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A limestone spring started it all. Royal Spring, still flowing beside Water Street, drew settlers to this spot on the Elkhorn Creek in the 1770s, and the town of Georgetown grew around it as the seat of Scott County. Georgetown College followed in 1829, and the bluegrass pastures around town became some of the finest horse country in Kentucky.
Today Georgetown blends small-town heritage with modern industry. The downtown grid keeps a towering 1870s courthouse, antique shops and restaurants, while on the edge of town Toyota's largest vehicle plant in the world builds cars on a site bigger than many towns. At Old Friends, retired Thoroughbred champions graze in paddocks where visitors can meet them up close, and the Yuko-En on the Elkhorn garden celebrates Kentucky's ties with Japan.
Historic houses dot the landscape, from the grand Greek Revival Ward Hall to the Cardome hilltop campus, and Elkhorn Creek is a favorite for paddling and smallmouth bass fishing. Lexington and the Kentucky Horse Park are only a short drive south on Interstate 75.
A nonprofit farm just outside Georgetown where retired racehorses, including Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup winners, live out their days in green paddocks. Guided tours let you meet them up close, often with carrots in hand. Book a tour time in advance, wear boots after rain and leave your own treats at home.
The official Kentucky-Japan Friendship Garden, a landscaped park on the banks of Elkhorn Creek with a traditional gate, a pond, stone lanterns, bridges and paths that blend Japanese garden design with native Kentucky plants. Entry is free. It is calmest in early morning and lovely when spring blossoms open.
A small downtown park around the spring that drew McClelland's settlers in 1775 and still supplies much of the city's water. Markers explain the frontier station, and a historic log cabin stands nearby. It is a short stop, so combine it with lunch on Main Street and a look at the courthouse a block away.
Founded in 1829, it was the first Baptist college west of the Appalachians, and its campus mixes Greek Revival halls with shady lawns a few blocks from downtown. Columned Giddings Hall is the classic photo. Visitors can walk the grounds freely; summer brings fewer students and easier parking.
A monumental 1850s Greek Revival mansion west of town, often called one of the finest of its kind in Kentucky, with massive Corinthian columns and soaring rooms built for a wealthy planter family. A preservation group opens it for occasional tours and events. Check their calendar before visiting.
A hilltop estate north of downtown that was the home of Kentucky Governor James F. Robinson and later a Catholic convent and girls' school. The city now runs it as a community center with grounds for walking and events. Visit for the old buildings and views over the countryside, and check for scheduled events.
A local history museum downtown with exhibits on Native American artifacts, early settlement, Georgetown College, the county's farms and horses, and the arrival of the Toyota plant. It is free and suits an hour's visit. Check the opening days before you go, as hours are limited, and ask staff for walking tour tips.
The visitor center at Toyota's sprawling Georgetown plant, the company's largest vehicle factory in the world, with exhibits on how Camry, RAV4 and Lexus models are built and the plant's history since the 1980s. Plant tours run when available. Reserve online ahead, and expect to leave phones and cameras aside.
The 1877 Scott County Courthouse rises above downtown Georgetown in Second Empire style, with a tall clock tower, mansard roof and decorative ironwork. It anchors a historic district of brick storefronts. Admire it from the lawn and continue along Main Street, where antique stores and cafes fill the old buildings.
The North Fork of Elkhorn Creek winds through Georgetown on its way to the Kentucky River, with limestone ledges, small dams and riffles that suit kayakers and anglers chasing smallmouth bass. Local outfitters rent boats in season. Check water levels before paddling and portage carefully around the dams.
The historic downtown around the courthouse has antique malls, coffee shops, local restaurants and a few boutiques in nineteenth century brick buildings. Festivals and a farmers market bring crowds in the warm months. Park once and walk Main and Broadway, finishing at Royal Spring Park a block away.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Dwight Burdette, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Warren LeMay, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, 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: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Christopher L. Riley, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Christopher L. Riley, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: W.marsh, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Webmaster1829, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ann Bolton Bevins, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
