Your Week Long Travel Guide to Wheelchair Accessible Kentucky

We invited travel content creator Cory Lee to come explore the Bluegrass State. Lee spent eight days experiencing Kentucky, from the bustling city life of Louisville to the jaw-dropping natural scenery of Cumberland Falls, and a whole lot of adventure in between.

We’ve pulled together an itinerary with each of Lee’s stops — every one of them accessible, so anyone and everyone can enjoy a Kentucky getaway.

Day 1: Louisville

• Check-In: Book a room at Louisville’s Tempo Hotel.
• Drink: Grab a signature cocktail at the “High Church of Bourbon,” The Last Refuge.
• Eat: Head up to the hotel’s rooftop grill, High Stakes, for steaks, roasted chicken or lobster scampi bucatini.

Day 2: Louisville

• Experience: Take a 90-minute tour of the Victorian neighborhood of Old Louisville with Louisville Historic Tours.
• Experience: Browse a collection of art spanning 6,000 years at Speed Art Museum.
• Eat: For lunch, go for elevated comfort favorites inside the museum at Est. 1927 by Marigold.
• Experience: Learn the history behind the “most exciting two minutes in sports” at the Kentucky Derby Museum.
• Experience: Next, visit Louisville’s Whiskey Row for a Traditional Tour & Tasting at Evan Williams Bourbon Experience.
• Explore: If you’ve got some downtime, we recommend checking out the 21C Museum Hotel art gallery or snapping a selfie with the Big Bat outside the Louisville Slugger Factory & Museum.

Day 3: Mammoth Cave, Clermont & Louisville

• Experience: Delve into the world’s longest-known cave system on the Mammoth Cave Accessible Tour in Corbin.
• Experience: Continue the outdoor fun by wandering along the accessible Echo River Spring Trail and Sloan’s Crossing Pond Trail within the park.
• Eat: Go for a grown-up grilled cheese or Kentucky Hot Brown at Green River Grill inside The Lodge at Mammoth Cave.
• Experience: Explore 16,000 acres of nature at Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest in Clermont.
• Explore: Back in Louisville, trek across the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge for stunning views of the skyline and the Ohio River.
• Eat: Enjoy seafood, steaks and raw bar favorites at River House.

Day 4: Covington

• Check-In: Journey to Covington for a stay at Hotel Covington.
• Eat: Fill up on smoked brisket, ribs, chicken and sausage paired with your choice of more than 500 bourbons at Smoke Justis.
• Experience: Take The Hits: A Guided Tasting at New Riff Distilling.
• Explore: Browse the shops, galleries, restaurants and live music in Covington’s National Historic District, Mainstrasse Village.
• Eat: When you work up an appetite, go for Italian at Mama’s on Main in Mainstrasse Village.

Day 5: Covington & Newport

• Explore: Start your day with a breath of fresh air along the Ohio River at Riverfront Commons. Then, check out colorful street art at Scribble Park or scenic views of the city from the overlook at Devou Park.
• Eat: Visit Hofbrauhaus for a soft pretzel and beer cheese, a wurstplatte and a pint of German beer on tap.
• Experience: See thousands of species of fish and aquatic life at Newport Aquarium.
• Explore: Check out the happenings of Newport on the Levee. The Levee is packed with shops, restaurants and entertainment offerings.
• Experience: Board BB Riverboats for a one-of-a-kind dinner experience. Cruise the Ohio River while enjoying a buffet-style meal on the Captain’s Dinner Cruise.

Day 6: Frankfort & Lexington

• Eat: How about a cheeseburger piled high with bacon preserves, a sunnyside-up egg and gouda with fries and a craft cocktail for lunch? Yes, please! Find it in downtown Frankfort at Bourbon on Main.
• Experience: Take a crash course on the history and distilling process of Buffalo Trace Distillery with The Trace Tour.
• Check-In: Next, head to Lexington and drop your bags at SpringHill Suites.
• Explore: If you’ve got some free time, explore Lexington’s downtown scene through Lexington’s Mural Challenge.
• Eat: Inside 21c Museum Hotel Lexington, dine on a locally sourced seasonal menu at Lockbox.

Day 7: Berea & Lexington

• Experience: Explore Berea’s Old Town Artisan Village to see artisans demonstrating their craft, from glass works to jewelry making.
• Eat: Get a bite to eat. We suggest Native Bagel, Churchill Café or Boone Tavern.
• Experience: Back in Lexington, experience Kentucky horse culture at the Kentucky Horse Park.
• Explore: Before dinner, check out the craft breweries, distilleries, live music venues and shops of Lexington’s Distillery District.
• Eat: Then, fill up on cocktails and small plates at the Lost Palm rooftop bar.

Day 8: Corbin

• Experience: Drive to Corbin to witness “the Niagara of the South,” Cumberland Falls.
• Eat: Before heading home, grab lunch at Riverview Restaurant inside DuPont Lodge. Cumberland Falls State Resort Park also offers a picnic area with grills if you want to bring your own grub.