travelinjo

This community of travelers has been a great help in the short time I've been reading, so I hope you can help me again, please.

We have the option of visiting either Louisville or Lexington for a long weekend after a family reunion in Cinci.. Looking for history, unique & fun sites, a general feel for the area.

Have researched and find both appealing, so I should clarify that we also hope to visit nearby Mammoth Cave and Lincoln Birthplace area. If we added both the Cave and Birthplace, would it make more sense to continue our stay in Louisville or Lexington, or would it make more sense to take one night and stay a bit south, more in that area, maybe in Elizabethtown?

Would like to see as much as possible because its unlikely we'll return any time soon.

TIA for any feedback!

laurieb_nyny

Are you going to any sites in Lousville or Lexington or do you just want to go to Mammoth, Lincoln, etc? The cave & Lincoln will be one whole day (we even went to Owensboro for the Bluegrass Music Museum in the same day -- note: there is a 1 hour time diffence between Lincoln & Mammoth). Lexington has some sites to see as does Louisville. That could be at least another day each.

travelinjo

Thank you for your reply laurieb!

We want to stay in either Lexington - OR - Louisville for 2 nights, seeing the sites in just one of the cities.

Then we want to drive to Mammoth Cave and Lincoln and stay a 3rd night somewhere. Glad to know we can do both in one day.

Now we just need to decide whether to stay in Lexington or Louisville to see their cities and sites. Haven't been to either and both sound good, but want to choose only one.

Thoughts? Is one more do-able or charming or unique or just better for first time visitors?

laurieb_nyny

Both are interesting. Louisville (obviously) is closer to Ohio & a route will easily take you to Elizabethtown where you can spend the night before Lincoln/Mammoth. Lots of hotels (reasonably priced) & restaurants. Cave City is expensive & slim pickings. Elizabethtown is 10 miles from Lincoln (same time zone).

Lexington has the Kentucky Horse Park & Louisville has Churchill Downs/Derby Museum & Louisville Slugger Factory Tour & Museum.

I wish you would try to do both! We loved Kentucky.

laurieb_nyny

You know what? You can probably do Lex/Louis on the same day if you are already in one or the other from the night before & you are early risers. The Horse Park is great but the program repeats itself midday. So you can definitely leave for Louisville by Noon or 1:00. You can go straight to Churchill Downs. Admission to the Museum includes a tour of the grounds. Other tours are available too. I don't think they do certain Tours on a race day. Then you can go to the Brown Hotel for dinner (get the Hot Brown -- google it, yum). Where are you departing for home from?

Connie

You just want to be sure you drive around the horse farm area in Lexington. That's where the iconic KY scene you often see is. Most are around the airport on the west side of town and northward. Old Frankfurt Pike has some of the most famous ones.

travelinjo

Thanks much for the feedback!

Laurieb,

I'd love to do both Lex/Louis but not sure if its possible as I also wanted to include in Lexington:
- Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate and
- Mary Todd Lincoln's home

Are they still worthy? I went as a child, probably after a family event, and have fond memories.

In Louisville, I hope to see, in addition to the Kentucky Derby Museum,
- Farmington Plantation and
- Historic Locust Grove

Is one better than the other? If we see the homes in Lexington, would that be enough?

So much to see and too little time!

Connie,
I like your idea, too. Can you give me more details about Old Frankfurt Place? Where exactly is it and how much time should we allow?

Thanks again to all for your kind assistance.

Connie

Here is a driving tour--it says it will take about an hour and 45 minutes.
www.visitlex.com/idea/dreamer.php

It's on the Lexington visitor site:
www.visitlex.com/

It's Old Frankfurt Pike and it's the old highway (just a country road now) between Lexington and Frankfurt. It's included in the above mentioned driving tour.

laurieb_nyny

The horse farms are privately owned but only some give tours. I think the tours are arranged through the Thoroughbred Center (go to their website) but we didn't do that. We went to the Kentucky Horse Park. The farms are beautiful even to drive past (we did that). We did not visit any of the Estates you mentioned as we have been to the South many times & have visited other famous estates.

carolyn

Farmington and Locust Grove are pretty different. Farmington is built on the order of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, and its most famous guest was Abraham Lincoln who was a friend of the owner.

