Lexington, Kentucky

48 things to do in Lexington

Places worth your time in and around Lexington, grouped by what you’re in the mood for, then what’s on this weekend. Every place links to its own page with the official website and visiting notes.

Horse country

Racing, the horse park and the farms that made Lexington the Horse Capital of the World.

Keeneland · West Lexington
Lexington’s racecourse hosts the Fall Meet and other equestrian events. Race days and ticket requirements vary by program.
Kentucky Horse Park · North Lexington
A working horse park north of Lexington with daily shows, museums and seasonal events such as Hallowhinny. Standard park admission covers most event days.
Old Friends · Georgetown
A retirement farm for Thoroughbred racehorses at Dream Chase Farm. Guided walking tours introduce visitors to the retired horses and their stories.
Claiborne Farm · Paris
A Thoroughbred breeding farm in Paris that offers scheduled tours of its grounds, including the grave of Secretariat.

Bourbon, beer and cider

Distilleries in town and a short drive out, plus breweries and a cidery.

Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. · Downtown
The brewery behind Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale and, across the street, Town Branch Distillery. A campus tour covers both, and the distillery also runs tasting and cocktail experiences.
James E. Pepper Distillery · Distillery District
A restored bourbon distillery in the Distillery District with tours, a retail area and a bar.
Barrel House Distilling Co. · Distillery District
A small craft distillery in the Distillery District offering tours and tastings.
West Sixth Brewing · Northside
A brewery and taproom in the Bread Box building on West Sixth Street, where the beer is brewed and canned. Visitors can drink in the taproom or book a private brewery tour for a group.
Country Boy Brewing · Downtown
Country Boy Brewing's original taproom on Chair Avenue, a place to drink the brewery's beer on tap.
Wise Bird Cider Co. · Distillery District
A cidery in the Distillery District that makes hard cider from apples, with a tasting room and its own restaurant, Little Fork. Private tours and tastings can be scheduled.
Woodford Reserve Distillery · Versailles
A bourbon distillery on a National Historic Landmark property on McCracken Pike. The retail store and cocktail bar are open without a reservation, and tours and tastings are by reservation.
Buffalo Trace Distillery · Frankfort
A Frankfort distillery with three guided tours (the Trace Tour, the Hard Hat Tour and the Old Taylor Tour), walk-in tastings and a gift shop.

Which ones welcome kids and dogs

Downtown and the arts

Parks, a historic cinema, theatres and galleries within a few blocks.

Downtown Lexington · Downtown
Start with downtown’s public events and cultural stops. Individual venues have their own schedules, prices, and entry policies.
Triangle Park · Downtown
A downtown park at Main, Broadway and Vine, with seasonal events and nearby street and garage parking.
Gatton Park · Downtown
A downtown gathering place for movie nights, concerts, and community events. Browse the park calendar before choosing your visit.
The Kentucky Theatre · Downtown
A downtown cinema with its current films and showtimes listed on the theatre’s website.
Lexington Opera House · Downtown
A downtown theatre presenting concerts, musicals and family shows. Each performance has its own ticket and entry requirements.
Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center · East End
An East End theatre and cultural center with performances, a gallery and community programs.
LexArts on Mill · Downtown
LexArts’ downtown home at the corner of Mill and Church, and one of the places to pick up the printed HOP guide.

Parks and the outdoors

Trails, gardens and green space, most of them free.

The Arboretum · University
A public garden for a self-guided outdoor break. Grounds admission is free; paid areas and special programs have separate terms.
Raven Run Nature Sanctuary · South Lexington
A 734-acre city nature sanctuary along the Kentucky River with ten miles of trails through meadows, woods and streams, for hiking and wildlife viewing.
McConnell Springs · West Lexington
A Lexington park hosting the seasonal Jack-o-lantern Trail. Event hours and admission differ from an ordinary park visit.
Hisle Farm Park · East Lexington
A city park on Briar Hill Road where Lexington Parks & Recreation's Outdoor Programs lead seasonal hikes.
Masterson Station Dog Park · North Lexington
A city dog park at Masterson Station Park on Leestown Road, where Lexington Parks & Recreation holds its October Yappy Hour.
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary · South Lexington
A nonprofit nature preserve along the Kentucky River in Lexington, open for guided hikes and scheduled programs such as birding and nature journaling.

