1. The Real Kentucky Fried Chicken Is At The Parkette
It doesn’t matter if they are dining in or driving in, everyone here loves the Parkette. This old school drive-in diner has been around since 1951, serving up the best fried chicken, chili dogs, tater tots and double decker poor boys around. The fried chicken here used to be called ‘Kentucky Fried Chicken’, but now it’s just Joe’s original Famous Fried Chicken. No matter what it’s named, it’s the best fried chicken in Kentucky.
2. Lexington’s Biggest Thrill Of The Year Is At Halloween
Where did the Thriller reenactments start? Right here. Which one is the best in the country? The first one. It’s totally worth the wait every year and has now grown into the Thriller & Halloween Parade with around 1,500 zombies and thousands more spectators. Who says Halloween is just for kids?
3. North Lime Is The Sweet Tooth Cure-All
There’s a lot of places in Lexington to get a sweet fix, but North Lime Coffee & Donuts takes the cake. Locals head there for the wide variety of perfectly-executed donuts—from the funnel cake donut, lucky charms donut and cinnamonkeys to their ever-famous maple bacon donut. Amazing, every single time.
4. Lex Livers Want Kentucky Bourbon
There’s quite a few bourbon distilleries within a 30-minute drive of Lexington and Town Branch is right downtown on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It’s not like they have to go to the distilleries though, because there’s plenty of bourbon bars to choose from. Not all bourbon is made in Kentucky, but all GOOD bourbon is.
5. Lex Folks Say: Must Love Horses
Some people put sweaters on dogs, Lex puts everything on horses. There’s Keeneland, The Red Mile and the Kentucky Horse Park, which hosts the National Horse Show, but they have their own backyards and farms. Lexington is the Horse Capital of the World and it only takes being there about five minutes to figure it out.
6. Nothing Beats A Local Kentucky Hot Brown
Hot, creamy Mornay sauce, turkey, tomato, bacon and crispy bread ….perfection! The Kentucky hot brown is right here and everyone knows it. There’s a lot of debate on the best place to get the most delicious hot brown in the area, but whether the favorite is at Stella’s Kentucky Deli, Hall’s on the River, Dudley’s On Short, Ramsey’s Diner or Columbia Steak House, it’s going to be the best darn hot brown you’ve ever put in your mouth.
7. Kentucky Blue Is The Only Blue
If you don’t LOVE the Kentucky Wildcats, then you don’t belong here. The Big Blue Nation is super passionate for the Wildcats. Even Santa is on their team.
8. Every Year, Come Hell Or High Water, It’s Southern Lights
Sure, the wait from the exit ramp might be excruciatingly long, but the four miles of animated Christmas lights at the Kentucky Horse Park is totally worth it. Where else could you see light displays ranging from ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ to prehistoric dinosaurs and horses? Plus, they have pony and camel rides.
9. The Good Food Is At The Co-Op
From organic, non-gmo and local products to a wide variety of humanely raised meats and sustainably-fished seafood, the Good Foods Market & Cafe is where Lex locals go to grab the good food. It’s nearly impossible to leave this massive co-op without grabbing some bakery items and taking a trip through their amazing hot bar.
10. Being One Of The Smartest Cities In The Country Rules
Yeah, Lex is full of brainiacs. Nearly 40% have bachelor's degrees and the ones who don’t are working on it at the University of Kentucky, Transylvania University or one of the many area colleges. Smart is the new sexy.
Did we miss anything? Tell us what you think is unique about Lexington-Fayette in the comments below! 
