Your Ultimate Guide To Winter Attractions And Activities In Kentucky

Winter is coming whether you like it or not but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun, am I right? Between the holiday season, snow sports like tubing and snowboarding, ice skating, and more, it may be cold but we can still create memories during the winter that will last a lifetime. If you need some ideas for activities and places to visit during the upcoming cold months, here are the best things to do in Kentucky in winter:

Holiday Events In Kentucky

When the holidays are upon us, there’s a whole new world of fun that opens up around Kentucky! From tree lighting to light displays to holiday festivities, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

Kentucky Horse Park, 4089 Iron Works Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40511, USA

khpfoundation.org

• Location: Lexington, KY
• Popularity: Very popular so purchase tickets on the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation website ahead of time.
• Price: $35 per carload.

If Kentucky is known for one thing worldwide it's the Kentucky Derby. Horse racing is big around these parts so it's quite fitting that the state hosts its very own horse-themed holiday lights display each year. Welcome to the Southern Lights Holiday Festival at the Kentucky Horse Park! Enjoy a 3-mile-long drive-thru display of twinkling lights before getting out of your car to take photos with Santa at the Southern Lights Holiday Village. This event is one of the best family things to do in Kentucky in winter.

Fountain Square Park, 445 E Main Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USA

Downtown BGKY/Facebook

• Location: Downtown Bowling Green, KY
• Popularity: Very popular so you may want to arrive early to get parking and a good spot to view the tree lighting.
• Price: Free

If you're looking for free things to do in winter in Kentucky, here's one for you -- the annual Downtown Lights Up in Bowling Green. The Christmas season officially kicks off with the lighting of Fountain Square Park and Circus Square downtown as well as a Christmas tree at Burr Plaza of the Southern KY Performing Arts Center. Come one, come all to Bowling Green for some festive family-friendly fun!

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1841 Taylor Ave, Louisville, KY 40213, USA

Louisville Mega Cavern/Facebook

• Location: Louisville, KY
• Popularity: Very popular. Be sure to purchase tickets ahead of time on the Lights Under Louisville website.
• Price: Ticket prices start at $42.99 per carload.

If you only have time for one holiday event in Kentucky, Lights Under Louisville is unlike any other you've experienced. Drive through the Louisville Mega Cavern all decked out for the holiday season. There are over 40 themed displays as well as over 900 characters and 6.5 million lights, so you're in for a real treat. This event is certainly one of the best Kentucky winter activities the whole family can enjoy.

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7950 Freedom Way, Florence, KY 41042, USA

Cynthia Schoettker/Google Reviews

• Location: Florence, KY
• Popularity: Very popular.
• Price: Sunday-Thursday: $13/adults, $9/child (age 12 and under), and $11/military.senior. Friday-Saturday: $16/adults, $121/child (age 12 and under), and $14/military.senior.

Looking for a fun and festive light show this holiday season? Of all the fun things you can do here during the Christmas season in Kentucky, the Deck The Yalls Lightfest is top-notch. Featuring over 2.5 million lights, an ice skating rink, activities, food, drinks, and fireworks, there are so many family-friendly festivities to be had here.

Christmas Towns In Kentucky

What’s more charming than a small town in Kentucky? How about a Christmas town in Kentucky? Here are some of the most festive towns that really get into the holiday spirit:

Bardstown, KY 40004, USA

Don Sniegowski/Flickr

• Location: Bardstown, KY
• Popularity: Very popular during the holiday season.
• Price: There may be a charge for specific holiday events. However, seeing the lights around town is free.

Do you want to get into the holiday spirit? Well, a visit to Bardstown, Kentucky will get you into the spirit in no time! Stroll along Main Street to take in the sights of all the holiday lights and decorations, spend time at My Old Kentucky Home State Park which hosts its own holiday events at the mansion, and stop in at some of the distilleries to learn about bourbon -- after all, Bardstown is a stop along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail! You can even pick up some bourbon as a holiday gift while you're in town.

Frankfort, KY 40601, USA

Visit Frankfort/Facebook

• Location: Frankfort, KY
• Popularity: Very popular during the holidays.
• Price: There may be a charge for specific holiday events. However, seeing the lights around town is free.

There's no hiding the Christmas spirit in Frankfort! Between the annual Frankfort Christmas Parade in early December, holiday performances by the Bluegrass Theatre Guild, craft shows, holiday markets, etc., not to mention all the Christmas lights, you'll certainly feel the magic of the season. And don't forget to check out the festive tree outside the Old State Capitol Building.

Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Rd, Harrodsburg, KY 40330, USA

3501 Lexington Rd, Harrodsburg, KY 40330, USA

Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill/Facebook

• Location: Shaker Village, Harrodsburg, KY
• Popularity: This is a festive and popular place to visit during the holiday season.
• Price: $16 for ages 13-61; $8 for ages 6-12; $12 for seniors, military veterans, and first responders; and free for children ages 5 and under.

