Abraham Lincoln, Cheeseburgers, and Fudge

Hodgenville. A sweet little spot nestled in between Elizabethtown and Bardstown is where our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, was born. When road-tripping through the area, we made four stops you might want to consider! 

• Abraham Lincoln Birthplace
• The Knob Creek Visitor Center and Knob Creek Cabin 
• Laha’s Red Castle 
• The Sweet Shoppe

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace and the Knob Creek Farm are basically two parks in one.  They are very different, and are two totally different properties.  Information on both can be found on the official park website. The original property, located on Highway 31E near downtown Hodgenville, includes a beautiful memorial building with a symbolic log cabin inside.  There is also a visitor’s center with exhibits, a spring where the Lincoln’s drew water and nice hiking trails on both sides of the park (split by the highway.)

The Knob Creek property is located a ten miles down the road and includes the Knob Creek Tavern that is now a visitors center, but closed during the winter months.  There is also a beautiful hiking trail that skirts the creek for awhile before ascending up the knob and into the woods.

After you’ve looked around, possibly hiked and worked up a bit of an appetite – it’s time to claim a bar stool at the counter of Laha’s Red Castle.  This popular Kentucky spot, named the Best Burger in Kentucky several times by the readers of Kentucky Living – has been owned and operated by the same family for four generations. They’ve been using the exact same grill since the 1950’s and word on the street is that Colonel Sanders even tried to acquire some of the family’s secret recipes once upon a time.

After the burgers, walk off another few calories and head right across the street to the Sweet Shoppe for a scrumptious finish to your time in Hodgenville.  They are known for their many flavors of fresh fudge, plus they also offer ice cream and a variety of baked goods. And once again, they have received multiple awards for being the being the “best sweet spot” in Kentucky.

Places we didn’t have time to visit, but will next time – the Lincoln Museum on the square in downtown Hodgenville and some of the little shops there as well. 

As always, thanks for reading.  Happy road-tripping through Kentucky!