By Susan Miller
About the Bluegrass State
The state of Kentucky--famously known as The Bluegrass State--is rich in beauty with its hills and Appalachian mountains, rich in history with its legends of Daniel Boone and the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln and is known world-wide for being rich in gold as the home of Fort Knox. There is much to see and do in the Bluegrass State, but don't plan on getting to see the gold. Visitors are not allowed inside that portion of Fort Knox, but there are other areas there you can visit, such as the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor.
History
Lincoln boyhood home
It will take several trips just to see all the historical sites in Kentucky, but make sure you don't miss the Trail of Tears Commemorative Park in Hopkinsville, the Civil War Heritage Park in Nicholasville, the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic site in Hodgenville and the Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill.
Geography
Kayaking on Cave Run Lake
Kentucky's beautiful location has garnered it three national parks in addition to Lincoln's birthplace: The Cumberland Gap, Mammoth Cave and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. All offer hiking and educational opportunities, beautiful views and fun activities for the family.
Kentucky Culture
Steep yourself in Kentucky culture by visiting the Churchill Downs and Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville, the Kentucky Horse Park and International Museum of the Horse in Lexington, the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum, the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, the Colonel Sanders and Kentucky Fried Chicken Museum and the Museum of the American Quilters Society.
Popular Attractions
Favorite stops of visitors to Kentucky include the Louisville Slugger bat factory and the Muhammad Ali Center, both in Louisville, and National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green.
Other things to see
You will want to see Kentucky's tobacco farms and the state's bourbon distilleries, which produce about 95 percent of the world's bourbon.
Resources
About the Author:
Susan Miller has been a professional journalist since 1990. She edited two weeklies for a chain of suburban newspapers and has written for the "Indianapolis Star," the "Indianapolis Business Journal" and several magazines, among other publications and websites. Miller studied design, photography and technology at Purdue University and Central Piedmont Community College.
Photo Credits:
Photos courtesy of Kentucky Tourism Bureau
