Kentucky

Light Up Louisville Issue: Fall/Winter 2010 Author(s): Kathy Witt Louisville, Kentucky, will be lit up like a — well — a Christmas tree, when KaLightoscope Christmas makes its debut at the legendary Galt House Hotel. From November 18 through January 3, 2011, visitors can enjoy a larger-than-life, walk-through Christmas luminary experience of 12 holiday-themed sections, including “Toyland,” “Christmas Tree Maze,” “The Lighted Forest” and “The Nativity,” among others. The luminaries, created by dozens of Chinese artisans, encompass more than six miles of colored and pat...

Absolutely "Gorges" Issue: Fall/Winter 2010 Author(s): Laura Taxel There’s no reason to let the season keep you indoors and on the couch. Daniel Boone National Forest in the hills of eastern Kentucky , about an hour from Lexington, is a year-round destination. In winter, the rugged landscape of forested ridges, sandstone cliffs, deep ravines and frozen waterfalls is beautiful and deserted. Snowfall is generally light and temperatures are chilly but rarely bone-numbingly frigid. So, pack some polar fleece and thermal undies and plan to do some of the finest trekking this...

Underground Secrets Issue: Spring/Summer 2010 Author(s): Becky Linhardt History is cool — about 56 to 58 degrees in Louisville’s Mega Cavern — so be sure to bring a jacket for your guided tram tour. Select portions of the 4-million-square-foot facility were opened to the public in 2009. The ride is a bit rough at times and dark. Lights are turned on along the route only as needed and to inspire awe at the vast expanses. “This was an underground quarry from the 1930s to the early 1970s,” says our tour manager, Trey Moreau. “Miners would blast out rock to be used in road cons...

Feelin’ Folky Issue: Spring/Summer 2010 Author(s): Betsa Marsh When the ladies hit the road, it’s all about taking our time, meandering back roads, popping into shops and lingering over meals. Efficiency has nothing to do with it. But we’ve come upon a one-stop-shop that we love: the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea . The Artisan Center, just off I-75 at Exit 77, is like a giant Bluegrass field trip under one elegant slate roof. There’s great shopping, Kentucky comfort food and an easy-going atmosphere that rushes no one out the door. This is the place to zero...

Who You Callin’ a Dummy? Issue: Spring/Summer 2010 Author(s): Betsa Marsh The stars of the show may never make a sound, but your family is welcome to laugh and giggle all they like at Vent Haven Museum. Vent Haven in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky — just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati — is the only museum in the world dedicated to ventriloquism. Tour its three buildings and you’ll find nearly 750 dummies staring back at you. William Shakespeare Berger was a Cincinnati tile salesman when he bought his first dummy, Tommy Baloney, in New York in 1910. By 1925, he was collecting ...

Where the Wild Things Are Issue: Spring/Summer 2010 Author(s): Becky Linhardt “Near dawn or dusk is the best time to see the wildlife in the Elk & Bison Prairie ,” says Curtis Fowler, a wildlife specialist at Kentucky’s Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area . “The elk often stay within the wooded areas during the day — they browse for food there — and the female elk keep their young hidden until almost July.” The best time to view elk with antlers is in the fall, close to mating season. Bison calves can be seen grazing the grasslands with the herd as early as May. T...

Culture Club Issue: Fall/Winter 2009 Author(s): Jennifer Rogers It can be hard to hit all of a city’s cultural hotspots on a weekend getaway, but in Louisville, Kentucky , they’ve made it easy. Museum Row on Main Street is a must-visit for anyone with a passion for history, science or the arts. With nine museums, each distinguished by first-rate collections and proximity to the exciting hub of downtown, this cluster is on par with the world’s most cosmopolitan museum centers. The Frazier International History Museum features costumed interpreters and hands-on exhibit...

