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Kentucky’s Hidden Gem: Best & Fun Things To Do + Places To Visit In Owensboro

Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn has been cooking mutton since 1963. Old Hickory Bar-B-Q has been at it since 1918. Reid’s Restaurant opened in 1947 and still runs a daily special. The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum holds the record of the music that started here. Owensboro is a small Kentucky city that does three things very seriously, and barbecue, bourbon and bluegrass are all of them.

Planning a trip to Owensboro, Kentucky raises the question of where to start. The city carries more activities and attractions than its size suggests, and they suit most ages. Music lovers, people who eat well, art enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers are all properly served here.

The bluegrass music scene is the first thing to know about Owensboro. The city holds the International Bluegrass Music Museum and hosts the ROMP Festival each year, which pulls in fans from around the world. Music is not the only art here either. The public art scene is real, with murals and sculptures through downtown.

The eating in Owensboro is the second thing. The city is known for its barbecue, and mutton barbecue in particular is a local specialty you will struggle to find elsewhere. Southern comfort food and international cuisine both have a place on the list. Kentucky bourbon is the drink to go with it.

The Bluegrass Music Scene

Bluegrass fans should put Owensboro at the top of the list. This Kentucky town has a long history in the music and holds some of the best bluegrass events and venues in the country. These are the places to start:

Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum

The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum is the anchor. It sits in downtown Owensboro and is dedicated to preserving the history and culture of bluegrass music. You get the pioneers, Bill Monroe among them, and the museum programmes live performances from some of the best bluegrass musicians in the country.

Friday After 5

Every Friday evening through the summer, Owensboro fills up with the sound of bluegrass. Friday After 5 is a free concert series on the riverfront, drawing local and national bluegrass artists. Bring a lawn chair and a cold drink and let the sun go down over the Ohio River.

Picking Parlor

For a place to actually play, the Picking Parlor. The venue is small and it is a favorite among local musicians and visitors alike. Bring an instrument and join in, or sit and listen. Ricky Skaggs has been known to turn up.

Die-hard bluegrass fan or casual folk listener, Owensboro’s music scene will hold you. Bring the banjo and the boots.

Artistic Adventures

For culture in Owensboro, the art scene is the place to look. Traditional galleries and stranger exhibits both operate here, and there is enough range to suit most tastes.

Owensboro Museum of Fine Art

Start with the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art. Over 1,500 works of art make the collection a serious one for a city this size, running from contemporary work to traditional paintings. The rotating exhibits bring in local and national artists, so the walls change between visits.

Coal Mine Gallery

For a stranger art experience, the Coal Mine Gallery. It occupies a historic coal mine building and shows rotating exhibits of contemporary art. The Owensboro Art Guild runs it, a non-profit organization that supports local artists.

Art Galleries

There are more galleries in Owensboro if the first two leave you wanting. The Yeiser Art Center shows contemporary art from around the world. The Artisan Center covers handmade crafts and artwork from local artists.

Whatever kind of art you came for, Owensboro has a room for it. Go and work through the city’s artistic side.

Foodie Fantasies

For the best places to eat in Owensboro, the list below is where to start. The city rewards an appetite:

Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn

Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn is where the barbeque is. The restaurant has been serving some of the best in Owensboro since 1963, and the menu covers pulled pork, beef brisket and smoked turkey. The mutton is the reason people drive here, slow-cooked for hours and served with the house sauce. The all-you-can-eat buffet takes in the meats, the sides and the desserts.

Reid’s Restaurant

Reid’s Restaurant is the Southern comfort food answer. The family-owned kitchen has been cooking homestyle since 1947, with fried chicken, country ham and meatloaf on the menu and daily specials like chicken and dumplings or liver and onions. Save room. The homemade pies are the part people talk about afterwards.

Downtown Dining

For a more upscale dinner, the restaurants in downtown Owensboro cover it. Italian and sushi are both here. Fetta Specialty Pizza and Spirits handles the Italian and Shogun of Japan handles the sushi. The Miller House is the unusual one, a historic mansion turned restaurant serving farm-to-table cuisine.

