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The Bluegrass Region’s reputation for fine horses and fine bourbon whiskey is known world-wide. Magnificent horse farms and charming bourbon distilleries share a place in this extraordinary landscape of gently rolling hills. Buffalo Trace, like all bourbon distilleries, carefully guards its unique mash bill - its own secret combination of corn, rye and malted barley. In addition to its flagship bourbon, Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the distillery produces other finely crafted bourbons including Blanton's, W.L. Weller, Old Charter and Eagle Rare. A variety of bourbon tours cover the history of the distillery (there has been a working distillery on the grounds since 1787) and differences between whiskey and bourbon. You’ll get to visit the hand bottling hall and a century old aging warehouse.
More about the Buffalo Trace Distillery
Kentucky Ballet Theatre presents Coppelia
April 23rd - 24th, 2010
To close the season, the Kentucky Ballet Theatre has chosen classical ballet's greatest comedy, Coppelia. A story of mistaken identity and a beautiful mechanical doll, Coppelia leaves young and old alike bemused by the antics of two confused lovers, Swanhilda and Franz. A story of sneakery, imaginary magic, and drifting love, Coppelia is one of the earliest ballets, if not the earliest, that features a doll coming to live as an important part of the story. Don't miss this enchanting performance!
More about the Kentucky Ballet Theatre presents Coppelia
Tauck Tours Click here for itineraries. (800) 788-7885
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The ideal time to visit Lexington is a beautiful fall Saturday when you can attend racing at the fall meet at Keeneland and then attend a University of Kentucky night football game at Commonwealth stadium. This is also the time when restaurants and hotels are most likely to be full, so advance reservations are recommended. Spring is another excellent time to visit. In the winter season, Kentuckians will be found glued to their televisions or radio's watching the basketball wildcats, or commenting on the last game. Home games at Rupp arena are usually sold out, but tickets can usually be found, especially when Kentucky plays a game while the students are on Christmas break.
VirtualTourist.com User
Online Traveler
Kentucky's Horse Park is one of the most beautiful places to visit. The addmission is not too bad to see the things you will be exposed too. The neatest thing is to watch the early morning putting on of the harness of the great horse including the Clyedales. The number of different breeds are huge. Education abounds through the park along with riding the wagons pulled by the giants of horses. You also (and this I loved) can take a tour from the horse park to some of the famous "horse farms" in the Kentucky bluegrass. Smarty Jones is one of my favorites and he was on the tour. Excitement was all around. So if you love, or even like horses don't miss out on a great place that will call you back time and again with all the splendor of the Bluegrass of Kentucky.
gusto.com User
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While on my way to see ekoostik hookah, I found that Lexington is a great mix of country and city life. When driving in to the city you see endless horse farms and land. Then once you get ino the city it all changes! As we drove closer to the the University of Kentucky (located in Lexington) more and more lights and people and places kept popping up. There was a mass of restaurants, bars, shops, and clubs. The streets were crowded with all sorts of people going from one place to another. I must say I was surprised. And the concert was great too!
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All around this area you will see farms lined with drystone fences. This is said to be the largest network of such fences in the US. They are similiar to ones you see in the British Isles in that they have no mortar but are stacked in precise manner to maintain their stability. Some were built in the late 18th century by Scottish and Ulster settlers but most were built by Irish immigrants in the early to mid-19th century. A society exists today to preserve this art, teaching a new generation to build them.
VirtualTourist.com User
Located in the heart of the Bluegrass, Lexington is home to legendary horses, breathtaking landscapes and a culture rich in tradition. Experience the sights and sounds of Lexington’s Bluegrass Region and create memories to last a lifetime with visits to the Kentucky Horse Park, historic bourbon distilleries, majestic horse farms and inspiring historic sites. Indulge in our delightful regional cuisine and enjoy our warm southern hospitality. In the fall of 2010, Lexington will welcome the world to the Kentucky Horse Park, the first North American site of the FEI World Equestrian Games. Escape the ordinary and experience Lexington’s Bluegrass Region.
"Tale as old as time, true as it can be..." The most beautiful love story ever told comes to life! Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to Lexington! Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, this eye-popping spectacle has won the hearts of over 35 million people worldwide. This classic musical love story is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes, and dazzling production numbers including "Be Our Guest" and the beloved title song. Experience the romance and enchantment of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at the Lexington Opera House!
More about Broadway Live Presents: Beauty and the Beast
The American Saddlebred Museum
The American Saddlebred Museum presents the traditions and heritage of the American Saddlebred Horse through the collection, preservation, and display of artifacts, fine art, photography and the written word. The museum is the "Showplace for Saddlebreds". Located on the grounds of the beautiful Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, the American Saddlebred Museum is an exciting destination. The American Saddlebred Museum houses the largest collection of Saddlebred artifacts in the world including trophies, photographs, tack, artwork and a library of over 2,400 volumes used for bloodline and genealogical research. More about The American Saddlebred Museum
Lexington Farmers’ Market
For the perfect start to a beautiful Saturday morning in the Bluegrass, head out to the Lexington Farmers’ Market in historic Cheapside Park. Not only will you find a wide variety of fresh produce at incredibly reasonable prices, you’ll also find a fantastic opportunity to socialize and enjoy a genuine sense of community. For much of Lexington’s history this small area nestled in the heart of downtown has served as a place of commerce and as a hub for socializing. In the 1800’s Cheapside Park was home to ‘Court Days’, a place to buy, sell and trade goods on the second Monday of the month.
