Visiting in July!

[SustainableAg]

Sorry for the very delayed response. Our visit was wonderful. We absolutely fell in love with KY. We traveled all over the state, and visited different attractions. Did some antiquing, and found a wonderful bakery. Now our only task is to convince the rest of the family that they need to come along! Hoping to plan another vacation to KY next summer. However, the extended family wants to go to SC....hoping we can convince them otherwise! Thank you all for the suggestions!

[Backintheville2]

Thanks for the report! Sounds wonderful. I'm leaving next Monday for Kentucky, will mostly be in Danville area for 5 nights. Did you make it to Danville? If so, impressions? Suggestions on what to do? When I'm there, the KY constitution is actually going to be on display in Constitution Square, so as a history buff I'm looking forward to that.

I'm also hoping to spend some time in the Amish country area in and around Bowling Green.

[CraigCreek]

Originally Posted by Backintheville2

Thanks for the report! Sounds wonderful. I'm leaving next Monday for Kentucky, will mostly be in Danville area for 5 nights. Did you make it to Danville? If so, impressions? Suggestions on what to do? When I'm there, the KY constitution is actually going to be on display in Constitution Square, so as a history buff I'm looking forward to that.

I'm also hoping to spend some time in the Amish country area in and around Bowling Green.

Check out the Great American Dollhouse Museum in Danville - it's not just for little girls! Fascinating place, with miniature structures that are arranged in groups and tell stories.

Don't miss Burke's Bakery, on Main Street right across from Constitution Square, and the Dr. Ephraim McDowell House, across another side of the square. Dr. McDowell performed the first successful abdominal surgery - without anesthesia; his exceptionally courageous patient sang hymns during the procedure. His house and office are beautifully restored and maintained.

Be sure to drive through some of the older residential areas of Danville - there are some beautiful houses there. "Raintree County" was filmed in and around Danville, and older locals can still point out the places used in the movie. There are also some good antique shops and malls in Danville.

Centre College hosts lots of concerts and other presentations which are open to the public.

If you're a rockhound, or just would like a unique souvenir, check out the shallow creeks just south of Danville (in the Knobs) for crystal- or chalcedony-lined geodes. Be sure to get the property owners' permissions first, of course.

Shakertown at Pleasant Hill and Old Fort Harrod State Park in Harrodsburg are just a short drive from Danville, and the Perryville (Civil War) Battlefield Park is even closer. A large reenactment with both civilian and military "living historians" and special displays and activities takes place at Perryville each fall - check the date and see if it coincides with your visit. If you are a history buff, all three of these places should be tops on your visiting list. Dining at Shakertown's Trustees' House or Harrodsburg's Beaumont Inn are experiences long to be remembered.

Lexington is about an hour away and also contains many places of interest, including the girlhood home of Mary Todd Lincoln and Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate, plus the huge Kentucky (state) Horse Park located in prime thoroughbred horse farm country just outside of town. Drive through the beautiful and historic Lexington Cemetery, once again in the news as the proposed new home of the statues of John C. Breckinridge and John Hunt Morgan, up to now located by the old courthouse on Main Street. Both Breckinridge and Morgan are buried in the cemetery, along with many other prominent early Lexingtonians.

You won't lack for things to do in the Bluegrass...

Enjoy your visit!

[Backintheville2]

Originally Posted by CraigCreek

Check out the Great American Dollhouse Museum in Danville - it's not just for little girls! Fascinating place, with miniature structures that are arranged in groups and tell stories.

Don't miss Burke's Bakery, on Main Street right across from Constitution Square, and the Dr. Ephraim McDowell House, across another side of the square. Dr. McDowell performed the first successful abdominal surgery - without anesthesia; his exceptionally courageous patient sang hymns during the procedure. His house and office are beautifully restored and maintained.

Be sure to drive through some of the older residential areas of Danville - there are some beautiful houses there. "Raintree County" was filmed in and around Danville, and older locals can still point out the places used in the movie. There are also some good antique shops and malls in Danville.

Centre College hosts lots of concerts and other presentations which are open to the public.

If you're a rockhound, or just would like a unique souvenir, check out the shallow creeks just south of Danville (in the Knobs) for crystal- or chalcedony-lined geodes. Be sure to get the property owners' permissions first, of course.

