If you are looking for an off the beaten path weekend getaway.. this might be the perfect spot! My hubby is in the Marine Industry which for you guys who aren't familiar means we always live on the river or near water. Its an amazing industry that feels a lot more family oriented than most.
Recently I got to tag along on his trip to
Paducah, Kentucky before heading to Nashville Tennessee for a few days and I have to be honest I was pleasantly surprised. I had no idea what to expect. Much like my hometown it had a quaint downtown filled with unique boutiques and restaurants and of course a dapper whiskey bar because.. well it's Kentucky. Could anyone complain?
Oh and Superman's hometown is only 20 minutes away. Talk about a one of a kind place. Even though its a smaller town it didn't feel sleepy and I found myself intrigued by its history and friendly atmosphere. I was there a little over two days and found enough to stay interested and entertained without getting bored. It's close proximity to Nashville makes it a perfect "add on" to an already planned Nashville trip. Here are my highlights of our getaway there.
Day 1
Morning: Metropolis, Illinois (15 min drive from Paducah)
My hubby had business across the river in Metropolis which is actually Superman's hometown. Like THE. SUPERMAN. Its only about a 15 minute drive from where our Airbnb was located. He dropped me downtown Metropolis which consists of one main strip of boutiques and restaurants.
Antique and Boutique Shopping Downtown Metropolis
I enjoyed a Cinnamon Vanilla Iced Coffee before heading down the strip to antique shop and check out the local boutiques. I found a gorgeous collection of vintage Children's fairytale books from the 1950's in mint condition at ReFind - A Junktique Market and a beautiful 1921 piano hymn book with handwritten notes I gifted my mom who loves traditional music across the street at the 606 Vintage Market.
Selfies with Superman
Apparently people come from all over to see the Superman museum and take pictures with the two ton statue that sits right in the middle of town. It was massive and definitely impressive, so OF COURSE I had to have a selfie or two. The museum is directly to the right of this with murals covering the building and admission to see all things Superman throughout history.
Fort Massac - An Historic American Fort
We stopped by Fort Massac on the way into Metropolis because we had a few minutes to kill and while it was just a quick stop.. it was long enough to admire this historic fort that has been under the control of the Spanish, French, and English throughout history and was officially restored in 2002. It is directly on the river and had a beautiful view.
Afternoon: Downtown Paducah Shopping and Sight Seeing
My husband was busy working, so I spent the afternoon shopping downtown and sight seeing. I strolled through boutiques and antique shops all afternoon. The streets were filled with beautiful mural artwork and there were several museums to visit. Paducah is known for being the quilting capital of the United States and is home to the National Quilt Museum. Downtown near our airbnb there was also the William Clark Markethouse Museum in an old market building where people used to pull carriages up and sell their goods and produce. They also have the River Discovery Center focused on the river and the history of the marine industry and transportation along the inland waterways.
Night: Axe Throwing At Paducah Axe
Located directly to the right of the Market House Museum and steps from our Airbnb is Paducah Axe which allows you to drink and throw axes.. after several release forms of course. I was watching the axe throwing until I was talked into trying to throw one. I definitely didn't hit the target and it's safe to say if I'm ever in an action movie or horror film an axe will NOT be my weapon of choice. lol Also, if you wear high heels you have to swap them out for turquoise crocs. They have an unlimited amount of these behind the counter, so you've been warned. lol
Day 2
Morning: Downtown Shopping and Lunch at Over/Under Paducah
Im craving these just looking at them. Seriously. These Cauliflower tacos are the BEST THING I had in Paducah. I can't believe Im admitting this, but I actually ate them two days in row. Yes, the same meal..twice. They were that good and the atmosphere was laid back with it being a sportsbar type venue which made it nice since I was eating lunch alone. That's a jalapeño margarita you spy in the background and it was fresh and flavorful and almost as good as my tacos. lol
Afternoon: River Discovery Center (River Heritage Museum)
I spent the afternoon walking around admiring the murals by the river and touring the River Discovery Center before heading back to the Airbnb to relax before a whiskey tasting date night at a friends house in Paducah.
The logos and business names of companies in the marine industry and a model of a steamboat from the 1800's.
Date Night: Whiskey Tasting
I spent my last night with the hubby and industry friends learning about and trying new bourbons.
Leaving Downtown Paducah
We had the best time in Paducah before heading to Nashville for a couple of days. It was only a 2.5 hour drive there and we drove through the Land of the Lakes to have brunch and stopped at a few antique stores along the way before getting to Nashville. This quaint little town was anything but sleepy filled with good drinks, boutiques, antique shops, tons of history and that was JUST downtown. Technically they have a newer part of town filled with normal city amenities. Everyone we met were extremely friendly and we loved seeing Paducah industry friends that we only get to see several times a year. I would definitely go back!
Thanks for checking out my Weekend Getaway post on Paducah Kentucky. I hope it was helpful and informative . Feel free to follow along on future travels at brittanypeytonbryan.
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