Kentucky

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Introduction

Kentucky

Kentucky was founded as a state in 1792 after splitting off from Virginia. The state stretches along the Ohio river to the north and the Appalachian Mountains to the south giving it many distinct areas. Kentucky has many claims to fame. The first being called the Bluegrass State because of its many lawns and pastures. It is also the birthplace of Bluegrass music!

Another claim include horses and horse racing with the apex being the Kentucky Derby. Along with horses is bourbon, which can only be brewed in Kentucky and tobacco growing. If your planing to spend a fair amount time in this beautiful state remember to brush up on your horse and college basketball before sitting down and enjoying a BBQ sandwich.

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Geography

Kentucky is a long state that is kind of fat on the eastern edge that gets skinner the further west it goes. On the northern edge is the Ohio River that gently slopes south until meeting the Mississippi River. Interestingly Kentucky is the only state to have a non-contiguous part as an exclave that is complete surrounded by another state, which is Fulton County in the far west corner of the state. This county can only be accessed by Tennessee. Kentucky borders seven states, from the Midwest and the Southeast. West Virginia lies to the east, Virginia to the southeast, Tennessee to the south, Missouri to the west, Illinois and Indiana to the northwest, and Ohio to the north and northeast. Only Missouri and Tennessee, both of which border eight states, touch more states.
The easter area of Kentucky is dominated by the Cumberland Plateau and the Appalachian Mountains. The rest of the state is a series of plateaus with unique and distinct charms. Many of these areas are dominated by rolling tobacco farms or horse stables that are very pretty.
Kentucky has both the largest artificial lake east of the Mississippi in water volume (Lake Cumberland) and surface area (Kentucky Lake). It is the only U.S. state to be bordered on three sides by rivers—the Mississippi River to the west, the Ohio River to the north, and the Big Sandy River and Tug Fork to the east. Its major internal rivers include the Kentucky River, Tennessee River, Cumberland River, Green River and Licking River.

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Regions

Bluegrass Region - Horses and bourbon sum up this region; the gently rolling hills are the heart of the thoroughbred industry and many distilleries can be found along its streams.
Caves and Lakes - A karst region containing the largest cave system in the world; its hub is Bowling Green
Daniel Boone Country - This rugged landscape is dominated by the Daniel Boone National Forest and it was here that the Wilderness Road was cut enabling the first wave of settlers to enter the state through the Cumberland Gap.
Kentucky Appalachians - A rugged and rural portion of the state.
Kentucky Derby Region - This region, centered around Kentucky's largest city, Louisville is also world-famous for its bourbon distilleries
Northern Ohio River Region - An emerging economic power in Kentucky: The cities of Covington, Florence, Independence, and Newport are among the fastest growing in the state
Southern Lakes - Containing many man-made lakes, this rural region offers many opportunities for recreation
Western Coal Fields - This area of alternating ridges and valleys was mined extensively in the years after WWII, but many of the mined lands were turned into wildlife management areas and the region has become a draw for sportsmen; Owensboro is its largest city
Western Waterlands - A mostly flat area of the state that lies within the floodplains of four major rivers, this region contains the state's largest agricultural operations as well as the recreational areas around Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley

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Cities

Louisville - the state's largest city. The Kentucky Derby City and Home of the University of Louisville
Lexington - Horse capital of the World and Home of the University of Kentucky
Owensboro
Bowling Green - Home of Western Kentucky University and home of the Corvette
Covington
Hopkinsville
Frankfort - the state's capital.
Henderson
Richmond
Jeffersontown
Murray

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Sights and Activities

Mammoth Cave National Park

Mammoth Cave National Park is a United States National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kentucky's Caves and Lakes region. It preserves the world's longest known cave system, with over 392 miles of caves. The park was established in 1941 and currently draws nearly two million visitors annually. Mammoth Cave National Park is home to over 70 threatened, endangered or state listed species. More than 130 species are regular inhabitants of the caves. These species are divided almost equally among three classes of cave life: obligate cave dwellers known as troglobites, facultative species which can complete their life cycle in or out of caves (troglophiles), and those that use caves for refuge (trogloxenes). The Park has cave species and biotic cave communities that are among the most diverse in the world. Because of its diverse array of landscapes and habitats, the Park contains an extraordinary 1,300 species of plants.

