Martin KentuckyATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near Martin, Kentucky.
1. Martin County Community Center
RECREATION AND ENTERTAINMENT HUB
The Martin County Community Center offers a comprehensive entertainment venue featuring a movie cinema, interactive arcade, and indoor playground. Visitors can enjoy the full court gymnasium, stage, outdoor tennis courts, and state-of-the-art video conferencing facilities. The center also houses the Country Store and a dedicated section on 'The History of Coal Mining,' making it both a recreational and educational destination.
2. Martin County Water Park
SUMMER AQUATIC FUN
The Martin County Water Park stands as the county's premier summer attraction, operating from Memorial Day to Labor Day each year. Featuring a giant water slide, swimming pool, and kiddie pool, the park provides refreshing aquatic entertainment for visitors of all ages. The facility is complemented by basketball courts, volleyball courts, playground equipment, shelters, picnic tables, and grills for complete family enjoyment.
3. Kentucky Coal Mining Museum
MINING HISTORY PRESERVED
The Kentucky Coal Mining Museum preserves the rich heritage of coal mining that shaped eastern Kentucky's history and economy. Visitors can explore authentic mining equipment, photographs, and personal artifacts that tell the story of generations of miners who worked in the region's coal industry. The museum offers a compelling journey through time, showcasing the challenging working conditions and the evolution of mining technology throughout the decades.
4. Breaks Interstate Park
CANYON VIEWS AND RECREATION
Breaks Interstate Park, often called the 'Grand Canyon of the South,' features a spectacular 5-mile gorge carved by the Russell Fork River. Visitors can enjoy breathtaking overlooks, hiking trails ranging from easy walks to challenging treks, and opportunities for white-water rafting during scheduled dam releases. The park offers cabins, camping, and a lodge making it perfect for extended stays to explore its 4,500 acres of natural beauty that spans the Kentucky-Virginia border.
5. Jenny Wiley State Resort Park
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE DESTINATION
Jenny Wiley State Resort Park offers a complete outdoor recreation experience centered around the scenic 1,100-acre Dewey Lake. Visitors can enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, and hiking, while the park's lodge and cottages provide comfortable accommodations with beautiful lake views. The park also features the Jenny Wiley Theatre, which presents high-quality theatrical productions throughout the summer season.
6. Land Between the Lakes
EXPANSIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION
Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area offers 170,000 acres of outdoor paradise nestled between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley in Western Kentucky. Visitors can explore diverse attractions including the Elk & Bison Prairie, Homeplace 1850s Working Farm, Golden Pond Planetarium, and Nature Station. The area provides extensive opportunities for camping, hiking, boating, fishing, and wildlife viewing in one of Kentucky's most pristine natural settings.
7. Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park
LAKESIDE RESORT EXPERIENCE
Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park stands at the northern gateway to Land Between the Lakes, offering lodging, dining, and recreation on the shores of Kentucky Lake. Visitors can enjoy the park's marina, golf course, swimming pools, and extensive trail system for hiking and biking adventures. The park's location at Kentucky Dam, the largest man-made dam east of the Mississippi, provides spectacular views and excellent fishing opportunities.
8. Paducah Riverfront
HISTORIC RIVER TOWN
The Paducah Riverfront showcases this UNESCO Creative City's rich heritage where the Tennessee River meets the Ohio River. Visitors can explore the floodwall murals depicting the city's history, stroll along the riverfront promenade, and discover the historic downtown district with its distinctive architecture. The area serves as the gateway to Paducah's renowned arts district, featuring the National Quilt Museum and numerous galleries in the LowerTown Arts District.
9. Kenlake State Resort Park
LAKESIDE RECREATION HAVEN
Kenlake State Resort Park offers a serene escape on the western shores of Kentucky Lake in the heart of the Western Waterlands region. Guests can enjoy the park's marina, tennis center, hiking trails, and swimming opportunities in one of Kentucky's largest lakes. The park's lodge and cottages provide comfortable accommodations, while the dining room features large windows offering spectacular views of the lake during meals.
10. Bourbon Heritage Center
KENTUCKY WHISKEY EXPERIENCE
The Bourbon Heritage Center offers an immersive experience into America's native spirit through interactive exhibits and guided tours of the Heaven Hill distillery. Visitors learn about the bourbon-making process from grain to bottle, including the distinctive aging techniques that give Kentucky bourbon its renowned flavor profiles. The experience culminates with a tasting session where guests can sample premium bourbons while expert guides highlight the nuances of color, aroma, and taste.
11. International Bluegrass Music Museum
CELEBRATING MUSICAL HERITAGE
The International Bluegrass Music Museum preserves and celebrates the history of bluegrass music through interactive exhibits, rare recordings, and memorabilia from legendary performers. Visitors can explore the roots of this distinctly American musical form, from its origins with Bill Monroe to contemporary artists who continue the tradition. The museum hosts regular live performances, instrument demonstrations, and the annual ROMP Festival that attracts bluegrass enthusiasts from around the world.
12. Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
HOME OF MOONBOW
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park features the magnificent 125-foot wide waterfall known as the 'Niagara of the South,' famous as the only place in the Western Hemisphere where you can regularly see a moonbow. Visitors can explore over 20 miles of hiking trails through pristine forests, including paths that lead to stunning overlooks of the Cumberland River gorge. The park's rustic lodge and cottages provide comfortable accommodations for those wanting to extend their stay to experience the falls during both day and night.
13. Mammoth Cave National Park
WORLD'S LONGEST CAVE SYSTEM
Mammoth Cave National Park protects the world's longest known cave system, with more than 400 miles of surveyed passages beneath the rolling hills of south-central Kentucky. Visitors can choose from a variety of guided tours ranging from accessible routes to challenging adventures that showcase the cave's massive chambers, intricate formations, and underground rivers. Above ground, the park offers over 70 miles of hiking trails, canoeing on the Green River, and camping opportunities in a diverse ecosystem designated as an International Biosphere Reserve.
14. Kentucky Horse Park
EQUESTRIAN SHOWCASE AND MUSEUM
The Kentucky Horse Park celebrates the relationship between humans and horses through interactive exhibits, live equine presentations, and museum collections spanning 50 centuries of horse history. Visitors can watch daily parade of breeds demonstrations, tour the International Museum of the Horse, and meet retired champion racehorses at the Hall of Champions. The 1,200-acre working horse farm hosts prestigious competitions throughout the year, including the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, one of North America's premier equestrian competitions.
15. Abraham Lincoln Birthplace
PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIC SITE
The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park preserves the site where America's 16th president was born in a humble log cabin on the Kentucky frontier in 1809. Visitors can explore the memorial building housing a symbolic birth cabin, walk interpretive trails on the original Sinking Spring Farm, and learn about Lincoln's formative early years through exhibits at the visitor center. The park also includes the nearby Knob Creek Farm where Lincoln lived from ages 2 to 7, providing insight into the rural Kentucky upbringing that helped shape his character.