Hofbrauhaus Brewery
Newport

Water, malt, hops, and yeast get the respect they deserve at Hofbrauhaus Brewery, where they're blended together and brewed by a German brew master under the license and supervision of Staatliches Hofbrauhaus in Munich. Open since 2003, this is the first authentic Hofbrauhaus in America. If you want to "enjoy German food in a German festive atmosphere" you won't find a better spot. Many of the signature German dishes are prepared with ingredients specially made for the Hofbrauhaus--both locally and from abroad. Pretzels with cheese dip, sauerkraut balls, and all the schnitzel and bratwurst you can imagine are on the menu. It's "wunderbar!" Read more.

International BBQ Festival
Owensboro

Hosting about 20 celebrations a year, Owensboro already bears the distinction of being Kentucky's festival city. But if you ask locals which is tops, one celebration takes the prize: the International BBQ Festival, held every year in May. It's "great food, fun, and entertainment for the family." With tongs and flippers at the ready, local cooking teams compete for the Governor's Cup. Festival revelers won't deny the salacious aromas of "hickory-stoked fires blending with sizzling chicken, bubbling burgoo, and roasting mutton." Carnival rides, face painting, a horseshoe tournament, golf challenge, keg toss, and even a 5K run round out this one-of-a-kind weekend. Read more.

The Purple People Bridge
Newport

Cross this bridge and end up in an entirely different state. Connecting Cincinnati, OH to Newport, KY, the 2,670 foot Purple People Bridge is the longest pedestrian-only bridge in the country. Built in 1872, this bridge closed to cars and pedestrians in 2001, and reopened in 2003 to pedestrians after a $4 million renovation by a non-profit group. Walk across and get a bird's eye view of Newport and Cincinnati from 140 feet above the Ohio River. You can also climb the bridge by donning a bright yellow suit that you hook to cables on the bridge to ensure that if you stumble, you won't go far. The bridge climb is "a unique, exciting, and adventurous attraction." Read more.

Nolt's Bulk Foods
Liberty

Some shoppers go for a 25-pound sack of flour, but Mennonite-owned Nolt's Bulk Foods carries much more than that. "It's a great little place where you can buy homemade stuff and whole foods." The cash-only store sells bulk items of dry goods, pasta, and candies, and you can also find locally produced items such as clover honey, bread, and cookies. Nolt's Bulk Food is often called "the spice store," because it offers 80 spices and 100 kinds of herbs. The store is "way out in the country" and offers a "simple charm" of a "slower way of life." Even though the store funnels sunlight through a sun pipe and uses solar power for the scales and cash register, it's as good as any modern-day grocery store.

The Brickyard Cafe
Bowling Green

In 1996, Bosnian immigrants Zeljko Simic and Robert Stupar "brought the tastes of the Adriatic to Kentucky." They renovated an old 1860s historic brickyard, built some of the furniture themselves, and opened their Italian Trattoria. The Brickyard Cafe is a "cozy place to go for a great time with friends, family, or a date." Recommended dishes range from artichoke soup, lamb shanks, and poached pears to brick-oven baked pizza and chicken in white wine sauce. Everyone agrees that "dessert is a must," so be sure to top off your meal with some spumoni or one of the daily dessert specials. Read more.