Any Lexington/Louisville DUers here?

[dflprincess]

I'm off on a road trip to Lexington at the end of this week and I told the friends I'm going with that I'd check to see if any Kentucky DUers had recommendations on what we absolutely should see while we're there. My big thing is to go to the Louisville Slugger Factory, but besides that, we haven't come up with any definite plans. (Part of the problem is that two of us are driving down from Minneapolis to meet a friend from North Carolina that we haven't seen for a few years - Lexington is the half way point - but the three of us haven't had a chance to figure out what to see.) We'll get into Lexington sometime Friday and are heading home on Monday so we don't have a lot of time and we want to make the most of it.

Is a tour of a distillary worth our time? We're kind of into historic sites, is Mary Todd Lincoln's home a good bet or are there more interesting spots? And, are we any where near Boonesborough?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[alfredo]

1. Henry Clay's home in Lexington is pretty good.

What are your interests? The Woodford Reserve Distillery near Frankfort is interesting.

http://www.henryclay.org/

The horse farms are pretty.

The Kentucky Horse Park is worth a look.

http://www.kyhorsepark.com/ Note the black and white horse in the background. That looks like a Gypsy Cob.


What kind of food do you like?

Here's a nice gift shop and restaurant. http://natashascafe.com/
An institution in Lexington http://www.alfalfarestaurant.com/ It's right across from the Main Library. Worth going in to see the clock in the dome.
The Hot Brown is why we die young, but it is the ultimate comfort food. Good ones are made here:

Ramsey's
http://www.igougo.com/travelcontent/journalEntryDining.aspx?JournalID=5882&EntryID=5016&n=Ramsey's%20&t=Local%20Cuisine
Lexington is a no smoking town, so you can be assured the right to breathe clean air when you dine and drink.


If you are into big awe-inspiring bookstores, here's one.
http://www.josephbeth.com/Default.aspx?StoreId=2&TabIndex=0&Tabid=1&p=y

Outdoors type?

http://www.lfucg.com/ParksRec/RavenRun.asp
There is an overlook of the Kentucky river Palisades
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/kentucky/preserves/art10916.html

[Roland99]

2. Check out the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs, too.

And, if you like a good sandwich and the best muffins in town, hit up Another Place Sandwich Shop. It's on 7th just south of Main. REAL close to the Slugger Museum. Tell Kay that Jerry sent ya. ;)

[alfredo]

3. And Lynn's Paradise Cafe

http://www.lynnsparadisecafe.com/index.html

984 Barret Ave.
Louisville, KY

Lynn used to live here in Lexington. She got her start at Alfalfa Restaurant. (mentioned in my previous post) Sweet gal.


You got to check out Bardstown Road (quaint shops), the river front, and visit scenic downtown Shively. The last one is a joke, but not to Shively residents. They have to live there.

Cross the river and visit the Falls of the Ohio.
http://www.fallsoftheohio.org/
I used to play here when I was a kid. Dad would take us fishing for channel cat. When I'd tire of fishing, I would explore. Loved the caves, but one had to be on the lookout for hobos and other drifters who would sleep in the caves.

I remember when Rudell Stich died at the falls. He was trying to save a man's life. both drowned. He could have been a world class boxer. I think he was one of the few that could whip Cassius Marcellus Clay ( Mohammed Ali) back in his Golden Gloves Days


BTW, If you go to the bat factory, the big warehouse across the street was where I worked after graduating high school. I guess it is still there. It's called The finzer Warehouse. I think it is now loft apartments.

[dflprincess]

4. Thanks!

And a second thanks for including the links. It looks like we could really use more than two days, it's going to be hard to choose. :hi:

[BridgeTheGap]

5. A few suggestions from a "local" of both cities

Have you ever been here before?
I grew up in Louisville but have lived in Lexington for the last 6 years.
The best "horse farm" country drive, imho, is Old Franfort Pike, starting or finishing at New Circle Rd (4). in west Lexington. It ends at U.S. 60 south of Frankfort.
In Louisville, are you into nature? Right across the river from downtown Louisville (great view)in Indiana, is a National Monument - the Falls of the Ohio - is home of the largest exposed fossil bed in the world from the Devonian period (& a museum to explain it all).
If you like live music, Louisville is good - pick up a LEO alternative weekly newspaper for a listing.
Also, visit a Louisville park - i.e. Cherokee or Iroquois - designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.
If your not too creeped out - close to Cherokee park is Cave Hill Cemetery - which is also an arboretum and the largest waterfowl refuge in Kentucky.
Microbrewery? Cumberland on Bardstown Road in the Highlands (cruise Bardstown Rd. threw the Highlands) or Bluegrass Brewing Company in St. Matthews (Shelbyville rd.)
Speed Art Museum is cool (near UofL)Campus. Their is a weapons museum somewhere downtown that I haven't been to yet, but I hear it's cool.
Churchill Downs? The best time is Derby (first Saturday in May) or this fall when the Breeders Cup races will happen there. Great horse racing!
Ah, Lexington - it's not Louisville, but it's got it's own charm. Many good Restaurants downtown - Alfalfa's is a local favorite on Main St. across from the Public Library. If you are into old neighborhoods, go North of downtown a block or two - limestone / upper / mill st - toward Transylvania U. Carnegie Center is cool - and the Morgan House across Mill St (home of confederate John Hunt Morgan). Some a Lexington's oldest buildings are in these neighborhoods.
Decent Music Scene in Lex - check the Herald-Leader np "Weekender" section about goings on in Lexington.) or ACE Weekly alternative paper. Mecca Dance studio does some cool stuff (Chair St. off Broadway) Friday night a German Electronic Musician Joaquim ________ in it since 1966. The Dame nc frequently gets good acts. Horse Park is cool. As is Ashland, Henry Clays Estate. History Museum on Main St. is decent. Several good art galleries (ah, old money!). Ann Tower on Main St. shares an entrance to Alfalfa's restaurant - order your food, check out art while you're waiting. Enjoy!
daf

[alfredo]

6. I forgot about the Dame. What bout third St Stuff for

local bohemian charm and good coffee. North Limestone just south of 3rd st.

I went to church right next to Cave Hill Cemetery, Church of the Advent. Cherokee park is an old hang out in my hippie days. Wasn't the cheeseburger invented in Louisville (Kaelins)?


You know there is an Ethiopian restaurant on the 1200 block of Versailles rd. It's authentic and very tasty.

I will be at the Ky Theater at 7 PM this Friday to hand out some Change For Kentucky fliers. I will be wearing a black cap. Come by and say hi.

[Roland99]

7. Oh, Waverly Hills! Esp. in the wake of the movie they just had on Sci-Fi

[alfredo]

8. Boy do I have memories of that place.

My uncle died there.

http://www.prairieghosts.com/waverly_tb.html

BTW, I remember the swamps near my childhood home in Shively.

[varkam]

9. Speaking of coffee...

Common Grounds coffee shop - corner of Grand and High. It's pretty decent.