This state seems to be stuck about 50 years in the past, well at least in the rural parts.   You can literally slip away from the troubles of today when you go there.

Perhaps one day, Kentucky will come out of the dark ages. It may take an eon, but I try to keep hope alive. I am a native Kentuckian born and raised in Louisville, which raises the star value for me. I don't have much use for the rest of the state, barring Lexington.

A poor, backward and primitive piece of real estate filled with ignorant and diseased hillbillies that's about 150 years behind the times when it comes to social thinking.  I guess Lexington and Louisville are OK, but the rest of the state has all the charm of an unflushed toilet, recently used.  This state votes solidly Republican, which gives you an idea of the advanced mental retardation that's prevalent there.

I think that Kentucky is a great place. I think everyone else would realize that if they got past the bad stereotypes! I find Kentucky to be a very friendly state. There are many communities, such as, Mt. Sterling, KY ranked as one of the top 100 communities for young people. The state is not redneck!!! We do have some hickish people but what state doesn't. I also don't seem to understand why people think that we don't have any teeth. I have yet to see someone without teeth. Also Kentucky is most certainly not segregated! The state of Kentucky is very beautiful and NOT trashy. Every where you go there will be trash on the side of the road it is a fact of life. I seem to be very offended when you say people in Kentucky are dumb, out of the loop, and have no teeth. They schools here in KY are very challenging. We have CATS testing so everyone knows that the teachers are doing there job. There are many states with some form of testing like this. None of these things are true, at all! There are many great things in KY. The KY derby, October Court Days, Cumberland Gap, Natural Bridge. Before you travel anywhere you need to research and see what there is to do there before you go! If you are not interested in what the state has to offer don't go and don't talk bad about it just because you don't like it. Also just for all of you to know, we no longer have a Republican Governor!!!

In terms of natural beauty Kentucky is one of the great American states, see for example: natural bridge, Lake Cumberland, the Breaks, and the Red River Gorge. The Red River Gorge is one of the finest and most scenic hiking and camping destinations in the USA. The cities are tolerable: Bowling Green, Lexington, Ashland, and Owensboro. To live in Kentucky is not as great as to visit, as many areas of the state suffer from a lack of quality employment. However, the cost of living is low and the sense of community is strong, once you are finally accepted into the community. Kentucky is also the only state that produces bourbon; a very fine beverage in its artful forms.

Kentucky is a beautiful state. Loaded with mountains,lush scenery, lakes, rivers and creeks; all of this plus only 8 hours from the Atlantic Ocean make it a great place to live and visit. Kentucky is also less than 7 hours from Lake Michigan and has more interstate waterways than any other state in the USA. Getting to enjoy all 4 seasons is a real plus and all this makes Kentucky a top 5 state in my book! Visit it, then judge for yourself.

Mammoth Cave is ok, but way overrated. Not much to see here unless you like horse racing and bluegrass music.

How the heck did Craptucky make it this high?  Better than Massachusetts lmao.

I love the fact that gays are not accepted here, that's what makes this place great. Who cares about a bunch of less-than-1% of the population. You want diversity? This is one of the states that isn't accepting of that behavior. Go to San Francisco if all you care about is whether someone is gay or not. I love the fact its a red state. We are the majority since we control the white house, and most of the states, as well as the 4 most populated states all have Republican governors. So quit your crying about a minority opinion.

Now, about the state. It's absolutely beautiful. Blue-grass mountains, nice-laid back people,no uptights from the Eastcoast, fun loving people. I visited Georgetown, Kentucky and
it was great. It has Hooters Restuarant, tons of bars, beautiful women, lots of mountainous views. The girls here are really nice and down to earth. I love Kentucky and I love
the way they live. I visited Lexington and it was awesome. I love the fact people party here and appreciate God. Cool place to visit!

IN KY they worry about the ethics of stem cell research and gay marriage- yet the poverty rate is high, education rates near the bottom nationwide, affordable or available healthcare is out of reach for many, and the quality of life for children rates near the bottom for all states. The state also rates low for health of its citizenry and the envirionment.

