Sylvia's Guidebook
Sightseeing
Perryville was the site of the biggest Civil War battle in Kentucky, and the town is full of old houses and buildings that were here during the battle. The small town is lovely, tranquil, and full of history.
Main Street Perryville offers a small history museum in the restored Johnson-Britton House, and tours of it and the historic Karrick-Parks House can be arranged by contacting Main Street at 859-332-1862.
Merchants Row is the oldest original commercial district in Kentucky. One of the stores,Chaplin River Antiques, displays the only known surviving coffin (unused😊) from the Civil War.
A Commemoration of the Battle of Perryville takes place the first weekend of October, .and the town comes alive with reenactors and history buffs.
Perryville
Perryville was the site of the biggest Civil War battle in Kentucky, and the town is full of old houses and buildings that were here during the battle. The small town is lovely, tranquil, and full of history.
Main Street Perryville offers a small history museum in the restored Johnson-Britton House, and tours of it and the historic Karrick-Parks House can be arranged by contacting Main Street at 859-332-1862.
Merchants Row is the oldest original commercial district in Kentucky. One of the stores,Chaplin River Antiques, displays the only known surviving coffin (unused😊) from the Civil War.
A Commemoration of the Battle of Perryville takes place the first weekend of October, .and the town comes alive with reenactors and history buffs.
The Perryville Battlefield, the Visitors Center, its museum, and the film that’s shown that explains what happened here in 1862 are all excellent.
Visitors can participate in a guided walking tour of the battlefield, or take a self-guided tour.
A number of historical presentations are available at the Battlefield. Visitors to town are urged to check the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site’s website to check on availability...there’s usually a program every couple of weeks, on ghost hunting on the battlefield, on interesting Civil War-era characters, on 19th century funeral customs, Christmas customs, deciphering symbolism on tombstones...❤️
20 residents recomanen
Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site
1825 Battlefield RdThe Perryville Battlefield, the Visitors Center, its museum, and the film that’s shown that explains what happened here in 1862 are all excellent.
Visitors can participate in a guided walking tour of the battlefield, or take a self-guided tour.
A number of historical presentations are available at the Battlefield. Visitors to town are urged to check the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site’s website to check on availability...there’s usually a program every couple of weeks, on ghost hunting on the battlefield, on interesting Civil War-era characters, on 19th century funeral customs, Christmas customs, deciphering symbolism on tombstones...❤️
In one location—museum row in Bardstown, a half hour drive from Perryville—you can tour the Civil War Museum, Historic Bardstown Village, and the Women’s Museum of the Civil War!
13 residents recomanen
Old Bardstown Village Civil War Museum
310 E Broadway StIn one location—museum row in Bardstown, a half hour drive from Perryville—you can tour the Civil War Museum, Historic Bardstown Village, and the Women’s Museum of the Civil War!
Beautiful home that inspired Stephen Foster to write My Old Kentucky Home. It’s open for tours almost all year, 9-4:00.
38 residents recomanen
La Meva Antiga Casa de Kentucky
501 E Stephen Foster AveBeautiful home that inspired Stephen Foster to write My Old Kentucky Home. It’s open for tours almost all year, 9-4:00.
Centre del Patrimoni de Bourbon
1311 Gilkey Run RdHarrodsburg is the oldest English settlement west of the Alleghenies. It’s a wonderful historic town,just 13 minutes from Perryville.
The Museum at Old Fort Harrod and the Fort itself are fascinating to tour, and the many beautiful pre-Civil War mansions around town make driving around a treat—especially on Beaumont Ave.❤️
6 residents recomanen
Harrodsburg
Harrodsburg is the oldest English settlement west of the Alleghenies. It’s a wonderful historic town,just 13 minutes from Perryville.
The Museum at Old Fort Harrod and the Fort itself are fascinating to tour, and the many beautiful pre-Civil War mansions around town make driving around a treat—especially on Beaumont Ave.❤️
This looks amazing—and the families I know who have been here loved it!
In addition to the huge Ark to tour, the complex has a zoo, zip lining, camel rides....
It’s about an hour and a half from Christine’s Cottage.
274 residents recomanen
Ark Encounter
1 Ark Encounter DrThis looks amazing—and the families I know who have been here loved it!
In addition to the huge Ark to tour, the complex has a zoo, zip lining, camel rides....
It’s about an hour and a half from Christine’s Cottage.
This should fall under Sightseeing AND Food.
