Although the culture of Kentucky is predominantly Southern, it also has a Midwestern influence in terms of food, music and dialect. The state is the birthplace of imminent personalities like Abraham Lincoln (the sixteenth President of the USA), Muhammad Ali (an international boxer) and George Clooney (a celebrated Hollywood actor).

Visitors can find over 1,200 art pieces at the Speed Art Museum, the oldest of its kind in the state. A train ride over the Kentucky River takes you through the famous High Bridge (one of the tallest rail bridges in the world). The Red River Gorge attracts rock climbers from around the world. The city of Lexington is called the Horse Capital of the World and is home to the Kentucky Horse Park and the Keeneland Race Course. The Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill and Old Louisville are areas of historical interest in the state.

The city of Louisville hosts the world-famous Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday of May, preceded by the two-week long Kentucky Derby Festival. The Festival is launched with the Thunder Over Louisville event, which is the largest annual fireworks display in America. Other festivals include the Festival of the Bluegrass (a music festival held in the first weekend of June), and the Lexington Christmas Parade (a merry event held on the first Saturday of December).