Did you know you can combine an amazing family vacation in Kentucky with the Kentucky Derby? As a travel advisor, I have made it my goal to make sure parents get all those memory-making moments while on family vacations with their kids. You don’t even need to travel halfway across the world to accomplish this. You can easily reach your goal of making memories with your kids in nearby states like Kentucky. I know not a lot of people consider Kentucky for family vacations. I am bringing it up as a possibility, though, because the Kentucky Derby isn’t too far away. Therefore, if you want to take a family vacation in the beginning of May, keep the state of Kentucky in mind. 

Celebrate the Kentucky Derby During a Family Vacation

There is a lot you may want to learn about the wonderful state of Kentucky. You will be surprised what I learned while researching the Kentucky Derby and other family friendly activities in this state. 

Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is the oldest horse race in the world. However, you may hear this race referred to as “The Run for the Roses”. This is because the winning horse is draped in a garland of roses. 

This race was established in 1875. The race is on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race itself is one and a quarter miles long.  

Elaborate hats are worn for all the Kentucky Derby festivities. And you will see numerous people drinking mint juleps, which is the traditional drink of the derby.

The kids will love watching the horse racing at Churchill Downs. However, if they are a little hesitant, let them know that the next activity on your itinerary is visiting the Louisville Slugger Museum. That will keep their frowns to a minimum!

Check out the two museums I recommend everyone visits while on family vacations in Kentucky. 

Firsts in the State of Kentucky Besides the Kentucky Derby

• Post-It Notes originated in Cynthiana, Kentucky. 
• The very first Mother’s Day was held in Kentucky in the 1880s. It was at that time a teacher, Mary Wilson, recognized her mother. Mother’s Day didn’t become an official holiday until 1916.  
• The first restaurant to serve cheeseburgers was Kaelin’s in Louisville in 1934.  
• Kentucky Fried Chicken started in Corbin, Kentucky.  
• Patty and Mildred Hill wrote the song, Happy Birthday, in Kentucky. Surprisingly, it took a while for the song to become as popular as it is today.  

See the must-visit bourbon and whiskey distilleries in Louisville. 

Fun Facts About the State of Kentucky

• Thomas Edison showed off his light bulb to the public at the Southern Exposition in Louisville in 1883. 
• Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky. 
• Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is the longest cave system in the entire world.  
• Kentucky was originally a county within the state of Virginia. It became its own state in 1792.  
• The Kentucky Bend is comprised of 17 square miles. It is part of the state of Kentucky, but it is not attached to the rest of the state. A couple of people who live there must drive 40 miles actually to find themselves in another part of the state.  
• The World Peace Bell is located in Newport, Kentucky.  
• Covington’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption has the largest hand-blown glass window in the world.  
• The man who founded Duncan Hines was born in Bowling Green in 1880.  
• Half of this state is comprised of forests.  
• You can check out a moonbow in Kentucky. Don’t know what a moonbow is?? It is rays of light that are emitted from the moon. Visit the Cumberland Waterfall in Kentucky for the best moonbow views.  
• There are five ways to pronounce Louisville. The pronunciations include Louie-Ville, Luhvul, Loo-A-Ville, Loo-A-Vull, and Luis-Ville.  
• There are more bourbon barrels than people in Kentucky.  
• Fort Knox stores the largest amount of gold in the world.  
• Kentucky’s state beverage is milk.  

Laws You Must Obey While on a Family Vacation in Kentucky

• It is illegal to throw tomatoes, rotten eggs, or flowers at a public speaker in Kentucky.  
• Fines of $100 are possible if you try to take a reptile into a church in Kentucky.  
• It is illegal for a woman to marry one man more than 3 times in Kentucky.  
• When you are in Kentucky, you must shower at least once a year according to the law.  
• It is illegal to place ice cream in your back pocket in Kentucky.  

While researching things to do while on a family vacation in Kentucky, I discovered these fun facts. I am sure these fun facts are making you want to consider a family vacation in Kentucky!  

 

So, are you ready to plan a family vacation in Kentucky or somewhere else in the world?  

If you said yes, I would like to invite you to schedule a planning session with me by clicking here. Clicking the link will take you directly to my digital calendar to schedule a time that is convenient for you.  

And if you are not ready to plan a family vacation just yet, you can sign up for my newsletter here. This will ensure you always receive all the exciting travel information I share.