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Here is a look at five places in Kentucky where you should stop, relax, recharge and experience the best of southern hospitality.

Experience a cultural centre with southern flair

One of Kentucky’s largest cities, Louisville is a vibrant blend of urban sophistication in a relaxed atmosphere. On one hand, it is home to Museum Row, a collection of cultural institutions all within walking distance of each other, while on the other it features rolling golf courses and thoroughbred racetracks.

Visitors to the city will enjoy spending time at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, where they can learn the history of baseball, see how these iconic bats are made and get up close to a few that were swung by some of the game’s greatest players. For boxing buffs, the Muhammad Ali Center features an immersive experience celebrating the life and legacy of one of the world’s greatest sports figures — and a Louisville native.

After a day stretching your legs, pull up a chair at one of the city’s world-class restaurants serving southern cuisine along with a well-earned bourbon from one of its local distillers.

Visit the horse capital of the world

The second largest city in the state, Lexington is nestled in the Bluegrass Region of central Kentucky, which is home to about 450 horse farms, many famous for having bred racing superstars. That is only one of the reasons why this place in known as the horse capital of the world.

You can learn about the city’s four-legged residents during a visit to the Kentucky Horse Park. There you can stop at the International Museum of the Horse, see some world-class horses up close and learn about past racing superstars at its Hall of Champions. While in the Lexington area, you should also go on a scenic drive through the Bluegrass Region’s rolling hills, where you can visit some of the beautiful horse farms that are open to visitors

Back in the city, be sure to check out its growing craft beverage scene. Download a pass to your smartphone and head out on Lexington’s Brewgrass Trail to visit some of its breweries and learn about their beers, ciders and sake. The Lexington area is also home to about 15 bourbon distilleries within 45 miles of downtown, many of which offer tours and tastings.

Sip and savour your way along a bourbon trail

Speaking of bourbon, Kentucky lays claim to being the birthplace of this American whiskey, which is distilled from a mash that must be a minimum of 51 per cent corn. You can learn this amber-coloured spirit’s storied past along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

The trail has numerous distilleries throughout the state, both in cities and nestled among the state’s scenic landscapes. At many of them, you can enjoy guided tours, tastings and behind-the-scenes looks at the distilling process.

Among the trail’s 46 stops are iconic distilleries, like Maker’s Mark, and smaller craft distilleries that still capture the entrepreneurial spirit of the state’s early bourbon makers. One important reminder: Book your distillery visits while you are still in Canada, as some of the most-popular tours and tastings on the trail can sell out months in advance.

Explore some of Kentucky’s natural beauty

For Canadian travellers seeking outdoor adventure, Kentucky is full of magical spots waiting to be discovered. There is a reason why, according to stories, Daniel Boone proclaimed “Heaven must be a Kentucky kind of place” when he crossed the Cumberland Gap in the late 1700s and first saw the land that would become the state.

Kentucky’s Red River Gorge is an ideal stop. Located in the Daniel Boone National Forest — it is just off the main north-south highway through the state, the I-75 — the gorge is known for its breathtaking rock formations, hiking trails and scenic overlooks. It also offers a selection of outdoor activities, including ziplining, rock climbing and kayaking. It’s a great place to stretch your legs during your drive south.

Kentucky is a destination briming with natural and cultural attractions, and great food and drink, making it the best place to stop and visit during your next road trip to the southern United States.

And, as a bonus, if you are driving into the state from Ohio along the I-75, you will also encounter some amazing shopping opportunities at Northern Kentucky’s Newport on the Levee shopping complex and the unique offerings in the historic Mainstrasse Village area of Covington. They are the perfect places to start or end your Kentucky adventure.

Don’t feel like driving? Getting to Kentucky has never been easier, with Air Canada currently offering convenient twice daily direct service from pc28����Pearson International Airport to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

Visit to learn more about what Kentucky has to offer on your next road trip.

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