Just north of Lexington, right off I-75, is a world-class attraction and superb campground that needs to be a must-visit on your next RV trip through the area.
The Kentucky Horse Park, with 1,200 Bluegrass acres bordered by crisp and clean white fencing, is recognized around the world as the epicenter of equestrian life, sports, and business. If it has to do with horses – raising them, racing them, jumping them, tending them, trotting, walking, and showing them off – this is the best and most accessible place to see them. Just about every horse association in the world is headquartered here and competitions, exhibitions, and educational events are held year-round.
We’ve visited the park’s adjacent campground a half dozen times. It’s open year-round and we’ve found it a great place to overnight on the way south from our Michigan home, or back north again after trips to Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. Usually, we arrive late and leave early.
Get free admission to the Kentucky Horse Park
But this week, as we were returning from a late summer trip south, we were able to experience the Kentucky Horse Park itself and see some of the many magnificent animals that live there or compete there.
If you camp there, you get free admission to the park itself. Discounted tickets to the barns can also be bought in the campground store.
Owned and run by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the park is home to some 115 horses representing more than three dozen different breeds during the summer season. Most of these horses are housed in barns throughout the main “tourist attraction” area of the park including the Hall of Champions, Horses of the World Barn, Kids Barn, Mounted Police Barn, and Big Barn – home to draft and carriage horses, as well as a riding concession.
But on many weekends during the warm weather months, dozens of additional horses ship in to the park to compete in horse shows. The weekend we visited the park hosted a Dressage competition as part of the prestigious National Dressage Pony Cup (NDPC), which has an offering of $10,000 in total prize money.
The grounds are beautiful and offer lots of opportunities to see horses at pasture, in corrals, and being taken to and from various events by their handlers. There’s also a Visitor Information Center (with gift shop and movie theater), the International Museum of the Horse, the American Saddlebred Museum & Gift Shop, the Bit & Bridle Restaurant, and the Farmhouse Cafe are all indoor facilities with air-conditioning, sitting areas, and restrooms.
Allow a full day to experience the horse exhibits and grounds.
The park does not have a boarding facility for pets. But it’s still pretty pet-friendly. Pets are allowed to accompany their owners on the park grounds as long as they are on a leash. Pets are only allowed in the museum lobby and not in the museum exhibits, so visitors will need to take turns staying with their pets outside of these areas. Pets are not allowed to be left unattended in vehicles, roam without a leash, or tied-out on the grounds.
The adjacent campground boasts 260 55-foot paved back-in spots, 20/30/50 amp electric service, a picnic table, fire pit, and water hookups. And two dump stations. There is a swimming pool – it closed right after Labor Day – as well as tennis and basketball courts and several playgrounds. The restrooms and showers are neat, clean, and spacious.
If you camp there, try to get one of the spots on the outer loops that back up to the grounds of the horse park. There, you can often see horses right from your campsite.
We’ve stayed there in the winter, though the water is turned off during the coldest months.
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49 Responses to “Kentucky Horse Park – Great RV destination”
Comments are closed.
October 05, 2014at7:27 am, Bobbi Yoshida said:
One of the best campgrounds we’ve been to.
October 02, 2014at3:48 pm, Rosemary Stilloe said:
<3
October 01, 2014at9:15 pm, Erin Condon Gonyea said:
Been there…. Loved it, didn’t stay long enough!
October 01, 2014at11:32 am, Dorothy Addison Gober said:
The beauty of a horse 😉
September 30, 2014at8:40 pm, Gloria Becky Lee-Strickland said:
Love it!! Haven’t been in years!!
September 30, 2014at7:47 pm, Edward Bickford said:
we stayed there great park
September 30, 2014at7:34 pm, Cheryl Chester said:
My friend and I had stayed at a KOA not really that far from the horse park. We had a great time visiting the park and also the farm of friends for retired horses somevery famous horses there too.
September 30, 2014at6:34 pm, Shirley Hall said:
We stayed there in May. Very nice park
September 30, 2014at6:13 pm, Richard Foreman said:
Cheryl Foreman
September 30, 2014at4:28 pm, Bev Hopper Dring said:
Doug Dring was this where you stayed
September 30, 2014at4:30 pm, Doug Dring said:
nope…. we were in a park in Ohio
September 30, 2014at4:31 pm, Bev Hopper Dring said:
oh yes i remember now
September 30, 2014at4:25 pm, Roy Reyes said:
I love seeing horses, I think there pretty cool to look at.
September 30, 2014at4:16 pm, Candy Blackmer said:
Been there. Nice place.
September 30, 2014at4:11 pm, John Carriker said:
Good place to camp
September 30, 2014at4:06 pm, Rick Edgar said:
Nice park.
September 30, 2014at3:24 pm, Joseph Pospicil said:
now on my bucket list
September 30, 2014at2:54 pm, Beth Roth Wise Gregory said:
I love love love KY Horse Park
September 30, 2014at2:46 pm, Jet Pop said:
Stayed there both times we went to Lexington, loved it!