The states 2 Senators, both republicans Mr. McConnel and Mr. Bunning are both arch conservatives- that have remained in lock step with every blunder Bush has made, from Global warming, to gay rights. To say that KY is a 'tolerant state' and that those 'blue states' are evil is typical brainwash.

Gay marriage/gay civil rights are despite what someone said here not understood in KY. Gay people for the most part have to live uneasy and difficult lives because of the 'culture of misinformation' by the Christian fundamentlists' which have much power in the state, from local government on up. The laws fregarding gay people in KY remain very backward- and discrimination remains widespread.

Decent people here- and some refreshingly honest and real. What makes this state less then average is the quality of life compared to other states- low grades for the educational system, programs for the elderly and children, and local services that are sub par. There is also a witch hunt against minorties-especially gay americans- which is very distressing and very unfortunate.

Kentucky is a beautiful state.

i was born and raised there. maybe i'm partial. it's just like every other state in the union filled with just as many good people as their are assholes, but oh well . . . oh yeah . . .the best by far homegrown marijuana in the union.

I have a gay friend near London- teaches at a Community College- calls KY hillbilly hell- 'very redneck' he says and very backward. He has told me time and time again how he wants out. He says KY is filled with bible thumpers and slimy bigoted people. Gay bashing is common, as is racism and anti sementism- are we living in 2006 or 1850? Now we see why there is a divided USA- the 'blue coastal states of the northeast' upper mid west and the West coast- sadly to say KY and the rest really fit the bill as 'flyover states'.

Cool place. My sister's best friend lives in London, Kentucky and I stayed there for a month in the summer of last year. It was off the hook. The laid-back atmosphere, good food, mild climate. I ended up hooking up with a random girl here too (don't tell my girlfriend back home). The girls here are some of the nicest in the world. Out of all the places I visited, this was definitely one of the nicest. I like the Bluegrass Mountains when you drive down the 75 freeway. Cincinatti is right on the border when you cross the bridge. Lexington is a booming city that's nice and chill. The air here smells so fresh and people love to have a good time. Definitely a great place -- much love.

The people are all really cool here! great food, home grown values, and the people are down to earth. i love the mild climate and the bluegrass mountains. yeah, it snows here, but not as bad as an ohio or michigan, or even my state, trashachutsetts. i spent 4 summers and 2 winters here with my relatives and now i have a full-time job and i am looking for anyway to get out of trashachutsetts and move here. although i cant compare it to any other state, but compared to trashachutsetts, life here is nice and slow, laid-back, people are nice, girls are cool, and cost of living is way cheaper than livin in wack boston.

Beautiful scenery. Super-nice people. Beautiful blue-grass mountains. Lexington is a great city to visit and I love the mild climate. I love how everything is church oriented and people are down to earth. This is a great state and beats any Northeastern state hands down!

Boring, bible thumping rednecks everywhere in this state, self absored peole who hate people from up north or west. Lexington and Louisville are trash heaps with ugly downtowns and backwards people. Some nice scenery in the east part of the state but that's it.

A very scenic state, but a state that is very traditional and very conservative. However the halves and have nots remain very Republican and very regressive. Not known for its high quality of life- the state seems very segregated, by race and economics.

Kentucky is a beautiful state. Expansive rolling lawns, perfectly clipped grass and horse heaven. Here and there you'll find very genteel southern towns with Victorian showcase housing. Although the scenery is pretty I didn't feel very welcome here. Although the rolling green estates are nice to look at, it seemed like private property galore and I got the feeling that this territory was very Keep out or we'll release the hounds kind of place. On the flip side the city of Lexington is very boring with not a damn thing to do and a crappy downtown and Louisville looked very poor as did a lot of other areas so I felt Kentucky is a place of Haves and Have nots. I was looking forward to coming here and unfortunately I was disappointed when I did.

Nice laid back atmosphere.

My mom is from Kentucky. We went back there last year for a family reunion. And I didn't see anything like what Tauceti speaks of. What part of KY are you talking about? I saw beautiful countrysides and met some wonderful people. I may go back again this year if my time off from my job allows.

