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State · Sul (Geórgia, Carolinas e Tennessee)
Kentucky
Kentucky has Mammoth Cave, the largest known cave system in the world, bourbon distilleries and racehorse farms.
In the photo: Cumberland Falls
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The state
Get to know Kentucky
Kentucky is in the southern United States, north of Tennessee, between the Ohio River and the Appalachian Mountains. The capital is Frankfort; the largest cities are Louisville and Lexington. The state has two time zones: the west, including Cave City, observes Central Time, and the east observes Eastern Time.
Cave City, in the south-central part of the state, is the gateway to Mammoth Cave National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with more than 680 km of mapped passages. Tours are led by park rangers and range from short walks to multi-hour routes with stairs and narrow passages.
Kentucky is the birthplace of bourbon, the American corn whiskey, and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail links distilleries that welcome visitors in cities such as Louisville, Bardstown and Frankfort. Around Lexington, the Bluegrass region has racehorse farms with wooden fences and green pastures.
In Louisville, the Churchill Downs racetrack hosts the Kentucky Derby, the country's best-known horse race, on the first Saturday in May. At the table, try the hot brown, an open-faced roasted turkey sandwich created in Louisville, and fried chicken.
When to go
From April to June and from September to October temperatures are usually pleasant, and the Kentucky Derby takes place in May. Inside Mammoth Cave the temperature stays around 12 °C year-round, so the cave can be visited in any season. Summers are typically hot and humid, and winters cold.
Getting there
For Mammoth Cave the most used airports are Nashville (BNA), in Tennessee, about 150 km from Cave City, and Louisville (SDF), about 140 km away. Connections from Brazil usually involve a stopover in another U.S. city. Check before booking. Cave City is located on I-65, which links Nashville to Louisville, and driving is the most practical way to get around the state.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Kentucky
How to visit Mammoth Cave?
Only via ranger-led tours, which depart from the visitor center and vary in length and difficulty. Spots often fill up in summer and on holidays: book in advance. Bring a light jacket, as the cave is cool year-round.
Can you visit Mammoth Cave from Nashville?
Yes, in a day: it’s about an hour and a half by car from Nashville to the park. Visitors who want to take one of the longer tours or also explore the surface trails usually stay overnight in Cave City.
What is the Kentucky Bourbon Trail?
It’s a bourbon distillery trail in the central part of the state, offering tours and tastings. Many require reservations, and tastings are only for those 21 and older, the legal drinking age in the United States.
When is the Kentucky Derby?
On the first Saturday in May, at Churchill Downs in Louisville. The week leading up to it features citywide events and hotels fill up: book well in advance.