Locust Grove is older and was the home of the sister of George Rogers Clark who lived out his final days there.

Both are quite interesting and worth a visit. I suppose it depends on which you have the most interest in, which I assume might be Lincoln since you plan to visit his birth place.

If you drive 31E south of Hodgenville and are close to Scottsville, treat yourself to a meal at Dumplin's. If you like chicken livers, you will think you've died and gone to heaven; and everything else is good, too--including the coconut cream pie.

travelinjo

THANK YOU all for your help!

Can anyone address accommodations for Louisville?

Both Homewood Suites Louisville East and Country Inn & Suites Louisville-East have similar rates and amenities. Any opinions?

ruwithme

We usually stay at the Embassy Suites...clean and close to everything. We have stayed at the Seelbach, this is a much older hotel (with lots of history) however the rooms were very small for our family of four. I would definately recommend the Oak Room (5 star) restaurant, amazing!

travelinjo

Thank ruwithme. Its totally booked for our days but we too, love Embassy Suites.

Don't think we can do a 5 star restaurant this time. Looking more for casual family places. Any other ideas?

Anyone else with feedback about Homewood vs. Country Inn Suites?

laurieb_nyny

Try the Hot Brown "Sandwich" at the Brown Hotel. Lynn's Paradise Cafe is always recommended on this Board (they serve a Hot Brown also).

carolyn

The Uptown Cafe on Bardstown Road is not too pricy and has wonderful desserts. For kids, you might like W. W. Cousins on Breckenridge Lane. It's a hamburger place with a bar to add most anything you ever heard of to your burgers. Also has chicken and a few other things. You stand in line to order, and they call out your name when it's ready. I ate at a similar place in South Carolina once, called Fuddrucker's.

Sorry, since I live here I don't know about the hotels.

travelinjo

Thanks for the restaurant recommendations. I'm taking lots of notes!

We're planning to begin in Lexington for 2 days and 1 night, then to Lincoln and the Cave for a night, and then to Louisville for 2 nights. Feedback?

Thanks again for your help.

laurieb_nyny

Sounds perfect! There is another restaurant in Lexington (it is a local "chain") called Ramsey's. Southern food ("meat & three"). Excellent. We stayed at a Best Western in Lexington. It was located in a "hotel circle" with a bunch of other hotels. Reasonably priced.

I will reiterate the activities we liked: Kentucky Horse Park (Lex); Bourbon Distilleries (Bardstown, Loretto, Frankfort -- "Bourbon Trail"); those scenic drives showing you the horse farms (Lex); Rebecca Ruth Candy Factory (Frankfort); Churchill Downs (museum & racetrack -- Louisville); Louisville Slugger factory & museum.

We did not go to the Thoroughbred Center but you may want to take a look at their website to see if it interests you. Also, the races at Churchill are only during the day & the track is "dark" Mon-Wed.

Have a great time & report back after!

travlrjan

Their is a new Hampton Inn & Suites that is very nice in the same area as the Country Inn and Homewood Suites.

bachslunch

Frankfort is very nice as well, but there's not much open on the weekends or evenings there; most of the attractions close at 4 PM. You can spend a full sightseeing day there taking in the Kentucky History Museum, Rebecca Ruth Candy Factory tour, capitol building and governor's mansion, old state house, and a historic house or two.

One really excellent place to eat in Frankfort is Rick's White Light Diner -- a little hole in the wall (serves BBQ and Cajun food) with stunningly good pulled pork and sides and bourbon pecan pie. As good as I've ever had anywhere.

mommatac

I may have missed it in your comments, but are you traveling with kids, or just adults?

Breakfast in Lexington - try Doodles. Great local restaurant in an old gas station with a fun patio. Awesome food and atmosphere.
http://www.doodlesrestaurant.com

Across the street from Doodles: Atomic Cafe - Caribbean-style with another fun patio.
http://www.atomiccafeky.com/about.php

We eat at Ramsey's a lot ... several locations around town. Good comfort food.

Great steak houses: Malone's and sister restaurant Sal's. They have built nice patios into all of their restaurants.

Lots of other great restaurants in Lexington...