Lights, Camera, Horses! Issue: Fall/Winter 2009 Author(s): Margaret Phillips Kentucky certainly wouldn’t be the same without its horses, and Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky , gives children an excellent opportunity to get to know the magnificent creatures up close. With more than 100 horses during the summer months and a few less during the winter season, it is impossible to go to this park and not interact with them. The Hall of Champions, housing legends such as Cigar, CH Gypsy Supreme, Kona Gold and Western Dreamer, is a favorite with children, as is the Parade of B...

Reds and Whites in the Bluegrass Issue: Fall/Winter 2009 Author(s): Marie Catanese Here’s an interesting tidbit about the state best known for bourbon and thoroughbreds. Kentucky can claim the nation’s first commercial vineyard and was once a top wine producer. Today that tradition returns and Equus Run Vineyards in tiny Midway, Kentucky , is one of the state’s finest. Fifteen minutes outside Lexington, Equus Run is nestled within 38 acres of rolling hills in the heart of the bluegrass region. Tastings and tours are available Monday through Saturday, and the grounds, including a landsc...

Reptile Roundup Issue: Fall/Winter 2009 Author(s): Marie Catanese With a 7-foot resident alligator named Fluffy and approximately 1,500 venomous snakes, you could call the Kentucky Reptile Zoo in Slade, Kentucky , paradise for those fascinated by the scaly set. Everybody knows that kids (and some parents) love snakes, but even those who don’t can get an education here. Jim Harrison, who has been the director of the Kentucky Reptile Zoo since it opened in 1990, gives regular demonstrations of venom extraction or “milking” that are a must-see. There are also daily reptil...

A Little Bit Country Issue: Spring/Summer 2009 Author(s): Jenna Schnuer There aren’t a lot of live-music radio shows recorded in the U.S. anymore but, happily for Kentuckians and visitors, Sunday mornings at Renfro Valley Entertainment Center are all about “The Gatherin’,” featuring the Valley’s family of top-notch music makers. Of course, one weekly show does not an entertainment center make. Renfro Valley, Kentucky , is truly a weekend’s entertainment all on its own. Get things started on Friday nights with the 70-year-old (though fresh as the day it started) Renfro Valle...

Follow the Spirits Issue: Spring/Summer 2009 Author(s): Amy S. Eckert Kentucky wants you to get to know bourbon, and the state’s distillers have drawn up a map to help you do it. Following in the footsteps of America’s vintners, eight of the state’s premier bourbon distillers — Jim Beam, Tom Moore, Heaven Hill, Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey and Four Roses — charted the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, southeast of Louisville, Kentucky , in the heart of horse country. Like their wine industry counterparts, the distilleries offer explanations of the dist...

Kentucky Goes Ducky Issue: Spring/Summer 2009 Author(s): Kathy Witt Ride the Ducks has set sail in northern Kentucky just steps away from Newport on the Levee. Climb aboard customized amphibious vehicles crafted from models used during World War II and depart from Newport Aquarium to traverse the Ohio River. Then run aground for sightseeing on the streets near downtown Cincinnati and Newport. The narrated 40-minute experience — including about 25 minutes spent in the water — shows off Great American Ball Park, Paul Brown Stadium, the Roebling Suspension Bridge (a Nation...

Motor on the Mountain Issue: Spring/Summer 2009 Author(s): Kathy Witt Journey to Harlan County, Kentucky — an isolated region in the southeastern part of the state near the Virginia border — for ATV thrills at the Black Mountain Off-Road Adventure Park . Ride on trails cut out of old coal and timbering land, comprising over 6,000 acres and more than 200 miles of rutted, pockmarked roads. The trails are littered with boulders and dense foliage that opens to the landscape oddity of grassy domes, a characteristic peculiar to clear-cut land — and beloved by ATVers. Riders com...

Rapid Transit Issue: Spring/Summer 2009 Author(s): Ed Condran A run through a Class V rapid on Pike County, Kentucky’s Russell Fork River — known as the “Beast of the East” — is ideal for adrenaline junkies. Experienced guides are strongly suggested for anyone attempting to navigate the unpredictable whitewater, which runs for 16 miles. But there’s also plenty of river for those who are looking for less treacherous waters along the Russell Fork. The upper section of the Russell is much more forgiving than the wild stretch of the gorge, which is only recommended fo...

Simple Serenity Issue: Spring/Summer 2009 Author(s): Becky Linhardt Ah, peace and tranquility. Seeking a life of simplicity and peace, a religious group known as the Shakers began building a utopian community in the unsettled early 1800s wilderness of what would later be called Harrodsburg, Kentucky . Though the Shakers no longer reside at the Village of Pleasant Hill, their peaceful spirit permeates the 3,000-acre property and the 34 carefully restored buildings there. Some dwellings are open to the public for tours while some are reserved for guests who choose to stay...

Swing Away Issue: Spring/Summer 2009 Author(s): Sherri Telenko Take me out to the baseball bat manufacturer. Behind-the-scenes plant tours showcasing the production of our favorite consumer products can be interesting, but combine the experience with an interactive baseball museum and a century of nation-defining history and you’ve got the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory in Louisville, Kentucky . Be on the lookout for the 120-foot bat leaning outside the building, and you can’t miss the place. Opened in 1996, the facility stands eight blocks from where the ...

Hiker's Haven Issue: Fall/Winter 2008 Author(s): Kathy Witt Head to Red River Gorge in Kentucky for hiking and rock climbing, with overnights spent in the scenic splendor of Natural Bridge State Resort Park . Located in the foothills of rugged Eastern Kentucky, the area snuggles up to Daniel Boone National Forest and has the largest concentration of arches and rock shelters east of the Colorado Rockies. At the resort, the 35-room Hemlock Lodge has private balconies overlooking the mountains, plus 11 equipped cottages tucked right into the forest and 82 campsites...

Hot Wheels Issue: Fall/Winter 2008 Author(s): Sherri Telenko Corvette collectors can recite chapter and verse why their favorite ride is also this country’s coolest car. Powerful and sleek, a romantic symbol of success and possibility, the Corvette embodies the American dream for many automobile enthusiasts. A loving tribute to that vehicle and the lofty dreams that it inspires can be found at The National Corvette Museum , located less than a mile away from the car’s assembly plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky . The cars have been built and designed in this city s...

Leap to the Frog Bog Issue: Fall/Winter 2008 Author(s): Kathy Witt The Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky, is celebrating frogs — warts and all. Frog Bog, running through 2009, features 30 different kinds of frogs, plus interactive experiences highlighting different senses and replicating frog habitats. It is a fitting tribute in the “Year of the Frog,” so designated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums because 2008 is a leap year. Interactive exhibits include climbable musical frog replicas that “sing” at the push of a button, and a Frogger-type video game with...

Nights of Wine and Roses Issue: Fall/Winter 2008 Author(s): Kathy Witt With towering, timber-frame construction and a green roof with cupolas designed to evoke Churchill Downs, Elk Creek Vineyards in Owenton, Kentucky , was built to elicit oohs and aahs. And it does. From its massive, three-story stone hearth to its polished wood beams stretching up to vaulted ceilings, the architectural styling of Kentucky’s largest winery rivals that found in Napa Valley. The view is pretty spectacular, too. Established in 2003, Elk Creek’s rural property (an hour’s drive from Lexington ...

Time Traveling Issue: Fall/Winter 2008 Author(s): Tracey Teo Occasionally, the romance in a relationship dries up with the summer heat. But fall and winter presents lots of opportunities to cuddle up with a loved one. Dupont Mansion , an elegant B&B located in the Old Louisville Preservation District of Kentucky, features a distinctive architectural landscape that inspires couples to brave chilly weather just to see the sights. Few activities are more romantic than walking hand-in-hand along the tree-lined streets of this area on a crisp day. Old Louisville i...

The Other Land of Lincoln Issue: Bonus Online Content Summer 2008 Author(s): Betsa Marsh Illinois will never be overlooked for its prominence in the life of Abraham Lincoln. After all, it was in that state that our illustrious 16th president began his political career and started a family, and a number of tourist attractions memorialize his time there. But history buffs are well aware that Lincoln’s roots lie deep in Kentucky bluegrass.          I decided that this year, the bicentennial celebration of the late president’s birth, was the perfect ...

Hide And Go Seek Issue: Spring/Summer 2008 Author(s): Kathy Witt A spirited scavenger hunt always makes for a memorable day. But a freewheeling search that takes you and your tykes to some 17 state resort parks, 24 recreation parks and 11 state historic sites spread across Kentucky — that’s a scavenger hunt that can lead to lifelong memories. The Kentucky State Parks Department offers the challenge once again with its popular Family Adventure Quest program. Participants hunt at their own pace and (after paying a $15 entrance fee) are armed with a disposable camera an...

Into The Wild Issue: Spring/Summer 2008 Author(s): Kathy Witt No, you’re not dreaming. And it definitely isn’t a mirage. There are, indeed, palm trees in Kentucky. For the record, the Bluegrass State also boasts an arctic cave, an Aztec jungle and a pirate ship — all of which can be found at the Wildwood Inn Tropical Dome & Theme Suites in Florence, Kentucky . The overnight spot offers eye-popping sights for kids, thanks to Wildwood’s commitment to making each suite an exotic wonderland. Among other attractions, the establishment’s 122 rooms include 14 family ...

Go Down Under Issue: Spring/Summer 2008 Author(s): Sherri Telenko Deep down an eerie gap in the earth’s surface, occupying the cool, damp spaces of one state’s unique karst topography, another world awaits. A journey through the Lost River Cave and Valley in Bowling Green, Kentucky , isn’t for the faint of heart. From the many translucent crawfish that call the cave home, to the numerous cave crickets that skate across the water — not to mention all the bats, salamanders and southern cavefish who tend to keep out of sight — the prehistoric attraction could give some v...

In Stitches Issue: Spring/Summer 2008 Author(s): Kathy Witt The next time you endeavor to stray off the Bluegrass State’s major thoroughfares and venture onto its rich back roads, be sure to keep your eyes peeled: darting minnows and whirling pinwheels are everywhere.   The colorful patterns are part of the Eastern Kentucky Quilt Trail , a network of brightly painted quilt squares that honors the region’s storied quilting heritage. Just as reflective of the area’s culture are the structures on which many of the massive works of art are painted: old tobacco ...

SoHo of the South Issue: Spring/Summer 2008 Author(s): By Tracey Teo, Photo Courtesy of Paducah-McCracken CCVB Every city has one: a down-on-its-luck neighborhood that business leaders dream of transforming into a bustling district. But few ever see the kind of success achieved by Paducah, Kentucky’s Lower Town neighborhood. The city’s Artist Relocation Program allowed creative types to buy Victorian homes for a pittance in “LoTo” and remodel them for use as residences, studios and galleries. Now, the area is a destination for art enthusiasts and shoppers in search of eclectic, handcrafted...

The Man Behind The Mix Issue: Spring/Summer 2008 Author(s): Sherri Telenko Unlike the many revered but fictional food purveyors who line our grocery aisles — Uncle Ben, anyone? — Duncan Hines was a real person. Lest you doubt it, visit Bowling Green, Kentucky , where virtually every resident seems to know the history of the man who was born there in 1880, and whose appreciation for quality food is honored around town with everything from historical plaques and a namesake, 82-mile scenic byway, to an annual Duncan Hines festival. Hines was a salesman whose frequent travels fami...

Down South In Dixie Issue: Fall/Winter 2007 Author(s): Kathy Witt The limestone cliffs known as the Palisades were carved by the Kentucky River some 5 million years ago. Today, they loom 300 to 450 feet above the river, standing sentinel over the waters that lure so many outdoor lovers to this part of the country, and serving as a dramatic backdrop for the brilliant fall scenery that flanks the river. One memorable way to take in the picturesque vista is aboard the 115-passenger Dixie Belle , an authentic sternwheeler that offers hour-long narrated excursions from Sha...

HO-HO-HO ... Bubble-bubble-bubble! Issue: Fall/Winter 2007 Author(s): Betsa Marsh As if crossing the globe delivering gifts in a sleigh weren't enough of a feat, Santa Claus also makes like Jacques Cousteau every year, heading south from his North Pole headquarters to cavort in a shark tank in Kentucky . From Nov. 23 to Jan. 1, families can delight to an unlikely sight: Kris Kringle, complete with his red suit and white beard, performing a dive show in a 385,000-gallon exhibit with underwater wildlife at the Newport Aquarium's Santa's Water Wonderland . After a brief cartoon explains...

Into the Woods Issue: Fall/Winter 2007 Author(s): Kathy Witt Through its architecture, The Lodge at Woodloch offers an integrated experience of mind, body and spirit: Sweeping outdoor vistas are captured in floor-to-ceiling windows throughout; nature's colors flow inside, and terraces and porches open to a pristine lake, ponds and woodland gardens. Located on 75 forested acres in the Lake Region of northeast Pennsylvan ia , The Lodge is a relaxing oasis with 58 luxury rooms and a spa that is a sybaritic retreat. With 27 treatment rooms offering a variety of nurtu...

Tailcoats and Top Hats Issue: Fall/Winter 2007 Author(s): Kathy Witt Back in the day (the day being 1900), a lady wouldn't dare show up unannounced at the front door of a place like Adsmore House — the home of Princeton, Kentucky's prominent Smith-Garrett family — and expect to be received. Rather, she would wait in white-gloved dignity for the appropriate day and time to pay a call, present her card to the parlor maid upon arrival … and then wait. Some of those calling cards still rest in a small tray beneath a Fra Angelico angel print in the front hall of this western ...

Work of Art Issue: Fall/Winter 2007 Author(s): Kathy Witt Sleek, urbane, au courant: The new 21c Museum Ho tel on Louisville, Kentucky's historic Main Street is a retreat where you can have your art and cuddle up with it, too. A collection of cutting-edge works is on exhibit in the hotel's 5,000-square-foot atrium, and the theme is carried seductively into the 91 guest rooms, each with original artwork, as well as fine linens imported from Italy, 42-inch plasma TVs and iPods customized with guests' favorite music prior to arrival. The hotel's "Penguin Passion ...

(Not So) Old Kentucky Home Issue: Spring/Summer 2007 Author(s): Betsa Marsh With dramatic pines sheltering its wings and the South Elkhorn Creek bubbling behind, it looks as if this venerable Midway Kentucky farmhouse has been tucked into its cove off Leestown Road since the commonwealth began. Yet the house and setting have coalesced only since 1971, when the 18th-century structure was moved from Ironworks Pike in Scott County and resettled outside Midway in Woodford County. So it was natural that the home's new name would become an amalgam of the two: Scottwood . Couples, too...

Drink It In Issue: Spring/Summer 2007 Author(s): Betsa Marsh When the ancient Celts dubbed their whiskey "water of life," they couldn't possibly have foreseen that their descendants would cannily adapt Native American grains to the old ways and distill their own amber elixir in the New World enclave of Kentucky. Today we call it bourbon: liquid Southern hospitality. And while bourbon is distilled in other regions, Kentucky is the undisputed king, producing a whiskey river with dozens of labels from Ancient Age to Yellowstone. A new Kentucky Wine and Spirits Tour ...

Kentucky Critters Issue: Spring/Summer 2007 Author(s): Betsa Marsh Aquariums are cool enough, with all those fish gliding in an otherworldly glow. But to have an indoor and an outdoor aquarium? What a splash! The outdoor waterfall and aquarium is part of the Living Stream at the Salato Wildlife Education Center in Frankfort, Kentucky . Children are welcome to lift the stones and see who's living beneath — maybe a crawdad or salamander. Salato wants to show off all the state's native animals and plants, many of them restored by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildli...

Paint the Bluegrass Red Issue: Spring/Summer 2007 Author(s): Miriam Carey Louisville has long boasted a flourishing restaurant culture, and any trip to this town should begin and end at the Brown Hotel, where Hot Brown was introduced in the 1920s. The dish is simply a mixture of bacon, turkey, bread, butter and cheese, but for some reason it tastes unbelievable at J. Graham's eatery — a quirky, old-fashioned brasserie just off the lobby of this historic hotel. The hotel's English Grill, headed by Chef Joe Castro, is a AAA Four-Diamond Award-winning restaurant that showcases C...

Rugged Respite Issue: Spring/Summer 2007 Author(s): Jamie Rhein On a clear night during a full moon, Cumberland Falls, dubbed the "Niagara of the South," casts a moonbow — think rainbow in the dark. From May 19 through September 30, Sheltowee Trace Outfitters, Kentucky's only rafting company "puts in" just below these falls, considered among the largest east of the Rockies. Located in southeastern Kentucky's Daniel Boone National Forest, Sheltowee Trace Outfitters operations are in the heart of frontiersman Daniel Boone's stomping grounds. Enjoy the wilderness by hea...

Taste of the Past Issue: Spring/Summer 2007 Author(s): Betsa Marsh In most historic homes, visitors need to ramp up their imaginations, wondering what the family had looked, sounded and acted like. But at Liberty Hall in Frankfort, Kentucky, curators will meet you more than half way.   "If I can get you laughing in the first few rooms, I know we'll have a good time," says curator of research Randy Huff, brandishing a chamber pot in an upstairs bedroom of the home John Brown built in 1796. This year, high spirits vibrate through the rooms where the Marquis de ...

Flying High Issue: Spring/Summer 2006 Author(s): Ellen Clark Located in a hangar at the Bell County Airport in Middlesboro, Kentucky , is a museum with a story and a heart. Only one aircraft is housed here, a World War II P-38, one of eight airplanes that was on its way from a secret U.S. Army base in Greenland to England in 1942. Unfortunately, a blizzard and lack of fuel forced the planes to crash-land on Greenland’s east coast and, while the crewmen were rescued unharmed, the planes were abandoned. Almost 50 years later, a group of privately funded, dedicated ...

Southern Comfort Issue: Spring/Summer 2006 Author(s): Betsa Marsh Step inside the Bennett House and Kentucky’s Gilded Age opens up in a majestic sweep, from a stained-glass window to a cherry staircase. The landing is broad enough for two ladies in Victorian evening gowns to pass without touching hems, always the mark of a genteel home. But it’s the grand section of dado paneling that catches the eye, each panel raised from sharply incised borders. Richard Smart spots everyone assessing his wall. “There aren’t any secret compartments. I’ve looked.” The acc...

Coal Comfort Issue: Fall/Winter 2005 Author(s): Ellen Clark Steaming, chugging and whistling, the Big South Fork Scenic Railway prepares for departure. On the platform, musicians pluck bluegrass and country tunes as passengers climb aboard the train for a ride through the Big South Fork River Valley and into Kentucky’s coal-mining history. The train originates at Stearns , one of Kentucky’s last remaining company-built coal and lumber towns, and then travels past roaring mountain streams, through a tunnel and alongside rocky cliffs. The first stop is Barthell, t...

Hotel Heaven Issue: Fall/Winter 2005 Author(s): Betsa Marsh Chicago is the Midwesterner's big city, and most of us love its boisterous good humor and disarming lack of pretense. The city moves along at a snappy pace, as brisk as the windy froth off the lake, but never seems in-your-face like Right Coast cities or studiously cool like Left. Yet our own metropolis still belches big-city fumes and rumbles with big-city noises, so it's nice to have a soft cocoon where we can close the door on the City that Works. To take a few hours off, think about booking a room a...

Mountain Air Issue: Fall/Winter 2005 Author(s): Jamie Rhein Located in the scenic Appalachian Mountains, Prestonsburg, Ken-tucky, blends history, traditional crafts and country music. Begin a visit at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, which offers hiking, canoeing, fishing, and elk-viewing tours. The dining room serves Kentucky cuisine and the hotel offers year-around activities. History buffs should make sure to visit the Samuel May House, a Confederate recruiting station during the Civil War, and Middle Creek Battlefield, where James A. Garfield and his regiment ...

Romantic Journeys Issue: Fall/Winter 2005 Author(s): Betsa Marsh Day-trippers love Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill for the broom maker taming a wild shock of straw, for the weaver stretching over her loom, for the delicious Shaker food at the Trustees’ Office dining room. Since the Shakers were so abstemious about other sensory pleasures, some guests figure they can indulge in biscuits with honey and translucent Shaker lemon pie on their behalf. This village in the Bluegrass valley outside Harrodsburg, Kentucky, depicts life in the 1850s, when this...

A Lip-Tinglin' Trip Issue: Spring/Summer 2005 Author(s): Gerald Bartell Barbecue restaurants are right up there with horse farms and Mammoth Cave when travelers plan visits to Kentucky. Two small towns in the southeastern part of the state, Tompkinsville and Barbourville , top the list of places to find traditional and tweaked versions of barbecue's tasty delights. On weekends in the late 1950s, folks in Tompkinsville headed to the town square to do their shopping. A keen entrepreneur, Alex Tooley, correctly guessed that shoppers strolling from the hardware to the five and ...

Bluegrass Splendor Issue: Spring/Summer 2005 Author(s): Peggy Sailors The land of bluegrass and bluebloods — this is Horse Country, where more than 450 working horse farms spread out across Kentucky's rolling hills and thoroughbred champions reign supreme. Guests are treated to southern hospitality here, as well as a unique bed-and-breakfast experience at Swann's Nest, located on a real working horse farm near Lexington . In 1969, John and Rosalie Swann bought the land for Cygnet Farm and spent the next seven years building the Main House, a stately red-brick estate with ...

Editor's Note Issue: Spring/Summer 2005 Author(s): Miriam Carey Ours is a region of extremes. Winter brings clouds, cold, snow and ice, sometimes in such big doses it's hard to remember what summer — or even sunshine — feels like. That's the kind of winter we had this year and now, Mother Nature owes us one. This summer she needs to show us the other end of the spectrum. Bring on the cloudless, endless days of sunshine. Reward all our hours spent shoveling snow with the smell of fresh-cut grass. Replace every pot of boiling stew with off-the-stem summer fruits and g...

Kentucky's Other Spirits Issue: Spring/Summer 2005 Author(s): Amy S. Eckert The drive to Chrisman Mill Winery in Nicholasville is like any other through Bluegrass Country. The road twists and turns past the occasional tobacco farm and several horse ranches, their lush paddocks bordered by white fence rails and filled with sleek thoroughbreds. It's the final stretch of the drive that surprises visitors to Nicholasville, when the road finally passes through row upon tidy row of grapevines. Lexington has long been recognized for its bourbon-making expertise, but most travelers kno...

Lights Shine on Louisville Issue: Fall/Winter 2004 Author(s): Miriam Carey On a cool summer evening, a group of men stand in front of Louisville's Seelbach Hotel, dodging the wedding inside to smoke cigars and fuss with their tuxedo ties and tails. So convincing are these gentlemen in their costumes, they could trick an onlooker into believing this is a movie set for a period film. They're standing on a section of Fourth Street, an old-fashioned boulevard bookended by the Seelbach at one end and the Brown Hotel just a few blocks away. Trees shade the street, which is lined wit...

Shaker Style Issue: Fall/Winter 2004 Author(s): Peggy Sailors If you're seeking a living-history experience where you're totally immersed in another place and time — where you can sleep comfortably, eat heartily and breathe in a unique chapter of American history — Kentucky's Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill is as good as it gets. It's the only historic site in the nation where all visitor services, including dining and lodging, are provided on site in historic buildings. In keeping with the Shaker experience, all 81 If You Go ...

A Stitch in Time Issue: Spring/Summer 2004 Author(s): Kathryn Lemmon Quilts have come to be regarded as the epitome of the blending of the artist's keen eye and the craftsman's steady hand. Once you visit the Museum of the American Quilter's Society (MAQS) in Paducah, Kentucky , you'll have no doubt quilts can be true works of art. Sometimes referred to as Quilt City, Paducah is a must-see spot for quilters, but all who visit come away impressed. Even the society's building is all about quilting. The entrance leads into a lobby containing stained-glass windows with quilt...

Natural Wonders Issue: Spring/Summer 2004 Author(s): Miriam Carey If You Go : For more information on the Daniel Boone National Forest, visit www.southernregion.fs.fed.us/boone . Natural Bridge State Resort, 2135 Natural Bridge Rd., Dade, Ky., 606/663-2214. Resort reservations: 800/325-1710. www.state.ky.us/agencies/parks Cumberland Falls State Resort, 7351 Highway 90, Corbin, Ky., 606/528-4121. Resort reservations: 800/325-0063. www.state.ky.us/agencies/parks Like a lush green sash, the Daniel Boone National Forest cuts across eastern Kentucky with a massive swath ...

Poor Man's Porsche Issue: Spring/Summer 2004 Author(s): Kathryn Lemmon Kentucky is the birthplace of Corvettes (they're produced in Bowling Green) but this June, the state will be overrun with another classic vehicle – Corvairs. Called the poor man's Porsche, thousands of the cars still cruise the highways, despite Ralph Nader's long-ago protestations that the car was unsafe. Corvair lovers are a rare and enthusiastic breed, though, and they get revved up for their annual convention. This year, they tool to Lexington June 15¯19 for the 2004 International Convention of t...

Crafty Stay Issue: Fall/Winter 2003 Author(s): Ellen Clark If You Go ... Boone Tavern, Main Street, Berea, 859/985-3700. Rates: $60-$79. Frontier Nursing Service Bed & Breakfast Inn, 132 FNS Dr., Wendover, 606/672-2317. Rate: $65. The Homestead Bed & Breakfast, 3944 Bloomfield Rd. (U.S. Rte. 62 E), Bardstown, 502/349-1777. Rates: $95-$125. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Rd., Harrodsburg, 859/734-5411. www.shakervillageky.org . Rates: rooms $78-$94, suites $94-$145, house $170-$225. Old Crow Inn, 471 Stanford Rd., Danville, 859/236-1808....

Bopping Down the Bourbon Trail Issue: Fall/Winter 2002 Author(s): Amy S. Eckert Those who know their bourbon know there's nothing to be gained from hurrying the whiskey-making process. So it is with traveling Kentucky's Bourbon Trail . No single highway links the distilleries along the trail. And you won't make good time traveling from one manufacturer to another. But if you tried, you'd be missing the point entirely. Meandering through the bluegrass hills southeast of Louisville, the Bourbon Trail includes tours and sampling. Begin your journey with one of the country's best-known...

Roadside Oddities Issue: Fall/Winter 2002 Author(s): Ann Fazzini Alton Museum of History and Art, Alton, Ill. What's the story? The museum pays loving homage to Alton's favorite son, Robert Wadlow, who at an astonishing 8 feet, 11.1 inches, was the tallest person in history. The gentle giant was born to parents of normal height and weight, but an overactive pituitary gland eventually caused him to grow to his extreme height. What's there? Although Robert's family destroyed many of his belongings to keep them from the hands of insensitive collectors, the museum tastef...