Most Scenic Drive and Sights--Louisville to Lexington

Hi, Everyone--I%26#39;d love to visit Kentucky, flying into Louisville and driving to Lexington. I%26#39;d really appreciate your help and recommendations with: 1. What is best, most scenic route to drive Louisville-Lexington? 2. And I%26#39;ll have to drive back, so what is the second most scenic route? 3. What are must-sees in Louisville? 4. What are must-sees in Lexington? I enjoy city tours and of course want to see the beautiful countryside.

Thank you for all your help.

Most Scenic Drive and Sights--Louisville to Lexington

I%26#39;ve made a lot of trips from Lex to Louisville, but unfortunately all on the interstate. However, one way I would definitely take is 421 from the city of Frankfort into Lexington. There are other routes, but I absolutely love seeing the horse farms out there, especially in the Spring when everything is green. On the way back take 60, Versailles Rd, (Kentuckians say it like its spelled, not the correct French pronunciation). There are really impressive horse farms in this area too. You can also swing in the candy shop that will be on your left. I think it is a Ruth Hunt, I%26#39;m not for sure. You can get good Bourbon chocolates there.

Some great things to do in the Lexington area include:

Woodford Reserve Distillery Tour

Buffalo Trace Distillery Tour (this is in Frankfort)

Equus Run Winery - the owner has a great story

Keeneland Race Track - if it is April or Oct when you visit

Walk at the Arboretum near UK%26#39;s campus

Eat downtown at Alfalfa%26#39;s (very earthy, organic) great

Visit the Farmer%26#39;s Market downtown on a Saturday if you are there April through Oct

Grab some pasteries at Magee%26#39;s Bakery near downtown

There are lots of others, but I%26#39;ll stop there. I%26#39;m sure others can add more of their favorites.

I took a really interesting historic tour of the city last year. I think it was offered by the Bluegrass Trust, but I%26#39;m not sure that they do this on a regular basis. Here is the web-site: http://www.bluegrasstrust.org/

Also the Visitors Center can help with lots of ideas and maybe a city tour: http://www.visitlex.com/

Most Scenic Drive and Sights--Louisville to Lexington

From Louisville take US 60 (Shelbyville Rd) all the way to Frankfort. You will pass through Simpsonville and Shelbyville. If its around lunch time take in Claudia Sanders Dinner House. Its between Simpsonville and Shelbyville. Also in Shelbyville is Wakefield Scearce Gallery. It is an historic girls school that now sells fabulous antiques.

Once you get to Frankfort you will need to get to the Frankfort bypass (anyone out there help me with route #?). Then after you pass under the interstate be looking for Old Frankfort Pike. This will take you into downtown Lexington and IMO is one of the prettiest roadways around.

Take a horse drawn carriage ride downtown Lexington. Most of the drivers have been around a while and you will get an excellent history of Lexington.

Go to the visitor center, and get the map that takes you on a wonderful countryside auto tour. You get a lot of horse farms, regular farms, barns, gardens, lovely homes, stone fences, apple farms/cider mills, forest, meadow, field, streams, curvy roads, mild hilly country. We thoroughly enjoyed this. You may want to try Kentucky Horse Park, the museum isn%26#39;t too bad and they have a good gift shop, though the park needs more of a ';pull.'; Go shopping downtown, and maybe take a drive to Berea-about one hour south, a cool little college town with arts and crafts. I also have heard, but never been, that the baseball bat company offers a good tour in Louisville.