When George Gallup asked Americans where they'd really like to live, more selected Kentucky than any other state.
Lexington is situated in the famous Central Kentucky Blue Grass region, a rolling plateau above the Ohio River valley and below the nearby mountainous regions. This thriving, modern city of more than 200,000 is surrounded by over 40,000 acres of the nation's finest thoroughbred and standardbred horse farms. Over 280 green-belted square miles create an impressive visual scene that is duplicated in few locales in the world. The natural beauty of this open countryside is accessible, even by bicycle, in a matter of minutes. The climate is mild most of the year, avoiding most of the extremes of temperature found in the North and South.
Lexington provides all the cultural activities to be found near a large university and in a medium-sized city. Lectures, films, theater, music and art of all descriptions are continual fare both on and near to campus. The cultural centerpiece of the University is the Singletary Center for the Arts, housing the University Art Museum as well as concert and recital halls which host musical and dramatic events throughout the year. The new Lexington Civic Center serves as a convention and entertainment center for the entire region. Rupp Arena in the Civic Center, which seats 23,000 basketball fans, has been the site of several state conference and national championships. The Opera House, originally constructed in 1886 in downtown Lexington, has been grandly restored to capture the elegant atmosphere of a bygone era. The Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra presents an annual series of concerts with noted artists as soloists.
Sixty-five neighborhood playgrounds and community parks provide over 2,100 acres of convenient, well-maintained area for outdoor recreation. Lexington is especially proud of the Kentucky Horse Park, which includes 1,032 acres of serene beauty following a theme of man's relationship to this graceful animal. It was first selected in 1978 as the site of the prestigious World Championship Three-Day Event, an international spectacle which annually brings together the finest equestrian teams from around the world.
A major attraction to many are the parks, caves, lakes and wilderness areas of the Commonwealth. White-water canoeing, swimming, fishing and camping at several nationally acclaimed parks are available within easy driving distance of Lexington. Among the best of these are the parks at Lake Cumberland, Mammoth Cave, and Lake Barkley-Kentucky Lake, where one can sail on two of the largest man-made lakes in the world. Sailing is also available on nearby Cave Run Lake. Hiking and camping in the Red River Gorge are within an hour's drive of Lexington.