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My Old Kentucky Home State Park, Bardstown, KY
SightseeingHistory BuffLocal Gem

My Old Kentucky Home State Park

501 E Stephen Foster Ave · Bardstown, KY

Why you should go…

My Old Kentucky Home State Park centers on Federal Hill, the three-story mansion of Judge John Rowan, completed in 1818. A guide leads you through the house and grounds, and on every mansion tour the guide sings My Old Kentucky Home, the state song. Outside you can see the springhouse, smokehouse and the Rowan family burial ground. The park is also home to The Stephen Foster Story, an outdoor musical first staged in 1959.

  • #historic mansion
  • #state park
  • #stephen foster
  • #guided tour

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 My Old Kentucky Home State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Tours
    Iconic

    Maker's Mark Distillery

    $25–$50

    Tour a historic bourbon distillery on Star Hill Farm, taste the whisky and hand-dip your own bottle in red wax.

    13 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Bernheim Forest and Arboretum

    Under $25

    Hike 40 miles of trails, walk the Canopy Tree Walk and find giant forest sculptures across 16,000 acres of woods.

    13 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Tours
    Iconic

    James B. Beam Distilling Co.

    $25–$50

    Tour the Clermont distillery where Beam bourbon is made, from grain to barrel, and finish with a guided tasting.

    14 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park

    Free

    Climb 56 steps to a neoclassical memorial holding a symbolic log cabin on the farm where Abraham Lincoln was born.

    24 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Churchill Downs

    Under $25

    Watch Thoroughbred racing beneath the Twin Spires at the track that has hosted the Kentucky Derby since 1875.

    32 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Free

    Big Four Bridge

    Free

    Walk or bike a half-mile 1895 railroad bridge over the Ohio River between Louisville and Jeffersonville, Indiana.

    35 mi awayMore like this