Another southern border state that reeks of intolerance. Lots of poor people that seem hung up on the idea of 'social fundementalism'- that have no money, no medical care or little else. Worried too much about gay marriage and blind patriotism. UPDATE: DONOVAN I totally respect your opinion- however from friends in KY that I talk with on a regular basis- there is a fair amount of intolerance. I am sure there is some natural beauty- however from my visits I have found much highway debris and also seen much poverty. There seems to be a fair amount of people that are not too bright. Sorry to say KY deserves its mediocre rating. Also if the state was so 'enlightened'how could it re-elect a silly fool like Jim Bunning?

Central Kentucky (and Jessamine County in particular) is in my opinion the second most beautiful area of the US. Only northwest Oregon is better. [disclaimer: Wilmore, Kentucky was my hometown when I was a child, and I loved growing up there,hence the bias].

The eastern portion of Kentucky is reminiscent of West Virginia and suffers mostly the same Appalachian hardships of poverty, joblessness, insufficient health care and services, etc. The western half isn't any more appealing but there are a few nice pockets , especially the rolling Bluegrass region which is anchored by Lexington, an attractive city of 250,000. The Kentucky Horse Park is a cool detour and a place where you can easily whittle away a few hours. Louisville is a gritty river city that combines aspects of the north and south in the same vein as Cincinnati, but there isn't much noteworthy worth seeing there. Along with Covington, it has some undeniably attractive historic architecture, though pretty ghetto and run-down in some areas. Oh yeah, there's this place called Mammoth Cave, which is supposed to be one of the largest underground caverns in country. So maybe then, you can finally remember the difference between a stalactite and a stalagmite. It's just too bad too many of the state's residents are in serious need of some book-learnin', and a few more progressive attitudes wouldn't hurt the place either.

Yahoo! Hillbillie heaven or hell? Nope- not for me!

Some nice scenary in the mountains to the east- and the major city Louisville is somewhat interesting- much of the state seems like hillbilly hell. not my cup of tea.

Louisville is not a bad city at all.

a virtual wasteland of nothingness. Lots of states have pretty hills- but in KY the trash that litters the highways is disgusting- in addition there is a zero concern about the wholesale destruction of the states envirionment. Overall a low quality of life of for adults and children alike.

Outside of Louisville and Lexington and perhaps Frankfurt, is very much a 'red state' - rather right wing bible belt,somewhat reactionary- and basically intolerant. Change comes very slow in the blue grass state so it seems. And sorry to say from personal experience populated by many bigots and many ignorant people. Extremely sensitive to cricitcism- and seemingly having an inferiority complex with those living in 'blue states- especially The NE and California. Very backward on social issues- I dread to see what it is like in the deep south. For many in the population that have NO healthcare or decent dental care and STILL votes republican- need I say more? It seems moral values stand above pragmatism, and basic human needs. Some very nice well intentioned people- but seemingly out of the loop-

Well, I'll give this state a 4. The people are nice, the state is beautiful. Need I say more?

Got teeth? LOL i took that from Jay Leno i know, but it is funny. It is true that kentucky has the highest number of toothless people than any other state. I dont know, i dont think i would really want to visit or live in any area of kentucky, would go to the kentucky derby to see if i could win though.

Reading some of the previous reviews, it sounds like Kentucky has some very decent things to see. Unfortunately, I have never seen anything that great there in all the times I have been. Mostly, KY is a whole lot of blah terrain, with a lot of tobacco, coal, poverty. I will add that there are some exceptionally pretty areas (for example, the Kentucky side of the Cumberland Gap is gorgeous). The problem is, there are plenty of other places in the U.S. to see pretty horses, mountains and hills without also having to view land that has been raped of its natural beauty (like the eastern coal mining areas).

I can't say enough good things about Ky....sure the people are self-absorbed, because the people of the Bluegrass have a wonderful sense of their heritage. Wonderful people, tradition of hospitality, great schools, country side is equalled by none (except southwestern Va.!)

