Where to take a 10 yr. old grandchild
 

Traveling from Chicago to Lexington area with 10 year old girl in July. Has anywone stayed at a B&B with a child in that area? What would you suggest we see. She rides horses, reads a lot, likes American Girl dolls, is an artist.

which Lexington? KY or MA?

Kentucky

Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill is someplace I would have taken my kids when they were that age.

http://www.shakervillageky.org/vill/villexp0.asp

My kids enjoyed the Kentucky Horse Park.

Indianapolis has a very good art museum and children's museum.

Lexington is surrounded by horse farms. That should interest her.

I would take her to the horse park. they have some pretty gentle horses she could ride and it's pretty inexpensive. There is also a children's museum downtown that has a lot of activities she might like.

We took our girls to the Kentucky Horse Park. We also stayed at a Marriott that was very nice. It was a resort and had swimming pools inside and out. That is always a great thing for kids in July! There is a really nice restaurant next door to the Marriott in an old mansion. We had a lovely dinner here. I think it is always nice (if affordable) to take a child (who can practice good manners) to a nice restaurant. Some lessons learned for later on. By the way, both of my girls loved the American girls too!

I agree that the KY Horse Park would be great! You may be able to contact some of the local horse farms for tours. I believe that a 10 year old would be fine, but you could ask them. Calumet Farm is beautiful and has a nice tour (it is free, just recommeded that you tip the driver). They have a web site for more info www.calumetfarm.com. Also, July 11-16 is the Junior League Horse Show at the Red Mile. It is a nice Saddlebred/Hackney Show suitable for all ages. The Children's Museum (now called Explorium) has a horse exhibit going on now. There are nice restaurants and shopping centers - Joseph-Beth is a favorite bookstore in Lexington Green and Joe Bologna's for pizza or Alfalfa's are good as well. Hope this helps! Have a great trip!

Go through Louisville on the way there or back.
Stop at Kentucky Derby Museum and/or Louisville Slugger Museum. Both are inexpensive and nice for kids. You'll get a minature bat at the Louisville Slugger Museum.

About 20 minutes past Lexington is Fort Boonesborough State Park. They have a working re-creation of a fort during Daniel Boone's days.