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Keeneland, Lexington, KY

Photo: Jason Phillips ( user:Wildcat~commonswiki ), CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicHistory BuffFree

Keeneland

4201 Versailles Rd · Lexington, KY

Why you should go…

Keeneland is a Thoroughbred race course and auction house founded in 1936 on farmland west of Lexington, and a National Historic Landmark. The landscaped grounds are open to the public every day, so you can watch morning workouts trackside, eat at the Track Kitchen and browse the Keeneland Shop. Live racing runs in April and October, and guided tours go behind the scenes of the racing and sales operations. The Keeneland Library, established in 1939, holds a large Thoroughbred archive.

  • #horse racing
  • #thoroughbred track
  • #national historic landmark
  • #racetrack tours

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Keeneland, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Mary Todd Lincoln House

    Under $25

    The girlhood home of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, filled with period furniture, family portraits and Todd and Lincoln artifacts.

    5.9 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Kentucky Horse Park

    $25–$50

    Meet champion racehorses, see the Breeds Barn and tour the International Museum of the Horse on a working 1,224-acre horse farm.

    9.1 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

    Under $25

    Tour restored 19th-century Shaker buildings, walk farm and nature trails, and stay or dine inside a preserved Shaker community.

    17 mi awayMore like this

  • Tours
    Foodie Favorite

    Buffalo Trace Distillery

    Free

    Tour a working bourbon distillery on the Kentucky River and finish each guided tour with a tasting.

    18 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Ark Encounter

    $50+

    Walk three decks of exhibits inside a 510-foot Noah's Ark built to the dimensions given in the Bible.

    40 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    My Old Kentucky Home State Park

    Under $25

    Tour Federal Hill, the Rowan family mansion tied to Stephen Foster's ballad, where a singing guide performs My Old Kentucky Home.

    49 mi awayMore like this