Eight Local Treats in Lexington, Kentucky

In the fall of 2010, the World Equestrian Games visit North America and Central Kentucky for the first time, bringing hundreds of horses and hundreds of thousands of other visitors to the area.

Lexington, Kentucky, is often host to horses and their companions, but there are attractions in the city that have a wider appeal as well. Here are one local resident's favorite non-equine, non-restaurant destinations in order of their distance from downtown Lexington :

(1.10 miles from downtown Lexington) The Art Museum of the University of Kentucky. At the corner of Rose Street and Euclid Avenue on the University of Kentucky campus. Phone: 859.257.5716. You can view the permanent collection for free; there is a charge for special or traveling exhibits. The museum holdings include nearly 4,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs, and decorative arts, mostly European and American.

Compare the artwork on that dollar bill in your pocket to the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington that resides in UK's permanent collection. The permanent collection also includes a self-portrait by Andy Warhol and photographs covering a variety of styles by photographers such as Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Edward Steichen, Ansel Adams, Weegee and Marion Post Wolcott.

(1.32 miles) Glover's Bookery. Located at 862 S. Broadway. Phone: 859.253.0614. This bookstore features antique and used books, mostly hardback. Its specialties include horse books, Kenuckiana ,and military history but you can find all kinds of titles on its bookshelves.

(2.39 miles) The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky. This is a joint project of the University of Kentucky and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, located on the southern edge of the main UK campus at 500 Alumni Drive. Phone: 859.257.6955. The Arboretum is open 365 days a year from dawn to dusk; admission is free. It offers over 100 acres of carefully nurtured nature and opportunities for environmental education, horticulture and exercise.

A two-mile, paved walking path takes you on a tour through the seven physiographic regions of Kentucky and features plants---including grasses, flowers and trees--- native to each region. There are flower, herb, fruit and nut garden plots planted near the entrance, in addition to a children's garden.

Download a map of the gardens from the Arboretum Web site.

(4.62 miles) Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Lexington Green shopping center, Nicholasville Road. Phone: 859.273.2911. Yes, alternate versions of this bookstore are found in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Charlotte, but this is Joseph-Beth's home. Joseph-Beth first set up shop in Lexington in 1986 and has continued to grow and expand.

Comfy overstuffed chairs and padded benches encourage you to sit a spell as you examine potential purchases inside the 40,000 square foot space which includes lots of windows and natural light. Travel and children's books are on the lower level; the newsstand, fiction, biographies, reference works, music CDs, DVDs and everything else is on the main level. There is a small café in the store, too.

(5.75 miles) Lakeside Golf Course. Off Richmond Road, south of Man 'O War Drive. Phone 859.263.5315 for tee times.This is a nice municipal golf course with reasonable cart and greens fees. Its specs are: 7,200-yards, 18 holes and par 72.

Lakeside's ninth hole has the distinction of being the longest par 5 in the state, at more than 600 yards. Canada geese are often seen coming and going from the nearby lake and they can be a bit of a nuisance at certain times of the year, but the course is always an enjoyable place to spend a morning or afternoon nonetheless.

(6.8 miles) Man 'O War Golf Learning Center,1201 Man O' War Boulevard. Phone: 859. 259.4653. Located off Man 'O War drive on the southwest side of town near the LEX airport. In addition to a gorgeous driving range with a row of heated enclosures for use on cold days, this facility offers separate greens for chipping and putting practice.

Professional golf instruction services are available and there is a small pro shop stocked with an assortment of clubs (club fitting services are available), shoes and golf apparel. Although this is not the spot to shop for a bargain, you can try a club out on the driving range before you buy.

(8.38 miles) Aero-Tech, Inc., the flight school at Lexington's Blue Grass Airport (LEX), 4330 Hangar Drive. Phone: 859.254.8906. Disclosure statement: The author works part-time for Aero-Tech.

How about taking an aerial tour of horse farm country and getting a taste of flight instruction at the same time? It's called a "discovery flight" and you'll be in good hands: Aero-Tech's chief flight instructor (who trains and supervises the other instructors) was named the 2009 National Flight Instructor of the Year by a committee of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and aviation industry representatives.

Try to reserve a high-wing airplane like the Cessna 172 or 182 (a bigger version of the 172) for your discovery flight so that your view of the lush countryside and incredibly well-manicured horse farms will be not be restricted by a wing. Pricing is flexible, depending upon the length of flight and type of aircraft requested. Be sure to book your flight at least a day or two in advance, though; it's necessary to reserve both a plane and an instructor.

After your flight, stop by the Aviation Museum of Kentucky--- also located at LEX airport--- and learn about the Kentuckians who invented the pack parachute and retractable landing gear. An F-14 "Tomcat" fighter jet (the kind that starred in the movie Top Gun) is among the outdoor aircraft displays.

(11.26 miles) Talon Winery & Vineyards. Located five miles south of Man 'O War Drive at 7086 Tates Creek Road. Phone: 859.971.3214. This is a five-acre vineyard nestled on a 300-acre farm. In Talon's small tasting room located in a 1790's vintage farmhouse, you can sample a number of the winery's products for a modest charge. After you try Talon's wines, of course, you will be provided the opportunity to purchase a bottle or two if you like. My favorite is the Cabernet Sauvignon; but if you prefer a white wine, the Chardonnay is good.

In warm weather you can relax on a bench or chair under nearby shade trees or take a self-guided tour of the vineyard. Occasionally, special events that feature music , dancing and food are held at one of the guest pavillions on the property.

There are other interesting vineyards in central Kentucky, too; click here to see a map of all the Kentucky vineyards.