Whatever cuisine you are after, Owensboro has it. Come hungry and eat well in Kentucky.

Kentucky’s Liquid Gold

Bourbon drinkers should put Owensboro, Kentucky on the list. The city holds some of the best distilleries in the country, producing bourbon that stands with any of it. Kentucky is the birthplace of bourbon and Owensboro is one of the better places to drink it. Two distilleries in particular:

O.Z. Tyler Distillery

The O.Z. Tyler Distillery is the first. It sits in downtown Owensboro and is known for an innovative approach to bourbon-making, using a process called TerrePURE® to produce a smoother, more refined spirit. The tour runs the whole process, grain to bottle, past modern equipment and finishing with a taste of the award-winning bourbons.

Green River Distilling Company

The Green River Distilling Company is the second Owensboro stop. It is known for Green River Bourbon, made to a traditional recipe dating back to the 1800s. The tour covers the process from the mash to the barrel, past historic equipment, and ends with the award-winning bourbons.

The O.Z. Tyler Distillery and the Green River Distilling Company both give you something you will not get elsewhere. Take a glass of Kentucky’s liquid gold and enjoy the afternoon.

Outdoor Escapades

For fresh air and a chance to stretch your legs, Owensboro has more outdoor ground than expected. These are the spots to look at:

Smothers Park

Smothers Park is the one on the riverfront, and the views over the water and the city skyline are the reason to come. Walk the paths or rent a bike and cover the park on two wheels. Picnic areas, basketball courts and the lazy dayz children’s playground handle everyone else.

Panther Creek Park

For a rougher day outdoors, Panther Creek Park. Over 300 acres of wooded banks carry hiking and biking trails through them. The swinging bridge takes you over the creek and into the middle of it. Pack a picnic and give it the day.

Yellow Creek Park

Yellow Creek Park is the other option for outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking trails, fishing areas and picnic spots are all here. A playground covers the children and a disc golf course covers anyone who wants to try a new sport.

Any of these will show you the natural side of Owensboro. Bring sunscreen and a picnic.

Owensboro puts almost everything on or near the river. Downtown holds the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, the O.Z. Tyler Distillery and the antique shops, with Smothers Park on the waterfront behind them. Friday After 5 happens on that same riverfront. The Western Kentucky Botanical Garden and the Preservation Station Market are out east of the center. Panther Creek Park and Yellow Creek Park are the wooded ones and both take a drive. Most visitors do downtown and never get out to the parks at all.

Historical Hotspots

History readers get several proper stops in Owensboro. These are the best of them:

Western Kentucky Botanical Garden

The Western Kentucky Botanical Garden covers nature and history at once. Over 12 acres of gardens and walking trails will take hours if you let them, and the planting runs to species native to Western Kentucky. The historic homestead on the site dates back to the 1800s.

Preservation Station Market and Event Center

For unusual shopping, the Preservation Station Market and Event Center. The historic building was once a schoolhouse and now holds over 50 vendors selling antiques, collectibles and the rest. Working through the booths takes longer than you plan for.

James Lambert Pioneer Village

The James Lambert Pioneer Village is a recreated 19th-century village showing what life in Western Kentucky looked like in the pioneer days. The buildings include a one-room schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop and a log cabin. The museum on site carries exhibits on the history of the area.

History readers should work through those Owensboro stops. None of them will waste your time.

Family Fun Zones

For somewhere the children can wear themselves out, Owensboro’s family spots do the job. These are the best of them:

Splash Pad

On a hot summer day, a splash pad is the answer. Head to Smothers Park and let the children loose in the water. The fountains and sprays keep them busy, and the water is shallow enough that you can sit down while they do it.

Petting Zoo

For children who love animals, the petting zoo. The Owensboro Museum of Science and History runs a good one, with goats, chickens and rabbits among the animals they can get close to. They come away knowing something about the animals and their habitats.

