(StatePoint) When visiting Kentucky, travelers are often quick to notice how welcoming locals are. They genuinely enjoy offering help, giving directions or simply sharing a friendly conversation with complete strangers.
This Kentucky sense of hospitality extends past simple niceties into tangible efforts to ensure everyone enjoys themselves. As a result, the Bluegrass State is brimming with fun and accessible vacation destinations and activities, no matter what someone’s needs may be.
Kentucky is known the world over for gorgeous hiking trails and camp sites. Several trails, which combine breathtaking scenery with ease of mobility, are ideal for wheelchair users.
Flat Lick Falls Recreational Area located in McKee, features a paved trail that leads to a stunning view of the falls. The trail is just under a mile long and provides excellent opportunities for birdwatching, plant collecting or simply relaxing as you make your way to the waterfall’s overlook.
Another must-experience accessible path is the Bridges to the Past Walking Tour in Radcliff, just outside Fort Knox. It is a paved trail along what was the Louisville-Nashville Turnpike, a vital travel artery dating back to the 19th century. Measuring 2.3 miles out and back, this trip through history gives ample opportunity to enjoy the wonders of Kentucky nature and a sense of what life was like almost 200 years ago.
Bernheim Forest and Arboretum in Clermont has miles of trails, from paved walkways to natural sloping gravel and mulch paths. With advanced reservation, Bernheim provides a free, specially designed all-terrain wheelchair perfect for exploring nearly any trail or landscape the arboretum has to offer.
Kentucky also offers a variety of attractions designed to create welcoming and enriching experiences for individuals with sensory sensitivities.
Museums such as the Lexington Children’s Museum in Lexington, the Kentucky Science Center in Louisville, and the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort are highly popular places to bring kids. These facilities are bursting with fun and educational activities for all abilities, and all three provide sensory bags upon request containing items such as fidget toys, noise-reducing headphones, sunglasses, and communication cards designed to help anyone feeling overwhelmed. In addition to accommodations available during normal operating hours, these destinations also often schedule sensory programming, dedicating focused time for kids with sensory activities.
Several Kentucky airports and attractions participate in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, which helps people discreetly communicate their needs to others. There are several locations in Lexington and Northern Kentucky that offer sunflower lanyards to people who may need extra help, understanding or time as they travel. These lanyards, which are provided at no cost, can be found at the Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport in Hebron and other attractions in the Lexington area.
For more information on travel accessibility in Kentucky visit www.kentuckytourism.com.
No matter what kind of adventure you seek, a trip to Kentucky should be full of accessible fun, adventure and memories that last a lifetime.
