomas Dambo built from recycled materials and spread along a trail through the woods. In downtown Bardstown, there are several historic and boutique stays, including Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn and the Old Talbott Tavern.

Versailles

Versailles has one particularly literal landmark: the Kentucky Castle. Built starting in 1969 and opened to the public in 2008 after a fire and rebuild, the structure features a central keep, walls, and towers, and offers tours, dining, and several rooms to stay in. It is one of several accommodations in this small Woodford County town. Other than the castle, Versailles sits on the Bourbon Trail of connected bourbon whiskey distilleries and draws in visitors at its Woodford Reserve Distillery. Other activities in town include the Woodford Theatre for performing arts and the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad and Museum, which offers rail tours of the surrounding Bluegrass countryside. Cyclists can also get out and explore the area around Central Kentucky via the 26-mile Midway/Versailles Loop.

Paducah

This Ohio River town is best known for its creativity, especially quilting. UNESCO designated Paducah a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art in November 2013, and the National Quilt Museum is at the heart of that recognition, offering exhibits and workshops for beginners and experts. One of the town's most peaceful spots is its riverside walk along the floodwall, where a series of large murals tells the story of Paducah's history. The town also preserves Civil War history at the Lloyd Tilghman House & Civil War Museum, the 1852 former residence of Confederate Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman. Paducah has several accommodation options, including The 1857 Hotel and the Paducah 1895 Washington Hotel.

London

Set in the Appalachian Mountains, London prides itself on being a bike-friendly town where it is easy to travel through its rural roads into the challenging trails of nearby Appalachian parks. Cyclists can follow the 24-mile Yellow Route through downtown London, while other local routes lead into the surrounding countryside. Every April, cyclists come to London to try out the Redbud Ride event. Hikers can also find trails, including the historic Boone Trace Trail, within the Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park, which Daniel Boone used during his 18th-century Kentucky expeditions. One of the best places to stay in London is at Wood Creek Lake. Family Lake Vacations offers four lakefront properties for rent, with access to private docks and bass fishing.

Berea

Berea is a quieter kind of college town, shaped by Appalachian hikes, folk art, and locally made crafts. Just over 15,500 people live in the community, known as the Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky and home to generations of skilled artisans. They display their works at the Kentucky Artisan Center and in locally owned galleries like the Log House Craft Gallery. Berea College manages the Berea College Forest trails, which are accessible just outside the town center. The most visited trail is the Pinnacles, which overlooks the surrounding region at about 1,460 feet. A popular historic hotel in Berea is the Boone Tavern, built in 1909 and host to guests ranging from Henry Ford to Eleanor Roosevelt.

Harrodsburg

History buffs who want a quiet getaway will have a lot to see and do in Harrodsburg, which is home to just under 10,000 people. It is the oldest town in Kentucky, founded in 1774 as a frontier settlement, 18 years before Kentucky became a state. The town's crown jewel is Old Fort Harrod State Park. The park includes a reconstruction of the 1774 fort and a Mansion Museum with artifacts from the American Revolutionary and Civil Wars. It also has the Lincoln Marriage Temple, where Abraham Lincoln's parents were married. Visitors can stay at a historic accommodation via The Inn at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. This village served as a religious community for the Shaker movement from 1805 to 1910, and is now a historic tourist attraction. Another accommodation option is the Beaumont Inn, with two historic buildings constructed in 1845 and 1932 for weekend stays.

Winchester

Winchester offers a food-focused weekend stop with Ale-8-One ginger ale and beer cheese. It also sits near a scenic stretch of the Kentucky River and several pioneer and Civil War sites. It has a population of just under 20,000 people within 9.14 square miles. As the birthplace of Ale-8-One ginger ale and Beer Cheese, visitors can try both at the Ale-8-One bottling factory and along the Beer Cheese Trail through local pubs and restaurants. Winchester played a key role in protecting Kentucky from Confederate raids, a role visitors can learn about at the Civil War Fort at Boonesboro. Just outside Winchester, Fort Boonesborough State Park recreates an 18th-century outpost associated with explorer Daniel Boone. It also provides access to the Palisades, limestone cliffs that rise along the Kentucky River. Winchester has several farm-based getaways, including a log cabin within Mt. Folly Farms and the Franklin Ridge Farms Getaway, located on an 1803 farm.

Corbin

The noisiest place in Corbin is not in the town, but rather the sound of water cascading down Cumberland Falls at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. At about 68 feet tall and 125 feet wide, Cumberland Falls is known as the "Niagara of the South." Nighttime visitors have a rare opportunity to see a moonbow by the waterfall, a rainbow made by the light of a full moon. Visitors can stay in the park via the DuPont Lodge or in the Corbin Cottage via Laurel Lake Cabins. Corbin is also known as the birthplace of Colonel Sanders' secret fried chicken recipe. He established a small cafe here before starting the KFC franchise, which today is part of the Harland Sanders Cafe & Museum.

Slade

Slade is a small Kentucky community best used here as a gateway to Red River Gorge and Natural Bridge. It is the main entry point into the Red River Gorge Geological Area, a canyon formed by the Red River through the larger Daniel Boone National Forest. The Gorge is a destination for hiking, biking, and rock climbing. Within the area is the Natural Bridge State Resort Park, named after the 65-foot-tall by 78-foot-long natural sandstone arch, which is accessible on foot. Close to the park is the Kentucky Reptile Zoo, which focuses on venomous reptiles. The area is perfect for a cabin retreat, as multiple companies have rental cabins near Red River Gorge and Natural Bridge, including Red River Gorge Cabin Rentals and other operators listed by local tourism pages.

Quiet Kentucky Getaways With Trails, Rivers, and Historic Stays

These towns are ideal for a rejuvenating weekend of viewing or purchasing arts and crafts, learning about quilting, or snapping photos of natural wonders like the Natural Bridge or Cumberland Falls. One of the best seasons to visit these towns is fall, for cultural festivals like the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and for the autumn colors in the wilderness parks of London and Winchester. Guests to these towns can expect to find historic B&Bs, rustic cabins, or farm retreats to enjoy their quiet weekend getaway.