Trips Experiences Courses Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Experiences Courses Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
All United States Kentucky

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Kentucky

86 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Kentucky

Updated August 9, 2024

Email

Cities

Top Cities
Waverly Hills Sanitorium
Louisville
Cave City
Lexington
Covington
Grave of Daniel Boone
Frankfort
A sad sight for car collectors everywhere
Bowling Green
All Cities
  1. Bardstown
  2. Bowling Green
  3. Burlington
  4. Cave City
  5. Covington
  6. Frankfort
  7. Lexington
  8. Louisville
  9. Paducah
  10. Petersburg
Attractions
Food & Drink
Map
Leaderboards
Stories

Unusual Attractions in Kentucky

Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

Mammoth Cave

The world's longest known cave system.
Waverly Hills Sanitorium

Louisville, Kentucky

Waverly Hills Sanatorium

This former tuberculosis research hospital endeavored to cure the dreaded disease with fresh air and positive attitudes.

Cave City, Kentucky

Dinosaur World

Prehistoric animals decorate this popular outdoor park.

Williamsburg, Kentucky

Cumberland Falls State Park

Moonbows over Kentucky.
Wigwam Village No. 2. (Wikimedia Commons)

Cave City, Kentucky

Wigwam Village #2

One of the few surviving "Wigwam"-themed motels.
Castle Post

Versailles, Kentucky

Castle Post

This modern castle sat empty for decades before a fire inspired its builders to complete its luxury halls.

Louisville, Kentucky

Colonel Sanders' Grave

The grave of the iconic Kentucky Fried Chicken mascot features a bust of the man behind the goatee.
Witches' Tree - Louisville, KY

Louisville, Kentucky

The Witches' Tree

Locals place their offerings on this nightmarish gnarled tree so the witches won't summon another storm.
See All 86 Things To Do in Kentucky

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Kentucky

Louisville, Kentucky

Colonel Sanders' Grave

The grave of the iconic Kentucky Fried Chicken mascot features a bust of the man behind the goatee.

Corbin, Kentucky

Harland Sanders Cafe and Museum

The first KFC is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Royal red shrimp are a seasonal delicacy found along the Florida coast and the Mississippi Delta.

Louisville, Kentucky

North of Bourbon

The menus here are a love letter to the culinary history of New Orleans.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

5 Famous and Delightfully Obscure Folks Buried in Kentucky

When the Grim Reaper visits, it doesn't discriminate. The cemeteries of the Bluegrass State are home to a cast of characters that includes famous folks, as well as others whose faces you know, but whose names you might not recognize. Visitors can pay their respects to a fast-food icon, a world-famous athlete, comedic actor, and a local magician, as well as a folk hero who may or may not be buried there at all.

View Itinerary
Colonel Harland Sanders's Grave in Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky.

Explore Kentucky

Museums 15
Architecture 7
Cemeteries 7
Roadside Attractions 6
Hotels 6
Shops 6
History 6
Ecosystems 5
Geology 5
Animals 5
Architectural Oddities 5
Places To Stay 5

Kentucky Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. thomasharper
    5
  2. Virginia Brown
    4
  3. J Ginsberg
    2
  4. shehangsbrightly
    2
  5. Rachel
    2
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Kentucky.

Places Edited

  1. Collector of Experiences
    16
  2. PushingUpDaisies
    9
  3. nbj914
    9
  4. Sawyerma
    8
  5. Molly McBride Jacobson
    8
Join the Ranks!
Improve the Atlas with edits and photos.

Places Visited

  1. thesteelefamily239
    45
  2. brianp3119
    44
  3. zac40511
    37
  4. probablyamber
    36
  5. LouKYgreen
    35

Recent Kentucky Activity

  • iimageaz1

    wants to go to Jailer's Inn Bed and Breakfast

  • iimageaz1

    wants to go to Paranormal Roadtripper's Nightmare Gallery

  • xj7cqtzgm9

    has been to Cumberland Falls State Park

  • Jesse1469

    has been to Mammoth Cave

  • garrmark

    has been to The Great American Dollhouse Museum

Stories About Kentucky

Podcast: Vent Haven Museum

Here lies the world's largest collection of ventriloquist dummies.
by The Podcast Team
March 25, 2024
A illustration depicts the Hopkinsville Goblins incident from 1955, when a group claims they were assaulted by aliens of some sort.

The Long, Surprising Legacy of the Hopkinsville Goblins

Or, why families under siege make for great movies.
by Colin Dickey
February 8, 2024

The World’s Only Ventriloquism Museum is in Northern Kentucky

Vent Haven is a must-see for lovers of oddity museums, quirky collections, or off-the-beaten-path places.
Sponsored by Meet Northern Kentucky

Gastro Obscura’s Guide to the Northern Kentucky Bourbon Tour

10 worthy stops along The B-Line® to sip and savor spirited whiskey.
Sponsored by Meet Northern Kentucky

Podcast: Thomas Merton’s Hermitage

This little house in Kentucky is where the famous rebel monk tried to get away from the world.
by The Podcast Team
February 23, 2023
The Alaska box often includes indigenous food, ingredients, and art.

These 7 Local Food Boxes Offer a Taste of Travel

Get New Orleans pralines, Jersey Shore sea salt, and other iconic treats delivered to your door.
by Laura Kiniry
June 11, 2020
Ingredients that underpin the cuisine include pitseed goosefoot (left), a type of physalis known as ground cherries, among other names (center), and sunflowers pressed into oil (right).

The Cherokee Chefs Bringing Back North America’s Lost Cuisine

Researching traditional foods led them to the revelations of an archaeological dig in Kentucky.
by Eric J. Wallace
June 4, 2020
The meat shower, here shown falling on Mrs. Crouch, caused confusion across the nation.

The Artist Trying to Explain Kentucky's 'Meat Shower' of 1876

A historical head-scratcher inspired the world's worst jelly bean flavor.
by Marina Wang
February 7, 2020

See Fewer Ads

Become an Atlas Obscura member and experience far fewer ads and no pop-ups.

Learn More

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube Twitter Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Puzzles
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Art & Culture Trips
  • Food Trips
  • Hidden City Trips
  • History Trips
  • Wildlife & Nature Trips
  • FAQ
  • Experiences
  • Online Courses
  • Online Experience FAQ
  • Online Course FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2024 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.