Visiting Western Kentucky

Western Kentucky’s Barkley Lake, Kentucky Lake and the Land Between the Lakes are in season. The nearby community of Murray, home of Murray State University, is billed as the Friendliest Small Town in America. Murray’s 2013 Freedom Fest fills the western Kentucky town with fun, food and fireworks, June 28th and 29th – the weekend prior to the Fourth of July. The Murray celebration is the largest in Calloway County, including a parade and the Briggs and Stratton Fireworks Extravaganza. Visit Paducah, an hour northwest of Murray at the confluence of the Ohio River and Tennessee River, after mid-June for live harness racing at Bluegrass Downs.

Paducah hosts the 2013 McCracken County Fair in Carson Park, southwest of downtown, June 24th to 29th. A visit to the fair is a summer must, travel to Paducah’s McCracken County Fair to enjoy harness racing, horse shows and demolition derby along with traditional fair fun and activities.

East in Christian County, Hopkinsville celebrates summer 2013 at the 32nd Annual Little River Days, May 16th through 19th. Enjoy four days of rides, games and amusements. Don’t miss evening concerts and lunchtime DJs, and for the active the In Motion 5K Run or the Little River Cycling Tour are a blast. Start your summer off with fun in Hopkinsville.

Cave City, south of Louisville on Interstate 64, is a gateway to one of Kentucky’s top tourist destination, Mammoth Cave National Park. Also the second oldest tourist destination in the US, Mammoth Cave is the longest cave in the world. Spend some time in the Cave City area and enjoy the Alpine Slide at Kentucky Action Park, Kentucky Down Under and Dinosaur World.

Continuing south from Cave City on Interstate 65 is the city of Franklin, less than seven miles from the Kentucky state line. Home of Kentucky Downs, the only live turf, European-style horse racing track in the United States. The 2013 live turf racing season begins September 7th, however, visit anytime and enjoy instant racing, casino gaming, food and drink.

Cap off summer at the 2013 Murray Ice Cream Festival, September 6th and 7th. Along with free Purity Ice Cream, events feature the Top Gun Car Show, fun and games for the kids, and Murray Rotary Club’s Scooper Bowl. Visit Court Square in Murray for the Ice Cream Festival events – don’t miss the Ice Cream Idol competition.

Western Kentucky Hotel Map