Kentucky in the fall is a breath taking place. I may be a little bit biased, but I absolutely adore my home state. I have been many places in the USA and there is no place like Kentucky. Brilliant colors, crisp clean air, pristine lakes, foggy mountains. Kentucky is hard to top. Every Autumn I like to do fall activities with my children, and think of news ways to give them a grand appreciation of their home. I started the idea of a bucket list last year with Greyson, and will continue this year with both of my baby boys. After much thought and consideration, here is what my fall bucket list looks like.
1: The Pumpkin Patch: Holliday Farms
I love this place. I was raised a few miles away from here, in Ary (Rowdy) Kentucky. I took Greyson here last year and he adored it. The farm is family owned and operated and is truly beautiful. It has a old time country fell to it, which really adds to the experience. They have a really neat corn maze, that kids love. I even loved it. You can go out and pick your own pumpkin, and then they have tables set up where the kids can paint them. They have snacks, concessions, and offer hay rides and a petting zoo. You can also purchase a variety of pumpkins, mums, and other seasonal goodies. All in all, this is a must if you have small children. They will love it, and it is fun for the entire family.
Here is a link to the official website for Holliday Farms.
http://www.hollidayfarmandgarden.com/
Check them out, and give them a visit.
2: Red River Gorge/Miguels Pizza
Located in Wolf County, this little gem is one of my favorite places. I love the gorge. But the gorge in the fall is amazing. Even if you just pass through it, it is worth the gas money. I like to drive through and stop at the visiting center, and the old log cabin that is along the road. There are also several short walking trails and look out points that you can go and get a breath taking view. If you are a more avid hiker/adventurist, they offer kayaking and camp grounds, as well as rock climbing and cabin rentals.
http://www.redrivergorge.com/
Miguels pizza is also located in the gorge. It is the most adorable little restraunt, and is always PACKED. The food is delicious!
http://www.miguelspizza.com/
3: Ashland: The Henry Clay Estate.
http://henryclay.org/
Located at the corner of Sycamore, and Richmond Roads in Lexington, Ky, Henry Clay's 18 room mansion will leave you speechless. For those of you who may not know, Henry Clay is one of the great figures of Kentucky History. Clay was a stateman for the Union, and also known as "The Great Compromiser". Henry Clay changed the role of Speaker of the House and made it the
powerful position it is today. Henry Clay held that office longer than
anyone in the history of the House of Representatives other than Sam
Rayburn. It is fun to go view the grounds of the estate, and learn about such an influential figure in not only Kentucky's history, but also the history of our great nation. They offer tours of the mansion, and also the museum, located on the grounds.
4: White Hall in Richmond, Ky.
Can we just talk about how much I die for this house? Oh my goodness. When I was in school at Eastern, I went here several times to try and go on a tour and I never did get to. White Hall was the Kentucky home of Cassius Marcellus Clay. He was an anti-slavery newspaper publisher, politician, soldier and Minister to Russia through the Lincoln, Johnson and Grant administrations. He published True American for nearly 25 years. His daughter, Laura Clay, was the first woman nominated for President by the Democratic Party. So much history in this home. I would love to see it. Obviously I am a history buff.
This restored 44-room Italianate
mansion was built in 1798-1799 and remodeled in the 1860s. This house
was restored in 1971 under the leadership of Kentucky's First Lady Beula C. Nunn, with assistance of the Kentucky Mansions Preservation Foundation.[1]
In addition to the heirloom and period furnishings, White Hall has many
unique features for its day, including indoor plumbing and central
heating.
White Hall is located at 500 White Hall Shrine Road in Richmond, Kentucky. It is a state historic site and is open for tours Wednesday - Sunday, April 1 - October 31.
5: Ride the RJ Corman Old Kentucky Dinner Train.
http://www.kydinnertrain.com/
I have never been on any kind of train, other than the subway in DC. I think this would be amazing. Greyson would absolutely love it. My Mom and Aunts went last year and they had rave reviews. he train travels roundtrip from R.J. Corman’s Lexington Station
through beautiful horse farms; pass Keeneland Race Course, the village
of Pisgah and into the town of Versailles.
The train ride is approximately 2 hours for lunch and 2 ½ hours
for dinner excursions. Special children's excursions, for ages 3 through
12, and breakfast excursions are approximately 1 ½ hours in length. In the winter during christmas, they also offer a Polar Express ride for children. I am most definitly doing that this year!
Hopefully, I will get to do all of these with my boys this fall. What is your fall bucket list, and do you enjoy Autumn as much as I do? I hope so. Time to go out and make fall magical!
Labels: Kentucky, ShopLex, ShopLocal
