Antiques, Scenery and More
Georgetown-Scott County offers wide variety of attractions for visitors

“There’s some sort of magic about Scott County,” said John Simpson. “Once you visit this place, you want to stay.” Simpson speaks from experience. He’s the executive director of the Georgetown-Scott County Tourism Commission.

Simpson left Colorado, where he and his wife had lived for almost 20 years, to come to Georgetown. “The most rewarding thing about my job is working with the people of Scott County,” he said. “I like marketing this place. It’s great to have the opportunity to promote something that you love.”

The variety of things Scott County has to offer the visitor is almost staggering. According to Simpson, more than $64 million in revenue and 1,411 jobs were created by tourist dollars in 2000.

“Part of the Kentucky Horse Park is in Scott County,” he said. “That is one of the most visited tourist destinations in our Commonwealth. Besides having lots of different breeds of horses there, the park has a museum that has become world-renowned for artistic and historic exhibits relating to humanity’s relationship with the horse.”

Another major draw to Georgetown is the city’s status as “the Antiques Capital of Kentucky.”

“We have 11 antique shops and malls right here in downtown Georgetown,” Simpson boasted, “and there are three more antique shops in Oxford, an historic little community nearby. There are also two large flea markets operating locally that draw people from several states.”

Georgetown also offers several factory outlet stores among its many retail opportunities. And then there’s golf.

“Scott County has four great golf courses, all of them open to the public,” Simpson said. “The oldest of these is Longview Country Club, located west of town along the scenic drive to Frankfort. Then there are Canewood and Bogey Busters, two new quality courses that are fun to play. The newest course we have is Cherry Blossom, which looks just fabulous. We have something to offer golfers on every level. You could spend a week here doing nothing but playing golf and end up having a great time.”

The area’s largest corporate citizen, Toyota, also hosts factory tours. According to Simpson, tens of thousands of visitors take the tour annually. The Toyota plant in Georgetown is where the company’s award-winning, best-selling car, the Camry, is made.

Local festivals also draw thousands of visitors. In April, the city hosts the International Kite Festival at historic Cardome Center. (Originally an estate, Cardome became a respected girls school and convent, operating along the banks of Elkhorn Creek for nearly a century.) Expert kite flyers from all over the globe converge on Georgetown for the annual event.

“Kite flying is an important tradition in many cultures of the world,” Simpson said. “The first year we hosted the International Kite Festival, the weather didn’t participate, but 3,000 people managed to attend anyway. This next April, we will have a delegation from Tahara-Cho, our sister city in Japan. That delegation will consist of members of the Tahara Kite Preservation Society. The things those guys do with kites is nothing short of amazing. This is the kind of event that the entire family can attend and everyone has fun.”

The Harvest Trail has become a fall event drawing thousands of visitors to Scott County farms each year. A number of area farms, such as Bi-Water Farm, Evans Orchard, the Double Stink Hog Farm and Emerson Orchard, host visitors who can pick their own pumpkins, apples or gourds, sample homemade apple cider or preserves and enjoy a day in Scott County’s scenic countryside. More than 60,000 people took the Harvest Trail last fall.

Each Memorial Day weekend, Scott County is host to the Horsey Hundred, a 100-mile scenic bike ride that draws participants from throughout the Eastern United States. “Last year, we had more than 1,200 cyclists,” Simpson said. “They have their choice of 30, 50, 60 and 100 mile routes. The cyclists, who typically come from about 20 different states, just rave about the beautiful countryside we have here. It’s nice to know that other people also appreciate what we have.”

“We also have the summer training camp of the Cincinnati Bengals,” Simpson said. “It’s held at Georgetown College’s Rawlings Stadium and attracts NFL fans from all over. The college also attracts lots of visitors to our city with its championship traditions in football and basketball.

“The Georgetown Tigers are an NAIA powerhouse, no matter what kind of sport you’re talking about. The college is a big plus, when you’re talking about attracting visitors to this city.”

Simpson added that he and his wife enjoy life in Georgetown.

“We’re fortunate to have such a dynamic community,” he said. “We have a very unique combination of tradition and new innovations. This is a great place.”



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