Georgetown, Kentucky

Georgetown is nestled in Kentucky’s Golden Triangle, the area between Louisville, Lexington, and Cincinnati that experiences most of the state’s economic growth. The fast-growing city is closest to Lexington, seated just 10 miles north.

Georgetown is famed for a few things. One is its Historic District, in which you’ll stroll by 200 buildings and homes featured in the National Register of Historic Places. Its Victorian downtown bustles with independent boutiques, antiques stores, and quilt and stained-glass shops. 

Its bourbon roots are a second attraction. Rumor has it that Elijah Craig invented bourbon after aging corn whiskey, and that he opened a distillery in Georgetown. Others argue bourbon evolved throughout Kentucky. Either way, Georgetown is a prime spot in which to experience Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail, as it’s close to several distilleries across neighboring towns.

And third is that it lies in Kentucky’s equestrian heartland. The city hosts a three-day Festival of the Horse every fall to celebrate its equine heritage, but there are plenty of ways residents can enjoy it year-round. There’s the 1,200-acre Kentucky Horse Park, which puts on horse shows, and the Old Friends thoroughbred retirement facility, where you can visit past Kentucky Derby winners.

Georgetown offers quality educational options, as it’s home to private liberal arts Georgetown College as well as public schools boasting a 92% high school graduation rate. The city is also the site of a Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant, providing many job opportunities.