The Top 5 Reasons to Visit Lexington, Kentucky Now
WRITTEN BY 5 REASONS TO VISIT® EDITORIAL STAFF
PUBLISHED JUNE 2022 • 4 min read
Lexington’s vibrant, distinct culture is centuries in the making. As the Horse Capital of the World, Lexington is full of Southern charm and was known in the 19th century for its prosperity as the “Athens of the West.” From there, Lexington, Kentucky has become the stomping ground for incredible writers, musicians, artists, and makers of the well-crafted.
Image courtesy of Visit Lexington
1. THE SHOPPING
Lexington has grown from a handful of quaint boutiques to become a serious shopping destination. Shopping centers include Hamburg Pavilion and the Summit at Fritz Farm—not to mention Fayette Mall, the largest mall in Kentucky. Today, Lexington is home to major retailers, local boutiques and neighborhood public markets like Julietta Market, all offering a different kind of shopping experience for every kind of style and every kind of budget.
Image courtesy of Visit Lexington
For those who prefer to shop local, Lexington is home to dozens of boutiques that offer a more curated collection of seasonal apparel and accessories. If you’re more of a treasure-hunter, there are plenty of antique stores to explore—perfect for finding hidden gems or your next home décor project.
2. THE ART
From modern art to classics by the masters, there’s an art gallery for every taste here in Lexington. And with a city full of street art by artists from around the world, there’s always a new piece to see, no matter where you are.
Image courtesy of Visit Lexington
From the contemporary art exhibition spaces at 21c Museum Hotel to the University of Kentucky Art Museum with an impressive permanent collection with a rotating collections of traveling exhibits.
Lexington is known primarily for bourbon and horses, but in recent years the art scene here has created new murals popping up left and right—making Lexington one of the best spots in the South to find a vibrant work of art. Your Instagram is in for a treat.
3. THE COCKTAILS & CUISINE
Epping’s on Eastside is a bit like Lexington: sophisticated, well-traveled, but grounded in their roots. Located in a renovated historic building that once held Epping Bottling Works, today that history is part of the energy of downtown Lexington’s Warehouse Block. For your artisanal cocktail fix, we recommend trying The Eastsider—concocted with 360° vanilla vodka, house-blended passion fruit liqueur, passion fruit puree, lime juice, lemon, and lime soda.
Epping’s on Eastside in Lexington, Kentucky
Crafted with sustainable, local and ethically-sourced ingredients with an array of dynamic flavors, favorite dishes at Epping’s on Eastside include Okonomyaki Fritters made with shrimp and cabbage fritters topped with grilled miso shrimp, katsu sauce, kewpie, and house pickled red onions, Pan Roasted Chicken plated atop a house bacon and potato hash with a smoked Gruyere mornay, and Chile Rubbed Hanger Steak with fingerling potatoes and local greens charred with tomatillo demi-glace.
And just when you thought we were done… You have to try RJ’s Dry-Rubbed Smoked Local Wings, which are made within a two day process of brining and seasoning that creates perfection, Sticky Szechuan Carrots with maple Szechuan glazed carrots, crispy garlic, toasted sesame seeds, silken tofu, and a fresh orange glaze—as well as a Quinoa en Nogada, a vegan take on the traditional Mexican dish Chiles en Nogada. Stuffed fire roasted poblano peppers topped with citrus cashew cream, pomegranate, roasted cashew, petite herbs, and crispy corn tortilla make this dish a must-have.
4. THE GARDENS
The Horticultural Gardens and Displays at The Arboretum State Botanical Garden of Kentucky provide visitors with color and change throughout each season. In the gardens you will see a large and diverse community of plants from around the globe. The newest selections of annuals, perennials, roses, trees, and shrubs amplify the gardens—many of these proven favorites thrive here in the Bluegrass.
The Arboretum State Botanical Garden in Lexington, Kentucky
The gardens at The Arboretum State Botanical Garden of Kentucky are designed to stimulate your olfactory and visual senses—fragrances, colors, textures and forms abound, and are a contemplative place to observe the natural environment. The gardens are composed of a collection of smaller gardens like the Home Demonstration Garden (further divided into garden rooms such as Woodland Shade Garden, Pond Garden, Herb Garden, Vegetable Garden, Pollinator Garden, etc.), the Flight 5191 Memorial Rose Garden, the Fragrance Garden, the Perennial Teaching Garden, and the Witch Hazel Dell. Admission is free to the public.
5. THE ARCHITECTURE
In Lexington there's a lot of history to be re-lived—This was the first part of Kentucky to be settled, and the beginning of the American West. The historic Lexington homes that are open for tours showcase a variety of architectural styles, as well as the stories of some of Lexington's most influential and fascinating families. Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate has a formal English parterre-style garden, while The Mary Todd Lincoln House was the family home of the wife of 16th president Abraham Lincoln.
Hopemont, circa 1814, was built for John Wesley Hunt, Kentucky’s first millionaire, the home stands as a reminder of early-19th century Lexington: when the city was known as "The Athens of the West.” The 1850s Waveland is an antebellum house in Lexington, also known as the Joseph Bryan estate, includes three original outbuildings, plus two beautifully maintained Lexington Garden Club gardens.
WHERE TO STAY IN LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
21c Museum Hotel is in the historic Fayette National Bank Building originally designed by McKim, Mead and White. The building's historic features were embraced to create a boutique hotel where contemporary and historic meet and contrast. Woven into the fabric of downtown Lexington, both visitors and locals alike enjoy the curated art exhibitions.
