HORSING AROUND
KEENELAND
Internationally renowned racecourse and the Thoroughbred industry’s leading auction house
RED MILE GAMING & RACING
a long-standing harness-racing bastion with a 1-mile red-clay track & assorted amenities.
KENTUCKY HORSE PARK
Discover why they call Kentucky the Horse Capital of the World

HISTORICAL / EDUCATIONAL SITES
ASHLAND - THE HENRY CLAY ESTATE
Stately 19th-century home & grounds of politician Henry Clay, with tours, exhibits, trails & more.  This is only a 3-minute drive away.
MARY TODD LINCOLN HOUSE
Mary Todd Lincoln House was the girlhood home of Mary Todd, the future first lady and wife of the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. Today the fourteen-room house is a museum containing period furniture, portraits, and artifacts from the Todd and Lincoln families.
HUNT MORGAN HOUSE
The Hunt–Morgan House, historically known as Hopemont, is a Federal style residence built in 1814 by John Wesley Hunt, the first millionaire west of the Alleghenies. The house is included in the Gratz Park Historic District.
WAVELAND STATE HISTORIC SITE
Waveland State Historic Site, also known as the Joseph Bryan House, is the site of a Greek Revival home and 10 acres now maintained and operated as part of the Kentucky state park system.
LEXINGTON CEMETARY
Established in 1824, The Lexington Cemetary is recognized as one of America's most beautiful arboretums and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places for landscape design. You will not be disappointed when viewing the gorgeous landscaping and seeing the history within the cemetary's iron gates. It is the final resting place for Henry Clay, General John Hunt Morgan, and many other distinguished Kentuckians. Meditate, Reflect, and Relax as you take in the beauty of this somber paradise.

EXPLORIUM OF LEXINGTON
Exploreum is a Children's Museum with a large number of interactive exhibits and educational programming. Visitors engage in hands-on experiences that inspire a curiosity for learning.

GOLF COURSES
There are 31 golf courses in or near Lexington.  The following are the top-rated five public courses in or near Lexington.

GRIFFIN GATE GOLF CLUB
Located in North Lexington
The golf course is an Certified Audubon Sanctuary and an enjoyable parkland style layout with tree lined fairways, water in play on a number of holes, and sand bunkers on most of the holes surrounding the greens and along the fairways.

KEARNEY HILLS LINKS
Located in North Lexington
The golf course is a Certified Audubon Sanctuary and a links-style layout over rolling terrain with wide open fairways and stands of trees at the borders. There's multiple water hazards in play and sand bunkers positioned along the fairways and greens in a variety of shapes and sizes. The greens are generous with varying degrees of undulation and slope.

CONNEMARA GOLF COURSE
Located in nearby Jessamine County (Nicholasville)
Connemara golf course is situated in the heart of the Kentucky Bluegrass amidst the rolling hills of Connemara Farm which dates to 1833. The course boasts 18 challenging holes, a driving range and practice green.

HOUSTON OAKS GOLF COURSE
Located in nearby Paris, this course provides plenty of good shade with large oak trees on each hole. There were some really nice par 3s and some brutal par 5s. The houses are wisely off the course giving plenty of room in case you slice. The rough can be tough for finding balls but the fairways are very nice. They also have good quality golf carts, friendly staff, and well established hole markings.

SPRING VALLEY GOLF COURSE
Located in North Lexington. The front nine is routed naturally into the valley. Three holes cross a meandering creek with the last two holes finishing at the lake. The back nine plays on a higher elevation, across the rolling hills of the Bluegrass. Back to back par fives early on will demand your attention for scoring opportunities.

THEATER / MUSIC
OPERA HOUSE
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Lexington Opera House is one of the premiere performing arts centers in the region.
COMEDY OFF BROADWAY
Lexington's exclusive club for standup comedy.  Intimate, adults-only featuring well-known acts, with a 1-drink minimum
THE BURL
Located in the historic Lexington Distillery District, The Burl was originally built in 1926 as a loading dock and hub for Texaco Oil. The original wood frame building and open layout have helped to create a welcoming space for any and all genres of music. Averaging around 300 nights of music a year, The Burl has quickly become one of the most prolific venues in the commonwealth and we’re proud to be in the heart of the Bluegrass.

THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE (Seasonal)
Come to Cheapside Park, Downtown for beverages, tasty food, and great music by live bands. This series typically runs from April into October. Nightly attendance can range from 2,000 to 3,500.

LAKESIDE LIVE (Seasonal)
This family-friendly lakeside concert series had to shut down in 2021 due to the pandemic. Hopefully, they'll open up in the Spring of '22

LEXINGTON'S BIG BAND & JAZZ (Seasonal)
The return of spring means the return of one of Lexington's longest-running and most beloved concert series – Big Band & Jazz. With a full schedule of live music planned, concert-goers can enjoy weekly big band or jazz music at Moondance Amphitheater and Ecton Park. Picnics are encouraged and patrons should bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating.

