Equestrian Experiences

Equestrian experiences abound in the Bluegrass State — the bright green grass perfect for grazing grows abundantly in our pastures. Go horseback riding through Daniel Boone National Forest or Mammoth Cave National Park. Tour a horse farm (more than 400 in the Lexington area alone!) and spend time with a titleholder-in-training or Kentucky Derby horses retired to stud. And don’t miss the high-stepping hoofbeats heard ‘round Shelbyville, the American Saddlebred Capital of the World, each August during the Shelbyville Horse Show.

From the legendary Kentucky Derby to the one-of-a-kind Kentucky Horse Park, it’s undeniable that Kentucky’s horse culture has the inside track.
The first Saturday in May attracts more than 150,000 fans to Churchill Downs to witness the Kentucky Derby, “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” but every day is Derby Day at the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville. Get hands-on with interactive exhibits, take in the 360-degree film and take a guided visit to the Churchill Downs track.

The renowned Louisville course isn’t the only place to hear and feel the thundering of hooves. Keeneland in Lexington is a National Historic Landmark; it’s hosted spring and fall thoroughbred races since the 1930s, and today spectators tailgate on “The Hill” with fare from food trucks while live bluegrass plays in the background.

Other horse racing courses are sprinkled around the state, and for something a little different check out harness racing at Red Mile Racetrack in Lexington. The second-oldest harness track in the world, the clay-course Red Mile attracts more than 18,000 fans to its season, July through the second week of October.

At the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, celebrate local horse heritage every day. See American Saddlebreds to Old Kentucky Saddlers being trained and groomed in the Breeds Barn. Admire retired racehorses in the Hall of Champions. Take a trail ride on horseback or saddle up the kids for pony rides. Attend equestrian events, including show jumping, dressage and polo.

Even if you don’t come to Kentucky a horse lover, you’ll almost certainly leave as one.

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7 Iconic Kentucky Music Attractions

State Wide

From Eastern Kentucky coal country to the Western Waterlands, the Bluegrass State has left its mark on countless Kentucky musicians, past and present. Their music plays on at these iconic museums and venues, where you can learn the stories, see the sights and hear the songs that make up the soundtrack of Kentucky:

1. Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum

Follow the stories of Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs and many more pioneers of bluegrass music as they formed the bedrock of this great American art form. Read More: Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum

2. Jerusalem Ridge (Bill Monroe Homeplace)

Father of Bluegrass Bill Monroe’s restored boyhood home (circa 1917) welcomes guests from all over the world. Each fall, the homeplace hosts the Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Festival.

3. Bill Monroe Museum and Rosine Barn Jamboree

Housed in a barn that’s on the National Register of Historic Places, the Rosine Barn Jamboree, offers live bluegrass music every Friday night, March through early December. The museum houses the complete legacy of the “Father of Bluegrass Music,” and pays homage to his life and career.

4. U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum

This U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum tells the story of the many country music stars who have called Eastern Kentucky home, including Loretta Lynn, Chris Stapleton, Keith Whitley, Billy Ray Cyrus, Dwight Yoakam and Patty Loveless. Stick around for Front Porch Pickin’, an evening of live mountain music held every Thursday.

5. Butcher Hollow, Loretta Lynn’s Homeplace

View of Butcher Hollow from the hillside.

Butcher Hollow, childhood home of Loretta Lynn (and her sister Crystal Gayle) is open to the public. Step inside and see her humble beginnings in the place where she grew up as a coal miner’s daughter – an upbringing that inspired her hit song (and 1980 movie of the same name).

6. Renfro Valley Entertainment Center

Renfro Valley is called “Kentucky’s Country Music Capital,” and for good reason. Founded in 1939, Renfro Valley Entertainment Center is a must-visit for music lovers. Set against the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains, this unique venue hosts the gamut of entertainers, from country and bluegrass musicians to comedy acts.

7. Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Just down the street from Renfro Valley Entertainment Center, the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum puts the spotlight on the lives and music careers of more than 50 Kentuckians. Built around the original riding stables of Renfro Valley founder John Lair, the center displays artifacts and memorabilia, and hosts live music performances throughout the year.

Kentucky Horse Country