Kentucky is known for its bluegrass and horse farms, and the town of Versailles is the perfect place to experience this unique aspect of American culture.
Off the Martha Layne Collins Bluegrass Parkway, Versailles is a beautiful city surrounded by beautiful rolling farmlands.
Versailles is also home to the world-renowned Woodford Reserve, which produces some of Kentucky’s finest bourbon whiskey.
The town also features historical landmarks that contribute to the rich history of the city and the state of Kentucky.
Here are the 20 best things to do in Versailles, KY:
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The Kentucky Castle is a must-visit for anyone who loves solving mysteries.
This 10,000-square-foot castle features several rooms full of clues and puzzles to solve.
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There are four different themed rooms to choose from, each with its own unique set of challenges.
The Kentucky Castle is perfect for a fun and unique date night, a group outing, or a family-friendly activity.
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The Jack Jouett House was the home of American Revolutionary War hero Jack Jouett.
Jouett was known as the “Paul Revere of the South,” who warned the Revolutionaries about the British advance on Lexington in 1775.
The house is now a historic site and museum open to the public for tours.
Admission is free, but you will need an appointment if you want a house tour.
Surrounded by rich farmlands in the middle of Bluegrass Country, the Stonewall Farm is a beautiful working farm that offers visitors a variety of activities and attractions.
Established in 1852 and named after its famous Irish-built stone wall, this spectacular 262-acre farm features a state-of-the-art equine training and breeding facility.
The Stonewall farm also features a world-class vaulted breeding shed with a multi-tier roof system and a massive stallion complex.
Other notable features of the Stonewall farm include a crystal clear lake with jetted fountains, a beautiful courtyard featuring landscaped bricks, and paved walkways.
You can take a farm tour, go on a hayride, visit the animal barn, or even milk a cow.
There is also a farm store on-site where you can purchase local produce, honey, and other items.
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The Woodford Reserve Distillery is a must-see for anyone visiting Versailles.
This world-renowned distillery has won many awards for its bourbon whiskey, which uses a unique process that includes aging the whiskey in barrels for six years.
Located just eight miles from Versailles, KY, the Woodford Reserve Distillery is only a 12-minute drive from the city proper.
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Elijah Pepper established the distillery in 1812.
The Woodford Reserve is one of the oldest distilleries in the country and is regarded as a National Historic Landmark.
The Woodford Reserve Distillery produces a wide range of whiskeys, including rare, limited-edition releases such as the Kentucky-only Distillery Series.
Likewise, the distillery produces other famous whiskeys: the Woodford Reserve Bourbon, The Straight Rye Whiskey, Double Oaked, and the Wheat Whisky.
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Visitors can go on guided tours and whisky tasting sessions at the facility.
The whiskey is cheaper in the facility than at liquor stores.
Prices for whiskey at the Woodford Reserve Distillery start at $17.99 and can go up to $60.49 per bottle.
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Established in 1985, the Sun Valley Farm is a thoroughbred breeding farm in the United States.
Located ten minutes from downtown Versailles, the Sun Valley Farm features world-class thoroughbred training, boarding, and breeding facilities.
Today, the homestead is carefully preserved and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Sun Valley Farm is open to the public for tours, and visitors can see firsthand how world-renowned thoroughbred horses are bred, trained, and raced.
Join tours of the Sun Valley Farm every day from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Eckert’s Orchard is a family-owned and operated farm that offers a unique agricultural experience for visitors.
The Orchard is just five minutes from downtown Versailles.
Eckert’s Orchard features a wide variety of fruits and vegetables available for picking during the summer and fall months.
The Orchard also has a farm store where you can purchase fresh produce, honey, jams, and jellies.
Besides fresh produce, Eckert’s Orchard also sells flowers, pumpkins, and Christmas trees.
The Orchard is open year-round, and visitors can join many activities such as hayrides, corn mazes, and pumpkin picking.
If you feel hungry, the Apple Blossom Café offers a variety of snacks and drinks, including apple cider and pie.
The Bluegrass Railroad and Museum is a must-visit for anyone interested in trains and railroad history.
Located near downtown Versailles, the Bluegrass Railroad and Museum is a traveling museum that depicts the history of the Bluegrass Railroad and Kentucky’s prosperous railroad transport industry.
In 1976, the Bluegrass Railroad and Museum was a joint project by the Bluegrass Railroad Club members.
This museum offers a unique experience that delves deep into the history of the railroad while visitors are on an 11-mile round-trip excursion.
The train journey travels through some of Kentucky’s horse farms to Young’s High Bridge and back.
Located along Old Frankfort Pike, Wallace Station Deli and Bakery is a local favorite for anyone looking for a delicious meal.
The restaurant is known for its fresh-baked bread and pastries and its made-from-scratch burgers.
The burgers are so good that they appeared on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.”
If you’re looking for a casual and relaxed place to eat, Wallace Station Deli and Bakery is perfect.
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Find the best horses for racing at the WinStar Farm, located just ten minutes from downtown Versailles.
As one of the leading thoroughbred horse breeding and racing farms in Kentucky, the WinStar farm features world-class horse breeding, training, and racing facilities.
The farm has a long history of success in the horse racing industry, having produced multiple Derby-winning stallions.
This 2,400-acre farm features a world-class stallion complex that collectively breeds 2,500 mares a year.
You can join guided tours at crucial farm areas, including the breeding shed and the stallion barn.
You’ll meet Audible, Tiznow, Yoshida, and several other champion mares and stallions that have made WinStar Farm famous.
Tours of the WinStar Farm happen every day, starting at 11:30 a.m.
The Wildside Winery is a family-owned and operated craft winery located eight minutes from downtown Versailles.
The Winery features a selection of award-winning wines made with quality grapes grown in Estate and Kentucky.