September 30, 2014at2:38 pm, Troy Robin said:
Stayed. There nice park.
April 07, 2014at9:36 am, Liz-n-Bruce said:
We stayed there for one night in November. It was our very first trip south in our new 190 Popular. We took the time to see the exhibits before we left the next morning. Our little dog was welcome almost everywhere. It was a very welcoming lovely place and we plan to make it an annual stop.
April 07, 2014at8:19 am, Leslie Flanders said:
Directly across Ironworks Pike from the park is the northern trailhead to the Legacy Trail, a 7.5 mile paved trail for walking, jogging or cycling into the Lexington area. Also the historic city of Georgetown, known for antiques and its old jail Art Center, is only 10 minutes to the north via I-75 or KY 25.
February 09, 2014at7:50 am, Janet Winter Hicks said:
Great place!
February 08, 2014at10:29 pm, Joan St Laurent said:
Beautiful
February 08, 2014at9:06 pm, Donna Mcgohon said:
make sure you make reservations in advance. It is a wonder campground and beautiful area. We live 20 minutes away and go for nice weekends away. Due to many horseshows and other activities it books up quickly. Only campground in the Lexington area.
February 08, 2014at8:56 pm, Raymonde Gagnon said:
Je suis fascinée par les chevaux!!!C’est majestueux !!!
February 08, 2014at7:09 pm, Frank Mark Dillard said:
I loved that place.
February 08, 2014at7:09 pm, Frank Mark Dillard said:
I loved that place.
February 08, 2014at7:09 pm, Frank Mark Dillard said:
I loved that place.
February 08, 2014at7:09 pm, Frank Mark Dillard said:
I loved that place.
February 08, 2014at7:08 pm, Frank Mark Dillard said:
I loved that place.
February 08, 2014at7:08 pm, Frank Mark Dillard said:
I loved that place.
February 08, 2014at6:17 pm, Milly Chipman Overeem said:
Dave and Traci – I say we check this out this summer.
February 08, 2014at6:11 pm, Kathy RedHat Markward said:
doesn’t exactly look like that now… lots of snow!!!
February 08, 2014at5:53 pm, Claudia Sherrill said:
Wonderful place. We were there far a three-day event many years ago and again in 2002 and spent a week at the campground in our Roadtrek. It was wonderful!
February 08, 2014at5:26 pm, Rita Collins said:
Beautiful!!
February 08, 2014at5:13 pm, James Burdick said:
We went 3 yrs ago and felt so relaxing
February 08, 2014at5:12 pm, James Burdick said:
I love to live therein
February 08, 2014at4:58 pm, Berenice Chellew said:
Katherine Hardessen Roa mira esto
February 08, 2014at4:46 pm, Brenda Pritchard said:
So peaceful
February 08, 2014at4:39 pm, Chris Chuey Malish said:
Been there it is awesome……
February 08, 2014at4:30 pm, Deloris Jones said:
Was there in 2008!!!
February 08, 2014at4:27 pm, Gina Fizer Moreno said:
That where I live…the horse park is wonderful
September 08, 2013at2:54 pm, angie o'malley said:
Penny, I think you can find my contact info on the RT owners website…member list. Call me and let me know when you will be there.
September 08, 2013at2:29 pm, Penny said:
Hi Mike thanks for the review of the Kentucky horse Park.
I was looking for a place to stay between Memphis and Ohio and found this place on their website last week. With this being my very first trip in my 2002 roadtrek and on my own I was a little worried about stopping there or anywhere for that matter.
Your review confirmed for me that it was a good place to stay.
Can’t wait to go, I’m so excited!
Blessings,
Penny
September 08, 2013at2:12 pm, angie o'malley said:
It is also a must see during the Christmas holidays. All lit up! One of the top in the South…
If we had known you would be there the next day, we would have come to meet you. Let us know next time…
September 08, 2013at12:43 pm, Maureen said:
How beautiful! One of my dog-walking friends is from that area and returns every year to visit family. I’ve always enjoyed her descriptions of her beloved home and this is definitely on my longgggggg list! Jody, I’ve never used bark collars on my dogs and am interested in the do’s and don’t’s.
September 08, 2013at12:38 pm, Adirondack Jack & Niki said:
Mike, this sounds like a place we need to visit. We are currently planning our Fall Snowbird Trail South. This year we’ll trek through a bit of Ontario, Canada re-entering in the UP and South on (or near) I-75 to the Gulf. It’s our first time down I-75 and we are always looking for new things to “discover” along our routes.
Thanks for a great article,
Adirondack Jack & Niki
September 08, 2013at11:26 am, Jody said:
Mike, when you say pets cannot be left in vehicles, do you mean they can’t be left in your camper either? When our dogs aren’t allowed to go somewhere, we put them in their kennels with bark collars on. They sleep until we come “home” but we also give them a toy and a chewbone. Thanks!