Spend the Weekend Horsing Around Lexington

A weekend excursion is well-suited for staying at a charming bed and breakfast or inn, and there is no shortage of those in Lexington. The comfortably appointed Lyndon House is located in the heart of historic downtown and provides an excellent home base for exploration.

Though this B&B provides a full breakfast each day of your stay, you may want to demur one morning and get a jump start to experience one of Lexington's legendary eateries, the Keeneland Track Kitchen. Hearty eggs, pancakes, grits, and ham are served up quick and fresh, but the real draw is that you may be sitting in the company of famous trainers and jockeys.

While here, take advantage of the early hour and head over to the Keeneland Race Course. Horse racing enthusiasts the world over have been flocking to this historic spot since 1936 to buy, sell, race and simply admire the finest equines. Though races are held only during April and October, walking tours are offered year-round and mornings offer glimpses into workouts and training.

Hop into your car and take a short drive across town to the next stop on your journey. The American Saddlebred Museum, home to the largest collection of the breed's artifacts, is located on the picturesque grounds of the 1200-acre Kentucky Horse Park. Visitors of all ages will enjoy their current exhibition, For Love of a Horse, a multimedia homage to the special relationship between children and horses.

As luck would have it, the pass you purchased for admission to the park also allows you to visit the International Museum of the Horse. Encompassing the entirety of equine history, which is believed to go back 55 million years, exhibits include a collection of 19th-century carriages and racing vehicles. The Breeds Barn hosts a daily parade of nearly 50 varieties of horses from March through October.

It's no doubt that you're hungry so set your sights on lunch at the Garden Cafe at the Flag Fork Herb Farm. Soups and sandwiches are infused with the redolent herbs grown on this plot of land, which dates back to the 1700s, and the surroundings are an oasis of tranquility in the midst of such heart-pounding pursuits as racing.

And speaking of, the next stop on your tour is the Red Mile Harness Track. Hooves have been pounding this track, so named for the red clay packed into its one-mile course. When live competitions are not being run, the track televises simulcasts of races all over North America.

Though the only horses you are driving this day are in the engine of your modern vehicle, when you step up to this next venue, the Mansion at Griffin Gate, you'll feel as if you've emerged from a carriage and passed into a more gracious time. The landmark antebellum mansion offers a variety of Continental dishes, but the highlight is dessert. You must sample the chocolate bread pudding generously covered in Maker's Mark anglaise.

As your discoveries of Lexington draw to a close in the evening, be sure to take a twilight stroll through Triangle Park where a long arc of water jets spray upward and then spill over a series of steps below. Lit up at night, they dazzle the eye and soothe the ear with their rush and splash.