Some of the famous wines that the Wildside Winery produces include the award-winning Cabernet Franc, the Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and the Traminette.
The Wildside Winery features 30 acres of breathtaking landscape that welcomes visitors.
The winery has a spacious patio to enjoy a glass of wine while taking in the stunning views.
Visitors can join tours to learn about the wine-making process and taste some of the finest Kentucky wines.
You’re probably aware that Versailles, KY, is home to many thoroughbred farms.
However, none of these farms have a great success story as the Three Chimneys Farm.
The Three Chimneys Farm was established in 1972 and has produced numerous Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winners.
The farm is ten minutes from downtown Versailles and covers 1,500 acres.
The Three Chimneys farm features world-class facilities, including a training track, breeding shed, and foaling barn.
The farm also has a museum that tells the success story of the Three Chimneys Farm in the horse racing industry.
The best part about visiting a city with a rich history like Versailles is that you can find several antique shops.
One of the best places to buy antiques in Versailles is the Irish Acres Gallery of Antiques.
The Irish Acres Gallery has operated for four decades, curating a selection of antiques from all periods in the last 45 years.
This antique shop features a wide range of antiques, including furniture, glassware, china, and silver.
The gallery also has a selection of vintage clothing, jewelry, and art.
Buy a souvenir or learn about the rich history of Versailles through its antiques.
The historic Woodford Theatre is a community theater in downtown Versailles.
Located on Beasley Road, the theater opened in 1988, featuring live entertainment, including musicals, comedies, and dramas.
One of the few Art Deco theaters in Kentucky, the Woodford Theatre features a 350-seat auditorium and presents a variety of plays, performances, shows, and other special events.
The theater also hosts many special events, such as film festivals and holiday parties.
If you’re looking for a fun and unique way to experience the arts, then the Woodford Theatre is the perfect place to visit.
You can’t have enough Thoroughbred farms to visit while in Versailles.
The Pin Oak Stud is another world-renowned Thoroughbred farm ten minutes from downtown Versailles.
Josephine Abercrombie founded the farm in 1948.
The Pin Oak Stud is a 1,348-acre farm that was once a working farm for growing crops and raising Simmental cattle.
It later transformed into an award-winning thoroughbred breeding and stud farm that breeds some of the best racehorses in the world.
The Pin Oak Stud features several world-class facilities open to visitors, including a training track, breeding shed, and foaling barn.
When you’re in Versailles, don’t miss the chance to watch a horse show!
And what better way to watch one than at Ballyhigh Show Stables?
This horse farm sits in Brinsfield Farm, LLC on Pinckard Pike at over 53 acres.
Housing three barns, the farm has both an indoor and outdoor arena for horses and their handlers.
Its outdoor arena has a hunter and obstacle course for competitive horse practices.
And at the front barn, countless horse shows have entertained many since its establishment.
Be sure to add Ballyhigh Show Stables to your itinerary!
Versailles’ multitude of horse farms and barns is one of the charming points of the city.
Adding to its growing collection is Gainsborough Farm.
Established in 1984, this farm specializes in Godolphin mares and foals.
It sits on over 1,500 acres of grassland and prime stud land.
Within the property are foaling units and barns housing stallions.
Its grazing paddocks are spacious enough for the horses to enjoy themselves and for equestrians to practice with their treasured stallions.
The farm offers tours of its grounds.
So, what are you waiting for?
Expand your knowledge of thoroughbred breeding and the farming industry in general with a guided tour around the expansive farm.
To reach Gainsborough Farm, head over to Steele Road.
A different surprise awaits you at Nostalgia Station Toy & Train Museum in Versailles.
This unique museum houses over 100 linear feet of miniature train models and vintage toys.
The site also has two operating train layouts, a 1926 and a 1956 version.
Though it has served the community since 1987, it never fails to offer an engaging charm to old and new visitors to the city.
Nostalgia Station Toy & Train Museum is on Depot Street if you’d like to give it a visit.
Get your artistic inspiration from Art 4 God, which is a Christian-themed art gallery.
This gallery perfectly showcases Stephen Sawyer’s best pieces.
His muse, Jesus Christ, is the main character in most of his painted portraits.
Alongside murals, the gallery also has displays of clouds, murals, and abstract art.
The gallery also offers art classes for everyone of all ages.
So, channel the inner artist in you when you come by this gallery.
Art 4 God is on Lexington Street.
At Versailles, you can never really run out of outstanding historic buildings to explore.
And The Galerie is one of them.
Though not open for historical excursions, this events venue center sits on a century-old building that had renovations in 2018.
With its seed-glass windows and stunning ceiling handiwork, this place is an ideal venue for weddings and receptions.
But every event, both personal and corporate, has a place within this center’s walls.
Experience the small-town gathering you’ve always dreamed of with friends and loved ones at The Galerie on Court Street.
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Jacobson Park is a beautiful 216-acre park located in east Lexington, a 27-minute drive from downtown Versailles.
The park features a reservoir used by the Lakeside Golf Course and Kentucky American Water Company.
The park features several trails, including the one-mile Jacobson Park Trail and the three-mile Lakeside Trail.
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The park also has a dog park, picnic pavilions, and a playground.
Other amenities include a basketball court, pedal boats, kayaks, fishing areas, a volleyball court, a playground, and well-maintained public restrooms.
Jacobson Park is the perfect place to stroll, picnic, or enjoy the scenic views.
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Whether you’re looking for a relaxing weekend getaway or an action-packed vacation, you’ll find it in Versailles, KY.
Versailles is a fun-filled city that showcases its history and rustic charm.
There’s something for everyone in this charming city, with so many things to see and do that will keep you interested and entertained.
It’s never a boring trip to Versailles, KY.
Add it to your list of places to visit.
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