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City in Kentucky, United States
Photo: Bluegrasshall, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Owensboro is a town on the banks of the Ohio River in Kentucky's Western Coal Fields. It bills itself as the Barbecue Capital of the World and has had some interesting figures call it home over the years, such as Beulah Annan, whose story inspired the play and movie Chicago; Florence Henderson, aka Carol Brady of The Brady Bunch; NASCAR great Darrell Waltrip (as well as his brother Michael, also a longtime NASCAR driver); and Johnny Depp. On a darker note, it was also the site of the last public hanging in the United States, the subject being an African American, in 1936.
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Interactive exhibits on bluegrass music and the instruments behind it. Concerts are offered by a number of renowned bluegrass artists in the attached theater, but usually, separate tickets are required.
Various items related to science and history, like Model Ts and giant anthills.
Collections that span European, Asian, and Appalachian art, along with temporary exhibitions.
Some gardens here surrounding a house from the 1890s.
One of the country's first Kentucky Bourbon distilleries, it underwent a fairly recent reconstruction of its facilities and grounds after being abandoned for a number of years. They offer distillery tours at several times every day, except Sunday. Tours cost $20/person, which includes sample tasting of 3 of their whiskies and a Green River shot glass. They also have a gift shop and cocktail lounge.
The arts and cultural center for the Owensboro-Daviess County Region. Featuring plays and operas, as well as concerts by the local symphony orchestra and regional, national, and international musical artists.
This centralized park with its fountains and playplaces and promenade along the Ohio River looks pretty avant garde next to its surroundings and the river bottom terrain. Besides being a drawing point for aesthetics, it hosts a lot of events.
Escape Today offers three different escape room scenarios, six axe throwing lanes, and 35 arcade machines that you play by the hour, instead of per game. Hours vary by the day of the week, so it is highly advisable to book your visit online to be sure that you have use of the specific facility offerings when you want them.
Best known for its barbecue mutton, it also offers barbecue chicken, beef, and pork, either as plates or sandwiches. Other menu offerings include breaded shrimp, chicken, and catfish, for those who prefer something other than barbecue. It also has a lunch and dinner buffet for those with bigger appetites. Its barbecue meats have won numerous awards and accolades, including being voted best in Kentucky by readers of Kentucky Monthly and Kentucky Living.
Offers a very wide variety of barbecued meats, including barbecue chicken, turkey, pork, brisket, ribs, and mutton, as well as traditional burgoo for lunch and dinner. Also offers traditional breakfast fare, or for those with larger appetites, a daily breakfast buffet.
Family-owned restaurant, founded in 1918, offering pit-smoked barbecue mutton, chicken, turkey, beef, pork, ham, and ribs, as well as burgoo, in dine-in, carry-out, or drive-thru options.
Off the beaten path a bit, the Windy Hollow Biscuit House is well worth a trip by anyone seeking true southern-style cooking. The interior of the restaurant is decorated throughout with historic items from the region, numerous movie posters from old westerns, and lots of WWII and other military memorabilia. They offer traditional breakfast fare, with an obvious emphasis on biscuits, as well as a robust buffet offering pretty much everything you might want for breakfast or brunch.
Located , Gramps offers truly unique and scrumptious donuts, along with a wide variety of your standard barista coffeehouse offerings (e.g. latte, espresso, Americano, etc.) and other beverage options (e.g. tea, hot chocolate, soda, etc.). The perfect breakfast or brunch alternative for those who prefer somewhat lighter fare.
Colby's Fine Food & Spirits provides the highest quality seasonal dishes using aged meats and fresh produce with a first-class wine selection. Their dining atmosphere is pleasantly casual and intimate.
Fetta's offers a wide variety of standard and specialty pizzas (e.g. mashed potato pizza or chicken bacon ranch pizza) by the slice or as whole pizzas, for dine-in or delivery. Not in the mood for pizza, then try one of their specialty salads. They're especially known for their garlic knots, which are great addition to whatever is ordered. A wide selection of beer, wine, and cocktails are also available to complement your meal.
Famous Bistro strives to produce amazing, scratch-made food and provide the best service in town. It offers deli style lunch with soups, sandwiches, salads and daily specials. For dinner, it offers fine dining in a casual atmosphere - anything from fresh seafood to hand-carved steaks, classic Greek entrees and many other cuisines. Winner of TripAdvisor's 2021 Traveler's Choice Award.
Located in Owensboro's Historic District, the Miller House Restaurant is in an older home (built in 1905) that serves up southern-style food, with a bourbon-focused bar that carries over 600 different bourbons.
With one of the better views of the Ohio River, Lure Seafood & Grille offers a made-from-scratch lunch and dinner menu complemented by the freshest ingredients, and a comfortable ambiance. It offers a diverse menu with rotating specials that will please the palette of fine diners and foodies alike.
Pamir Afghan Cuisine operates out of the Windy Hollow Biscuit House in the evenings on weekends, since the Biscuit House shuts down its meal service at 2 PM. For those who've never had Afghani food, it's a bit like Indian food, with lots of rice and vegetables, but not quite as spicy. Among their standard offerings are Kabuli Palaw, basmati rice with carmelized carrots, raisins, and beef chunks, and Murgh Biryan, fried chicken marinated in herbs and spices served over a bed or rice. They also offer both 3 and 5 dish "samplers" that let your try a little bit of each of their main dishes. Reservations are highly advisable.
A microbrewery named, tongue-in-cheek, after Owensboro's iconic Glover Bridge, affectionately known by locals as the Blue Bridge because of its distinctive color. Offers several of its own beers for consumption, along with a full bar. It also has a restaurant offering typical brew pub fare, such as hamburgers and chicken fingers. It has live local music performances most weekends. A covered patio is also available for those who prefer to do their drinking and dining outside when the weather permits.
Spot for burgers, brunch and brews. It offers a traditional, southern menu with favorites such as Buffalo Cauliflower, Chicken and Waffles and Fried Green Tomatoes. It also features sixteen beer taps and over thirty bourbons. Both indoor and outdoor patio dining options are available.
A full-service hotel fronting the Ohio River. It offers several amenities including: free Wifi, business center, 24-hour fitness center, heated indoor saltwater pool, in-house guest laundry and onsite restaurant (Burger Theory). It is a short walk away from Smothers Park, and local cultural attractions such as the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum and the Owensboro Museum of Science & History,.
Fronting the Ohio River. Lure, the hotel's seafood restaurant located on the first floor, is also an option for lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch. Pet-friendly rooms are available, as well as an indoor pool and fitness center. Free parking, free wifi, and a free hot breakfast are all standard.
Each suite comes with a fully equipped kitchen and a work area with high-speed Internet access. It also has a state-of-the-art fitness center, outdoor saltwater pool, Weber gas grills, complimentary breakfast, 24-hour sundries market, and an on-site laundry. Pets are also welcome (up to 40 lb).
Specialty tabletop, kitchenware, jewelry, and gifts. Specializing in Polish pottery, including bakeware and dinnerware. Also carry Owensboro and Kentucky-themed items.
By car
The Owensboro aka Glover Bridge connects Owensboro with Indiana, whereas I-165 connects it with Bowling Green to the south and US Route 60 with Henderson to the west.
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Owensboro · Regional · OWB
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