KY Artisan Center in Berea - worth a drive from Lexington?

I%26#39;m going to be in Lexington for a couple of days in March and one of the days is free after around 2:00. I%26#39;ll have a car and could make it down to Berea for some Kentucky craft shopping at the Artisan Center. But is it worth it? I%26#39;d say if I%26#39;m in the craft market I%26#39;d probably want some cool and unique horse racing related items... could I probably get my fill of those types of crafts in Lexington or would I hit the mothership by going down to the Artisan Center?

KY Artisan Center in Berea - worth a drive from Lexington?

I was just in the Artisan Center twice in the past week, and I don%26#39;t remember seeing a huge selection of racing related crafts. However, the Artisan Center and downtown Berea are both very interesting places to explore for other Kentucky crafts. The Artisan Center leans toward pottery and glassware. They have a nice selection of Kentucky foods (jams, jellies, sauces, mixes, etc.) and a good selection of CDs by Kentucky musicians. A visit to the Artisan Center and downtown Berea is well worth your time, if you want to spend an afternoon looking at quality crafts. While in Lexington, you might check Artique at the Mall at Lexington Green for horse and racing related items.

KY Artisan Center in Berea - worth a drive from Lexington?

I%26#39;d say it%26#39;s definitely worth a trip. It%26#39;s one of the finest state-run collections of handmade items I know of. It%26#39;s very similar to The Tamarack in Beckley West Virginia (in case you%26#39;ve been there). They have all sorts of handmade items. Some may be of horses and horse racing but not the majority. If you just hit (racing-related) souvenier shops in Lexington, you%26#39;d be missing out on a lot of very nice fine art. It%26#39;s definitely the mothership for crafts and art, just not a mothership for horse racing related items, although there may be a few of those items.

For racing related things definitely check out Keeneland%26#39;s gift shop. Plus you get to see the track and the grounds, that%26#39;s definitely worth the trip! They have a wonderful selection.

The Artisan Center is nice and it%26#39;s only 45 minutes away.

You can also go to the gift shop at the Kentucky Horse Park without paying the Park%26#39;s admission fee. Parking there is also free. It%26#39;s just off I-75 a few miles north of downtown. They, of course, have a lot of racing related items, plus the park itself is a thorough learning experience of racing plus you get to meet some past champions, Cigar, Da Hoss, John Henry, etc.