The Small Town In Kentucky With A Unique Charm You Won’t Find Anywhere Else

Berea, Kentucky is a town in Madison County in the central part of the state. Known as "The Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky," Berea is a unique town with undeniable charm. Creativity, the arts, and nature thrive in Berea, making its motto "Where Art's Alive" very fitting. According to the 2010 Census, it has a population of about 13,561, and it’s one of the fastest-growing cities in Kentucky. Check this town out for yourself… you just might want to move there!

The town is home to a liberal arts work college, Berea College

Berea College is unique because it offers Bachelor's degrees in 32 different majors, but it has no tuition. Every student receives the equivalent of a four-year, full-tuition scholarship.

Environmental sustainability is an important issue to Berea College.

Their Ecovillage is a living and learning community made up of 50 apartments where students live sustainably and learn about environmental responsibility.

They're also home to one of the oldest continuously operating student educational farms in the country.

Speaking of farms, the Berea Farmers' Market sells fresh and local fruits and veggies.

The Berea Farmers' Market is a "growers only" market. This means that all the produce, eggs, and meat being sold at the market was grown or raised by the person selling it.

The Farmers' Market also has local artisans selling their artwork, crafts, pottery, and more. Berea is the Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky, after all.

You can purchase local art at many different stores and galleries around Berea, including Gallery 123...

...and The Promenade Gallery.

For 35 years, the Berea Craft Festival has showcased the work of local artists.

Pretty much anywhere you go in Berea, you're going to see something carefully handcrafted by a talented local artist.

Hungry or need a place to stay? Check out the historic Boone Tavern Hotel and Restaurant.

The Boone Tavern was built in 1909, and has hosted famous guests including the Dalai Lama, Eleanor Roosevelt, Maya Angelou, and Robert Frost.

Their restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday Brunch. They use locally grown ingredients, with many of them coming from the Berea College Farm.

The Boone Tavern Hotel and Restaurant is located at 100 N. Main Street, Berea, KY 40403.

Berea has some absolutely beautiful hiking and natural areas nearby, like Anglin Falls.

Anglin Falls is a 75-foot waterfall in the John B. Stephenson Memorial Forest State Nature Preserve in Rockcastle County, which is about a 20 minute drive from Berea.

Be sure you hike the Berea Pinnacles.

A very popular trail is a 6.6-mile loop where you can view both the East and the West Pinnacles, as well as several other lookouts.

The trailhead for the Pinnacles is located off of Highway 21, only about five minutes away from the Berea College campus.

Berea is located just off I-75, about 45 minutes south of Lexington.

What's your favorite thing about Berea?