Enjoy a Last-Minute Cultural Escape to One of These Kentucky River Cities
Escape to the Bluegrass State for culture and relaxation. Explore the cultural heritage and attractions of river cities spread throughout Kentucky, and enjoy a fun-filled getaway no matter the time of the year.
Sister cities Covington(link is external) and Newport(link is external) in northern Kentucky(link is external) offer a vibrant hub for creative cuisine(link is external), fascinating history, world-class museums and attractions! Walk or drive across the amazing John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge(link is external) and marvel at this engineering masterpiece built in 1867. Explore the 19th century German neighborhood of MainStrasse Village(link is external) with its unique shops and galleries, historical markers and a variety of restaurants and pubs. See creatures of the ocean at the Newport Aquarium(link is external), open year-round with a daily penguin parade, dive shows, and opportunities to get up-close and personal with aquatic animals. Take a riverboat cruise with BB Riverboats(link is external), then go on a Newport Gangster Tour(link is external) or stroll around entertainment district Newport at the Levee(link is external). Stay in style at Hotel Covington(link is external) or other area hotels(link is external).
Kentucky’s capital city of Frankfort(link is external) perches on the banks of the Kentucky River and is centrally located between Louisville(link is external) and Lexington(link is external). The elegant State Capitol building(link is external), complete with a rotunda, overlooks the “S-shaped” river. Historic downtown is home to local shops(link is external), the Old State Capitol(link is external) and the Kentucky Historical Society(link is external), plus delicious dining(link is external). Explore Frankfort’s Public Art Tour(link is external), with breathtaking murals, sculptures and more. Buffalo Trace Distillery(link is external), a National Historic Landmark, offers complimentary tours and tastings of Kentucky bourbon. Pick up a signature taste of Kentucky – bourbon balls(link is external) – at the place where they started, Rebecca Ruth Candy(link is external)! Enjoy a lovely meal at Bourbon on Main(link is external) and sample beer cheese, fried chicken, bread pudding and other Southern specialties. Stay downtown at the Capital Plaza hotel(link is external) or another of Frankfort’s cozy accommodations(link is external).
Located in a bend of the Ohio River, Owensboro(link is external) is a city with several unique attractions. The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum(link is external) is the only international museum dedicated to preserving and showcasing the history, collections and artifacts of bluegrass music(link is external). Just down the street are the RiverPark Center(link is external), the Owensboro Museum of Science and History(link is external) and the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art(link is external). Stay at one of the city’s comfy hotels(link is external).
Stroll back in time in the western Kentucky river city of Paducah(link is external) and learn about the city’s unique history from the beautiful floodwall murals by artist Robert Dafford. Each of the Wall-to-Wall(link is external) murals showcases a piece of Paducah’s history. Explore the designated UNESCO Creative City(link is external)’s cultural heritage and creativity(link is external) with museums and shops within walking distance. The National Quilt Museum(link is external) is the gateway to discovery of quilts, quilt-making and quilt artists. Visit Hotel Metropolitan(link is external), Paducah’s first African American owned hotel and learn about the travelers and visitors from the “Chitlin’ Circuit.” Grab a bite to eat at Chef Sara Bradley’s freight house(link is external), the city’s first farm-to-table restaurant. Stay overnight at the boutique 1857 Hotel(link is external) or another of Paducah’s lovely hotels(link is external).
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