Top Things to do in Kentucky
Top Hotels in Kentucky
- 1. Aloft Louisville Downtown
- 2. Drury Inn & Suites Paducah
- 3. The Galt House Hotel
- 4. Embassy Suites by Hilton Louisville Downtown
- 5. Hampton Inn & Suites Newport / Cincinnati
- 6. Drury Inn & Suites Bowling Green, KY
- 7. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Lexington South / Hamburg
- 8. Drury Inn Paducah
- 9. Hilton Garden Inn Louisville Airport
- 10. 21c Museum Hotel Louisville
The 9 Best Military Museums in Kentucky, United States
Famous for Bourbon Country and horse farms, civil war battlefields and beautiful natural parks, Kentucky offers a delightful mix of experiences. You might begin in Lexington, where the 1200-acre Kentucky Horse Park is a popular attraction. The university adds exciting sports, impressive art and a vibrant student/professor population to the city. Louisville is similar, where renowned Churchill Downs hosts the annual Kentucky Derby and the Belle of Louisville, the nation’s oldest steam-driven river paddlewheeler, hosts enchanting lunch and dinner cruises along the beautiful Ohio River. Next, head south to visit Mammoth Cave National Park for a day of touring the cave (the world’s longest known cave), hiking and canoeing on the Green River. Paducah, Berea, Bowling Green – so many places to explore and enjoy!
Restaurants in Kentucky
1. The Fort Thomas Military and Community Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By charlesbC6079KL
Fort Thomas was an active military base from 1890 until 1950. Thereafter it housed an Army Reserve unit, VA Nursing Home, and Selective Service induction center. The water tower has been turned into a monument to the 6th Infantry which served in the Spanish American War. The museum tells this story and much more about how the post and the nearby community interacted. Need about an hour to tour unless you getting talking to the staff and then the time flies.
2. Jefferson Davis Monument, Kentucky
3. Old Bardstown Village Civil War Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 304 reviews
Reviewed By wildcats623
We visited this museum while on our visit to Bardstown on Nov. 10. The collection of artifacts, photographs and armament was really great and much more than expected. If you are an American history buff you really need to check this out.
4. Mill Springs Battlefield & Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 45 reviews
Reviewed By chloethomas1213 - Russell Springs, United States
I am local to the area and have been for 19 years. However, I had never made the trip to Mill Springs until a couple of weeks ago. My friend was in town from South Georgia and she wanted to do a little sightseeing and get to know the area. After stopping in at Haneys, we decided to take a look around here. We were there in the early afternoon on a Sunday and were the only ones there. We had the museum to ourselves and it was amazing! I am not a history person at all but I was very intrigued with this set up. All of the displays are great and have a lot of detail put into them. I am a visual person so I enjoyed actually seeing the displays. If you like to read, there is also plenty to read about. After the museum we watched a 15 minute video. It was a little too long for our taste but full of good information. The guy working told us about the 10 historic stops we could make. We decided to give it a try. The stops are spread across town and it takes a little bit to stop at each one. For me, it wasn’t ideal but my friend loved it. So if you are a big history buff, I recommend allowing time for this. You can see where a lot of historic events happened and buildings were. I would highly recommend this excursion! Very impressed!
5. Kentucky Military History Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10 reviews
Kentucky has a rich military history. That history is both preserved and explained at the Kentucky Military History Museum. The State Arsenal for more than 100 years and a Civil War-era munitions factory, this Gothic Revival style building houses the exhibits “Kentucky Military Treasures” and “George M. Chinn: Sights Set on Innovation,” and 19th-century war records (available for use by appointment). The Kentucky Historical Society operates the museum with the Kentucky Department for Military Affairs.
6. James A. Ramage Civil War Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By interceptpubs - Columbus, United States
In early September of 1862, Confederate General Henry Heth (who less than a year later would inadvertently start the Battle of Gettysburg) and his approximately 8,000 men were sent into northern Kentucky to threaten Cincinnati, then the sixth largest city in the United States. Union General Lew Wallace (who later in the war would effectively save Washington, D.C., from a Confederate attack in a remarkably similar situation and after the war would write the novel, Ben Hur) was charged with mounting a defense with minimal military resources. Wallace declared martial law, confiscated 16 steamboats and armed them, and set in motion the construction of a ring of about 30 earthwork fortifications in Ohio and northern Kentucky. The latter were largely built by forcibly conscripted black workers that came to be known as the "Black Brigade of Cincinnati," while Wallace sent out a call for volunteer militiamen from Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky to man the defenses. The Ohio volunteers became known as "Squirrel Hunters," eventually even getting "discharge" papers from the state that formally recognized them as such. When the Confederate troops arrived in the area, their scouts reported that Cincinnati was now heavily defended, leading them to abandon their efforts and return south. Of the 30 or so batteries built during this initial fortification effort, the sites of only a handful remain intact today. One of these is that of Battery Hooper, located on 17 acres whose last private owner bequeathed to a local university foundation many years ago for preservation purposes. This museum is housed in that former owner's house on the property which is located within feet of the hilltop site of the earthwork battery. The museum provides details of both the common soldiers and the commanders involved in this important period in Cincinnati and northern Kentucky history, as well as the history of the Fort Wright area and even pays homage to the woman who's forethought made the site's preservation and the museum possible. VIsitors can either tour the exhibits on their own or have a guided tour by one of the very friendly and knowledgeable staff members. We did the former and spent over an hour looking through the artifacts on display and reading all of the information presented - although we ended talking to the staff for quite a while as well. Admission is free, although we did buy several Civil War books (both new and used) that they had available for sale. If you have an interest in Civil War history or the history of Cincinnati and/or northern Kentucky, this museum is definitely worth a stop.
7. Hart County Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 6 reviews
In addition to local artifacts from the Civil War period, the Hart County Museum houses the Old Munfordville Inn and has a genealogy department.
8. General George Patton Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 241 reviews
We are excited that you’re here and planning a visit to our one-of-a-kind museum in Fort Knox. Here, you will experience the fascinating and inspiring history of one of America’s most successful and unconventional military leaders, General George S. Patton, Jr. General Patton exemplified the uncompromising determination of a born leader. He was relentless in the pursuit of victory from his command of the 1st Provisional Tank Brigade in World War I to his legendary career in the Mediterranean and European Theaters of World War II. Patton’s name was revered by his comrades and struck terror at the hearts of his enemies. In our exhibit halls, not only will you discover stories from Patton’s prolific military career, but you’ll also find an exclusive collection of artifacts spanning all the way back to his childhood in California and his participation in the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden. We look forward to seeing you at the General Patton Museum.
Reviewed By 459karll
This is a special place! A must stop place. We learned so much about the man. A real patriot. It is a study in personal growth, leadership and service to country. Learning about this man can make you a better person. Note: You will need to get a pass at the visitor center to get on base. It will take some time.
9. Letcher County Veterans Memorial Museum
The veterans in Letcher County are extremely proud to have an extensive collection and exhibit of wartime memorabilia housed at our museum located at 360 Main Street in Whitesburg. The museum’s collection has items dating back to the Civil War and continuing thru to today’s current battles. The pride of a grateful nation is on display.
