Rolling bluegrass pastures encased in white fenced borders, million dollar racehorses and immaculate horse farms, romantic mansions, riverside cities and quaint B&Bs - Kentucky has a great deal to offer from stunning scenery, state parks, a host of sporting activities and many family attractions.

Must Do’s...
Attend the Kentucky Derby www.kentuckyderby.com – the most exciting 2 minutes in horse racing (held the first weekend of May at Churchill Downs, Louisville).
Visit Keeneland Race Course during the Spring and Fall racing season (Lexington).
Tour the private horse farms around Lexington.
Visit the Tall Stacks Festival in Northern Kentucky

Top Attractions...
Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington. This park is a celebration of the horse, with over 40 breeds of horse. And Newport on the Levee a River Front attraction and entertainment centre in Northern Kentucky.

Driving Kentucky...
You can drive one of the following Trails:
Bourbon Trail – bourbon is made only in Kentucky. Follow the self-guided Bourbon Trail which links Kentucky’s 8 distilleries, such as Jim Beam, Makers Mark, Buffalo Trace, and Labrot and Graham.
Music Trail – between June and August Kentucky’s musical history can be followed, taking in the best of bluegrass music.

Climate
Kentucky’s summers can be very warm, but cool evenings are not unusual. For spring and autumn, it is recommended to take a light jacket. During the winter visitors can expect moderate snowfall.

Time difference and location
Kentucky is located along the western side of the Appalachian Mountains, being bordered by 7 states. The state is divided into 2 time zones. The line dividing the zones goes through the South Central region. Most of North Central and Eastern Kentucky are 5 hours behind, and most of South Central and Western Kentucky are 6 hours behind UK.

Rolling bluegrass pastures encased in white fenced borders, million dollar racehorses and immaculate horse farms, romantic mansions, riverside cities and quaint B&Bs - Kentucky has a great deal to offer from stunning scenery, state parks, a host of sporting activities and many family attractions.

Louisville is the state's largest city and provides the setting for the oldest thoroughbred race in the US - The Kentucky Derby, held on Churchill Downs and which is reputed to be the single richest day in American sport. Historic Lexington is known as the "Horse Capital of the World" with many horse farms scattered around. Also located here is The Kentucky Horse Park, a 1032 acre park dedicated to man’s love of the horse, the International Museum of the Horse and Keeneland, the site of major race meetings. The riverside city of Frankfort is Kentucky's capital where the Old Governor's Mansion is said to be the oldest official residence in use in the U.S.

Kentucky is not only known for its horse racing. It is home to Bourbon, a spirit born from pure spring water, discovered by a Baptist Minister in Georgetown in 1789 and sampled worldwide. Today there is a unique bourbon trail which visitors can follow and tour some of the oldest working distilleries in central Kentucky. The legacies of Kentuckians are preserved in historic homes such as My Old Kentucky Home in Bardstown, handy work such as the Museum of the American Quilters Society in Paducah or Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. Other famous attractions include the Mammouth Caves, the world’s largest cave formation and the American Corvette Museum.

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is bordered by seven states: Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri and Illinois. It has more miles of running water than any other state except Alaska, 50 state parks and hundreds of recreational, natural historic and cultural attractions.

For further information visit www.kentuckytourism.com

CLICK HERE to visit The Kentucky Tourism web page with details of the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games - Kentucky Tourism

CLICK HERE for USA Horse Riding Holidays/ Horseback Vacations