7 Small Towns in Kentucky with the Best Downtowns

Kentucky's smaller-town downtowns make it easy to stumble across a century-old candy shop or a Civil War cannonball still lodged in a building wall. Some have also built strong arts traditions of their own. Berea's college-rooted craft tradition earned it the title of Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky. And Paducah earned UNESCO Creative City recognition, thanks to landmarks like its quilting museum and a mural trail painted along a floodwall on the Ohio River. These are just a few of the places you'll find while visiting these 7 small towns in Kentucky with the best downtowns.

Bardstown

Bardstown is one of the best towns in Kentucky for a 3-day weekend getaway, as there's so much you can find to do and drink in Bardstown. Known as the Bourbon Capital of the World, much of Kentucky's famous distilled whiskey is made here.

Downtown Bardstown offers a mixture of bourbon bars, such as Circa 1856 Bardstown, and landmarks like My Old Kentucky Home State Park.A few blocks from the town square is My Old Kentucky Home State Park, which includes the 1818 Federal Hill Mansion, which inspired Stephen Foster's song, today Kentucky's state song. You can find history everywhere in Bardstown, including the lesser-known stories of the Western Theater of the American Civil War and women's roles in the conflict at the Civil War Museum and the Women’s Museum of the Civil War.

Paducah

Located in Western Kentucky on the Ohio River, Paducah's downtown is defined by artistic outlets. That's why it's been named a UNESCO Creative City, an honor shared by cities that are dedicated to creative spaces. Many of these areas are within walking distance of each other in Paducah's riverside downtown, such as the National Quilting Museum. This museum hosts a large collection of vintage and modern quilts, along with expert classes for those who want to learn quilting.

A short walk away from the museum is the Yeiser Art Center gallery or the Market House Theatre for the performing arts. One of the best ways to experience the city is to view the award-winning murals depicting its history at the Paducah Wall to Wall, designed by expert muralists and installed along a floodwall walking trail.

La Grange

Located a few miles north of Louisville, the charming railroad town of La Grange is a short drive away. While many towns grew into railroad hubs, what makes La Grange unique is that it still has a train running down its Main Street multiple times a day. The La Grange trains on Main Street are the ideal way to explore La Grange's downtown strip.

On the eastern end of Main Street is the La Grange Railroad Museum & Learning Center, containing functioning model train layouts and a 1953 L&N caboose. The museum offers event rentals in a 1929 dining car. To the west, you'll have plenty of options for local snacks and coffee at La Grange Coffee Roasters or Red Pepper Deli Cafe & Catering. If you arrive in May, you can join up for the La Grange, Ky, Rail Fest.

Harrodsburg

Harrodsburg's downtown is unlike any other in Kentucky, with Old Fort Harrod giving it a frontier identity few other towns can match. Founded in 1774 as Harrodstown, it's the oldest town in Kentucky. In the center of downtown Harrodsburg, a full-scale replica of the fort is the centerpiece of Old Fort Harrod State Park. The fort's biggest features are its variety of 18th-century style blockhouses, cabins, and artifacts that harken back to the earliest days of the frontier. For military history buffs, the fort features the Mansion Museum, which houses exhibits and artifacts from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Speaking of the Civil War, there’s a temple housing the log cabin where Abraham Lincoln's parents were wed on the grounds of Old Fort Harrod State Park. After you're done exploring the park, you can grab dinner from the charming Granny's Diner just a few blocks away.

Elizabethtown

Elizabethtown (Etown for short) is a popular shopping destination for folks living in nearby Louisville, Kentucky, or elsewhere in Kentucky. Downtown Etown offers a diverse array of boutique shops amid one of Kentucky's more unusual historic landmarks. One of those curious sites is The Cannonball. This artillery piece was fired on the city during the American Civil War, recovered after the 1887 fire, and later returned to its original spot as a testament to the scars of war. Also in downtown is the 1825 Georgian-style mansion called The Brown-Pusey House, which today serves as a genealogy library with records of early Kentucky settlers. As for shopping, downtown Etown offers a mixture of vintage goods at the Elizabethtown Peddler's Mall, women's clothing at Raiment + Boon, and records from New Style Records.

Frankfort

Despite being the capital of Kentucky, Frankfort keeps a low profile, with fewer than 30,000 residents and a downtown centered around the Kentucky River and the Old State Capitol. On the southern side of the River, you can try out delicious Bourbon Balls from the Rebecca Ruth Candy Tours & Museum, which has been in business since 1919.

From there, make your way across the river to the Greek Revival-style Kentucky Old State Capitol Building, which operated from 1830 to 1910, and today serves as a treasure trove of information on Kentucky legislatures like Henry Clay, Kentucky art, and other statehouse artifacts. Another historic site not far from the state house is Liberty Hall, a Federal-style mansion built in the late 1700s for statesman John Brown. Tours of the mansion are available from March to November.

Berea

Berea has always stood apart from Kentucky's other cities. Berea College was the first interracial and coeducational college in the South, and several of its historic buildings, including Lincoln Hall, still stand downtown. Berea also has a well-deserved reputation for arts and crafts, to the point that it's been named the Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky. From the college, you can visit several of its artisans, such as the Log House Craft Gallery or the Appalachian Fireside Gallery. For those who want to get out into nature, you can walk from downtown to the Boone Trace Trail, named after the explorer Daniel Boone, who came through the area in the 1770s.

Finding the Right Kentucky Downtown for Your Visit

You have a range of adventures to choose from with these Kentucky communities. If you prefer an old railroad town experience, La Grange has its trains on Main and a railroad museum. If you prefer sampling whiskey and learning about the American Civil War, Bardstown is right up your alley. If you just want to shop and relax, Etown has you covered. As these downtowns are highly walkable, you'll have time to take in all the sites(and smells). The adventures never end in the Bluegrass State of Kentucky.