Kentucky's Charming City Outside Lexington Offers Scenic Farmland And Tasty Cuisine
Looking to get away? For a trip that gets you out of the city pace of Lexington for stunning country hills and a quiet farming vibe, you might look to the town of Paris. In the Bluegrass region, you'll find this spot about 18 miles to the northeast of Lexington (a 32-minute drive). The town's scenery is surrounded by breathtaking farms and pastures, along with historic dry-stack stone walls and black plank fences bordering the roads. Paris is another one of Kentucky's underrated cities, just outside of Lexington, that has boutiques and horse-centric attractions, as the community homes in on the motto "Horses, History, and Hospitality."
A major draw to the area is the drive itself, as the main route into the city is the Paris Pike (a 13.5-mile portion of US 27/68), which is designated as a Kentucky Scenic Byway. This road passes through a rather large historic district (around 10,000 acres), taking you past many of the area's thoroughbred horse farms. In the town of Paris itself, you can find a replica of the Eiffel Tower in a downtown courtyard at the Paradise Café, and you can also see a building on Main Street that Ripley's Believe It or Not! dubbed as the world's tallest three-story building.
When you meander outside of Lexington, which is America's "Horse Capital," and get hungry, Trackside at the Depot is a restaurant in a restored train depot from the 1800s that serves Southern food, including the Kentucky Hot Brown (an open-faced sandwich with turkey and ham). You can also find international-inspired restaurants serving up Italian, Asian, and Mexican dishes.
What to do in and around the farmlands of Paris
Getting outside and exploring the agricultural foundations is quite popular in Paris. Visit Hartfield & Co. Distillery, which was the first licensed distillery in Bourbon County after Prohibition was repealed. It's a craft distillery in the downtown area that produces tasty, pre-Prohibition style bourbon, and is a stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour. You can also visit several wineries in the area, such as Talon Winery in Lexington and Wildside Winery in Versailles. Both are between 29 and 35 miles away from Paris.
When you want to check out the horse farms, there are more than 50 in the area to see. Claiborne Farm is a thoroughbred farm where the famous Triple Crown-winning racehorse Secretariat is buried. Another option is Runnymede Farm (built in 1867), which is the oldest continuously operated thoroughbred farm in the Bluegrass State. Both of these historic farms are open for tours, but be sure you schedule your tour in advance.
Your agricultural adventures can continue at Stepping Stone Farm, which has fruit picking, or Middle Springs Farm, which puts on events like a poppy festival. Other local events include the Pumpkin Festival and a Farm to Fork Dinner on the courthouse square. You can also check out the Legends of Bourbon County Festival in October, which celebrates the area's equine history with a family-friendly fun day. Finally, visit Duncan Tavern, a stone structure from the late 1700s that was visited by frontiersman Daniel Boone, or head over to the Hopewell Museum for more local history.
More places to eat and where to stay in Paris
The closest large city to Paris, Kentucky, is Lexington (about a 32-minute drive), and a short drive from Lexington is a highly-rated Kentucky airport with non-stop flights to Gulf Coast beaches. That's Blue Grass Airport (LEX), which is a 24-mile drive from Paris (about 34 minutes), making it easy to get to your destination.
Your options for staying in Paris are mainly smaller, boutique properties. Staying on one of the farms is also an option, like at the Fairfield Farm Cottage, which is a two-bedroom house on a large working farm. You can also stay at historic inns and bed-and-breakfasts, like Mustard Seed Hill in the nearby town of Millersburg (about 9.3 miles from Paris), which has suites on a property that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other bed-and-breakfasts in Paris include The Barr House Inn and the Bourbon Inn, or if you want a regular hotel, you can book a room at the Best Western Paris Inn.
After a long day of driving through the countryside, the town's food and drink scene has a handful of options. For coffee and baked goods, stop at Lil's Coffee House, Happy People Coffee Company, or Frank's Donuts. For an American-style meal, try out The Rock Café (in a converted gas station,) or Pastimes Pool Room for some burgers. The town has a number of Mexican restaurants, including Cilantro, Riviera Maya, La Esperanza, Perico's Mexican Restaurant, and Burnaco's, which is a Tex-Mex drive-thru. Paradise Café serves up Asian fusion dishes, and Giovanni's whips up pizza. Lastly, check out the Paris-Bourbon County Farmers Market for some local treats.