Shaker Village is world class. This Shaker settlement was built in the early 1800’s on beautiful farmland. I can’t express to you how tranquil and RESTFUL it is to walk there, among those huge buildings with such a palpable sense of history.
It’s only 20-25 minutes from Christine’s Cottage. You can explore, take tours, watch crafts being created...see the Shaker lifestyle as it was in the 1800’s.
92 residents recomanen
Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
3501 Lexington RdThis should fall under Sightseeing AND Food.
Shaker Village is world class. This Shaker settlement was built in the early 1800’s on beautiful farmland. I can’t express to you how tranquil and RESTFUL it is to walk there, among those huge buildings with such a palpable sense of history.
It’s only 20-25 minutes from Christine’s Cottage. You can explore, take tours, watch crafts being created...see the Shaker lifestyle as it was in the 1800’s.
This is the natural attraction in Kentucky that everybody and his granny knows about, and you really should see it, if you haven’t already been.
It’s about an hour and a half from your new “Old Kentucky Home” (Christine’s😊), and on the way down you could swing by Hodgenville where you could see the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site
14 residents recomanen
Mammoth Cave Visitor Center
1 Mammoth Cave PkwyThis is the natural attraction in Kentucky that everybody and his granny knows about, and you really should see it, if you haven’t already been.
It’s about an hour and a half from your new “Old Kentucky Home” (Christine’s😊), and on the way down you could swing by Hodgenville where you could see the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site
Parc Històric Nacional del Lloc de Naixement d'Abraham Lincoln
2995 Lincoln Farm RdHome of the International Museum of the Horse. If you look at their website, you will want to go there.
329 residents recomanen
Kentucky Horse Park
4089 Iron Works PkwyHome of the International Museum of the Horse. If you look at their website, you will want to go there.
This is a sweet historic home museum...the “sweet” quality probably comes from seeing Mary’s belongings, feeling her presence, and knowing her tragic story. If you’re interested in the Lincolns, you’ll enjoy this guided tour in Lexington
70 residents recomanen
Mary Todd Lincoln House
578 W Main StThis is a sweet historic home museum...the “sweet” quality probably comes from seeing Mary’s belongings, feeling her presence, and knowing her tragic story. If you’re interested in the Lincolns, you’ll enjoy this guided tour in Lexington
This is the most impressive (to me) of the historic house museums in Lexington. Henry Clay was such a force in American history! It’s only right that his home was equally impressive.
86 residents recomanen
Ashland - The Henry Clay Estate
120 Sycamore RdThis is the most impressive (to me) of the historic house museums in Lexington. Henry Clay was such a force in American history! It’s only right that his home was equally impressive.
Cumberland Falls is beautiful. We went here on our honeymoon, many years (and pounds🙄) ago. It’s the second biggest falls after Niagara east of the Mississippi.
It’s near Corbin, off Interstate 75. The scenery getting there is also beautiful
74 residents recomanen
Cumberland Falls
Cumberland Falls is beautiful. We went here on our honeymoon, many years (and pounds🙄) ago. It’s the second biggest falls after Niagara east of the Mississippi.
It’s near Corbin, off Interstate 75. The scenery getting there is also beautiful
Wonderful selection of crafts, pottery, baskets, paintings, handmade furniture...if you like to shop, you WILL find something here! Plus the food tastes like a kitchen full of mountain grannies have been laboring for hours to prepare your favorites❤️
39 residents recomanen
Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea
200 Artisan WayWonderful selection of crafts, pottery, baskets, paintings, handmade furniture...if you like to shop, you WILL find something here! Plus the food tastes like a kitchen full of mountain grannies have been laboring for hours to prepare your favorites❤️
This includes an immersive movie experience to begin, then museum exhibits and a tour of the racetrack!
180 residents recomanen
Museu del Kentucky Derby
704 Central AvenueThis includes an immersive movie experience to begin, then museum exhibits and a tour of the racetrack!
Look at fraziermuseum.org, and you’ll see why I’m recommending this. If you like history (and you must, or you wouldn’t be staying in Perryville, right?)you will love this museum.
Louisville is around an hour and a half from Perryville, but there’s just so much cool stuff there! Don’t want you to miss anything!!
158 residents recomanen
Museu d'Història Frazier
829 W Main StLook at fraziermuseum.org, and you’ll see why I’m recommending this. If you like history (and you must, or you wouldn’t be staying in Perryville, right?)you will love this museum.
Louisville is around an hour and a half from Perryville, but there’s just so much cool stuff there! Don’t want you to miss anything!!
