Just in time for Kentucky visitors and residents to make spring road-trip plans, the Commonwealth’s new highway map beckons Bluegrass travelers to discover regional foodie adventures, experience Kentucky’s rich music culture and explore African-American heritage at historic sites around the state.
The 2018-2019 Kentucky Official Highway Map – now available at rest areas, welcome centers, local convention and tourism offices and all Kentucky state parks – invites travelers to create memories as they navigate along Kentucky’s highways, byways and parkways.
Governor Matt Bevin’s welcome greeting to visitors reads, “When Daniel Boone blazed his first Kentucky trail over two centuries ago, he marveled, ‘Heaven must be a Kentucky kind of place.’ We welcome and invite you to experience the boundless beauty of the Bluegrass, our piece of heaven.”
For the avid history buff, discover Kentucky’s remarkable African-American heritage: Maysville’s National Underground Railroad Museum, Nicholasville’s Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage Park, LaGrange’s Oldham County History Center, Louisville’s Muhammad Ali Center, Russellville’s West Kentucky African American Heritage Center and Paducah’s Hotel Metropolitan.
The new map also highlights the heavenly tastes found throughout Kentucky’s urban and rural areas, which are featured in the Kentucky Department of Tourism’s 2018 culinary celebrations:
• Louisville: Indulge in the iconic Hot Brown, first created in the 1920s for guests of Louisville’s Brown Hotel, and participate in the monthly events along downtown Louisville’s Urban Bourbon Trail.
• Winchester: Delight in a regional appetizer – beer cheese – made famous in the 1940s.
• Northern Kentucky: Satisfy your sweet tooth along the Sugar and Spice Trail while discovering local specialties, including divine chocolates, classic candies and one-of-a-kind herbs and spices.
• Lexington: Discover new small-batch, high-quality beer offerings on Lexington’s Brewgrass Trail.
• Frankfort: Treat yourself to Rebecca Ruth Candy Company’s iconic bourbon-filled Kentucky chocolates as you travel down the state’s Sweets Trail.
• Statewide: Experience the aromas and flavors of Kentucky’s wineries and vineyards that dot the breathtaking Bluegrass countryside.
Accompanying the savory food and drink opportunities throughout the state, Kentucky’s inspired music events are featured in the 2018-2019 map: Owensboro’s Bluegrass Roots and Branches Music Festival, Louisville’s Forecastle Festival, Somerset’s Master Musicians Festival, Henderson’s WC Handy Blues Festival and Bardstown’s Stephen Foster Story outdoor musical.
To assist motorists in the state’s highly traveled urban areas, 15 inset maps detail downtown and greater Louisville, downtown and greater Lexington, Bowling Green, Owensboro, Henderson, Hopkinsville, Paducah, Elizabethtown-Radcliff, northern Kentucky, downtown Covington-Newport, downtown Frankfort, Richmond-Berea and Ashland.
Other map aids include contact information for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) free roadside assistance program – SAFE Patrol – and a reminder to know before you go by visiting Goky.ky.gov for up-to-date traffic and roadway information.
Historically an annual publication, the official highway map is now a two-year publication to better steward taxpayer dollars.
To view or download an electronic version of Kentucky’s 2018-2019 Official Highway Map, county maps or city maps, visit KYTC’s website. For help planning your next trip and to learn more about the featured attractions, visit www.kentuckytourism.com. Share photo highlights of your adventure by using the hashtag #KYshines on social media.
From Kentucky Transportation Cabinet