Along the I-75 corridor in central Kentucky lie two college towns, each different and each worth a stop. Richmond, home to Eastern Kentucky University, has college town amenities plus historic sites from pioneer and Civil War times. Berea, home to Berea College, is the "Folk Arts & Crafts Capital of Kentucky" with an abundance of artists' studios and galleries.

Richmond is home to Fort Boonesborough State Park, site of the town of the same name established by Daniel Boone in 1775. The park includes a reconstructed fort, blockhouses, cabins and resident artisans performing craft demonstrations. Kentucky River Museum, new to the park, gives visitors a glimpse of life along the river in the 1900s. Visitors can camp along the river, fish, hike, swim and enjoy a picnic.

Delve into Richmond's Civil War history on the two-hour Battle of Richmond driving tour, part of the National Trust Civil War Discovery Trail. See the stars at Eastern Kentucky University's Hummel Planetarium or visit nearby Bybee Pottery to see the oldest pottery west of the Alleghenies.

Head south to Berea to enjoy the region's arts and crafts. Students at Berea College learn crafts as part of their education. Many craftspeople have been drawn to the town because of its support of the arts. Kentucky Artisan Center here presents these arts and crafts as well as music. Stroll Main Street and its side streets to visit artists' shops and galleries (more than 50 artisans have made Berea their home). Churchill Weavers, Mitchell Tolle Studio and Warren A. May Woodworker are examples of studios/factories open to visitors.

Outdoor recreation at Richmond includes biking, golf and nature trails at Lake Reba Recreational Complex; horseback riding, hay rides and rustic camping at Deer Run Stables and boating on Wilgreen Lake. Central Kentucky Wildlife Management Area at Berea covers almost 1,700 acres with three lakes. Enjoy hiking at Anglin Falls or Berea College Forest.

Dining options in Richmond include dinner by the championship golf course at Gibson Bay Cafe. Berea dining options include 1909 Boone Tavern Hotel & Restaurant, staffed by Berea College students, with its famous spoonbread and fried green tomato salad.

Richmond and Berea are located along I-75 in central Kentucky 30 and 48 miles respectively southeast of Lexington, KY. Take I-75 south.