It really does sound like Kentucky has a little bit of everything. That's pretty much how it is here with easy access to mountains, lakes, etc. but we also have the ocean. Although I love it, I really don't visit more than once or twice in the summer when it is a scorcher here, so I'm sure I could adjust to it not being as accessible. I really like the sound of how green it is on the eastern side of KY (not to mention that it doesn't have as many tornadoes:) but I also noticed that the western side, inc. Paducah, gets a little less rain, which may be an easier adjustment for my husband. Right now I just have to visit to get more of a feel for what is right for us. We are really just starting to think of our future possibilities so we have a lot of time. I hate to wait, though, so I'd like to visit in July just to ease some of my curiosity. Does anyone know which airline tends to give the best rates into Indianapolis or Louisville? Maybe there is even a cheaper city to fly into - I still have to research that part.

shanan, I heard a few years ago that Murray KY (near Paducah) was a retirement hotspot due to its proximity to the lakes and the university. Comments?

Hi wsoxrebel..yes i lived in Murray for several years and loved it!!! It is a MAJOR place for retirees..i think at one point it was rated number. Its close to the lakes (LBL) and has some better places to shop and eat than other lake cities. Its also about 15 minutes from Tennessee. I loved it there.

I would use Orbitz as a search engine and just try the different major airports in the area and see which one comes up with the cheapest rates. I would look at the airports in Louisville, Indianapolis, Lexington, and also Cincinnati (which is actually in northern KY).

The best airfare I have found is through ATA. They didn't come up through any of the travel search engines like Orbitz, but someone told me that they use ATA when they travel back that way. We'll most likely book with them as soon as we decide how long to plan the trip for so that we can see everything.