Skip to content
Mammoth Cave – brown cave with over-view of city📷 Photo by Luca Micheli on Unsplash

Road trips in Kentucky

9 road trips and 19 hand-picked places in Kentucky, with routes, stops and practical tips for driving and camping.

Trip guides
9
Places
19

Campsites in Kentucky 207

Trip guides

Road trips through Kentucky

Kentucky bourbon and caves – Illuminated cave chamber with numerous stalactites, stalagmites, and a walkwayPhoto by Peter Gladwin on Unsplash
31E
Themed road trips

Kentucky bourbon and caves

239 mi5 stops3 days
Red River Gorge arches and Kentucky crafts – road tunnel wallpaperPhoto by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
715
Scenic byways

Red River Gorge arches and Kentucky crafts

149 mi6 stops3 days
Kentucky horse country: Louisville to Lexington – 2011 Derby number 7© Joanna Poe from Munith, MI, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
60
Things to do in…

Kentucky horse country: Louisville to Lexington

104 mi7 stops2 days
Barrels, caves and a moonbow – by camper through Kentucky from the Bourbon Trail to Cumberland Falls – bridge, louisville, kentucky© hetep99 · Pixabay Content License
62
In-depth road trip guides

Barrels, caves and a moonbow – by camper through Kentucky from the Bourbon Trail to Cumberland Falls

432 mi14 stops8 days
Moonbows, sandstone arches and coal trains – by camper across the Cumberland Plateau from Berea to the Breaks – Winter At Cumberland Falls (192471531)© Don Sniegowski · CC BY 3.0
119
In-depth road trip guides

Moonbows, sandstone arches and coal trains – by camper across the Cumberland Plateau from Berea to the Breaks

338 mi14 stops7 days
Cumberland Gap and the moonbow at Cumberland Falls – Cumberland Gap Visitor Center 2025a© Antony-22 · CC BY-SA 4.0
25E
Themed road trips

Cumberland Gap and the moonbow at Cumberland Falls

143 mi7 stops3 days
Quilts, bison and two reservoirs – by camper from Paducah through Land Between the Lakes to Murray – Broadway - Paducah, Kentucky© Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0
68
In-depth road trip guides

Quilts, bison and two reservoirs – by camper from Paducah through Land Between the Lakes to Murray

166 mi14 stops6 days
Southern Indiana hills: Columbus architecture to Lincoln’s boyhood – a view of a forest through a windowPhoto by Steven Van Elk on Unsplash
46
Things to do in…

Southern Indiana hills: Columbus architecture to Lincoln’s boyhood

275 mi9 stops4 days
Blues, levees and cypresses: by camper along the lower Great River Road from St. Louis to New Orleans – white and green dome cathedral in between high-rise buildings during daytimePhoto by Brittney Butler on Unsplash
61
In-depth road trip guides

Blues, levees and cypresses: by camper along the lower Great River Road from St. Louis to New Orleans

842 mi14 stops7 days
RouteSuggested daysDistanceDrivingStops
Kentucky bourbon and caves3239 mi4 h 16 min5
Red River Gorge arches and Kentucky crafts3149 mi2 h 40 min6
Kentucky horse country: Louisville to Lexington2104 mi1 h 52 min7
Barrels, caves and a moonbow – by camper through Kentucky from the Bourbon Trail to Cumberland Falls8432 mi7 h 43 min14
Moonbows, sandstone arches and coal trains – by camper across the Cumberland Plateau from Berea to the Breaks7338 mi6 h 02 min14
Cumberland Gap and the moonbow at Cumberland Falls3143 mi2 h 33 min7
Quilts, bison and two reservoirs – by camper from Paducah through Land Between the Lakes to Murray6166 mi2 h 58 min14
Southern Indiana hills: Columbus architecture to Lincoln’s boyhood4275 mi4 h 54 min9
Blues, levees and cypresses: by camper along the lower Great River Road from St. Louis to New Orleans7842 mi15 h 02 min14
Editor's picks