I love Kentucky and its new GOP leader Ernie Fletcher.Who would have thought Kentucky would be Republican!Thank GOD!!!West Virginia and Ohio are next for the Republican tidal wave!Brace yourselves folks!

Beautiful place to visit. Grossly underrated. Land Between the Lakes is beautiful. And Frankfort (the state capital) has one of the best Vietnam Veterans Memorials. It's a huge sundial which sits on top of this small hill which overlooks the city. The names of all the veterans who died in the war are etched in granite beneath the sundial. The point of the sundial's shadow actually touches the veteran's name on the anniversary date of his death. It's a unique site and worth a visit to Frankfort just to see this. So many historical things to see in KY too. Consider this state as a vacation destination.

3 stars for being the home of the simpsons..........which is more than it deserves...... oh and kodan armada is from here and louisville aint that bad, so maybe i shoulda gave it another star

Kentuck, it's just that friendly! Wooo!!!

It's about like Missouri to me; wouldn't be a bad place to live, but there's nothing real special about it either really.

Terribly stereotyped by the rest of the country as a state of rednecks and hicks. Yes, there are some here, but its part of the heritage of our state. There are rednecks and hicks everywhere as far North as Pennsylvania and New York. This state truly is a beautiful place to visit, and I loved visiting Mammoth Cave National Park. I was raised in Kentucky from the age of 5 to 13, and they probably were the best years of my life so far. A lot of attractions, notably Lincoln's Birthplce and Boyhood Home and The Kentucky Derby. Lexington is one of the most beautiful cities in this country with their notable horse farms. As a former resident of Bardstown, this city truly was a priveledge to live in. With its Civil War Museum and "My Old Kentucky Home" park, along with its gulf courses, it is one of Kentucky's most visited cities. Louisville is the largest city in the state, but it is still as low on crime as you would want any large city to be. A mixture of city, country, mountains and farms. A very diverse state! Go see Kentucky, where education pays!

Kentucky is a pretty cool state. The scenery is pretty nice, and the people are smarter than people make them out to be. I used to be the person that would cross the bridge in Cincinnati, and see the Kentucky sign, and wonder why it would say "Where Education Pays" on it. They truly aren't as dumb as people think. This state does have hicks, but if you think about it, every state has hicks. Anyways, the Kentucky Derby, Mammoth Cave, and the Cumberland Gap are always great places to visit.

I was born in Lexington. We moved from Kentucky when I was still small so I barely remember it. But what I do remember about it is all good - pleasant summers, nice scenery and friendly people.

kentucky isn't as good as it could be but I like being able to go into forests and to be actually able to see something in fact elk are coming back to Kentucky! Kentucky holds the Derby which is also related to thunder over louisville. This is a very beautiful firework show. and the bluegrass is where you can see thourobred Hourses Trust be they are so cool@@ I recomend Kentucky to you for an all out good time. \/

Ever since my parents divorced, I have been living most of my year in Kentucky. Only thing I really dislike about it is how self-absorbed some of the people are. They seem to think the world revolves around Kentucky. Oh, and they need to drop the freakin' CATS test. That is a really stupid test students have to take at the end of the school year that turns math questions into essays (e.g. "Give a step-by-step explanation of how to divide 1/7 by 5/8). But really, Kentucky is a pretty nice place, and the Kentucky Derby is pretty exciting. I enjoy living here, but the overall personality could improve. Four stars is what it gets from me. Take care, everyone!

A wonderful place for outdoor activities - full of gorgeous scenery and attractions: Red River Gorge, Lake Cumberland, Mammoth Cave National Park, Louisville, Kentucky Derby, the Bluegrass region and horse country, beautiful Appalacian territory, friendly and neighborly people. You might be surprised if you tried it.

Kentucky is a good place for you to take it slow, and relax a little bit. If you like the country, Kentucky is the place for you to go!

I just had to give old KY a rating, since I was born and raised there. KY will always be near and dear to my heart. If we can just get more and more of the rednecks better educated and more worldly it would help our image as Kentuckians around the world. Hollywood does it's best to make us all look ridiculous most of the time!