What a hidden gem! After spending a few years in Kentucky, I couldn't believe that I've only…read morerecently heard about Asbury trails. Everyone swarms to the Red River Gorge for the outdoors, but these are a great alternative for those look for hiking trials and don't want to drive as far or commit to a whole day of activities. As someone who is somewhat active and has done my fair share of hiking, I would say none of these trails are difficult. It took me only a couple of hours to complete most of these trails combined (as they are all connected). I was pleasantly surprised by the landscape. One moment you feel like you've descended deep into the woods, and the next you are walking next to giant boulders of rocks. Make sure to wear appropriate shoes as some trails can be slippery when wet. Bonus point -- it is dog friendly! **Pro tip: There are 5 trails. Browse the link below and get an idea of the scenery, length, and difficulty of each of the trails before you go. https://jessaminetrails.com/asbury-college-trails/

This set of trails apparently belongs to a local private college that I hadn't heard of. They are…read moreopen to the public, and it wasn't hard to drive and park here. The trails cover a wide variety of environments, reaching a meadow where the power lines through and going down into the ravine which holds the Kentucky River. Once you're down there, a long path runs under the riverside cliffs. As is often the case in this region, the scenery is pretty, but on the difficult side. Many of the trails are narrow and covered with gravel or mud, and are high enough in spots that a slip could carry some significant consequences. There were plenty of bugs as well. But I managed to get a solid two-hour workout/scenic visit in. It's free and it's not far from Lexington.

Beautiful area!…read more Lovely peaceful place. Good footing and a nice walk for adults and kids.

This is a park formed out of reclaimed farmland attached to EKU, of which their website gives a…read moredecent description. To get to it, one has to drive through at least a mile of somewhat dubious gravel road, which is doable if you don't have an off-road sort of vehicle, but not something I would make a habit out of. Or you can run in on the cross-country trail if you have some time on your hands. The scenery when you get there is quite pleasant, and offers a variety of topography. You'll hear plenty of birds, and dodge plenty of bugs. The paths were discernible as such, but had plenty of growth on them and you definitely want to be tick-safe (as the sign at the entrance reminds you). Some areas have running water with rather inadequate fords, so be prepared to get a little muddy. There are various signs detailing the sort of flora and fauna of the region and the history of the environment. I hit most (but not all) of them in an hour or so. It's a nice bit of Kentucky landscape, of which there are too few pieces open for public use. The research function for the university is also valuable I'm sure. I think the threshold to make it a little bit more usable is not that high. I wouldn't want to see it overdeveloped, but a little more work towards the trails and road would go a long way.

It's sad to see that the park attractions are no longer being open. The pool area and museum are…read moreclosed and appear to be in bad disrepair. Perhaps, partly due to the pandemic. I hope they come back. The camping area is still open. And the park restrooms are open. The fields are being mowed. It's still a great place, but I remember when this place was hopping.

I was not originally planning to go here, but always leave a spot in travels to just "randomly…read moreramble" somewhere, and this was it! The old fort site has a marina and some signage, but it was brutal hot, so I wandered up to the Kentucky River Museum and stumbled right into a fascinating tour! The guide's family has operated the lock (Lock 10 to be specific) since practically conception, so he had stories, pictures, letters, journals, and a deep connection to the home and site. Awesome tour! This tour is included with your purchase of a fort ticket, so I headed over there to get mine and wander around the replica fort complete with cabins, crows, period demonstrations, and a video about the one and only Daniel Boone! You know, that guy, pretty famous in these parts....

We had the BEST time at Boone Creek Outdoors! Our 4-year-old absolutely loved it and honestly we…read morehad just as much fun as she did. Easton and Stephen were awesome -- super fun, patient, and made the whole experience even better. Such a cool place and something different to do. If you've been thinking about checking it out, DO IT! We had an absolute blast and will definitely be back!

Surprised my sister for her birthday with a cabin trip in Kentucky with lots of adventures in…read morenature. This expedition absolutely took the cake. Our guides were amazingly funny and made us feel safe and protected!!! This was our first time ever zip lining and I absolutely will be doing it again. If you are debating whether or not you should do it...just go for it!!!! Blake & Christian, thank you for being you and passionate about what you do.

Fantastic last minute booking they got us in for. My husband and I were on a quick two night trip…read moreto Kentucky to do a little distillery tour, but they are closed for Covid. Driving through all the greenery horse pastures hubby made a comment he wishes he could ride a horse; next thing I did was a quick secret search for horse riding, and DRS came up. I called pretty late at 7:45 at night as we only had two more days, the answering machine said to text the number for guided tours and I did, apologizing for it being so late. The next morning I got a text back while at breakfast that they were able to get us in at 1:00 pm that day. I surprised hubby, we went to hotel changed and headed out on a short drive from Lexington. Entering the grounds i couldn't wait to go on a ride, I haven't been horseback riding since 2012 in the Bahamas. And while this wasn't quite like that experience, it was perfect for what we wanted. It was informal and casual as the ladies brought us right in and gave us the names of our horses. We had 3 other ladies with our small group of 5, plus our guide Britney (spelling?) and her helper I didn't catch his name. Britney's mom helped us to our horses, I had Sun a 17 year old male horse that was gentle and easy. I am truly a beginning rider and the instructions were simple and clear, and Britney reminded us along our trails of things like "lean back going down this hill" etc. They have 100 acres of land and an adjacent 300 for the horses. The scenery was so beautiful and the trails were shaded for the most part which was a nice reprieve from the middle of the day hot sun. The other worker alongside Britney took pictures of us as we rode by so that was a cool bonus. We truly had a great time, about an hour was spent at Deer Run which fit nicely into our schedule. When we find ourselves back in Kentucky DRS will be the first place we contact!

We did a private trail ride and it was absolutely perfect. The property is gorgeous and the horses…read moreare noticeably loved. Our two guides that went with us were super friendly, patient, and informative. It's not far out of Lexington and if you plan on being in the area I highly recommend you plan a stop in here. If you're a lover of animals you want to make sure you spend your time and money on places that offer a great experience while taking the best care of their animals. Stepping Stone definitely checks both boxes.

I brought my pup here a few times and he enjoyed it. The other dogs here are friendly and playful…read more A lot of space for them to run around and play in. Dog bags are available in the mailbox near the benches. The only downside is that some of the owners don't pick up after there dogs so there's​ a possibility​ that you or your dog might step in feces.

Great place to bring the dog(s) for a break when you are on a road trip. They also have a…read moreplayground and walking trail to Reba Lake. Very clean, with two separate play areas and double gates entrances. Sometimes they have dog toys in the mailbox. Water fountain and doggy bags available for animals. Human level fountain did not work when we last visited. Beautiful area. See my photos for details.

We went as a class from Hayes Middle School. This was the best CBI trip. The farmer and owner was…read morevery accommodating. A quiet and small farm. Corn maze, picking pumpkins, play ground, hay ride, painting pumpkins and petting animal area!! This was the best place for our friends in our MSD unit! Would also love to bring friends kids!

Botanica Farm on Old Richmond Road has beautiful pumpkins, gourds, and other fall decorating items…read moreperfect for your home. Bring the kids for a day on the farm with a corn maze for kids and toddlers, playground, animals to pet, and, of course, PUMPKINS! Botanica is open daily through October 31st.

I had a great private ride with Emily! Lovely person, beautiful farm, well trained horses, and she…read moretook pictures along the way so I could just enjoy the ride. Highly recommended!

We have ridden on a lot of trail rides and this one was great! I highly recommend it. Drew and…read moreEmily make sure that you are well suited for the horses and that you have a good time