Where to stay

Those interested in the history of Kentucky and the Revolutionary War will find plenty of historic sites to visit in and around this great city. Stay in hotels in downtown Lexington for the frontier campsite of McConnell Springs, considered the city's birthplace. Book a room near Main Street to be closer to the restored 19th-century commercial buildings of the Explorium of Lexington and Hunt-Morgan House. To the north, accommodations in Georgetown are the place to stay for the beautiful Ward Hall plantation home. Visit the International Museum of the Horse and take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the park while in the area. Alternatively, hotels in Mount Sterling are ideal for experiencing a small town almost frozen in time from the late 18th century.

While it's around a 40-minute drive, accommodations in Mount Sterling are a great base to visit the many horse farms of Bluegrass Country. Consider accommodations in Versailles for the famous Keeneland racecourse, a National Historic Landmark open to the public every day. Several companies organize group and private horse farm tours from downtown Lexington, where accommodations are also close to quaint stores. For those who prefer to explore the city and its surrounds by bike, the Legacy Trail is a scenic 12-mile greenway that runs along leafy lanes from downtown Lexington to the Kentucky Horse Park.

Lexington lies at the heart of the bluegrass music scene. Just 40-minutes from the city center is Mount Sterling, the home of the annual Festival of the Bluegrass, a traditional bluegrass festival held at the Kentucky Horse Park in June. Those attending the festival should consider booking accommodations in Mount Sterling for convenient access. Closer to the city center, downtown Lexington is the perfect area to book a room to enjoy many great bars with live music, such as Tin Roof in Historic South Hill. Those interested in traditional crafts should consider a stay in Nicholasville to be closer to the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, a complex of more than 30 buildings with fine examples of Shaker furniture.