The Top 25 Kentucky Tourist Attractions

Come outside and play in the 170,000 acres of the Land Between the Lakes. This huge playground, managed by the U.S. Forestry Service, has 300 miles of undeveloped shoreline and 200 miles of scenic, heavily forested trails. Private and state resorts on both lakes provide a variety of vacation opportunities with plenty of attractions on and off the water.

2. Mammoth Cave National Park Address: Mammoth Cave, Kentucky 42259-0027 Phone: (502) 758-2328 Fax: (502) 758-2301 Web Site: http://www.nps.gov/maca Superintendent: Ronald R. Switzer With more than 350 miles of explored passageways, Mammoth Cave National Park has the longest known cave system in the world. The Park has many types of cave formations and supports several species of rare animal life. Above ground, the World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve offers more than 52,000 acres of scenic protected forestland for camping, hiking, biking, fishing, canoeing and horseback riding.

3. Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom

Address: 937 Phillips Lane, Louisville, Kentucky 40209 Phone: (502) 366-2231; (800) SCREAMS Fax: (502) 366-8746 Web Site: www.sixflags.com General Manager: Melinda Ashcraft

Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom is a world-class thrill park and entertainment complex. Located in Louisville at the intersection of I-264 & I-65, the park offers more than 110 rides and attractions. The Kingdom also features a full water park, Hurricane Bay.

4. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Address: P.O. Box 1848, Middlesboro, KY 40965 Phone: (859) 248-2817 Fax: (859) 248-7276 Web Site: www.nps.gov/cuga Superintendent: Mark Woods

One of the most important historical sites in the country, Cumberland Gap encompasses more than 20,000 acres in Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia and includes 55 miles of challenging hiking trails. Daniel Boone was not the first white man to discover the Cumberland Gap, but he led the party that marked the trail that became the Wilderness Road. Hiking, camping and picnicking are favorite pastimes at this national historic park.

5. Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park Address: P.O. Box 69, Gilbertsville, Kentucky 42044-0069 Phone: (270) 362-4271 / (800) 325-0146 Fax: (270) 362-2591 Web Site: http://www.kystateparks.com Park Manager: Frank Wagner

Located close to where Kentucky Lake joins with Lake Barkley to form one of the largest man-made bodies of water in the country, Kentucky Dam Village Resort gives visitors more choices in accommodations than any other park, the resort system's largest marina and a championship golf course. With extensive renovation just completed, still more choices in cottage types are available. The dramatic new lodge facade and dining room makeover extend the resort's sophisticated appeal into the 21st Century.

6. Oceanic Adventures, Newport Aquarium Address: One Aquarium Way, Newport, KY 41071 Phone: (859) 261-7444 Fax: (859) 261-5888 Web Site Address: www.newportaquarium.com General Manager: John Tighe, V.P. This 100,000-square-foot aquarium on the banks of the Ohio River is home to 11,000 animals. More than 60 exhibits showcase sharks, American alligators, King Penguins and fish from all over the world. Oceanic Adventures features five underwater walkways that offer visitors an unobstructed view of the aquatic world.

7. Churchill Downs Racetrack Address: 700 Central Avenue, Louisville, KY 40208 Phone (502) 636-4400 Fax: (502) 636-4469 Web Site: www.kyderby.com General Manager: Alex Waldrop

Churchill Downs, home of the world-famous Kentucky Derby since 1875, may be the most famous landmark in the Commonwealth. Churchill conducts live racing in the spring and fall. In addition to exciting Thoroughbred racing, visitors may also tour the newly remodeled and expanded Kentucky Derby Museum, which is open year round.

8. Kentucky Horse Park

The Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm and educational theme park dedicated to man’s relationship with the horse. Located on 1,032 acres in the heart of the Bluegrass, the Horse Park features more than 40 different breeds of horses, two museums, twin theatres and an array of horse shows and special events such as the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, the High Hope Steeplechase and the Southern Lights Holiday Festival.

9. Keeneland Race Course

Address: 4201 Versailles Road, P.O. Box 1690, Lexington, Kentucky 40592-1690 Phone: (859) 254-3412; (800) 456-3412 Fax: (859) 255-2484 Web Site: www.keeneland.com President: Nick Nicholson

Keeneland is a combination Thoroughbred race course and sales company located six miles west of Lexington in the heart of Kentucky's famed Bluegrass Region. The finely manicured grounds that have become a trademark of Keeneland are open year-round. Public workouts are held from 6-10 a.m. on the main track from mid-March to late November. During live racing in April and October, there are many special events, including Breakfast with the Works, which offers free children's activities and expert commentary on the morning workouts.