Other Sights and Activities

Fort Knox, Kentucky

Barbecue is a pulled pork dish served on its own or in a sandwich. Kentucky is home to some of the best BBQ in the country
Churchill Downs is the location of the famous Kentucky Derby and can be visited year round.
Fort Knox is the location of the United States Bullion Depository and is where federal government keeps most of its gold reserve and other precious objects. It holds around 150 million ounces of gold!
Hiking and Camping can be found in the Appalachian Mountains on the eastern edge of the state.
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Daniel Boone National Forest
Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Kentucky Lake
Kentucky State Parks
Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area
Lake Barkley

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Events and Festivals

Holidays

New Year’s Eve - The US celebrates the outgoing of the old year and incoming of the New Year quite dramatically. Every state boasts its own parties to ring in the New Year, but none is more extravagant than New York’s Time Square, which sees people overflowing into the neighboring restaurants, bars, parks, beaches, and neighborhoods.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. and sometimes referred to as MLK Day) is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around King's birthday, January 15. The holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. The earliest Monday for this holiday is January 15 and the latest is January 21. King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law.
St Patrick’s Day - March 17 celebrates the US’s large Irish population. Many cities around the country boast boisterous parades and Irish-themed parties, especially New York and Chicago, where the river is dyed green. Be wary of the drunkenness that dominates as this is definitely a party-day.
Memorial Day - Memorial Day is an important holiday throughout the United States, but not for crazy festivities. Parades commemorating wartime heroes are often held and the day is also the ‘unofficial’ start of summer. Most visitors follow the crowds to parks and beaches, which are capped off with informal BBQs.
Independence Day - Also known as the Fourth of July, Independence Day celebrates the US’s break from the British during the 18th century. Barbecues, street parties, beach trips, and weekend getaways are commonplace to appreciate freedom.
Labor Day is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws, and well-being of the country. It is the Monday of the long weekend known as Labor Day Weekend. It is recognized as a federal holiday. Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor.
Halloween - Halloween is a fun holiday on October 31 for all generations to dress up in costumes and relive their youth. Children walk around the neighborhood trick-or-treating for candy, while adults attend parties. Other seasonal events include haunted houses, pumpkin farms and carving, and corn mazes.
Thanksgiving - On the fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving is held in almost every home in the US. Tourists will have a hard time finding anything to do as the country essentially shuts down in observation. A typical Thanksgiving meal consists of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie commemorating the original Pilgrim’s feast at Plymouth Rock.
Christmas - On December 25, Christians celebrate Christmas as the pinnacle of their calendar by attending church and opening gifts from Santa Claus. Almost everything shuts down to promote family togetherness. The northern regions hope to experience a “white Christmas,” with trees and festive lights blanketed by snow.

Sport

Super Bowl Sunday - the world’s most watched sporting event and one of the highest grossing TV days of the year, Superbowl Sunday is a spectacular extravaganza. Held the first Sunday in February, the Superbowl is the final playoff game between the NFL’s top two teams. The venue rotates every year around America, yet the local parties seem to remain. Pubs, bars and restaurants are great places to enjoy the Superbowl or locals throw their own parties with different variations of betting.
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in North America, contested since 1903 between the American League (AL) champion team and the National League (NL) champion team. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff, and the winning team is awarded the Commissioner's Trophy. As the series is played during the fall season in North America, it is sometimes referred to as the Fall Classic.
The Kentucky Derby is the most famous horse race in North America. This uniquely Kentucky event brings people from the world over but is dominated by southerners. If in the bleachers or the boxes men better have their best suits and women the most marvelous hat ever made. If on the lawn be prepared for extreme drinking and rowdiness. No matter what open your hand and prepare your liver for a Mint Julep.

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Weather

Located within the southeastern interior portion of North America, Kentucky has a climate that can best be described as a humid subtropical climate. Highs and lows of temperature in Kentucky's usual range from daytime summer highs of 31 °C to the winter low of -5 °C. The average precipitation is 1,200 mm a year. Kentucky experiences four seasons, with greater variations in the severity of summer and winter. The highest recorded temperature was 46 °C at Greensburg on July 28, 1930 while the lowest recorded temperature was -38 °C at Shelbyville on January 19, 1994.