DISTILLERIES / BREWERIES / WINERIES

LEXINGTON DISTILLERY DISTRICT
This 25-acre property was home to historic James E. Pepper Distillery, which began making bourgon in 1879, and closed down in 1958. The site was abandoned for almost 50 years until in 2008, local entrepreneurs teamed up to bring this area back to its former glory. Today, this revitalized piece of Lexington history has become a lively downtown destination with 2-working bourbon distilleries on the historic site, along with diverse dining and entertainment options. The Distillery District has become one of Lexington's favorite hotspots.

LEXINGTON DISTILLING & BREWING CO
Lexington Brewing & Distilling is one of the few joint brewing and distilling operations in the world. In 2012, the company became part of the world-renowned Kentucky Bourbon Trail experience.

WOODFORD RESERVE DISTILLERY
The art of making fine bourbon first took place on the site of the Woodford Reserve Distillery, a National Historic Landmark, in 1812. Woodford Reserve is an easy and scenic 20-minute drive from Lexington.

TALON WINERY
Come out to Talon and enjoy a day of wine & scenery. Located on 300 acres of Kentucky farmland, Talon Winery offers a country get away just minutes from the city. Taste our wines & buy a glass or bottle to enjoy in our picnic area. Come out Friday & Saturday for some live music from local and surrounding area artists (seasonal).

WEST 6TH BREWERY
Craft brewery with free Saturday tours plus a taproom & beer garden with rotating microbrews on tap.

EQUUS RUN VINEYARDS
Visit Equus Run Vineyards surrounded by beautiful thoroughbred horse farms, bourbon distilleries, quaint town shopping….and grapes too! This is a destination for experiencing 38 acres outdoors with a great selection of wines, events and tours. Open year-round.

HORSE TOURS
THOROUGHBRED HERITAGE HORSE FARM TOURS
A fantastic 3-Hour Narrated Tour, voted #1 rated activity in Lexington on Trip Advisor. See mares, foals, yearlings and hosses in training.
UNIQUE HORSE FARM TOURS
Unique Horse Farm Tours brings you 30 years of unique horse farm tour experience. The tours give area visitors a peek at the time-honored traditions that have contributed to the area's wealth and identity for over a century.
RAREST THOROUGHBREDS IN THE WORLD TOUR
A guided walking tour of a Thoroughbred breeding farm. Enjoy an up-close experience with the largest herd of rare white Thoroughbreds in the world!

OUTSIDE FUN
RAVEN RUN NATURE SANCTUARY
Raven Run is a unique, 734-acre nature sanctuary located just outside of Lexington. The park borders the Kentucky River and provides a great place for hiking and wildlife viewing. Ten miles of trails pass through meadows, woodlands, and streams characteristic of the inner Bluegrass.
THE ARBORETUM
The Arboretum is a 100-acre public garden. It was recognized as Kentucky’s official botanical garden in 2000. We offer native and horticultural plant collections, as well as the Kentucky Children’s Garden.
BOONE CREEK ZIPLINE CANOPY TOURS
Canopy tours consist of 6 ziplines, 3 sky bridges, floating stairs, a rappel and more!
McConnell Springs
LEXINGTON WALKING, HIKING & BIKING TRAILS
Lexington has 51 trails for walking, hiking or bicycling. If you like enjoy the outdoors, you'll love Lexington!

RED RIVER GORGE UNDERGROUND
Explore a flooded limestone mine by stand up paddle boat or a clear bottom kayak. By the glow of your LED lights, you'll see an underground waterfall, rainbow trout, possibly some Kentucky brown bats. This is about a 1-hour drive from Lexington.  Although open year-round, available dates are limited in Winter.

RED RIVER GORGE UNDERGROUND
  SUP KENTUCKY
  THE GORGE UNDERGROUND
Explore a flooded limestone mine by stand up paddle boat or a clear bottom kayak. By the glow of your LED lights, you'll see an underground waterfall, rainbow trout, possibly some Kentucky brown bats. This is about a 1-hour drive from Lexington.  Although open year-round, available dates are limited in Winter.  There are two companies currently offering this unique adventure.  Reservations are required.

NITE CLUBS / BARS

AUSTIN CITY SALOON
Woodsy bar & music joint hosting various local & touring country-western bands in convivial digs.

CREAUX
Lexington's first New Orleans inspired bar with bluegrass hospitality flair.Live music from some of the areas hippest and most talented musicians, commences every Friday and Saturday night when downtown Lexington comes alive. Jazz, funk, blues belts from the floor to ceiling windows, as walkers walk by, intrigued by the lively vibes that draw them in. Never a dull moment!

TEE DEE'S LOUNGE
Live blues and jazz club for dancing or sitting and enjoying a drink.

BELLES COCKTAIL HOUSE
Cocktails, craft beer & bourbon served in a woodsy, multilevel haunt with a scenic rooftop deck.

McCARTHY'S IRISH BAR
Old-school pub featuring Irish beers on tap & daily drink specials in rustic, Gaelic-themed digs.

O'NEILL'S
Laid-back joint with lots of screens for sports, plus a patio, bar food and regular live music. Great place to dance with friends! Only a 3-minute drive away.

THE CELLAR BAR & GRILL
Beer, bourbon & pub grub are offered in a laid-back hangout with flat-screen TVs & a spacious patio. Live music on the weekends.