Kylie Whitcomb Most people know Kentucky for bourbon and horses, but the real magic happens when you take the back roads. The state has 37 scenic byways stretching over 1,300 miles, and these winding routes connect small towns with personalities all their own. You’ll find roadside attractions that make you smile, diners where the locals know your order by your second visit, and historical sites that tell stories textbooks never covered.
- Kentucky scenic byways connect quirky roadside attractions, historic landmarks, and family-owned restaurants across 1,300 miles of back roads
- Popular routes include Old Frankfort Pike through horse country, Red River Gorge past the Nada Tunnel, and Country Music Highway celebrating Appalachian musical heritage
- Small towns along these routes offer Civil War battlefields, vintage teepee motels, and reptile zoos housing deadly snakes from around the world
Horse Farms and Historic Stops
Old Frankfort Pike runs 17 miles between Lexington and Frankfort, and it’s everything you picture when you think of Kentucky bluegrass country. Stone fences line both sides of the road, horses graze on rolling hills, and you’ll pass more than 450 thoroughbred farms. Six National Historic Districts sit along this single stretch of pavement. Stop at Wallace Station Deli and Bakery for lunch. Chef Ouita Michel’s unassuming spot got featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives for good reason.
The nearby town of Richmond, KY sits right off the scenic route between Lexington and the Red River Gorge. You can tour Fort Boonesborough State Park, a reconstructed 1770s fort on the Kentucky River’s banks. The Battle of Richmond Visitors Center shows what happened during an intense Civil War clash that left hundreds of casualties. If you’re traveling in August, catch the annual reenactment where history buffs recreate the battle.
Where the Roads Get Weird
Kentucky does roadside attractions right. In Cave City, you can spend the night in the Wigwam Village Motel, where 15 concrete teepees serve as guest rooms. The place opened in the 1930s and still welcomes overnight visitors. Drive a bit further down I-65 and you’ll spot dinosaurs peeking above the tree line at Dinosaur World, where life-sized models range from bird-sized to three stories tall.
The Kentucky Reptile Zoo in Slade sits near the Red River Gorge Scenic Byway. Behind thick glass, you can watch handlers milk venom from deadly snakes that could drop you in minutes. Western African black mambas, Eastern African green mambas, and dozens of other species live here. The collection spans venomous reptiles from every continent. If you prefer friendlier animals, swing by Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo where kangaroos hop right up to you for hand-fed snacks.
Music, Mountains, and Hollows
Country Music Highway (US Route 23) runs through seven eastern Kentucky counties, hugging the West Virginia border. This region produced more hit country artists per capita than anywhere else in America. Loretta Lynn, Crystal Gayle, The Judds, Chris Stapleton, Tyler Childers, and Dwight Yoakam all came from these mountains. Stop at the US 23 Country Music Highway Museum in Paintsville, then drive up the holler to Van Lear to tour Loretta Lynn’s childhood home. You’ll need to check in at Webb’s Grocery Store first, a historic general store that’s been there longer than most of the paved roads.
The Red River Gorge Scenic Byway takes you through some seriously beautiful terrain. The 46-mile route winds past sandstone cliffs, natural bridges, and the famous Nada Tunnel. This 900-foot, one-lane tunnel was blasted through the mountain in the early 1900s for timber hauling. Now it’s just wide enough for one car at a time, and you can still see the blast marks on the walls.
Where Water Meets Wilderness
Down at Land Between the Lakes, Woodlands Trace National Scenic Byway runs 43 miles through the peninsula between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. Stop at the Woodlands Nature Station to learn about local wildlife, then drive through the Elk and Bison Prairie where both animals roam free. Patti’s 1880’s Settlement in Grand Rivers makes a perfect dinner stop. The restaurant serves southern cooking, and the building and grounds look like they belong to a different century.
The Great River Road follows the Ohio River through historic towns like Wickliffe, Paducah, and Columbus-Belmont. You’ll spot bald eagles along the river corridor, and each town has downtown areas with old buildings that tell their own stories. Paducah’s got a growing arts scene worth checking out.
What to Know Before You Go
These byways connect in ways that let you design your own trip. You could spend a weekend or two weeks, stopping wherever something catches your eye. The Wigwam Village needs advance reservations if you want to sleep in a teepee. Most attractions post seasonal hours, so call ahead. Gas stations get sparse on some routes, so fill up in the bigger towns.
Kentucky’s scenic byways take you off the interstate and into the parts of the state that move at a different pace. You’ll find people who wave from their porches, restaurants where they remember your name, and enough strange roadside attractions to fill your camera roll. Pack some patience, bring your curiosity, and get ready to see what makes Kentucky special.
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