Find the perfect day trip with these 7 state parks within an hour’s drive from Lexington

For those looking for an inexpensive admission daytrip, or just an outdoor space to let your children scream this summer, Kentucky is home to 45 state parks.

We’ve rounded up the park sites within easy driving distance of Lexington (including one in the city) for your summer getaway consideration. Read on for offerings, activities, hours of operation and admission costs.

Lincoln Homestead State Park

Park: Lincoln Homestead State Park

Home to Lincoln Homestead Lake, which offers 7.6 acres of fishing, this park offers a museum, disc golf, golf and general recreation space.

A highlight of the park is, naturally, the original home of Nancy Hanks Lincoln, whose son, Abraham, was the 16th president. Though born in what is now West Virginia, she lived some of her younger years in parts of Kentucky. Hanks Lincoln died in 1818 at just 34.

Other buildings on the property include replicas of the cabin and blacksmithy of Thomas Lincoln, father of the former president. The home of an uncle, Mordecai Lincoln, is also on the property.

For those not interested in the buildings, the park features 18 holes of disc golf, 18 holes of regular old golf and fishing opportunities to snag catfish and bass.

Distance from Lexington: Roughly an hour.

Entrance fee: The museum charges an admission fee. It’s $5 for adults and $3 for children.

Hours of operation: The park, golf course and meeting facility are open year-round. The museum is open Thursday to Sunday, May through October.

Waveland

Park: Waveland State Historic Site

Those looking to soak in a little historical interpretation or give the children something to think on over the summer may enjoy Waveland.

You can tour the Joseph Bryan estate, a Antebellum-era home, along with outbuildings, including the original quarters of the enslaved individuals who made the property prosperous.

Bryan constructed the plantation from 1844 to 1848, and the tour highlights life in the home during the 1850s.

The property totals 10 acres, including a trail, pond, a playground, picnic areas and gardens.

The site also hosts a ticketed event, Tea Tuesdays and Waveland.

Distance from Lexington: Located in Lexington at 225 Waveland Museum Lane

Entrance fee: $15 for adults, $12 for adults age 62 and older, $6 for children age 6 to 12. AAA, military and group rates are available, as well.

Hours of operation: The park is open from April through October each year. Tour times are available Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. The gift shop opens an hour early and closes an hour later each day, respectively.

Fort Boonesborough

Park: Fort Boonesborough State Park

Fort Boonesborough is an attractive daytrip for recreation enthusiast and history buffs alike. Home to the fort site of famed Daniel Boone, the park also offers camping, fishing, boating, birding, hiking and miniature golf.

The Kentucky River Museum allows a peek into life in the 1900s, while the original fort of America’s pioneer is a slice into the 18th century.

The park’s campground has 166 sites and accompanying facilities, and those with a fishing license can cast a line in the Kentucky River.

If you fancy a stroll, there are two trails through the park, The Halley Home Site Trail and The Pioneer Forage Trail.

Mini golf is offered for a fee from April through October.

Distance from Lexington: Roughly 40 minutes.

Entrance fee: Fort tours cost $8 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 to 12 and free for children younger the 6.

Hours of operation: Park hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, though fort, museum and gift shop hours differ.

Taylorsville Lake

Park: Taylorsville Lake State Park

Those looking for a true outdoors experience may want to head west from Lexington to Taylorsville Lake.

Visitors to the lake can camp at one of the numerous sites, hike some of the 24 miles of trail, ride horses, bike, boat out of the marina, bird, fish (license required) and more.

Camping options include by tent and RV, and pets are welcome.

The lake’s deepest point is about 75 feet.

Distance from Lexington: About an hour.

Entrance fee: No fee for entrance.

Hours of operation: Park is open year-round, camping is offered mid-March through mid-November.

Isaac Shelby Cemetery

Park: Isaac Shelby Cemetery State Historic Site

Admittedly, the vibe is different from the other parks here, but Isaac Shelby Cemetery is still rich in Kentucky state history.

Located in Lincoln County, it’s the smallest offering in the state park system and houses the grave site of Isaac Shelby, the first and fifth governor. He was also a state legislator in Virginia and North Carolina.

The site, which the park system calls a “photo-worthy spot,” once had Shelby’s historic home, Traveler’s Rest, but it was lost in a fire in 1906.

Distance from Lexington: About an hour.

Entrance fee: There is no entrance fee.

Hours of operation: Open year-round.

Old Fort Harrod

Park: Old Fort Harrod State Park

Another site at the intersection of outdoor recreation and history, Old Fort Harrod offers a replica 1774 fort for visitors to explore.

Park docents guide visitors through a glimpse at life in James Harrod’s fort.

Sights include the Lincoln marriage temple – where Abe’s folks tied the knot in 1806 – the Mansion Museum, Kentucky’s oldest cemetery and more.

Birdwatchers may like the grounds and amphitheater.

Distance from Lexington: About 45 minutes

Entrance fee: Site offerings are $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, $4 for children ages 6 to 14 and $6 for military and veterans.

Hours of operation: Museum, temple, giftshop and fort hours vary, but park grounds are open year-round from dawn to dusk.

Perryville Battlefield

Park: Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site

This year will be the 160th anniversary of the Civil War Battle of Perryville, but you can check out the site before the October event.

Memorializing the Oct. 8, 1862, battle, the museum offers original artifacts and a video about the event for visitors.

The park service reports Perryville is “one of the most unaltered Civil War sites in the nation.”

There is a self-guided walking tour, a 3.5-mile driving tour and 19 miles of trails through then 1,200-acre battlefield. Birders are picnickers are welcome.

The anniversary celebration – complete with reenactment – is set for Oct. 8-9.

Distance from Lexington: About an hour.

Entrance fee: The museum fee is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 7 to 12, and free for children younger than six. Group and military discounts are available.

Hours of operation: The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The battlefield is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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This story was originally published June 3, 2022 at 9:50 AM.