Shakertown at Pleasant Hill and Old Fort Harrod State Park in Harrodsburg are just a short drive from Danville, and the Perryville (Civil War) Battlefield Park is even closer. A large reenactment with both civilian and military "living historians" and special displays and activities takes place at Perryville each fall - check the date and see if it coincides with your visit. If you are a history buff, all three of these places should be tops on your visiting list. Dining at Shakertown's Trustees' House or Harrodsburg's Beaumont Inn are experiences long to be remembered.

Lexington is about an hour away and also contains many places of interest, including the girlhood home of Mary Todd Lincoln and Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate, plus the huge Kentucky (state) Horse Park located in prime thoroughbred horse farm country just outside of town. Drive through the beautiful and historic Lexington Cemetery, once again in the news as the proposed new home of the statues of John C. Breckinridge and John Hunt Morgan, up to now located by the old courthouse on Main Street. Both Breckinridge and Morgan are buried in the cemetery, along with many other prominent early Lexingtonians.

You won't lack for things to do in the Bluegrass...

Enjoy your visit!

Thank you for your helpful information! I'm looking forward to my first visit to KY!

[kygman]

My wife and I took a trip a few years ago. Staying in Louisville we made a round trip, with the first stop the Jim Beam distillery outside Bardstown, then enjoyed the sites in Bardstown, including My Old Kentucky Home, St. Joseph's Cathedral, and just a walk around downtown. We made it to Lincoln's Birthplace at Hodgenville and Lincoln's Boyhood Home at Knob Creek. We then drove to Harrodsburg, but got there about a half hour after Ft. Harrod closed. Same with Shakertown. By the time we got there there wasn't time to see anything before closing. Danville was one of our stops also. Hard to see much when we had 3 kids wanting to get back to the hotel and get in the pool. But there's plenty to see in the area.
I've lived in Kentucky all my life (so far!) and keep finding more places to go and see. There are 120 counties in the Commonwealth and something to see in all of them.

Enjoy your visit!

[kygman]

Originally Posted by SustainableAg

Sorry for the very delayed response. Our visit was wonderful. We absolutely fell in love with KY. We traveled all over the state, and visited different attractions. Did some antiquing, and found a wonderful bakery. Now our only task is to convince the rest of the family that they need to come along! Hoping to plan another vacation to KY next summer. However, the extended family wants to go to SC....hoping we can convince them otherwise! Thank you all for the suggestions!

Tell them everybody knows about what there is to see in SC, but not everybody knows what all there is to see in Ky. Like an old state motto says, "Tour Kentucky First".

[SustainableAg]

Originally Posted by Backintheville2

Thanks for the report! Sounds wonderful. I'm leaving next Monday for Kentucky, will mostly be in Danville area for 5 nights. Did you make it to Danville? If so, impressions? Suggestions on what to do? When I'm there, the KY constitution is actually going to be on display in Constitution Square, so as a history buff I'm looking forward to that.

I'm also hoping to spend some time in the Amish country area in and around Bowling Green.

I highly recommend Burkes Bakery, as someone else here suggested. We were very impressed with the quality of their baked good. If you go, you must try one of their glazed donuts, as they are to die for! Since you are a history buff, I also recommend the Shaker Village. You must give yourself enough time to go into all of the buildings, as there was a lot to see! We weren't too far off from Lincoln Homestead State Park, but sadly did not have time to visit.

[Backintheville2]

Thought I'd report back about my visit to Danville. Thanks to all of you who suggested places and things to do while there! This was the best trip I've ever had, and I'll soon be 60. My first visit to KY, and hopefully not my last! What a beautiful state with the most friendly people! And Danville is a wonderful little town, much like my hometown in Texas. I felt right at home and did get to visit many of the places that some had mentioned.

Also was able to fit in a side trip to Lexington. Very impressed with that area as well, though it was only for an evening of dinner. Also got to have dinner at Shaker Village, but did not have time this visit to see all the buildings.

Toured McDowell House with the group I was with, the McDowell descendants. They were having a reunion in Danville, to remember the 200th anniversary of Judge Samuel McDowell's death. Got to have my photo taken with the original 1792 KY Constitution, which was on display from Frankfort. We heard a lecture on KY history from Dr. James Klotter, the state historian of KY since 1980, and professor of History at Georgetown College. He then led our group on a personal tour of Constitution Square.

Toured Perryville battlefield one afternoon. Our schedule was very busy, but well worth it.

On my drive home, discovered a nice little town of Columbia, KY. Now that is the kind of small town I could retire and move to and enjoy.

What a beautiful state! I hope to visit again in the future.