For years, I wanted to visit Savannah, Georgia since I was first introduced to southern charm in the Tom Hanks film, Forest Gump. Antebellum historic homes, mammoth Oak Trees draped in moss adding to the charm of Savannah, perfectly laid out squares and neighborhoods, southern cuisine and southern hospitality all sounded like the perfect concoction to make one of the best cities in the United States, as well as my new favorite US city!
While Louisville is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and there are many things to do in Louisville (pronounced Luha-ville) with its plethora of neighborhoods, it’s still nice to get out and about and explore other parts of Kentucky or one of it’s surrounding 7 neighboring states. While I am not a native of Kentucky, nor have I been here long enough to explore every crevice of Kentucky and it’s neighbors, I have managed to wrangle quite a few day trips from Louisville as well as grab every possible brochure from the airport to help you plan your visit to Kentucky!
While Kentucky may not be my home town, it is where I call home. Home is wherever my parents happen to be. And at the moment, they call the Bluegrass State of Kentucky “Home-Sweet-Home”. Few places in America can match the scenery, history and mystique of Kentucky and just saying “Kentucky” brings images of sleek and magnificent Thoroughbreds gallivanting through lush pastures and the history of the Civil War and Bourbon distilling comes to mind.
Until a few weeks ago, the quaint Midwestern town of Madison, Indiana eluded me. Little did I know that I would stumble upon the Midwest’s most beautiful rivertown along the banks of the Ohio River. Not only is it surrounded by a lush green state park, but it also has the United States’ largest contiguous National Historic District with 133 blocks of antebellum homes, with big balconies still draped in 4th of July bunting, known as the Madison Historic Landmark District.
Just a half an hours drive away from Louisville, KY, just over the state line is the idyllic Huber’s Orchard, Winery and Vineyards. Upon discovering this country escape, I asked “how much goodness can possibly be wrapped up all in one!?” As an easy day trip from Louisville, we spent the afternoon riding tractors, picking a variety of fruits, licking scoop-fulls of ice cream and wine tasting to our heart’s content, all surrounded by lush countryside farms on a beautiful summer day!
Nashville, just the name alone evokes the images of the man in black, doin’ the boot scootin’ boogie and some fine country tunes streaming any hour of the day! Music City seems to have it all! Great music, southern charm, a delicious food scene, vibrant murals scattered throughout the city, awesome places to chill all the while seeped in history stretching back to the American Revolution. You simply can’t go wrong with a weekend getaway to Nashville!
Jesus may have turned a river into wine, but Jack turned water into whiskey! Deep in the south, in one of those typical “Small Town USA” towns is actually home to a BIG legacy: the world-famous Jack Daniel’s Distillery. By now Jack Daniel’s Whiskey is a household name and everyone has a story to tell from the good ole days! College parties, concerts, rodeos, rock bands and bad boys all have one thing in common: they love Jack! Whether you’re a whiskey aficionado or a history buff, a visit to the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee is a unique outing!
Once named the “Paris of America” and the first truly “American city” founded after the American Revolution, Cincinnati was once a bustling industrial city adding a new nickname, “Queen City” because of the population explosion. By 2001, Cincinnati had gained a rather notorious reputation for overtaking Compton as the “most dangerous city” in the US. […]
Kentucky is currently experiencing what has recently become known as the “Bourbon Boom”. The Bourbon industry is experiencing an increase in production and popularity as it has bounced back from the “Bourbon Depression”. As the Bourbon industry has grown, so has tourism. What better way to learn about the Bourbon industry and history in Kentucky than to follow the Bourbon Trail! Stretching over 200 miles throughout bourbon country, there’s no better way to experience a road trip through Kentucky than by doing bourbon distillery tours!
Update: Recently, Lonely Planet named The #KYBourbonTrail as one of their Top 10 destinations to visit in the US in 2018!! Bourbonism and tourism to Kentucky now go hand in hand, so let’s get your Bourbon Vacation rollin’!