Although the building is not eye-catching downtown, however the inside the museum is truly amazing…read more There are two stories not including the outdoor museum space. Each corner and wall is packed with artifacts and memorabilia, and the museum curators are eager to explain each piece. There are features connecting to Native Americans, Berea College, and the history of the Red River Gorge Caves. This museum is vital to enjoying your time in the area, a private tour is needed!

One of the most overlooked places to stop on your way to Red River Gorge, or Natural Bridge…read more This has to be one of the most interesting, as well as quirky, museums I've ever seen. If you're coming to the area, it's a must stop! It's also free of charge! You can donate, but it's not required, nor thrown in your face. Here's a link to an awesome photographer who has a section on his Flickr page dedicated to the museum: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kentuckyranger/sets/72157607422762325 And here's a link to their FaceBook page. They aren't open allot, so make sure they'll be open when you come! https://www.facebook.com/Red-River-Museum-184139178315029/

Located on South Main Street, in Winchester, I've driven by this place tens times. It's an old…read morehospital building, and they describe it as a signature Romanesque Revival building. It's three levels of bluegrass heritage, history, artifacts, etc. We were exploring the Hemp Fest this weekend and this was a recommended stop. They had a shuttle taking you to and from the fest. They recently added a hemp exhibit here, so this was a great opportunity to bring people in. Today they had a lady spinning hemp fiber and explaining that process and more. There was another volunteer in the hemp exhibit area. She too was super knowledgeable. I was surprised to learn how much hemp farming is part of the Winchester history. Located on the third floor, is the surgery room. As I walked around up there, I literally experienced the cold chills knowing the demise of many people in years past. If you work or are interested in the health field I definitely would recommend checking it out. That's not all on the top floor, but I'll leave the rest for you to discover. The second floor was my favorite. That's where the military history is. Usually I'm not too fascinated by history, but I was pleasantly surprised here. It was astounding to learn about the amount of the people who were drafted and served in several wars. The history that involved Clark Countians, was beyond intriguing to me. I'll post some exhibit photos. Don't miss it though, especially if you're a Kentuckian or if you're intrigued by history.

THIS ISN'T A MUSIC HISTORY MUSEUM I'm from California and I thought bluegrass was just a type of…read moremusic but I'm so happy I stopped by- it's a whole region! This museum has historical documents and artifacts that predate the state of Kentucky - the museum is run by former educators and they've put a lot of love and effort into this place- even restored floors and matched paint from its hospital days. I spent practically the whole four hours it was open wandering around with my tour guide and I feel like there was more to talk about. This woman was digging around attics and stuff getting old log books and things that by all reasonable people would have been lost to time and negligence and safeguarding them for the future. She was a fount of information and you can tell she cares a lot about the place and the history of the people that lived in Winchester. There's a whole room dedicated to military members and artifacts from various wars- long rifles and french phrase books, uniforms and captured flags. The whole museum is so well designed. I absolutely suggest you stop here if you're anywhere within a hundred miles, it's well worth it.

This is one of my favorite state parks for a day or two of hiking. Very nice trails, some are…read morefairly rugged. I've been here several times, sometimes for just a day, and a few times camping nearby. You can take the sky lift up to the natural bridge, or you can hike up. There is a short trail (1/3 of a mile) that leads to a nice overlook where you can view the natural bridge from a distance. There are birds and wildlife to observe. And it is nice to visit in different seasons. There are good restaurants and touristy places to shop in the area too.

Well everything cause I did it ! Haha this is a self paced and self guided hike. It can be what…read moreyou make of it but the beauty is untouchable out of your control. A mix of hardwood, pine wooded and lots of sandstone /limestone rocks ! Tons of song birds and insects and forest creatures. Truly amazing day hike.

I want to leave a review for Brunch with Babies / Farm Family / Farmily Days! I couldn't find a lot…read moreof details about the flow of this. Note: you can do any part of this before or after your brunch reservation, within the hours of the event. Which in 2026 was 10-2. There are 2 places to park: one by the welcome center and one by the restaurant /trustees table. It seemed if you had brunch reservations you parked by the restaurant side. Accessibility wise: they have a lot of accommodations but it's not perfect. There's a big-ish hill from parking to the restaurant, but the rest was mostly flat with tiny gravel and white chalky dust. People do dress from play wear to nice, but I'd recommend shoes you are okay with getting dusty. The farm part: There are pony rides: $5 extra per ride. My kids loved this and it was worth it. A craft area also (these were set up in front of the trustees table). Coordinated games were a little farther up. The farm is past the restaurant and they had: 2 sheep / lamb stations, goats and kids, 2 Clydesdales, a mom cow and calf, 2 pigs, turkeys/ducks/roosters, baby ducks, baby chicks. They had story telling, lamb shearing. Face paint for $10. A seed and plant thing we didn't explore. Some play areas. And of course all the grounds! It was really great! Our toddler and baby loved it! Our toddler can't sit still for stories and demos yet, but was thrilled with the animal variety and experiences. Note: there is a big sand pit we strategically avoided, but I'd imagine your kids would get dirtier in there. I was worried how much time it would take us, I'd say about an hour. I think if you're wanting to do stories and demos maybe closer to an hour and a half to 2 hours. The total event is 4 hours. This is just a note for anyone planning breakfast before, during, or after. Brunch with babies: I think the value was good. It was a buffet with: bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, gravy, grits, cooked apples, waffles, and cereal. They delivered 1 biscuit and pumpkin muffin per person with butter and jam to the table. There were people scooping, but I assume you could get more. The grits and sausage were so good. I don't even normally like sausage. The biscuit and jam were so good too. All the food was delicious. I saw someone trash talk the breakfast buffet in an another review, but every bite I ate was good. I just came back from Disney, this was above the standard breakfast buffet in quality. IF you are wanting a relaxing, DINKS or retired experience, I'd look at the calendar before booking. Some of the adults seemed overwhelmed by kids near them, and on this date, the restaurant was FULL with kids.