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Getting There

By Plane

Although serving Cincinnati, Ohio, the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) is the largest airport in Kentucky.
It has flights to/from Toronto, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New York, Cancun, Punta Cana, Atlanta, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, Paris, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, Fort Myers, Phoenix, San Diego, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Raleigh/Durham, Richmond, Washington, D.C., Kansas City, Greensboro, Hartford/Springfield, Harrisburg, Memphis, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greenville, Houston, Jacksonville, Madison, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, Omaha, St. Louis, Grand Rapids and Montego Bay.

Louisville International Airport (SDF) has flights to/from Dallas, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Detroit, Memphis, New York, Minneapolis, Denver, Baltimore, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tampa, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and Charlotte.

By Train

Two Amtrak trains operate to and from Kentucky:

The Cardinal/Hoosier State between New York and Chicago, stopping in a few places in Kentucky along the border with Ohio.
The City of New Orleans between Chicago and New Orleans stops in Fulton, Kentucky.

By Car

Kentucky is accessible by five Interstates:

I-71 and I-75 both enter the state from the north at Cincinnati. The two roads split in the Kentucky suburbs, with I-71 going to its southern end in Louisville and I-75 to Lexington, continuing past Richmond, Berea, and London.
I-64 runs from Ashland in the east to Louisville in the west, passing by Lexington and Frankfort on the way.
I-65 enters the state from Indiana and runs from Louisville to Bowling Green, continuing to the Tennessee state line.
I-24 from Paducah to Hopkinsville and the Fort Campbell area.

In addition, Kentucky is connected to many U.S. Highways:

US 27 runs from Covington south to Somerset.
US 127, also from Covington, runs through Frankfort, Danville and the Lake Cumberland area.
US 150 offers a connection between Louisville and I-75 between Lexington and Tennessee.
US 23 (Country Music Highway) connects Ashland with Virginia south of Pikeville.
US 60 bisects the state from the Mississippi River to Ashland, passing through Paducah, Henderson, Owensboro and Louisville before following I-64 the rest of its route.
US 68 begins just east of Paducah, running as largely an east-west route through Hopkinsville, Bowling Green and Glasgow. A short distance past Glasgow, the road takes a sharp turn to the northeast toward Campbellsville, Harrodsburg, Lexington and Maysville.

By Bus

Check Greyhound buses for more information.

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Getting Around

By Car

Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

Kentucky has a number of National Scenic Byways which offer a great way to explore the state crossing beautiful landscapes. Mostly, there are lots of national parks, state parks or monuments along the way and it's generally a better alternative than the faster but boring Interstate Highways.

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Eat

Kentucky's cuisine is similar to traditional southern cooking, although in some areas of the state it can blend Southern and Midwestern.

Kentucky has invented several dishes; most notably the Kentucky Hot Brown and beer cheese. The Hot Brown was developed at the Brown Hotel in Louisville. The dish is usually layered in this order: toasted bread, turkey, bacon, tomatoes and topped with mornay sauce. Beer cheese is a cheese spread that originated in Central Kentucky near Winchester. While there are conflicting stories on where beer cheese originated, Johnny Allman's, a restaurant on the Kentucky River (present-day site of Hall's on the River) is generally credited with inventing the dip. Colonel Harland Sanders began Kentucky Fried Chicken in Corbin. Today, visitors can see where the restaurant got its start.

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Drink

Kentucky is considered the home of bourbon. If is possible to visit the several different bourbon breweries across the state. Remember, like champagne, authentic bourbon can only come from Kentucky.

Ale-8-One, known colloquially as Ale-8, is a regional fruity/ginger-flavored soft drink. It is bottled in the Central Kentucky city of Winchester and distributed only within the state and neighboring portions of Indiana and Ohio.

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Sleep

Hotel and Motel Chains

There are dozens of hotel and motel chains, ranging from budget to top end. Allthough they are not the most charming accommodations, they usually have a very decent midrange service with good rooms and are generally good value. At least you know what to expect and in some cases they are either the only or the best option in the area. Some of them include: