海角社区

Kentucky, the Bluegrass State, is known for its natural beauty and its history and culture. Kentucky鈥檚 mountains, valleys, and rivers are home to numerous small towns that offer unique experiences to visitors. From outdoor adventures to great live music to genuine bourbon whiskey, Kentucky has a small town to suit every preference. Before planning your next visit to the Bluegrass State, check out these eight great small towns that are especially hospitable to visitors.

Berea

Situated south of Lexington and north of Knoxville, Tennessee, along Interstate 75, Berea has seen recent population growth but remains a small town at heart. The town鈥檚 most famous institution is Berea College, founded in 1855 as the first coeducational and racially integrated college in the southern United States. The college鈥檚 welcoming spirit infuses the town with hospitality toward visitors of all backgrounds. The college community also contributes to Berea鈥檚 famously lively arts scene, with regular community arts festivals and lots of live music, culminating with the college鈥檚 annual Celebration of Traditional Music each October. Berea is also home to a number of great and unique locations, such as the Antique Radio Warehouse.

Morehead

Morehead occupies a picturesque spot among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in northeastern Kentucky, with a postcard-pretty downtown that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The surrounding area includes popular natural attractions like Sheltowee Trace Trail, Daniel Boone National Forest, and Cave Run Lake, one of the largest lakes in eastern Kentucky. Back in town, Morehead鈥檚 numerous shops and eateries are geared toward welcoming visitors as well as students at Morehead State University, which has its campus just north of downtown. Morehead is also home to the impressive Kentucky Folk Art Center museum.

Bardstown

Bourbon whiskey is a key part of Kentucky鈥檚 identity, so 叠补谤诲蝉迟辞飞苍鈥檚 self-proclaimed title as the 鈥淏ourbon Capital of the 海角社区鈥� is a big deal in the Bluegrass State. Bardstown supports its claim with popular attractions like the annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival, the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History, and several local distilleries. Bardstown has another tourist draw that is more surprising for a small town: the opulent 1823 Basilica of St. Joseph, a vestige of the town鈥檚 beginnings as a magnet for Roman Catholic settlers. If you are interested in pairing a bourbon distillery tour and a historic church tour, Bardstown is the place for you!

Grand Rivers

Grand Rivers was founded in the late 1800s with big ambitions: it is named for the nearby Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee rivers and was meant to become a steelmaking city to rival Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Instead, today鈥檚 Grand Rivers is a small village of around 350 residents that is known as a wonderful gateway into the surrounding outdoors. In addition to the rivers, the town sits between the manmade Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake, offering excellent boating, fishing, and watersports. Grand Rivers鈥� biggest annual event is the Bluegrass, Brew, and BBQ Festival, held each April.

La Grange

La Grange鈥檚 picturesque and generally quiet downtown gets rattled some 25 times per day as freight trains rumble over the tracks that are built right into Main Street. La Grange has turned this regular disruption into an awesome attraction, giving visitors a chance to see passing trains up close before checking out the La Grange Railroad Museum. Along with train lovers from near and far, La Grange welcomes day-trippers from the nearby cities of Louisville and Cincinnati with amenities like a seasonal farmer鈥檚 market, a summertime splash pad, and a forthcoming state park.

Maysville

Over the centuries, buffalo herds, Native Americans, and Euro-American settlers passed through today鈥檚 Maysville on their path from the Ohio River to what is now central Kentucky鈥檚 bluegrass country. Before the Civil War, escaped enslaved people went the other direction, with Maysville as a key stop on the Underground Railroad to freedom across the river. The Harriet Beecher Stowe Slavery to Freedom Museum, located in an 1807 house, recounts this important part of Maysville's history. Maysville also has a lovely and welcoming downtown area and ample options for outdoor recreation along the river.

Murray

Murray was named 鈥渇riendliest town in America鈥� by Rand McNally and USA Today in 2012, a big honor for this southwestern Kentucky community of about 17,000. Murray State University calls the town home, giving downtown Murray a youthful vitality and a diversity of dining and shopping options. Murray also has an art gallery (Eagle Gallery) and a history museum (Wrather Museum), as well as numerous historical sites and markers. Murray is still grappling with parts of its past but also feels like a community that is ready to step into the future with enthusiasm.

Somerset

Somerset proudly proclaims itself the 鈥淥fficial Car Cruise Capital of Kentucky,鈥� and its popular annual 鈥淪omernites Cruise鈥� series brings big crowds to this community of 12,000 from April to October. Somerset also hosts an excellent Master Musician鈥檚 Festival and other events that highlight its picturesque and historic downtown area. Somerset is also home to a fascinating museum called the International Paranormal Museum and Research Center, which investigates paranormal activity. Somerset is also a gateway to a pair of Kentucky鈥檚 outdoor gems, Lake Cumberland and Daniel Boone National Forest.

Kentucky is synonymous with bluegrass, bourbon, and thoroughbreds, but these are far from the only reasons to visit this state, established in 1792. While touring big cities like Louisville and Lexington is definitely rewarding, exploring Kentucky鈥檚 small towns offers visitors a distinctive combination of history, heritage, and hospitality. Use our list of eight welcoming towns as a starting point, but also take some time to hit the road and discover some hospitable Kentucky towns for your own personal list. The Bluegrass State awaits your visit!