PHOTO BY ULRICH BURKHALTER
Midwestern Traveler
Small Town, Big Charm KENTUCKY’S GEORGETOWN HELPS VISITORS SLOW DOWN WITH ITS CHARMING ATTRACTIONS By Corinne Minard
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hile there’s nothing like the excitement of exploring a big city, the same can be said about the comfort of visiting a small town. Just outside of Lexington, Georgetown, Ky., prides itself on what it calls “pure small-town charm.” “We’ve got a big city really close but where we are we still have that small-town charm where everybody kind of knows everybody,” says Bailey Gilkerson, marketing director for Georgetown/Scott County Tourism. The town of 32,000 may be small, but is filled with activities that help the family slow down while having fun. For example, one of Gilkerson’s favorite attractions, the Old Friends Farm for Retired Thorough-
breds, introduces visitors to over 100 retired racehorses, including several Kentucky Derby winners. Other activities include the Kentucky Horse Park, a working horse farm and equine competition facility; the Toyota manufacturing plant, where visitors can see the process of building the Camry from start to finish; and Whispering Woods Riding Stable, where horse lovers can ride through the woods. “You’re getting to see Kentucky in its most natural form when you go and do that,” says Gilkerson. If you’re looking for less of a formally planned day Gilkerson recommends exploring Georgetown’s downtown district. The area has more than 200 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Private residences are on the list, but so are many of the shops and sites like Ward Hall, a Greek Revival mansion that provides tours. “One (shop) is called Georgetown Antique Mall and it has three stories of antiques. They have hidden gems, they have antique clothing, really they have a lot of things to offer there. We’ve also got Heirlooms & Gretchen’s, which
The downtown district of Georgetown, Ky., has more than 200 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.
is a stained glass shop,” says Gilkerson. “It’s actually the only one in this region.” When it’s time for lunch or dinner, Georgetown has options for many palates, including Local Feed, a farm-to-table restaurant in a historic building; Rodney’s on Broadway, which is known for its fine dining experience; and Fava’s, which has been owned and operated by the same family in the same location for over 100 years and serves top-notch diner food. For those who’d like to take a break with a drink, Bourbon 30 Distillery is located across from Royal Spring Park, said to be the first water source for bourbon in Kentucky. Visitors can have a private barrel sampling or take a tour. While Georgetown may embrace the small-town description, Gilkerson recommends two or three days to explore it all. “So it could be a long weekend, but you could also use Georgetown as your hub to visit all of central Kentucky. Because we are right on (Interstates) 64 and 75, it’s really easy to get to different locations that are really close by,” she says. n w w w.
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Midwestern Traveler
A Break at the Lake RELAXING AT LAKE CUMBERLAND IS EASY THANKS TO MANY OPTIONS AND AMENITIES By Corinne Minard
Pulaski County Park, near Lake Cumberland, has cabins available to rent. “It is a year-round playground,” she says. She says that something is always happening on the lake or in nearby towns like Somerset, no matter the season. Boating of all types—including speed-
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boats, houseboats, pontoons and kayaks— is a popular activity all year round. Visitors can rent boats at the lake’s nine marinas, seven of which also rent houseboats. The lake also has many boat ramps for those
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or a relaxing weekend getaway Carolyn Mounce says there is no better place to visit than Lake Cumberland. As executive director of Lake Cumberland Tourism, she would know.
THE SIGHTS & SOUNDS OF GEORGETOWN.
PURE SMALL TOWN CHARM. – Family Fun – • International Kite & Cultural Fest - April • Horsey Hundred Bicycling Event - May
– Equine Activities – • Minutes from the Kentucky Horse Park -
Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event - April • Old Friends Retired Thoroughbred Farm • Whispering Woods Riding Stables
– Picturesque Downtown – • Specialty Shops • Antiques • Scott County Arts and Cultural Center • Cafes and One-of-a-kind Restaurants • Georgetown and Scott County Museum
– Unbridled Fun – • Toyota Motor Manufacturing, KY, Inc. Tour • Country Boy Brewing • Bourbon 30 Spirits • Golf • Elkhorn Creek • Ward Hall • Close proximity to the Ark Encounter • Nearby Wineries and Bourbon Distilleries
INTERSTATE
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www.GeorgetownKy.com • 888.863.8600
Fishing for crappie is a popular activity on Lake Cumberland. looking to bring their own watercraft. Fishing is another popular activity. “We have fishermen that fish our lake continually. It would be easy to say that at any given time there’s probably a fishing tournament out on our lake somewhere because they’re bass fishing, they’re crappie fishing, they’re catfishing,” Mounce says. “They love our lake because it is a deep, beautiful, clear lake that has all kinds of fish for people to fish for.”
When not on the water, nearby parks like Pulaski County Park and General Burnside Island State Park also provide opportunities for outdoor fun. Both have campgrounds and hiking trails. Pulaski County Park has tennis courts, volleyball courts and disc golf, while General Burnside Island State Park features a Brian Ault golf course. “It is an absolutely gorgeous course,” says Mounce. “It’s a little hilly, but if you want
good exercise you can walk the course and if you don’t want good exercise you can always use a golf cart.” Away from the lake, visitors can experience the area’s many events. The Summernites Cruise, held every fourth Saturday of the month from April through October, features more than 1,000 show cars and trucks. While the official cruise happens on Saturday, the festivities kick off Friday at noon. “It is a mecca of old cars for the car enthusiast,” says Mounce. The Master Musicians Festival, says Mounce, is another event that many visitors look forward to. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the July festival has showcased bands like Dawes, the Old 97’s, the Counting Crows and Willie Nelson in previous years. For those looking for a relaxing weekend, though, Mounce says to look no further than the lake. “If you’ve never spent a weekend or a week on a houseboat as your vacation, nestled up into a cove, totally surrounded by beautiful blue water, you have not lived,” she says. n
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