Museums and history

Henry Clay’s estate, an 1840s mansion and a free art museum.

Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate · Chevy Chase
Henry Clay's historic estate hosts Ashland Illumination and offers mansion tours and grounds to explore.
Waveland State Historic Site · South Lexington
A Kentucky state historic site in south Lexington with an 1840s Greek Revival mansion and grounds.
University of Kentucky Art Museum · University
An art museum at the Singletary Center with free admission and changing exhibitions. Check current opening hours before heading to campus.
Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill · Harrodsburg
A historic village with exhibits, walking paths and seasonal events, including Illuminated Evenings.

With kids

Hands-on places built for children, plus the library’s free branches.

Lexington Children’s Museum · Downtown
An indoor museum centered on learning through play. The museum describes its focus as children up to age 10; check its visitor information for your family’s needs.
Living Arts & Science Center · Northside
A hands-on art and science center for families on North Martin Luther King Boulevard, with classes and free Discovery Saturdays.
Central Library · Downtown
A downtown stop for books, local history, exhibitions, and library programs. Explore the official calendar for scheduled activities.
Lexington Children's Theatre · Downtown
A downtown children's theatre with performances and theatre classes.

Family events this week

Get moving

Climbing, skating and escape games under a roof.

LEF Climbing · Northside
An indoor climbing gym on North Broadway with bouldering, top-rope, auto-belay and lead climbing, plus youth clubs, classes and group events.
Lexington Ice Center · South Lexington
Two indoor ice rinks for public skating and hockey, three gyms and 54 holes of outdoor Bible-themed mini golf.
Countdown Games · Hamburg
An escape game business near Hamburg with 14 themed games, from a pirate ship to a bank heist, for groups to book or walk in.

More rainy-day ideas

Live music and shows

The stages that bring most of the city’s concerts and shows.

Rupp Arena · Downtown
The downtown arena is home to University of Kentucky men's basketball.
The Burl · Distillery District
A live-music venue with indoor and outdoor stages and an arcade on the property.
Manchester Music Hall · Downtown
A Lexington concert venue with individual show calendars, ticket links and age restrictions. Choose a performance before planning your visit.
Singletary Center for the Arts · University
UK's performing arts center with a concert hall and a recital hall.
Comedy Off Broadway · Lexington Green
Lexington's stand-up comedy club at Lexington Green, with touring headliners most weekends.

Concerts on the calendar

Eat, shop and browse

Long-running local favorites, a market hall and the farmers market.

Greyline Station · Northside
A public marketplace on West Loudon Avenue, in a building that housed bus and transit companies for almost 100 years, with local food, drink and retail merchants under one roof, including coffee and doughnuts, kombucha, popcorn and vintage shops.
Lexington Farmers Market · Downtown · Downtown
The Lexington Farmers Market's Saturday market downtown, at the Fifth Third Pavilion in Henry A. Tandy Centennial Park.
Doodles Breakfast & Lunch · Northside
A locally owned breakfast and lunch restaurant at the corner of North Limestone and Third Street, open since 2008. Eat inside, on the patio or take food to go.
Smithtown Seafood · Northside
A counter-service seafood spot on West Sixth Street, next door to West Sixth Brewing. Order at the counter, online, or from a table at the brewery.
Crank & Boom · Distillery District · Distillery District
An ice cream stop on Manchester Street. Pair a visit with a look around the Distillery District.
Joseph-Beth · Lexington Green · Lexington Green
A bookstore at Lexington Green. Check the store’s own calendar for author visits and other programming.
Kentucky for Kentucky Fun Mall · East Lexington
The walk-in store for Kentucky for Kentucky, selling its Kentucky-themed T-shirts, sweats, hats, stickers, barware, home goods and prints.