Guide to Lexington
In honor of the Kentucky Derby, I wanted to post about our time in KY! If you didn’t know, my husband and I lived in the Lexington area for around a year and a half which in hindsight seems so short. But we absolutely loved it and explored a ton!
Although we have gotten to settle in a little more in Kokomo, I think we will always have a heart for our place in the Bluegrass. Whether you are new to the Lexington area or whether you are going to visit, here are some of our favorite places to stop:
Broomwagon: This was a bike shop that also housed a coffee shop in the Lexington area. As you know, my husband works on bicycles... so honestly this was just our dream. We stopped by Broomwagon several times and loved talking with the staff! Not to mention their coffee was pretty good.
J's Place: This is a super cute coffee shop with a mission. They are a Christian group who does a lot of work for the community. They host musicians, have special events, and their shop's atmosphere was just pretty fun. I got their pumpkin spice latte (of course), and it was super good. There also are some thrift shops around the shop that you can explore while grabbing coffee.
North Lime: To be honest, we originally only went to North Lime for the donuts but we quickly learned their coffee is great too! We love their business and follow along about their different donuts that they post on Instagram. They have various special donuts for events and holidays, but their coffee was always our favorite part.
Smithtown Seafood/West 6th: The bar is right next to the seafood restaurant and I was surprised by how much food we got at Smithtown. My husband and I both ordered the fish and chips and it was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere is really fun, and their food is amazing so we would just definitely recommend.
Local Taco: This is a tex-mex place we visited a lot. It is near UK, and it has a lot of options so you can normally find something you like.
Shakespeare & Co: Just such a fun atmosphere and good food! Located by the Square you will be able to walk around and explore after a great meal.
Hopcat: Okay I know it is a chain, but ... CRACK FRIES. I just can't get over them.. they are so, so good. I a lot of times will literally just order a plate of fries when I go because they are so good. So I definitely would recommend you trying them if you haven't!
The Arboretum: We Iove plants. As in... it is a problem. So of course we love looking around arboretums and greenhouses. So the Arboretum is a good one in the Lexington Area.
Keeneland: You may not have the budget to go to the Kentucky Derby, but you can find great tickets for a good price for smaller races at Keeneland.
Lexington Children’s Theater: We loved seeing the fun plays put on by families and friends! Check them out.
The Lexington Green: We used to stop here all the time to visit Anthropologie and get samples at Whole Foods, and visit the Joseph Beth Bookstore. Sadly, Anthro and Whole Foods moved; however, if you still venture down there is a lake and I think they are now doing Summer concerts. It is just a fun place to walk around and explore. There are fish and birds down by the pond that you can feed as well. (And if you look around you can often find leftover fish food on the ground that you can feed the fish with for free)
21C Hotel: This is a fun place to visit while walking around downton Lex. The hotel is a museum as well and is just beautiful form the architecture to the food.
Visit Towns around Lexington: Okay, I guess this is cheating but we went to Frankfort and different towns around the area, and it was so awesome. We just did a day trip but there are so many cute shops to visit!
Red River Gorge: It is one of the most popular places for rock climbing, but it is stunning from its waterfalls to overlooks. Definitely worth visiting.
Take a Drive: Could definitely do this any time but travel through the hills throughout the area. Kentucky is just such a beautiful state and we loved exploring the area! Take a drive without a destination sometime.
Shaker Village: We visited Shaker village multiple times, and frankly it is beautiful all year round. It is great for photos and just to explore! We happened to be there when there was music and it was so fun!
Skating at Triangle Park: We loved skating in triangle park with our friends. To be honest, the ice isn't great and it is small. But it is just in the heart of downtown Lexington and it is so cute. It felt very Gilmore Girls (maybe because I was just watching that at the time), but worth it just for the experience.
Bargain Hunt: Oh my goodness, guys I have a problem. Bargain Hunt is basically just a discount Target but I absolutely love it. As in, it could potentially be a problem! It is just discounted stuff from Target and various stores, and husband and I just always almost make foolish purchases because everything is on such a good sale. Let me just say: Cereal Dispensers for our home (like... whata hotel has). We made it out without them, but it was a close call. Such. Good. Dealz.
