Weekend in Paducah, Ky.
Budget:
Getting there: Road trip! Expect a 6.5-hour drive from Atlanta.
Stay: The Best Western Paducah Inn is located in historic downtown and close to many local restaurants and the Paducah International Racetrack (racing every Friday night). Newly renovated guest rooms feature complimentary WiFi, microwave and refrigerator. On-site is an outdoor swimming pool and fitness center. Internet-booked accommodations start from $76.49, including a full breakfast; 2960 Husband Road, 270-443-2323, www.bestwesternkentucky.com.
Eat: Stop for lunch at Kirchoff Deli & Bakery for fresh made-to-order sandwiches on artisan breads and daily soups and salads using local Farmer's Market vegetables. Selections range from $3.95-$6.45; 114-118 S. 2nd St., 270-442-7117, www.kirchhoffsbakery.net.
Experience: Paducah was chosen the fan favorite of the 2011 National Trust for Historic Preservation's Dozen Distinctive Destinations. Twenty blocks of downtown have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Learn about the city's history along a three-block flood wall (at the foot of Broadway on Water Street) covered in murals reflecting life in a Native American Indian village, the Great Flood of 1937 to its atomic age. Don't miss the interactive exhibits at the River Discovery Center which tell the story of the four rivers region; $7 adults; 117 S. Water St., 270-575-9958, www.riverheritagemuseum.org.
Moderate:
Getting there: With a 21-day or more advance purchase notice, United offers round-trip rates from $365 from Greenville-Spartenburg (157 miles from Atlanta) to Paducah via Chicago.
Stay: Stays at the Holiday Inn Express Paducah include a hot breakfast bar, fresh-baked cookies in the evening, use of the fitness center and the indoor pool. The hotel is five miles from downtown and fewer than 15 miles from Harrahs Metropolis, one of the original cruising riverboat casinos (www.harrahsmetropolis.com). Advance purchase room rates average $107.95; 3994 Hinkleville Road, 1-877-859-5095, www.hiexpress.com.
Eat: Whaler's Catch Restaurant Oyster Bar & Market has a touches of the casual New Orleans ambiance and the islands of Florida with two split-level outdoor decks overlooking the downtown riverfront. Naturally, the house specialty is fresh fish with entrees from $12-$25; 123 N. 2nd St., 270-444-7701, www.whalerscatch.net.
Experience: Hop aboard the city's complimentary downtown trolley for a 40-minute tour along historic landmarks and the Lower Town Arts District (route map at www.paducahalliance.org). Twenty vendors display fresh produce, flowers, wines and baked goods in an open air riverfront Farmer's Market pavilion through November; www.paducahalliance.org. The famous National Quilt Museum features unique and highly artistic quilts (not your grandma's style); $8 adults; 215 Jefferson, 270-442-8856, www.nationalquiltmuseum.org.
Splurge:
Getting there: One-way, walk-up economy class rates to Nashville start from $402; nonstop Delta. From Nashville, the drive to Paducah is about 2.5 hours.
Stay: Enjoy a luxurious river-view suite or loft at the Fox Briar Inn. This impeccably resorted inn is located on a historic Broadway Street. Fully-furnished accommodations feature gourmet kitchens, separate bedroom, living and dining rooms. Room rates start from $190 to $250. Room 106A (1639 sq. ft.), $200 per night, has a curtained king bed, an open galley kitchen facing the Ohio River and skylights in the bedroom and kitchen; 100C Broadway; 270-443-7004, www.foxbriarinn.com/riverplace.
Eat: Cynthia's Ristorante, located on Market House Square in a two-story 1850's building, serves up a taste of Italy with California flair. Seafood is fresh, from-scratch desserts, breads and pasta are made daily, and vegetarians and vegans are accommodated. Menus change twice per month with entrees ranging from $13-$34; 125 Market House Square, 270-443-3319, www.cynthiasristorante.com.
Experience: At the foot of Broadway sits the bank of the Ohio River at the confluence of the Tennessee River. Each Saturday night from 7-10 p.m., and from Memorial Day through mid-September, this area of Broadway is the gathering hot spot for an evening of dinner, dancing in the streets, and shopping in local boutiques and shops; 270-444-8649, www.paducahalliance.org/liveonbroadway.
Clara Bosonetto is a retired travel consultant.
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