Local Secrets, Big Finds - KentuckyLocal Secrets, Big Finds - Kentucky

Local Secrets, Big Finds - Kentucky

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Local Secrets, Big Finds
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Live Lunch at WFPK
Louisville

502.814.6500
It's first come, first seated at this weekly "opportunity to hear local, regional, and national bands/singers in all genres of music." Radio station WFPK is "located in a beautifully restored building," and each Friday at noon, it offers the chance for the public to "hang out in a recording studio and be on the radio for an hour listening to free music" during a live broadcast. Doors open at 11:30am, and many people choose to bring in lunch to eat during the show. If you can't show up in person, you can hear everything on the radio at 91.9. Read more.

Maggie's Jungle Golf & Animal Park
Gilbertsville

270.362.8933
Whether you've earned your green jacket or just want to play for the fun of it, this mini-golf course has "difficult holes along with some easy ones." To add to the atmosphere, "the course is highlighted with huge figurines of jungle animals." After you're done putting around, "the animal park has golf carts that you can drive through the woods." Along the way, you can stop to feed and pet the animals (except for the ostriches). All in all, "it's a fun and informative place for children and adults." Special tip: "go at 4pm for more shade and less people."

Woodford Reserve Distillery
Versailles

859.879.1812
Woodford Reserve Distillery
Try that famous Kentucky bourbon during a visit to a fully-operational distillery in the town of Versailles. Even if not everyone in your party is over 21, the "nicely-designed facility" is for "all ages to discover the heritage and art of bourbon making--a classic for the Bluegrass region." At the barns, "the smells of the bourbon aging in oak barrels is wonderful." After you're done exploring the distillery, "wander down the road to watch the horse races at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington." If you go in fall, "the colors are spectacular." Read more.

Louisville Extreme Park
Louisville

502.456.8100
This "architecturally amazing" skate park at the corner of Clay and Witherspoon streets encompasses 40,000 square feet of concrete surface. Whether or not you plan to skate , it's always a "blast to see kids from all over get excited when they see it." Although the park is for all ages and skills, a "few tiny little businesses" have cropped up nearby over the years "that really cater to just those kids," including "a hostel, skate shop, and a cafe." The park is open 24 hours a day, and if you come at 10pm during summer, "the kids are out in full force." Read more.

Vent Haven Museum
Fort Mitchell

859.341.0461
Dedicated to the art of ventriloquism, Vent Haven is "not a very well-known museum," but each July it sponsors a convention for ventriloquists from all over the world. The museum houses nearly 700 figures as part of its "large collection of puppets including Charlie McCarthy." You'll also find thousands of photographs, playbills, and a library of books dating back to the 1700s. The museum operates from May to September, and visits are by appointment only. It's recommended that you reserve your spot at least three days in advance. Read more.

Flabby's
Louisville

502.637.9136
Flabby's is the place to go and get "half a fried chicken for about four dollars." Set in the Germantown district of Louisville, the restaurant sits on the corner of Lydia and Hickory Streets, and "the owners are from the same family that owns Mazzoni's, long known for their rolled oysters." Come on Friday and Saturday evenings to talk politics or horse races with the locals. The food here is the real deal, and you can get everything from liver and gizzards to traditional German-style dinners with an assortment of vegetables as side orders. Wash it all down with some sasparilla or a tall glass of ice tea. Read more.

Cliffview Resort
Rogers

606.668.6550
Cliffview Resort
Located just a few miles from Natural Bridge State Park and Red River Gorge Geological Area, this resort is "truly paradise for those who love nature." On the property are 1,500 acres of four-wheeling trails, including "a play yard for those who like to live on the edge and an old railroad bed for those who like easy riding." The trails are "never crowded," and you can go "miles and miles away from your cabin." Accommodations at the resort are log cabins; the property also includes creek beds and several lakes. "Go in cooler weather, for fewer insects" on the trails. Read more.

Irish Acres Antique Gallery and Restaurant
Versailles

859.873.7235
For a "very unique trip about 20 minutes from Lexington," this antique gallery offers everything from inexpensive cookware to opulent Victorian furnishings from Europe. Located in the former Nonesuch Elementary School, the space "glimmers and glows" with 32,000 square feet of goods, including glassware, dolls, rugs, and much more. Browse the antiques, then head to the Glitz Restaurant, a "surprise located in the stone-walled basement" where the interior decorating lives up to the restaurant's name. Read more.

Kentucky Wool Festival
Falmouth

859.654.3378
Step into the late 1700s for three days during this "peaceful festival," which takes place each year during the first week of October, just as the leaves begin to turn. During this time, "people from all over come to visit" Falmouth, a town tied to its wool-mill history. At the festival, "they have woodworking, candle makers, sheep shearing (of course!), and tons of great food." For this reason, you should "bring some money with you," especially for the "tents and tents full of arts, crafts, candles--everything." Live music performances range from bluegrass bands to barbershop quartets. Read more.

Town of Rabbit Hash
Boone County

The tiny river town of Rabbit Hash is famous for its historic sites. Having withstood several floods, the town's general store dates back to 1831. The store sells a hodgepodge collection of goods ranging from postcards and pottery to antiques and handmade soaps. "It's a nice scenic drive" to get there, and once you arrive, the store's front porch is a "great place to sit outside the oldest general store in Kentucky to have a beer and watch the river traffic." The best time to go is on a warm, summer day.