Guest Author - Beth Green

The high price of gas is keeping many people close to home this summer. Whether you have elected to stay home or you are planning a vacation this summer, there are probably a number of free attractions located in your hometown or vacation destination.

Here’s a list of ten free attractions located in Lexington, Kentucky and surrounding areas.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Inc. - Take a tour of this Toyota automobile plant and visitor’s center, where they make the Camry, Camry Hybrid, Avalon and Solara models. The plant is located in Georgetown, Kentucky. Tours are available Monday through Friday at 10:00am, 12:00pm, and 2:00pm; with an additional Thursday tour at 6:00pm. Children must be 4th grade level or older.

Buffalo Trace & Wild Turkey Bourbon Distilleries – Besides horse-racing, Kentucky is famous for its bourbon. Take a tour of Buffalo Trace Distillery near Frankfort, where Ancient Age is made; or the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg. Wild Turkey Distillery tours are available Monday through Friday at 9:00am, 10:30am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm. Tours at Buffalo Trace occur on the hour, Monday through Friday from 9:00am – 3:00pm; and Saturdays from 10:00am – 2:00pm.

Old Kentucky Candies Inc. – Got a sweet tooth? See how chocolate and other candies are made at this chocolate factory. Tours are available for groups of 8 to 50 by appointment only. Call 800-786-0579.

The Lexington Herald-Leader – Tour the printing plant of Lexington’s newspaper. Call 859-231-3100 to schedule tours in advance.

Kentucky’s Capitol Building & Governor’s Mansion – Take a tour of the Capitol building, built in 1810. There are murals of famous figures in Kentucky history; and a display of inaugural gowns worn by the former First Ladies of Kentucky. The Capitol is open to the public Monday through Friday 8:30am – 3:30pm; Saturdays 10:00am – 2:00pm and Sundays from 1:00 – 4:00pm. The nearby Governor’s Mansion is also open for tours on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9:00 – 11:00am. Groups can call 502-564-3449 to schedule tours of both buildings. Located in Frankfort.

Kentucky Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial – This memorial, located in Frankfort, is a giant sundial dedicated to Kentuckians who were killed in Vietnam. On the anniversary of each veteran’s death, the tip of the shadow created by the sundial touches that person’s name.

The Nannine Clay Wallis Arboretum – Located in Paris, this four acre arboretum is loaded with landscaping and garden exhibits, including native flowerings trees and plants, a rose garden and a reflecting pool. The arboretum is also the headquarters of the Kentucky Garden Club. The arboretum is open Monday through Saturday, 10:00am – 6:00pm and Sunday 12:00 – 6:00pm.

Kentucky Horse Farms – While not all of the area horse farms allow visitors, many of them are open to the public. The Lexington Convention & Visitors Bureau can provide visitors with a list of the horse farms that welcome visitors.

The Museum of Anthropology at the University of Kentucky – Located on the Lexington campus, you can view early artifacts from prehistoric days. The museum is open from 8:00am – 4:00pm (7:45am – 3:45pm in summer), Monday through Friday. Guided school tours are available by calling 859-257-8208.

Ale-8-One Bottling Plant – Located in Winchester, the Ale-8-One Bottling Plant, bottles the only soft drink native to Kentucky. Ale-8-One was developed in 1926 by G. L. Wainscott. Starting in1902, the plant bottled several flavored soft drinks and soda water. In 1906, a local cola, Roxa-Kola, was developed and sold locally. Roxa-Kola was discontinued in 1968, and the other flavored soft drinks were discontinued in 1974. Since then, the plant has concentrated solely on Ale-8-One. Plant tours are given on Fridays only at 10:50am.

For additional free things to do in and near Lexington Kentucky, visit the Lexington Convention & Visitors Bureau at http://visitlex.com.