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Situated in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Paintsville is one of Eastern Kentucky’s hidden gems. Although it’s home to only about 4,000 people, it has the culture, history, and natural attractions to keep travelers coming back year after year. If you’re planning a trip to Paintsville or you’re just looking to explore the area, make sure to put these local tourist attractions at the top of your list.
1. Kentucky Apple Festival
Held on the first Sunday in October since 1962, the Kentucky Apple Festival is one Paintsville’s biggest draws. Its origins date back nearly 60 years when locals decided to market their apples to a huge market rather than relying on sales to grocery stores and supermarkets. Here, you can get apples any way you like them: fried apples, apple cobbler, apple cider, apple pie, apple wine, or the most popular of them all — the fried apple pie.
During the festivities, the city also hosts a number of local events, including the Apple Festival Parade, a rubber duck race, car shows, live music, a costume contest, a spelling bee, and the famous Junior and Miss Apple Blossom Pageant. If you’re a fan of apples, you can’t afford to miss this amazing apple-inspired celebration.
2. Paintsville Lake State Park
Located just 10 minutes north of Paintsville, Paintsville Lake State Park is one of the area’s most popular attractions. Covering just over 1,100 acres, this parks contains over 18 miles of trails, an amphitheater, several boat launches, a marina, 10 primitive campsites, and 32 unpowered campsites with modern amenities. Anglers delight at the chance to hop onto the lake, giving them ample opportunity to catch tiger muskies, trout, and other fish. The park is open year-round, but spots fill up quick during the summer.
3. U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum
If you can’t get enough of tunes from Dwight Yoakam, the Judds, Loretta Lynn, Patty Loveless, Billy Ray Cyrus, or Chris Stapleton, you have to visit the U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum. These individuals and countless others are enshrined at the museum, which pays homage to some of Kentucky’s greatest contributors to American country and western music.
For a $10 entrance fee for adults and $5 for kids (3-12), you’ll peruse the backstories, costumes, and other memorabilia of the best songwriters and performers to get their start in the Bluegrass State. For the country music fan, it might be the best you’ll make outside of Nashville.
4. Mountain Homeplace
Have you ever wondered what it was like living in Eastern Kentucky in the 19th century? Find out at Mountain Homeplace. This replica village gives an accurate representation of the small settlements that sprang up around the area following the Homestead Act of 1862. A church, a family cabin, and a blacksmith are all present with actors ready to tell stories about life on the American frontier.
Whether you love history, country music, nature, or a juicy apple, Paintsville has the attractions that are sure to delight the entire family.
Image via Flickr by Ryan Harvey
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