Beautiful grounds and interesting history! I greatly enjoyed Shaker Village. I was previously…read moreunfamiliar with this music-loving Christian sect which has largely died off because of their commitment to celibacy. The buildings are spread out, so visitors should expect to do a fair amount of walking. I also recommend checking the schedule and attending any tours or informational sessions available, because otherwise you're just walking around reading plaques. Staff were very friendly and I learned a lot from the short tour we went on. We also attended a Shaker music presentation, which was fun and informative. Viewing the farm and barn was fun and there happened to be a farmer there who shared a lot of info with us. Also enjoyed the chickens and ducks!

Well kept and a recommended visit if you are in the area- or if you aren't from the area. If you…read morelike walking trails then this place is for you. But be warned it's hilly, VERY hilly. Beautiful landscape, no urban sprawl. What you see is 1862.. trees are where trees were and open fields are where they were. I've been to many battlefields and I think this one is where the books don't do the terrain justice.. you really have to see it firsthand. The State and Trust have done a good job preserving the battlefield. If you look, you can see new land that was bought and about to be handed over. Recommend

If you enjoy reading/seeing things associated with the American Civil War; walking the battlefield…read moreexplains why so many lives were lost and fills in some of the history you will read in books or here from lovers of the war (Living History personnel) The physical battlefield directly explains why the battle losses were high. You can see only about maybe .15-.3 miles as it is rolling ridges On the Confederate Right Flank; the Confederates pushed against one ridge to the next to the 3rd position (behind a stone wall which no longer exists). Yet; until you get to the top of the ridge; you have no clue what is behind it. Left Confederate Flank did not hit as many ridges; but, had their share of problems. As you walk the field; imagine you have no idea what is ahead of you except what you can see and imagine you are tired and thirsty and carrying 20-30 lbs of stuff.

Advice and Caution: $7 Cash only per Adult admission. No Toilets, No Drinking Water, No AC, Very…read morehot in Summer, Not handicapped accessible. Allot of stairs and walking. Be prepared ahead of time by getting a bottle of water and using a bathroom in Georgetown downtown beforehand. Tour was over an hour long. Don't let that discourage you, I had an incredible time! Arrived 5 minute drive outside of Downtown and parking is in the Lawn. Extremely impressive Greek Revival Mansion - took my breath away Architecture wise. My husband and I thought we would see if there were any tours available and there was nothing scheduled. Basically when you arrive some one will immediately take you on Tour which was nice. Tour Guide was very lovely and was very knowledgeable. I fell inlove with the ornate plaster moldings and medallions. The Oval Staircase is 1 of 2 in the US and is an amazing experience to go down from the top! 99% of all the Gorgeous Antiques are not original to the house owners, but are Extremely Fine rare pieces found in Museums and high end Galleries. Ward Hall is privately run and is in great need of donations for its Upkeep. It's still one of the Most Beautiful Mansions I've ever visited and I highly recommend touring. Check their website for Dates and Times they are open!

Ward Hall is one of the most beautiful examples of Greek revival architecture. The double…read moreelliptical staircase is not to be missed! A chance to glimpse into another time. The grounds were being tended by volunteers who were doing a great job. The lawn is attractive and fairly flat around the house and easy to navigate. There are a few interesting outbuildings and a slave grave yard. The house is filled with period antiques and reproductions. This is a definite must see!

Hopewell is a small town museum in a historic Bourbon County building. Their exhibits are…read moredecidedly Kentucky, The opening receptions are always presented with a nice array of food, book signings relative to the exhibits, and interesting people to meet. The Spirit of Bourbon exhibit opened last night with a table of "bourbonized" treats. You can keep up with the museum's events by getting on their email list.

From the owner: Hopewell Museum specializes in the history and art of Bourbon County and the state of Kentucky. It…read moredisplays rotating exhibits along with a History Hall and a learning center for kids in a renovated 1908 building that once served as a local post office. The Long Ago in Bourbon County Learning Center encourages younger visitors to try out the activities of a small town of 100 years ago. Kids can dress up in period clothing; clerk or shop at a general store; role play the teacher or student in a one room school house setting.

The Clay's Ferry Bridge is a combination of three former bridges combined into one bridge. It…read morecarries Interstate 75 along with US 25 and US 421 across the Kentucky River between Madison and Fayette counties. Considering I have cousins that live in Fayette County and my daughter was born in Madison County you can take my word for it that I've gone over this bridge many times. I'm sorry I was busy driving the last time I went over this bridge or I would have taken a photo. You really need to be a distance away to capture the bridge as it is today. If you're in the area and pass over the bridge take notice of this historic landmark. Thanks to Bruce for reviewing. Thanks to Corey Larue for the photos taken September 2022.

While rather boring to cross, the Clays Ferry Bridge carries I-75 and US-25 over the Kentucky…read moreRiver. At highway level, there isn't much to see other than three lanes of in each direction with a low wall that overlooks the river. There are clear signs prohibiting stopping or pedestrian traffic on the bridge. I'd have to guess they had traffic problems and maybe BASE jumpers here as it is some 200 feet over the river. The bridge is actually three bridges, with the original piers from the 1946 and 1963 bridges being used as part of the construction of the new bridge. Completed in in 1998 there are three lanes in each direction and full-width shoulders. Each northbound/southbound roadway is 60 feet wide and it was most recently resurfaced in 2021. There is no toll to cross the bridge. [Review 20173 overall - 213 in Kentucky - 1149 of 2023.]