10. Louisville Zoological Garden

Address: 1100 Trevillian Way, P.O. Box 37250, Louisville, Kentucky 40233 Phone: (502) 451-0440; (502) 459-2181 Fax: (502) 459-2196 Web Site: www.louisvillezoo.com Director: Dr. William R. Foster

The Louisville Zoo is located on 73 acres in South Louisville and is home to 1,300 animals representing 371 species living in open, natural settings. Other attractions include the polar bear pool and the arachnid exhibits of spiders and centipedes- the only one of its kind in the U.S. One-third of the zoo animals are species threatened in the wild.

11. Lake Cumberland State Resort Park Address: 5465 State Park Road, Jamestown, Kentucky 42629-7801 Phone: (270) 343-3111 Fax: (270) 343-5510 Web Site: www.kystateparks.com Park Manager: Larry Totten

A key component of the Southern Kentucky Lakes tourism region, Lake Cumberland Resort sits majestically on its own peninsula, surrounded by deep green waters that lap into countless coves and rocky inlets. Year after year, visitors return to Lake Cumberland Resort to enjoy its wildlife-filled, serene woodland setting and easy access to some of the finest fishing and boating in the country. The recently completed renovation of the lodge's rooms, lobby, dining area and activities center join with the addition of a beautiful indoor pool complex to enhance the park's luxurious accommodations.

Kentucky's largest science center is located on Louisville's West Main Street, where visitors can experience nearly 40,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits. Founded in 1871, the Louisville Science Center has experienced more than a century of growth to become Kentucky’s largest hands-on science center. The center strives to improve the public’s understanding of science, math and technology through an interactive learning experience that combines hands-on exhibits, IMAX films, educational programs and technology networks.

13. Lake Barkley State Resort Park

Address: Box 790, Cadiz, Kentucky 42211 Phone: (270) 924-1131 Fax: (270) 924-0013 Web Site: www.kystateparks.com Park Manager: John Rufli

Visitors continue to return time and again to Barkley Lodge, a recently renovated lakeside resort that offers spectacular sunset views of Lake Barkley. The resort features a trapshooting range, a championship golf course and a fitness center with a new heated indoor pool.

14. Cumberland Falls State Resort Park Address: 7351 Highway 90, Corbin, Kentucky 40701-8857 Phone: (606) 528-4121 Fax: (606) 528-0004 Web Site: www.kystateparks.com Park Manager: Danny Brown The historic lodge at Cumberland Falls was renovated in 1997. One of the most noticeable improvements is a modernized lobby, which now includes dramatic views of the Cumberland River. Behind the scenes, the lodges’ utilities were upgraded. Also on tap is construction of an interpretive center adjacent to the falls.

15. Fort Boonesborough State Recreational Park

Address: 4375 Boonesborough Road, Richmond, Kentucky 40475-9316 Phone: (859) 527-3131 Fax: (859) 527-3328 Web Site: www.kystateparks.com Park Manager: Phil Gray

"Daniel Boone's Fort" is what a lot of youngsters ask to see and Fort Boonesborough is where their parents take them. Visitors from across the nation get to see what settlement life was like in 18th-century Kentucky. Boonesborough is a thrilling reconstruction of the settlement that was the starting point of America's Western expansion. Campers and swimmers visiting the park love its modern pool with slide. Next on the agenda for the park is construction of a Kentucky River Museum. This state-of-the-art facility will illustrate the Kentucky River's importance in the settlement of this state.At Fort Boonesborough, the state is spending $1 million to be leveraged with federal funds to turn a pair of old lock houses into a Kentucky River Museum. One house will be restored with period furnishings, while the other will contain interpretive exhibits.

16. Kentucky Center for the Arts Address: 5 Riverfront Plaza, Louisville, Kentucky 40202 Phone: (502) 562-0100 Ticket Faxline: (502) 562-0749 Web Site: www.kca.org General Manager: Michael Hardy At the Kentucky Center, the arts aren't just abstract ideas: They're living, breathing testimonials to the power of beauty and passion. Dancers, actors and music makers of all kinds use Kentucky Center stages almost every night of the year to inspire, entertain and touch the lives of people from all over the state. In addition, the Center features a distinguished collection of 20th-century sculpture on permanent display.

17. Churchill Downs Sports Spectrum

Address: 4520 Poplar Level Road, Louisville, Kentucky 40213 Phone: (502) 962-2200 Web Site: www.kyderby.com/footer/sportsspectrum.html General Manager: Gregory A. Bush

Churchill Downs Sports Spectrum is a state-of-the-art simulcast wagering facility that is open approximately 200 days a year when Churchill Downs is not racing. The Sports Spectrum gives patrons the opportunity to wager on televised Thoroughbred races from Kentucky tracks and those around the nation. Patrons can enjoy live racing action on more than 300 monitors and 60 big screens located throughout the facility.

