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Drivers on Interstate 75 know Florence by its water tower, painted with a cheerful Y'all after a sign advertising a not-yet-built mall ran afoul of highway rules in the 1970s. The joke stuck, and the city's minor league baseball team now carries the name too.
Florence grew from a crossroads village on the old Lexington pike into the largest city in Boone County, a short drive south of Cincinnati across the Ohio River. Much of it is busy retail and suburban streets, but the town has its own sporting life, with horse racing at Turfway Park and summer baseball at Thomas More Stadium, plus a handful of nineteenth-century houses and churches from its farming days.
The best of the area lies within a half hour of town. Big Bone Lick, where early scientists dug up mammoth bones, keeps a small bison herd; the Dinsmore Homestead preserves a working farm of the 1840s; and the river hamlet of Rabbit Hash has a general store that has been selling goods for well over a century.
The town's best-known landmark, a water tower beside I-75 painted with the word Y'all. It first advertised Florence Mall before the mall existed, and the lettering was changed to get around sign rules. Photos are easiest from the mall area nearby rather than from the busy interstate.
A thoroughbred racetrack with a synthetic surface and a season focused on winter and early spring, when evening cards draw local racing fans. The rebuilt grandstand also has historical racing machines and dining. Check the race calendar before visiting, as live racing does not run all year.
The ballpark of the Florence Y'alls, an independent minor league team, with affordable seats close to the field. Games run from May to September with fireworks nights, promotions and family-friendly food. Arrive early on weekend nights, when crowds are biggest and the lawn areas fill quickly.
The regional shopping mall that gave the water tower its story, with department stores, fashion chains and a food court under a skylit center court. Nearby roads are lined with more shops and restaurants. It is a handy stop for rainy days or for travelers resting between long drives on I-75.
A free arboretum set inside a large county park in nearby Union, with thousands of labeled trees and shrubs, paved walking paths, wetlands and a children's garden. It is pleasant in every season, especially in spring bloom and autumn color. Sports fields share the park, so weekends are busier.
A state park around salt springs where Ice Age animals came to lick minerals and left their bones behind. A museum shows fossils of mammoths and mastodons, a diorama recreates the bog, and a small herd of bison lives in a fenced pasture. Short trails and a campground make a half-day outing.
A historic farm near Burlington with an 1842 house, outbuildings and family belongings kept almost untouched for generations. Guided tours explain rural life in Boone County, and woodland trails cross the property. The house is open seasonally on set days, so check ahead before driving out.
A general store in a tiny river hamlet on the Ohio River, first opened in the 1830s and rebuilt after a fire in 2016. It sells local crafts, snacks and cold drinks, and hosts music on summer weekends. The village is also known for electing dogs as its honorary mayor. Bring cash for small vendors.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: RhymesWithAlbatross, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Morgan from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Missvain, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Y4123Explorations, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Y4123Explorations, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Larry Hachucka, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Antony-22, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Antony-22, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Larry Hachucka, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Larry Hachucka, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Bcarboretum (talk) (Uploads), Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Antony-22, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Dinsmore Homestead, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: w_lemay, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: w_lemay, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: w_lemay, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
