Half-Day Thoroughbred Horse Farm Tour
A guided half-day drive through the rolling Bluegrass to working Thoroughbred farms, the fastest way to see why Lexington calls itself the Horse Capital of the World.
Kentucky
Lexington
Lexington is the Horse Capital of the World, a small Kentucky city ringed by black plank fences, limestone-fed pastures and the stud farms where champions are born.
Keeneland, a stone-and-ivy racecourse with free morning workouts, and the Kentucky Horse Park, with its museums and Hall of Champions, anchor the horse side of the trip, while guided farm tours open the gates to working Thoroughbred farms. Bourbon is just as close: Woodford Reserve and Castle & Key lie half an hour west, and the city's own Distillery District serves tastings and food tours. Add the homes of Henry Clay and Mary Todd Lincoln, an antebellum mansion at Waveland, a restored Shaker village and a compact downtown with serious restaurants, and you have a destination that rewards a long weekend in any season.
Don't miss
Half-Day Thoroughbred Horse Farm Tour
A guided half-day drive through the rolling Bluegrass to working Thoroughbred farms, the fastest way to see why Lexington calls itself the Horse Capital of the World.
Keeneland Race Course
A stone-and-ivy Thoroughbred track that is part racecourse, part auction house and part garden party, with free morning workouts and two short meets a year.
Kentucky Horse Park
A 1,200-acre working horse park with the International Museum of the Horse, Hall of Champions stallions, Man o' War's grave and daily breed demonstrations in season.
Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate
The home of statesman Henry Clay, the Great Compromiser, a restored mansion on a leafy Lexington estate with guided tours of the house and grounds.
Things to do in Lexington
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
Insider Horse Farm Tour of Private Bluegrass Farms
A small-group tour built around insider access to private Thoroughbred farms that most visitors never get past the gate to see.
Keeneland Race Course
A stone-and-ivy Thoroughbred track that is part racecourse, part auction house and part garden party, with free morning workouts and two short meets a year.
Kentucky Horse Park
A 1,200-acre working horse park with the International Museum of the Horse, Hall of Champions stallions, Man o' War's grave and daily breed demonstrations in season.
The Red Mile Harness Track
The second-oldest harness track in America, set just outside downtown, where trotters and pacers race in a fall Grand Circuit meet.
Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate
The home of statesman Henry Clay, the Great Compromiser, a restored mansion on a leafy Lexington estate with guided tours of the house and grounds.
Traces: Slavery at Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate
A specialty tour of Henry Clay's estate that centres the lives, labour and legacy of the enslaved people who kept Ashland running.
Mary Todd Lincoln House
The girlhood home of Abraham Lincoln's wife, a restored 1806 brick house on West Main Street, now a museum with guided and self-guided tours.
Waveland State Historic Site
A Greek Revival mansion and plantation outbuildings south of the city, interpreting antebellum Bluegrass life on a state-run historic site.
Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
The largest restored Shaker community in the country, a 3,000-acre village of stone and brick buildings, farm animals, hiking trails and a riverboat ride on the Kentucky River.
Woodford Reserve Distillery
A National Historic Landmark distillery in Versailles with copper pot stills, limestone buildings and horse-pasture views, one of the prettiest stops on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
Castle & Key Distillery
A revived Old Taylor distillery with a castle-style main building, sunken gardens and a springhouse, one of the most striking places to taste bourbon and gin in Kentucky.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Gratz Park Inn
Gratz Park Historic District
A small historic inn on leafy Gratz Park, the quietest and most characterful address in downtown Lexington, a short walk from restaurants, the library and the courthouse.
Check rates →
$$$21c Museum Hotel Lexington
Downtown
A boutique hotel in a landmark downtown bank building, with a contemporary art museum open to the public, a destination restaurant and rooms with modern design.
Check rates →Hilton Lexington Downtown
Downtown / Lexington Center
A full-service downtown tower beside the Lexington Center and Rupp Arena, practical for sports weekends, conferences and first-time visitors who want a central base.
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$$Hyatt Regency Lexington
Downtown / Convention Center
A full-service downtown hotel connected to the Lexington Convention Center, with an easy walk to Rupp Arena, restaurants and the Distillery District.
Check rates →Griffin Gate Marriott Resort and Spa
Newtown Pike / North Lexington
A golf-and-spa resort on the north side of Lexington, close to the Kentucky Horse Park and a good pick for travellers who want space, a pool and a quieter setting.
Check rates →The Campbell House Lexington Curio Collection
Southwest Lexington / Harrodsburg Road
A long-established full-service hotel on the southwest side of Lexington, known for its pool courtyard, warm service and convenient access to Keeneland and the airport.
Check rates →Residence Inn Lexington City Center
Downtown
An all-suite Marriott near downtown with kitchens in every room, a good fit for families, longer stays and anyone who wants to cook or stock the fridge.
Check rates →Inn at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill / Mercer County
Overnight rooms in restored Shaker buildings about 25 miles from Lexington, a quiet countryside stay with Shaker-inspired dining and trails on your doorstep.
Check rates →Tour + stay
Ready-made pairings: a top sight and a hotel that suits it. Add both to your trip and book each when you are ready.
Do
Half-Day Thoroughbred Horse Farm TourStay
Griffin Gate Marriott Resort and SpaNewtown Pike / North Lexington
Do
Keeneland Race CourseStay
The Campbell House Lexington Curio CollectionSouthwest Lexington / Harrodsburg Road
Do
Kentucky Horse ParkStay
Gratz Park InnGratz Park Historic District
Lexington guides
Lexington for First-Timers: Horses, Bourbon and a Bluegrass City
What to see first in Lexington, Kentucky, how the city and the countryside fit together, which sights need a booking and how to plan a short stay around horses, bourbon and history.
Lexington in Three Days: A Horse, Bourbon and History Itinerary
A practical three-day Lexington itinerary covering horse farms, Keeneland, the Kentucky Horse Park, bourbon distilleries, historic houses and downtown dining, with timing, transport and booking tips.
Horse Country Around Lexington: Farms, Tracks and the Horse Park
How to experience Kentucky horse country from Lexington: farm tours, Keeneland, The Red Mile, the Kentucky Horse Park, the best seasons, etiquette and what to book.
Bourbon Day Trips from Lexington: Distilleries Within an Hour
A guide to bourbon near Lexington: Woodford Reserve, Castle & Key, the Distillery District, tastings and private tours, with advice on booking, driving and pacing.
Where to Stay in Lexington: Downtown, Resort or Countryside
A guide to choosing a Lexington hotel: Gratz Park and downtown boutique stays, convention hotels, suites, a golf resort and a night in a Shaker village, with booking advice.
Best Time to Visit Lexington: Seasons, Race Meets and Events
When to visit Lexington, Kentucky: spring foals and the Keeneland meet, summer, October colour and the fall meet, winter bargains, and the events that fill hotels.