18. General Butler State Resort Park Address: Box 325, 160B Highway 227 Carrollton, KY 41008-0325 Phone (502) 732-4384 Fax: (502) 732-4270 Web Site: www.kystateparks.com Park Manager: Harold "Shorty" Tomlinson

Poised on a hilltop above the joining of the Kentucky and Ohio Rivers on Kentucky's northern border, General Butler State Resort Park is beautifully situated. The park's natural appearance is preserved and imparts a "getaway" feeling to visitors, even though Louisville and Cincinnati are frequent destinations for travelers on Interstate 71, just two miles from the park entrance. A modern convention center opened last winter, taking advantage of the park's spacious view, serene atmosphere and resort amenities.

19. Louisville RiverBats Baseball (formerly Louisville Redbirds)

Address: Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center, P.O. Box 36407, Louisville, Kentucky 40233 Phone: (502) 367-9121 Fax: (502) 368-512 Web Site: www.batsbaseball.com General Manager: Jim Kelch President: Gary Ulmer

The Louisville RiverBats (formerly Redbirds) are the Class AAA minor league affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball club. The RiverBats will move into their new home, Louisville Slugger Field, on the banks of the Ohio River in April 2000. The new baseball park will feature 13,000 seats plus 30 luxury boxes and a state-of-the-art natural grass playing field.

20. Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor Address: P.O. Box 208, Fort Knox, Kentucky 40121 Phone: (502) 624-3812 Web Site Address: www.army.mil/museum/index.htl General Manager: John Purdy One of the largest museums in the U.S. Army system, the Patton Museum is dedicated to General George Patton and displays many of his personal effects. The museum also showcases the evolution of the cavalry and armor forces. Armor Memorial Park, adjacent to the museum, commemorates distinguished armored and cavalry units of the U.S. military.

21. Natural Bridge State Resort Park Address: 2135 Natural Bridge Road, Slade, Kentucky 40376 Phone: (606) 663-2214 Fax: (606) 663-5037 Web Site: www.kystateparks.com Park Manager: Rick Powell Centerpiece of a burgeoning new resort area, Natural Bridge State Resort Park sets the tone for the appeal of the unique geological region of eastern Kentucky's gorge country. The massive natural sandstone arch from which the park takes its name is one of many geological wonders that dot the park and region. A new "river-currents" pool complex juts into the lake beneath Hemlock Lodge.

22. Barren River State Resort Park

Address: 1149 State Park Road, Lucas, Kentucky 42156-9709 Phone: (270) 646-2151 Fax: (270) 646-3645 Web Site: www.kystateparks.com Park Manager: Bobby Lee Hurt

Recent renovations have enhanced Barron River State Resort Park's excellent recreation facilities, which include an 18-hole championship golf course and one of the finest sand beaches in the state. The Nunn Lodge, dining room, pool and meeting facility were given bright new looks, suitable for the resort's sweeping peninsula setting. Lodges and cottages curve around the 10,000-acre lake, providing spectacular views. It's impossible to resist venturing forth on the sparkling lake waters, renowned for fishing. Early pioneers named the treeless area in the southern mid-section of Kentucky "The Barrens".

The story of the brave pioneer woman for whom this park is named is reenacted in a mountain cove amphitheater every summer along with a revolving repertoire of popular Broadway musicals. May Lodge and its cottages sit alongside Dewey Lake and the entire area can be seen from the skylift on Sugarcamp Mountain. The park has a golf course, marina, nature trails and the park system's largest convention center.

24. Ellis Park Race Course

Address: P.O. Box 33, US-41N, Henderson, Kentucky 42420 Phone: (800) 333-8110; (812)423-0372 Fax: (812)425-0146 Web Site: www.ellisparkracing.com General Manger: Paul Kuerzi

Ellis Park Race Course has conducted Thoroughbred racing continuously since 1925. In recent years the Henderson track has been the Commonwealth's summer headquarters for Thoroughbred racing. Ellis Park features a 1-1/8-mile dirt course, Kentucky's largest, and a one-mile turf course that opened for racing in 1993. The track is located on 214 acres on the Ohio River and has seating for 8,000 people.

25. Turfway Park Racetrack Address: 7500 Turfway Road, P.O. Box 8, Florence, Kentucky 41022 Phone: (859) 371-0200; (800) 733-0200 Fax: (859) 647-4730- General Office Web Site: www.turfway.com Director of Communications: Damon Thayer

Turfway Park offers exciting Thoroughbred racing five months of the year and year-round intertrack wagering. Patrons can watch the action from Turfway's enclosed climate-controlled clubhouse. Turfway is home to the $600,000 Turfway Spiral Stakes (Grade II), a major stepping stone to the Derby and the Triple Crown, and the $1.15 million Kentucky Cup Day of Champions.

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