Paducah Kentucky - A Fun Destination For An Overnight Road Trip

Sometimes an overnight road trip is good for family morale. Let me suggest an unexpected destination, Paducah, Kentucky. Paducah is a small city with very entertaining and interesting things to see. The historic city center is beautiful, with old-fashioned charming brick buildings and lovely manicured lawns. Walking from one attraction to the next is a pleasure. 

Paducah was founded by none other than William Clark, leader of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition. He arrived in what is now Paducah in 1827. Clark surveyed the land, laying out the grid for the new town. The grid pattern is evident to this day. 

Paducah’s long history is captured in a series of mural paintings on the city’s floodwalls which overlook the Ohio River. There are twenty huge mural panels from Jefferson Street to Broadway. They depict historic scenes from the 1880s to the 1940s. The murals from Broadway south to Kentucky Avenue portray Paducah’s history as an important river town.  All of these murals are very well done and quite impressive. 

A short walk from the mural painted floodwalls is the National Quilt Museum. The museum’s website states, (that the museum) “is the gateway to the discovery of quilts, quiltmaking, and the quilt artist.”  “This mission is accomplished through quality professional exhibits of new and antique quilts and related archival materials. . .” 

Another attraction for kids and adults is the Paducah Railroad Museum. The museum contains displays of equipment and memorabilia from railroads in Paducah and Western Kentucky. Also included are lanterns, signals, tools, signs, and engine and car equipment. You will also find a wide variety of paper artifacts, such as timetables, maps, paintings, photographs, books, letters, and other records. 

Other attractions near the city center include:

William Clark Market House Museum
121 South Second St.
270-443-7759

The Lloyd Tilghman Home and Civil War Museum
631 Kentucky Ave.
270-575-5477

River Heritage Museum
117 South Water St.
270-575-9958

There is also this gem:

The Whitehaven Mansion
1845 Lone Oak Road
Paducah, KY 42003-7903
(270) 554-2077

In Kentucky, get off I-24 at Exit 7 to see the Whitehaven Welcome Center. The rest area is also the grounds of the Whitehaven Mansion. This restored southern style antebellum home is open to the public for tours from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. There is a second floor room filled with memorabilia of Alben W. Barkley, Vice President under Harry Truman. The Whitehaven Mansion is worth a look.

Paducah is located in Kentucky, just south of Metropolis, Illinois, on I-24 at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers. The distance by car is just under 200 miles. Take I-255 East into Illinois. At I-64 get on and go East 71 miles toward Mount Vernon.  Get onto I-57 South.  Go 47 miles.  Get onto I-24 East via EXIT 44.  Go 43 miles.  (Using MapQuest or your car’s GPS will ensure that you easily find Paducah’s city center.) 

There are a number of nationally known motels and restaurants in Paducah. For those of you looking for something a little quainter, there are a large number of Bed & Breakfasts.  A Casino experience can be had at Harrah’s Casino and Hotel, just on the other side of the Ohio River in Metropolis, Illinois.

Metropolis, Illinois is also an interesting stop. In 1972 DC Comics declared Metropolis the "Hometown of Superman."  The city has erected a large Superman statue, and fans created a small Superman museum. The city holds an annual Superman Celebration the second weekend in June. This year the festival will be held in “Superman Square” on June 9, 10, 11 and 12.