Pony Rides

For a child obsessed with horses, the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden has pony rides. They ride a gentle pony and come off feeling like a cowboy. The gardens are right there afterwards, along with the plants that grow in Kentucky.

Those are the three family spots in Owensboro. Splashing, petting animals or riding ponies, the children will be worn out by the evening.

Antique Shopping Spree

Antique shopping in Owensboro works like a treasure hunt, and what turns up changes every visit. Two places to start:

Preservation Station

For antique furniture, Preservation Station. The warehouse is enormous and it is full of unique pieces from different eras, from Victorian sofas to Mid-Century Modern chairs. The staff are friendly and they know the stock, so ask when you are stuck.

Downtown Owensboro

Downtown Owensboro is the other place, with antique shops through it. The collectibles run from vintage toys to rare books. Anyone who likes quirky home decor will do well here, among the funky lamps, retro signs and other oddities.

Serious collector or someone after one good piece, Owensboro’s antique scene will supply it. Wear shoes you can walk in.

Eventful Excursions

For something on while you are here, Owensboro’s events and festivals scene is lively. Music and food both get their own weekends. These are the best of them:

Festivals

International Bar-B-Q Festival – If you’re a fan of barbecue, you won’t want to miss this festival. Held every May, the International Bar-B-Q Festival features delicious food, live music, and a variety of activities for the whole family.

ROMP Fest – Get your bluegrass fix at ROMP Fest, a three-day music festival held every June. With performances by some of the biggest names in bluegrass, as well as camping and workshops, ROMP Fest is a must-visit for music lovers.

Big O Music Fest – Head to Reid’s Orchard in August for the Big O Music Fest, a country music festival featuring some of the biggest names in the industry. Grab a cold beer and enjoy the music under the stars.

Sports

Owensboro Thoroughbreds – Catch a basketball game with the Owensboro Thoroughbreds, the city’s professional basketball team. With exciting games and a lively atmosphere, a Thoroughbreds game is a great way to spend an evening.

Owensboro RiverDawgs – Take yourself out to the ballgame with the Owensboro RiverDawgs, the city’s collegiate summer baseball team. With affordable tickets and a beautiful ballpark, a RiverDawgs game is a great way to spend a summer afternoon.

Music, food or sport, Owensboro has an event for it. Check what falls inside your dates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find the best BBQ in Owensboro, KY?

Owensboro is known as the BBQ Capital of the World, so finding smoked meat is not the hard part. Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn is the one most locals name, serving since 1963. The mutton BBQ is the order, though pork, chicken and beef are all on the menu, and the burgoo is worth a bowl on its own, a hearty stew of meat and vegetables. Old Hickory Bar-B-Q is the other one, running since 1918 and known for hickory-smoked meats and homemade sides.

What’s the most interesting fact about Owensboro, KY that most people don’t know?

Owensboro is home to the International Bluegrass Music Museum, which is the fact most people miss. This small city in western Kentucky is the birthplace of bluegrass music and it has the musical history to match. The museum covers the pioneers of the genre alongside interactive displays and live performances. The city also hosts the ROMP Festival, a four-day event celebrating bluegrass and roots music.

Frequently asked questions about Owensboro, Kentucky

What can you see at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum?

The history of the music and the people who made it, Bill Monroe first among them. It sits in downtown Owensboro, so do it in the morning and leave the afternoon for the distillery tour. Check whether a live performance is scheduled before you set the time, because the museum programmes them regularly and they are the reason to stay longer.

Which park is best for hiking in Owensboro, Kentucky?

Panther Creek Park, which runs to over 300 acres of wooded banks with hiking and biking trails through them. The swinging bridge over the creek is the thing to walk. Allow the morning and pack lunch. Smothers Park is the alternative when you want the riverfront and the walking paths rather than the woods.

Which Owensboro distillery should you tour?

Take the O.Z. Tyler Distillery first, since it is downtown and its tour runs grain to bottle. Green River Distilling Company is the second stop and the historic one, working from a recipe dating back to the 1800s. The contrast between them is the reason to do both. Book ahead, and remember that each tour finishes with a tasting.

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