More about the Lexington Farmers’ Market
"Dreamer" Driving Tour
Sonador; it means 'dreamer' in Spanish. In the Horse Capital of the World, we fully understand what it means to dream of racing greatness. Writer and director John Gatins has created a moving tale about a trainer and his daughter who rehabilitate a badly injured horse to run in the Breeder’s Cup. Set entirely in the Bluegrass, movie-goers all over the world will get an inside look at the industry that has made us famous. Visitors to the region can see first-hand the extraordinary landscape that serves as a backdrop for the movie. Driving the complete route will take you about an hour and forty-five minutes.
More about the "Dreamer" Driving Tour
Enjoy Downtown Lexington
Lexington has been called "the city in the park" because of its location at the center of hundreds of beautiful, park-like horse farms. But the nickname also seems an apt description of the cosmopolitan yet casual atmosphere of the downtown area. Lexington offers a charming blend of big-city amenities and small-town friendliness. You’ll find plenty to see and do. Beautiful historic office buildings, churches, and homes; many of Lexington’s finest restaurants, specialty shops and galleries; and major performance and sports arenas are within easy and safe walking distance.
More about Downtown Lexington
Giuseppe's Ristorante Italiano & Bar
Giuseppe's Ristorante Italiano features traditional Italian dishes, as well as nouveau Italian, in a contemporary atmosphere. Among our specialties are homemade desserts, fresh seafood and an extensive wine list. Giuseppe's also offers Live Jazz in the bar Wednesday through Saturday evenings. A private room is available for business meetings,rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, etc. A screen is available on request. Reservations are recommended for the dining room, but walk-in seating is accepted. Enjoy a taste of Italy in Lexington!
More about Giuseppe's Ristorante Italiano & Bar
A Gift from the Desert
The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse
The International Museum of the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park has announced that the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation has agreed to become the presenting sponsor of a major international exhibition and film entitled: "A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse". The exhibition will be produced by and held in the museum during the summer and fall of 2010 in conjunction with the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. This will be the third major international exhibition developed by the museum this decade. This exhibition will start on Saturday, May 29, 2010.
More about A Gift from the Desert
Civil War Heritage
The story of the Civil War in Lexington and the Bluegrass is more than a story of battles. It’s a story of strong personalities. Here you can visit both, the site of a major slave market and a place where African-Americans received the emancipation papers that set them free. And it is a story of ironies — of Union troops camping virtually in the front yard of a Confederate Civil War History in the Bluegrass Region general, and of war dividing the family of a statesman who had devoted his life to preserving the Union. In the Bluegrass, you are at the heart of Kentucky’s exciting and diverse Civil War heritage.
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Discover Lexington's Agricultural Heritage
When early pioneers trudged west across the great Appalachian ranges, they found before them a land so rich in natural resources they referred to it as a Garden of Eden. As word spread back east of fertile soil, bubbling springs, abundant wildlife, salt licks, vast pastures and virgin timber, central Kentucky's reputation as the land of milk and honey grew to legendary proportions. Today, the legendary limestone nourished soil supports a wide variety of agricultural endeavors. You'll find plenty of opportunities to enjoy nature's bounty in and around Lexington and discover our agricultural heritage along the way.
More about Lexingtons Agricultural Heritage
Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau
301 East Vine Street
Lexington, Kentucky. USA 40507-1513
Lu Ann Pelle
Director of Information Services
Tel: (859) 244-7737
Toll Free: (800) 845-3959
Fax: (859) 254-4555
Email: lap@visitlex.com
Web: visitlex.com
Charlotte Nichols
Group Tour Assistance
Tel: (859) 244-7705
Toll Free: (800) 848-1224
Fax: (859) 254-4555
Email: grptour@visitlex.com
In Lexington and surrounding counties, there are over 1,000 miles of lightly traveled back roads excellent for bicycle touring. Along tree-shaded Bluegrass back roads you’ll pedal past beautiful farms, lovely streams, historic homes and sites and old rock fences. Good cycling routes are found in all directions; where you choose to ride will depend on whether you want to go 5 miles or 50, and upon your ability. The routes range from easy to strenuous. Many organized riding events are held in the area throughout the year. The Bluegrass Cycling Club’s Horsey Hundred, held every Memorial Day weekend, attracts about 1,000 bicyclists.
More about Into the Wild Blue Yonder
Hospitality packages now available for 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
Hospitality packages are now available for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
All packages include premium event tickets and passes to the Main VIP Hospitality Pavilion, featuring live coverage of all 2010 events, entertainment, and all-inclusive fine dining, business center and conference rooms.
A wide variety of hospitality packages are now available. Daily passes, four and eight-day packages, discipline-specific packages, private suites, and chalets are available.
Hospitality patrons will also have first selection of preferred hotels, parking, and concierge services. The 2010 Games housing and transportation partners will assist hospitality patrons in all travel arrangements and needs.
Details on all packages can be found at www.alltechfeigames.com.
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