Located at the heart of Bluegrass Country, Lexington is sometimes called the horse capital of the world for its thoroughbred stud farms. The second-largest city in Kentucky, Lexington was named after the battle of the American Revolutionary War, and it was founded just a year before the Declaration of Independence was signed.
The presence of some of the nation's brightest minds at the University of Kentucky has helped foster a cultured air and led Lexington to take another nickname, the Athens of the West.
Downtown Lexington remains the place to see and be seen, hosting many of the city's top hotels and a handful of grassroots distilleries. You’ll be happy to know that Lexington is the city with the second cheapest pint of beer on average, so plan to hit up some breweries. Slightly east lies the Gratz Park district, home to several important buildings, including Hunt-Morgan House. A relatively modest red brick structure by today's Lexington standards, it was built by the first millionaire west of the Allegheny Mountains.
Travel to and from Lexington couldn't be simpler, thanks to no less than 180 different bus routes. There's certainly little difficulty reaching the state capital Frankfort, the rock 'n' roll sounds of Memphis, or the laid-back vibes of New Orleans.