If you're longing for a simpler life, spend some time at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill this holiday season. With historic buildings donned with red bows, simple greenery, and white twinkling lights, you'll be enchanted by the simplicity of it all. While you can visit during the day, nighttime is when the real magic occurs. You'll feel as though you've been transported back in time to simpler days.

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Outdoor Activities

Whether it’s sledding, ice skating, or hiking, there are plenty of ways to spend some time in Kentucky’s great outdoors this winter. Just make sure you bundle up before heading out!

636 Center St, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USA

Soky Ice Rink

• Location: Bowling Green, KY
• Popularity: Quite a popular outdoor winter activity.
• Price: $12/adults; $10/child under 12; Free for children under 4. Skate rentals are included in admission. Seasonal passes are available.

SoKY Ice Rink is open from mid-November through the end of January. This South Kentucky ice skating rink in SoKY Marketplace Pavilion is 6,000 square feet and can accommodate up to 175 people each session. This is such a fun place to glide along the ice in the winter air. So refreshing!

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Carter Caves State Resort Park, 344 Caveland Dr, Olive Hill, KY 41164, USA

Kentucky State Parks/Facebook

• Location: Olive Hill, KY
• Popularity: This is a moderately popular Kentucky state park but much quieter in the winter.
• Price: N/A

If you're looking for a place to take a winter hike, look no further than the 3.1-mile Three Bridges Trail at Carter Caves State Resort Park. As one of the most incredible Kentucky state parks, Carter Caves turns into a stunning winter wonderland complete with frozen waterfalls. Covered in a layer of snow, the landscape here is absolutely enchanting!

Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, USA

Michael Hicks/Flickr

• Location: Mammoth Cave, KY
• Popularity: Open year-round, this is a very popular national park to visit.
• Price: $9-$22 per person

Come wintertime, Mammoth Cave National Park is worth visiting. The cave system here can be explored on a tour which is offered every day throughout the year except on Christmas Day. It's absolutely magical!

Robbie Ridge Road, Robbie Ridge Rd, Kentucky 40380, USA

Don Sniegowski/Flickr

• Location: Stanton, KY
• Popularity: This park is quiet during the winter months.
• Price: N/A unless you are camping in the park.

With its sandstone arches, rock formations, and cliffs, Red River Gorge is beautiful any time of the year but takes on a whole new look come wintertime. Covered in a blanket of white, this park is absolutely worth exploring this time of year. In fact, you may want to take a weekend getaway here. Glamping and camping sites are available year-round at Red River Gorge where you can also do some winter hiking along one of the many trails.

Winter Getaways

Getaways aren’t just for the summer. Winter getaways, especially after a hectic holiday season, give us the chance to relax and recenter ourselves. Perhaps a getaway in the new year is in order.

Petersburg, KY 41080, USA

Vrbo

• Location: Petersburg, KY
• Rating: 4.8/5 stars
• Price: $140/night

Spending time in Petersburg in order to visit the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum? Make a getaway out of it by spending time at this wonderfully cozy Ranch House. Featuring two bedrooms and one bathroom, this home can house up to eight guests. It also features amenities like a full kitchen, an outdoor fire pit, games the whole family can enjoy, and so much more!

941 Manchester St, Lexington, KY 40508, USA

Hotels.com

• Location: Lexington, KY
• Rating: 4.5/5 stars
• Price: $169/night

If you're someone who prefers staying in a hotel, and an upscale hotel at that, consider booking The Manchester Hotel in Lexington. This hotel has two restaurants, two bars, a fire pit, and is pet-friendly. This northern Kentucky destination hotel is perfect for a romantic winter getaway and is close to some of the best of what Lexington has to offer.

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Stanton, KY 40380, USA

Vrbo

• Location: Stanton, KY
• Rating: 5/5 stars
• Price: $163/night

For one of the most unique winter getaways you could have, book a stay at this Upscale Shipping Container Cabin. Not only is it in the woods of Red River Gorge, where you can take a walk into Daniel Boone National Forest, but it's also a short driving distance to Natural Bridge State Park. This accommodation is ideal due to its location where you can explore the natural surroundings and then you can come back and soak in the hot tub. Doesn't that sound perfect?

Cub Run, KY 42729, USA

Vrbo

• Location: Cub Run, KY
• Rating: 4.9/5 stars
• Price: $210/night

If you're looking for romantic things to do this winter, have a getaway at a cozy cabin in a remote area like this beautiful cabin on Nolin Lake. This three-bedroom, two-bath home has both an indoor and outdoor fireplace, a screened-in porch, and lake views. You can also explore nearby Mammoth Cave National Park and Cub Run Cave.

So there you have it — some of the best things to do in Kentucky in winter. What else would you add to this list? Let us know! And don’t forget to bundle up this winter with a coat, snow boots, and other cold-weather gear from L.L. Bean.