Ashland

Ashland offers several different ways to enjoy your stay, including regional and African American history, theater, recreational activities, and the Ohio River. If you’re looking for a hotel in Ashland, your trip’s focus can guide your choice of where to stay. Museum and theater visits offer a different experience from spending time at the Riverfront or visiting Central Park. The following topics can help you plan your stay.

Museums, Cultural Heritage, and Theater

The Highlands Museum & Discovery Center is a regional history museum and children’s museum in Ashland, Kentucky. Visitors can experience a trip on the Ohio River aboard the real towboat Little Joe. The C.B. Nuckolls Community Center & Black History Museum is a nonprofit museum. It collects, documents, preserves, and researches African American history in Ashland and across America. The two museums have different focuses: the Highlands Museum explores regional history, while the C.B. Nuckolls Museum connects local history with African American history in the United States.

The Paramount Theatre opened in 1931 as an Art Deco movie palace and was the first movie theater in the Ohio Valley to show sound films. It serves as a regional outreach theater and offers educational concerts and community theater. The program may change, so check current dates before your visit. Its history as a movie theater and its present-day offerings as a venue provide two different perspectives.

The historic district along West Bath Avenue in Ashland is also part of the city’s cultural heritage: it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Along with the museum and the Paramount Theatre, it offers another glimpse into the city’s history.

Ohio River, Riverfront, and Recreation

The Ashland Riverfront offers live performances and green spaces overlooking the Ohio River. It also offers views of sunsets over the river. Check current dates for specific performances. On January 3, 2020, a collection of mixed-media bronze sculptures, described as the largest in the world, was unveiled at the Port of Ashland on the Ohio River. The riverfront theme thus ranges from green spaces and views to public art.

Central Park offers opportunities for picnics, providing a different experience from the Riverfront with its views and live performances. For indoor entertainment, there’s Malibu Jack’s Indoor Theme Park at Camp Landing. Attractions include 14 bowling lanes, a full go-kart track, a mini-golf course, a laser tag arena, indoor roller coasters, 3D rides, and a state-of-the-art arcade. Since attractions may change, check what’s currently available before your visit.

Getting Around and Getting There

U.S. 23 runs through downtown Ashland and is known as the Country Music Highway. The route’s name adds another musical connection to the theater and music offerings. Amtrak lists Ashland on the Cardinal line of the national passenger rail system. If you’re considering traveling by train, check the line’s schedule before making plans.

Ashland offers a range of options for planning your trip: museums and theaters for culture enthusiasts, the Riverfront and public art along the Ohio River, and indoor recreation. Choose a hotel in Ashland to suit the topics you’d like to explore during your stay.

Explore more destinations: Catlettsburg

View the broader travel guide: Boyd County.