Romantic Getaways in Kentucky

The many mountains, nature trails, horse farms and water features of Kentucky make a picturesque backdrop for romantic weekend getaways. Here you can choose an escape to a national park, explore a quaint historic village or live it up in a cosmopolitan city brimming with arts and culture. To help you plan your next romantic getaway, here are some great ideas from the Bluegrass state.

Covington

Quaint buildings and architecture dating back to the 1840s sets the scene for a romantic weekend getaway in Covington. The historic town is well-known for its restaurants, pubs and outdoor cafes. Here you can take afternoon or evening excursions on BB Riverboats for breathtaking Cincinnati skyline views. alternately you can browse through the Main Strasse Village District which offers shopping, horse-drawn carriage rides and Ohio River restaurants like Chez Nora. After dinner, stroll along Roebling Suspension Bridge hand-in-hand with your beloved. For those couples looking to spend more than a day, it may be a good idea to check in at the Amos Shinkle Townhouse bed-and-breakfast, a seven-room estate on the National Trust for Historic Preservation list with grand staircases, 16-foot ceilings, crystal chandeliers and even a whirlpool tub for its vacationing couples.

Cumberland

If however you are keen on some adventurous action with your better half, a good getaway idea is the mountainous Cumberland. At Cumberland Falls Resort Park, you can view the second-largest waterfall east of the Mississippi and if lucky, perhaps a lunar rainbow too. Lovers of adventure will think nothing of walking the shoreline of Lake Cumberland or hiking seventy miles of wilderness trails, cave formations and waterfalls at Cumberland Gap National Historic Park. But if you do not fancy a long trek you can ride a houseboat at the Lake. Lodging options for couples range from DuPont Lodge which has 52 rooms with spectacular views to Woodland Rooms Cumberland Falls' one- and two-bedroom cottages with fireplaces and fully equipped kitchens. Look for special romance package deals offered for couples, which may include dinner theater, dancing and resort lodging.

Louisville

Louisville is one of the biggest cities in Kentucky which has lots to offer to its couples. Together with your beloved, you can hike to the top of the Iroquois Park Hill, from where you can see the entire city of Louisville. If you're brave, venture up at night for a great view of both the city and the stars. But even in the day the view is breathtaking and the park's many paths make great scenic strolls for you and your sweetheart. Again jumping on a bicycle built for two and pedaling alongside the Ohio River through Waterfront Park on a nice day is a great romantic idea but for traditional wooing, it is difficult to beat a horse drawn carriage ride through downtown Louisville. If on the other hand, you and your partner are game for some unconventional fun, book a ghost tour at the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, an early twentieth century hospital for tuberculosis patients. Unfortunately this also made it the spot of death for all the thousands who never got better and died. No wonder then that people till today report seeing shadowy figures and according to hardcore ghost tourists there can even be heard sounds of a shadowy figure crawling toward someone on the tour. However if getting spooked is not your idea of romance, by all means splurge on a romantic dinner in which case Louisville is going to spoil you for choice. Jack Fry's in the Highlands has long been considered as one of the romantic restaurants in Louisville mainly because the food is consistently delicious--if you're looking for a good steak or pork chop, this is the place to go. Again in Highlands Lilly's Bistro is a favorite dining destination for couples with its white tablecloths and amazing food. The Oakroom at the Seelbach Hilton in Downtown Louisville is the very embodiment of a romantic restaurant from its deep woods and white tablecloths to the romantic atmosphere and always professional service. However if amazing views are what you are keen on, RIVUE Set atop of the towering Galt House at the edge of the Ohio River in Downtown Louisville is difficult to beat just as The Melting Pot wins hands down for its romantic desserts. Old Spaghett Factory is another favorite with Louisville couples not only for its ornate décor and Italian cuisine but also for the fact just outside of the door on any evening of the year you'll find horse-drawn carriages waiting to take you and your loved one on a romantic ride around our beautiful and historic city centre.

Owensboro

However for quintessential Southern food, head to Owensboro which calls itself "the Bar-B-Q Capital of the World" and where a particular favorite destination of couples is the Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn. Other Attractions for lovers in this town include Broadway show performances at Riverpark Center, Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, Dogwood Azalea Trail and Western Kentucky Botanical Garden. You can also take a road trip with your sweetheart to enjoy secluded nature walks through Mammoth Cave National Park or Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. For an overnight stay, a convenient lodging option is the contemporary Marriott Courtyard Owensboro, where you're within walking distance to romantic restaraurants such as Niko's and Moonlite.

Go on a Bourbon Trail

The Bluegrass state is famous for its bourbon which more than big business here – it is a way of life, a history and heritage built by generations of Kentuckians from as early as the late 18th century. So with your sweetheart in tow, take the legendary Kentucky Bourbon Trail through the heart of bourbon country and stop in at any of the state’s six distilleries including Maker’s Mark, Jim Beam and Woodford Reserve. While the Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour has no beginning or end, it’s probably best to plan your trip based on the charming communities and cities where you and your partner would like to spend the night. There’s something for everyone – big-city nightlife, quaint country town, Bourbon-themes hotels and historic bed & breakfast accommodations. Touring the bourbon country, you and your beloved will not only get to view the bourbon making process and indulge in an after-tour bourbon tasting, but experience the amazingly beautiful surrounding landscapes too – all of which are sure to make for some wonderful romantic memories.