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Independently owned small businesses take up residence here in the colorful Italianate buildings and unique storefronts.
Winchester
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Population: 19,071
Winchester is the Birthplace ofBeer Cheese.
Credit:Oldham County KY Tourism & Conventions
Yes, that ooey-gooey dip and delicacy is a Kentucky original born in the land of Daniel Boone.
Don’t miss the annualBeer Cheese Festivalin June.
It’s the worlds only festival dedicated to the celebration of this cheesy concoction.
Credit:Courtesy of Bellevue, KY
Beyond cheese, Winchester has a lovely Historic Downtown District full of shops and restaurants.
Kentuckys ownville de lumierehas a charming downtown surrounded by the horse farms of Bourbon County.
Stroll Main Street and stop for a photo-op at the 20-foot-tall Eiffel Tower.
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Overnight in a penthouse suite atop the worlds tallest three-story building (perRipleys Believe It or Not!)
at the Paradise Inn.
At Hartfield & Company, go behind the scenes at Bourbon Countys first craftdistillerysince Prohibition.
Credit:Paris-Bourbon County Tourism
Tour Claiborne Farm (the final resting place of Secretariat) and see other renowned horse farms.
Danvilleis full of treasures.
Pioneer Playhouse, Kentuckys oldest outdoor theater, is about to enter its 75th season.
Credit:Danville-Boyle County Convention and Visitors Bureau
It’s one of the oldest continuously operated summer stock theaters in the United States.
TheGreat American Dollhouse Museumis a miniatures wonderland featuring more than 200 displays.
The caves entrance is located directly off Main Street, a National Register of Commercial Places Historic District.
Credit:Horse Cave/Hart County Tourism
Pet kangaroos at Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo and feed camels at Dutch Country Safari Park.
Spot horse-drawn buggies clip-clopping along rural roads where a fast-growing Amish population thrives.
Munch on melt-in-your-mouth fried pies at Farmwalds Restaurant and Bakery.
Credit:Berea College
Hike the Pinnacles in the Berea College Forestconsidered among the very best hikes in Kentucky.
High above town, the Pikeville Cut-Through provides sweeping views of the valley below.
Independently owned boutiques and restaurants dot the square.
Credit:Kathy Witt
A village of 18th and 19th-century log houses add charm to Museum Row which houses two Civil War museums.
It’s also the site of the summertime outdoor Broadway musical, The Stephen Foster Story.
Pop into One Nineteen Main Street and watch the trains roll past.
Credit: Robbie Caponetto
Visit the Old Washington Historic District, a 1700s village crowded with local shops and museums.
Delve into the history of one of Kentuckys earliest settlements and its ties to Underground Railroad history.
The century-old Beaux-Arts style building, topped by the states second-largest bell tower dome, anchors a town square.
Credit:Oldham County KY Tourism & Conventions
One of Greenvilles shops, theHouse of Onyx,is the worlds largest wholesale gemstone dealer.
Another shop, the Screen Door, is a homey hodgepodge of primitives.
Nearby adventure awaits in Lake Malone State Park where the beloved Big Twigs family of sculpture giants live.
Credit:Getty Images
Hodgenville
Population 3,392
Hodgenville is the hometown of Americas 16th president.
Abraham Lincoln was born here in 1809.
Outside, two statues of the Rail-Splitter bookend a charming parkland area within the town square.
Credit:Maria Clark Photography
Take a hayride to the pumpkin patch at Hintons Orchard.
Don’t miss Octobers Lincoln Days, a two-day festival overrun with dozens of Lincoln lookalikes.
Grab coffee at the Augusta General Store with its old-timey atmosphere and poke around for antiques and unique gifts.
Credit: ©Jamievia Flickr
Credit:Courtesy of Augusta, KY
