If You Only Have One Day to Visit This Small Town in Kentucky, Here’s Everything You Absolutely Can’t Miss

A small town of about 18,000 people in southwestern Kentucky, Murray is the ideal place to spend a day. Case in point: Murray has been voted the "friendliest small town in America" by Rand McNally and USA Today five times! There's much to love about Murray beyond its friendly people. But what if you only have one day to spend in this treasured small town? We've compiled a list of four must-see attractions for a day trip to Murray, Kentucky:

1. Murray's Historic Town Square

The first thing visitors must see is Murray's historic town square. The square is a great place to walk around, shop, and grab a bite to eat. Murray City Hall is on the corner of 5th and Main Street. Nearby are three bookstores: Bolin's Books, Newlife Christian Bookstore, and Bookmark. The Main Street Market, a boutique grocery store, is also on Main Street. Hungry day trippers can eat at Mugsy's Hideout, which serves Italian food, or Rudy's on the Square, which serves classic Southern food. If you love visiting local coffee shops, as I do, 5th & Main Coffees is near City Hall. If you visit on a Saturday morning, look out for the popular Downtown Farmer's Market, where local vendors sell crafts and produce.

2. Wrather West Kentucky Museum

After getting acquainted with Murray's town square, the next place to visit is the Wrather West Kentucky Museum on Murray State University's campus. The museum is free and open to the public and shares historical information about West Kentucky and the Jackson Purchase through fixed and short-term exhibits. Interestingly, the museum is located in the university's first permanent building, which opened in 1924 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

3. The Doran Arboretum

The next stop is a 15-minute walk from the Wrather West Kentucky Museum: the Doran Arboretum at Murray State University. The arboretum is open every day from dawn to dusk and is the perfect place to take a walk on a pretty day. It has a 0.8-mile track for walking and running, a butterfly garden, a sensory garden, and much more.

4. Kentucky Lake

Incredibly, Murray is about 30 minutes from Kentucky Lake. This 160,000-acre lake is the last attraction we chose for our list of things to do on a one-day trip to Murray. Visitors can hike, bike, boat, horseback ride, golf, and hunt at Kentucky Lake. Of course, it is difficult, and likely impossible, to do all of these things at Kentucky Lake in one day. For a short visit, we recommend taking the Kentucky Lake Scenic Drive, a three-mile drive with several photo-worthy overlooks and places to picnic.

What do you think about this list of must-see attractions in Murray, Kentucky? Is there anything you would add?

There are many more things to do and places to eat in Murray than we could include in this list. Murray is home to the best Dairy Queen in the world. It also has the Calloway County Barn Quilt Trail, a collection of more than 60 colorful quilt patterns on barns scattered around the county. Each quilt has a special significance and is often associated with a family story or tragedy.

If you'd like to spend more than one day in Murray, Kentucky, this two-bedroom cabin Airbnb near Kentucky Lake may be the perfect place to stay!