Lexington itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Lexington, day by day: the Kentucky Horse Park, Keeneland, Lexington Cemetery and the Mary Todd Lincoln and Hunt-Morgan houses first, then McConnell Springs, the James E. Pepper Distillery, the University of Kentucky Art Museum and Arboretum, the Kentucky Theater and Old Friends with a second day. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Lexington in 1 day
Day 1
Kentucky Horse Park
Working horse farm and equestrian park north of the city with the International Museum of the Horse and daily horse presentations.
Lexington Cemetery
Large Victorian garden cemetery and arboretum on West Main Street, with the Henry Clay monument and fine old trees.
Mary Todd Lincoln House
Girlhood home of Mary Todd, the wife of Abraham Lincoln, with family belongings, shown by guided tour.
Hunt-Morgan House
Federal-style house of 1814 in the Gratz Park district, home of the Hunt and Morgan families, shown by guided tour.
Keeneland
Historic thoroughbred racecourse and sales ground west of the city, with race meets in April and October and open grounds.
Lexington in 2 days
Day 1
Keeneland
Historic thoroughbred racecourse and sales ground west of the city, with race meets in April and October and open grounds.
McConnell Springs Park
Nature park around the springs where Lexington was named in 1775, with trails, wetlands and an education centre.
James E. Pepper Distillery
Revived bourbon distillery in Lexington's Distillery District, in buildings of a historic distillery founded in 1879, with tours and tastings.
University of Kentucky Art Museum
Campus art museum with European and American works from the Old Masters to today, plus changing exhibitions.
University of Kentucky Arboretum
The state botanical garden of Kentucky on the university campus, with a walking path, rose garden and native plant areas.
Kentucky Theater
Restored 1922 cinema on Main Street showing classic, independent and art films; worth a visit for a screening.
Day 2
Lexington Cemetery
Large Victorian garden cemetery and arboretum on West Main Street, with the Henry Clay monument and fine old trees.
Kentucky Horse Park
Working horse farm and equestrian park north of the city with the International Museum of the Horse and daily horse presentations.
Old Friends Equine
Retirement farm for thoroughbred racehorses near Georgetown, north of Lexington, where guided tours meet former racing champions.
Watch: Lexington
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Lexington
April and October are the best times, with mild weather, Keeneland's race meets and the horse farms at their greenest or most colourful. Summer is hot and humid, and winter is cool with occasional snow. The Kentucky Derby in Louisville on the first Saturday in May also fills hotels across the region.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Lexington on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Lexington on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Lexington on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Lexington
- Keeneland holds its race meets in April and October; outside them the grounds are open for morning workouts and walks, and the track kitchen serves breakfast.
- Most horse farms around Lexington can be visited only on booked tours, including Old Friends, the retired racehorse farm near Georgetown; book ahead.
- The Mary Todd Lincoln House and the Hunt-Morgan House are shown by guided tour on set days; check their days before planning.
- The Kentucky Horse Park is about 12 km north of downtown; give it at least half a day for the museums, barns and horse shows.
- The James E. Pepper Distillery is in the Distillery District close to downtown; tours fill up, so book them in advance.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Hunt-Morgan House: unknown author, PD-US
- James E. Pepper Distillery: Messer Construction Company, Attribution
- Keeneland: Kaplansa, Public domain
- Kentucky Horse Park: Wes Blevins, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Kentucky Theater: unknown author, PD
- Lexington Cemetery: Analogue Kid at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
- Mary Todd Lincoln House: K3vin, Public domain
- McConnell Springs Park: John Kirkland, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Old Friends Equine: Jlvsclrk, CC BY-SA 4.0
- University of Kentucky Arboretum: Daderot, CC0
- University of Kentucky Art Museum: Daderot, CC0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
