What's Kentucky to You?

I'm lucky to spend nearly every day at work traveling through--or writing app listings for--destinations around Kentucky.  (Shameless plug--download the Travel Kentucky app! It's free on iPhone AND Androids).  I'm a tried and true Kentucky girl, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Sure, it's a little too conservative and sometimes a little too behind-the-times.  But I have yet to visit anywhere else in this world that rivals the diversity of Kentucky's countryside and landscapes.  Rolling horse farms, mountains, "city" living, charming small towns--we really do have it all.  Throw in our local culture, style, food, and special traditions and you have a place beyond comparison.  And its easy to forget that most people don't grow up with all of this right in their backyard.

Sean's family is coming to visit this week, and I want to be sure they get a real "Kentucky Experience" while they are here.  His mother was here for WEG last September, but didn't get to visit anything other than the event. His dad and brother have never been here.  We only have one full day to be tourists, and I want to be sure they get a widespread look at what our state has to offer! 

I know this state backwards and forwards, and yet I am somehow overwhelmed by making the right choices on the key things they should see and do while they are here.  Sean's mom wants to visit Berea, and I would love to take them to a distillery.  But what else can we squeeze in? Breakfast at the Keeneland Track Kitchen?  A quick stop at Shakertown?  And where, oh where, should we EAT? These places all seem iconic Kentucky and at the same time, I feel like I'm missing something. 

More than anything, I want them to leave here with a fond and affectionate impression of the place I call home.  Sean and I have very different upbringings and that's largely due to geography.  Growing up in California brings a widely different perspective than growing up in Kentucky!  It has been so much fun to experience Kentucky through his eyes, and see his fondness for this place grow over time (I think we may be making a resident out of him!).  And yet he will never quite understand what it's really like to be "from" here.  I just hope that we can give his parents a whirlwind taste of our state... so they will want to come back and see more.

So... what should we do? What is Kentucky to you? 

HELP :)