Pretty much every traveler who visits the USA has been to California or Florida. Of course, many people are also familiar with New York City, part of the state of New York, and Las Vegas, one of the two largest cities in Nevada. But what about the rest? For example, Kentucky. Because there are many reasons why Kentucky should be on your bucket list.

Bluegrass State

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Even the name reveals one of the federal state's greatest assets. In some Native languages, "geda'geh" means "in the field". In fact, only 43 inhabitants live here per square kilometer. The rest is meadows and fields, sometimes even hills. The nickname Bluegrass State derives from the blue flowering grass pastures. They give the meadows a blue touch between March and April. Nature lovers are in good hands here. You can hike in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and go horse riding, roam through the forests, play on one of the 259 golf courses or explore the Louisville Caverns.

Music's in the air

However, bluegrass is another phenomenon that's mainly found in Kentucky. It's a musical genre that was created around 1945 by Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs. The style borrows from mainstream country music, but bluegrass is played exclusively on acoustic instruments. Its roots also lie in Irish and Scottish ballads, blues and jazz. Traditional string instruments are used, for example, bass, banjo and violin. One person who has always flirted with bluegrass is Billy Ray Cyrus from Kentucky, who is, by the way, the father of Miley Cyrus.

Bill Monroe Museum, © Claudia Hilmbauer

In tiny Rosine (population: 125), there's a Bill Monroe Museum, which enjoys legendary status among travel journalists for its absurd collection of curious objects. Time and again, locals gather in barns to make music and celebrate together at so-called jamborees. This is also the case in the aforementioned Rosine. If you are lucky enough to be there on a jamboree day, you should definitely stop by.

Bourbon wherever you look

Bourbon whiskey, or bourbon for short, was originally only distilled in Kentucky. Some major distilleries such as Four Roses, Jim Beam, Jack Daniel's, Maker's Mark and Wild Turkey are familiar names even to people who are not fond of alcohol. In addition, there are numerous microbreweries, so that over 600 distilleries now produce bourbon in Kentucky. Why Kentucky? Because corn, the main ingredient, thrives particularly well here.

Castle & Key, © Claudia Hilmbauer

Over the years, an innovative bar scene has established itself in Kentucky. The many bars and enchanting speakeasies in Louisville, such as the Hell or High Water on Washington Street, are particularly worth mentioning. Of course, you can book guided tours and tastings at most distilleries. We recommend Craft Brewery Castle & Key.

Mint Julep & Hot Brown

Of course, any self-respecting state also has a national drink. In the case of Kentucky, this is the mint julep. It's made from 10 cl bourbon, 1 cl sugar syrup, 8 to 10 mint leaves, a sprig of mint, powdered sugar and crushed ice. It tastes refreshing and is dangerously good. So dangerously good that Kentucky even has a kind of Hangover Breakfast.

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It goes by the name of Hot Brown and is guaranteed to soak up any leftover alcohol in your stomach the day after. It's a turkey sandwich that is topped with bacon, parmesan, paprika and parsley. You then bake it in a pan with a sauce containing a quarter of a liter of cream, whole milk, pecorino and butter, among other things. It won't get you in shape but it tastes really good! The Kentucky Hot Brown takes its name from the place where it was invented in 1920: Brown Hotel in Louisville. It's, of course, still on the menu here today.

Boxing and baseball

In Louisville, sports fans and those who want to become one will find two special museums. One is the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. Almost all baseball bats in the MLB come from here. In the factory, you can watch baseball bats being produced live. If you want, you can have your own slugger made. What's exciting is that the museum is fun even if you're not really interested in baseball.

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Not far away you'll find a similar institution: Muhammad Ali Center. It traces the stages of the boxing legend, tells vividly about his life, is interactive (shadow boxing with Ali's daughter!), excellently prepared and exceedingly touching. It's definitely worth a visit!

Kentucky Derby

You can't talk about Kentucky without mentioning THE event of the year: the legendary Kentucky Derby! Even if you're not really a horse or horse racing fan, it's worth a visit. The gallop race can look back on a long history. Since 1875, three-year-old thoroughbred horses have traditionally competed here on the first Saturday in May. Around 150,000 visitors watch the spectacle.

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On May 4, 2024, the 150th edition of the Kentucky Derby will be celebrated with a giant spectacle. Even if you don't like the race itself, you should visit Churchill Downs, the race track. There's a wonderful visitor center, where you can experience a day in the life of a racehorse in an unusual 360° cinema, as well as a museum and a stable tour.