I read the reviews on TripAdvisor for this museum and factory tour. Everybody LOVED it and said if you’re a baseball fan, you
Have to go. So you’ve been told🙃
441 residents recomanen
Museu i fàbrica de Louisville Slugger
800 W Main StI read the reviews on TripAdvisor for this museum and factory tour. Everybody LOVED it and said if you’re a baseball fan, you
Have to go. So you’ve been told🙃
This is just the greatest historic house museum.
Kentucky has the best house museums overall in the nation. I say that as an old house nut who plans vacations around historic home tours. This one is just spectacular. It’s not showy-ostentatious-frenchified-over-the-top—it’s just so darn authentic and lovely and you feel like real people lived here…and maybe still do. It’s just a great house.
If you go to Louisville and you like old houses—this is one not to miss!
29 residents recomanen
Historic Locust Grove
561 Blankenbaker LnThis is just the greatest historic house museum.
Kentucky has the best house museums overall in the nation. I say that as an old house nut who plans vacations around historic home tours. This one is just spectacular. It’s not showy-ostentatious-frenchified-over-the-top—it’s just so darn authentic and lovely and you feel like real people lived here…and maybe still do. It’s just a great house.
If you go to Louisville and you like old houses—this is one not to miss!
The dollhouses are incredibly detailed and realistic...a little girl’s dream. My granddaughters loved this! The grownups did, too
13 residents recomanen
The Great American Dollhouse Museum
344 Swope DrThe dollhouses are incredibly detailed and realistic...a little girl’s dream. My granddaughters loved this! The grownups did, too
Wild Turkey Distillery
1525 Versailles RdFood scene
Bardstown has won awards for being the most beautiful small town in America—plus it’s full of history
45 residents recomanen
Bardstown
Bardstown has won awards for being the most beautiful small town in America—plus it’s full of history
Talbott Tavern
107 W Stephen Foster AveTHIS place...THIS place is where you need to eat at least once in your life. When you eat there—you’ll know why.❤️
The Beaumont Inn has been in business—owned and operated by the same family—for over 100 years. Recently they were the recipients of the James Beard America’s Classic Award—the Oscar for restaurants😎
Beaumont Inn
638 Beaumont Inn DrTHIS place...THIS place is where you need to eat at least once in your life. When you eat there—you’ll know why.❤️
The Beaumont Inn has been in business—owned and operated by the same family—for over 100 years. Recently they were the recipients of the James Beard America’s Classic Award—the Oscar for restaurants😎
Well, the building isn’t quite the Beaumont Inn...but the food’s awful tasty, the service is fast and friendly, and you’ll have money left to eat again😂
It made the book Road Trip Eats: 101 Ya Gotta Eat Here Places Across Kentucky!
This may be John’s favorite restaurant in Harrodsburg—the town he grew up in, just about 13 minutes from Perryville—especially on all you can eat catfish night (Fridays)
Olde Bus Station
227 S Greenville StWell, the building isn’t quite the Beaumont Inn...but the food’s awful tasty, the service is fast and friendly, and you’ll have money left to eat again😂
It made the book Road Trip Eats: 101 Ya Gotta Eat Here Places Across Kentucky!
This may be John’s favorite restaurant in Harrodsburg—the town he grew up in, just about 13 minutes from Perryville—especially on all you can eat catfish night (Fridays)
Great pizza at a fair price....it’s in downtown Danville, so it’s a quick drive (15 minutes tops)
12 residents recomanen
Bluegrass Pizza & Pub
314 W Main StGreat pizza at a fair price....it’s in downtown Danville, so it’s a quick drive (15 minutes tops)
Boone Tavern is owned by Berea College and is operated by its students, who learn culinary and housekeeping skills working there. The food is excellent—and diners are helping provide an education to students who are working their way through college.
27 residents recomanen
Historic Boone Tavern Hotel and Restaurant
100 S Main StBoone Tavern is owned by Berea College and is operated by its students, who learn culinary and housekeeping skills working there. The food is excellent—and diners are helping provide an education to students who are working their way through college.
So many people I know have done this, and ALL of them loved it. John and I haven’t gotten around to it yet, but it’s on our List of Things to Do, based on all the glowing recommendations.
38 residents recomanen
My Old Kentucky Dinner Train
602 N 3rd StSo many people I know have done this, and ALL of them loved it. John and I haven’t gotten around to it yet, but it’s on our List of Things to Do, based on all the glowing recommendations.