Places worth the detour in Kentucky

Mammoth Cave – brown cave with over-view of cityPhoto by Luca Micheli on Unsplash
Editor's pick
Nature

Mammoth Cave

Cave City, KY
Sky Bridge – Oxalis grandis Small 2366017326© iNaturalist.org (jeffreyaewick) (jeffreyaewick) · CC0
Editor's pick
Nature

Sky Bridge

Stanton, KY
Natural Bridge State Resort Park – Natural Bridge KY-27527-3© Ken Thomas · Public domain
Editor's pick
Nature

Natural Bridge State Resort Park

Slade, KY
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park – Cumberland Gap Visitor Center 2025a© Antony-22 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
History

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

Middlesboro, KY
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park – Winter At Cumberland Falls (192471531)© Don Sniegowski · CC BY 3.0
Editor's pick
Nature

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park

Corbin, KY
Gate at Kentucky Horse Park© Lisa Andres · CC BY 2.0
Editor's pick
History

Kentucky Horse Park

Lexington, KY
Bardstown Historic Downtown – Baldwin's Tourist Court Residence-Office© Nyttend · Public domain
Editor's pick
History

Bardstown Historic Downtown

Bardstown, KY
Nada tunnel (4943235887) (2)© Patrick Mueller from apex, usa · CC BY 2.0
Oddities

Nada Tunnel

Stanton, KY
Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill – Shaker Village from Afar© Christopher L. Riley · CC BY-SA 4.0
History

Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

Harrodsburg, KY
Kentucky Derby Museum – 2011 Derby number 7© Joanna Poe from Munith, MI, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
History

Kentucky Derby Museum

Louisville, KY
Floral clock at the Kentucky State capitol (52363023622)© Joseph Gage from Yorkville, IL, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
History

Kentucky State Capitol

Frankfort, KY
Keeneland – "Back to Our Roots" in Kentucky (20180406-OSEC-LSC-0029)© USDAgov · Public domain
History

Keeneland

Lexington, KY
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest – Sulfur Cinquefoil - Introduced - Bullitt County, KY USA (with foliage)© Deanna Phillips · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nature

Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest

Clermont, KY
Berea Downtown Commercial and Residential Historic District - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 02© Missvain · CC BY 4.0
History

Berea

Berea, KY
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory – Am Cavalry P5240248© Chris Light · CC BY-SA 4.0
History

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory

Louisville, KY
Muhammad Ali Center – U.S. Route 60 Louisville, KY (24160931829)© Mobilus In Mobili · CC BY-SA 2.0
History

Muhammad Ali Center

Louisville, KY
Carter Caves State Resort Park – Railroad west of Cross in Olive Hill© Nyttend · Public domain
Nature

Carter Caves State Resort Park

Olive Hill, KY
Maker's Mark Distillery – 20220819-DSC03915 (52347475531)© Joseph Gage from Yorkville, IL, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Food

Maker's Mark Distillery

Loretto, KY
John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge – Gateway Center, Covington, KY - 47638339321© w_lemay · CC0
History

John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge

Covington, KY

FAQs

What are the best road trips in Kentucky?

Popular routes include Kentucky bourbon and caves, Red River Gorge arches and Kentucky crafts, Kentucky horse country: Louisville to Lexington and Barrels, caves and a moonbow – by camper through Kentucky from the Bourbon Trail to Cumberland Falls. CampingSpirit has 9 trip guides that pass through Kentucky, each with a stop-by-stop itinerary and a route map.

Which places in Kentucky are worth a detour?

Our editors recommend Mammoth Cave, Sky Bridge, Natural Bridge State Resort Park, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park and Kentucky Horse Park.

Nearby

Tennessee 17Indiana 5Ohio 7West Virginia 5Illinois 12North Carolina 11Virginia 11Georgia 9