1,495
trips planned today
4.7
out of 5
Trustscore rating
©

Horse Cave trip planner

Create a fully customized day-by-day itinerary for free
Itinerary planner
+ Add destination
2 adults
Adults
- +
Teens
- +
Kids
- +
Close
Trip PlannerUSA  /  Kentucky  /  Horse Cave

Horse Cave

4.3
Zoos · Caves
Horse Cave is a home rule-class city in Hart County, Kentucky, United States. Randall Curry currently serves as mayor of the city and is assisted by a city council that is composed of six members. As of the 2010 census, the population of Horse Cave was 2,311.HistoryThe town was settled by Major Albert Anderson in the 1840s. The landowner donated land for a Louisville and Nashville Railroad station in 1858 on the provision that it be named after nearby Horse Cave. The community around the station developed quickly, so that a post office was erected in 1860, and the city was formally incorporated by the state assembly in 1864.The cave for which the city is named is located on the south side of Main Street. Various explanations are given for its unusual name. One is that Native Americans or outlaws hid horses in the cave; another is that an early carriage may have lost a horse when it fell into the opening by accident; a third reason involves the 19th-century use of "horse" as slang for anything big or huge, related to a similar use of the Swedish hoss. The cave has also been known as "Hidden River Cave", for an underground stream located inside. That stream was used to power a dynamo, and for a while in the late 19th century Horse Cave was the only city in Kentucky apart from Louisville and Ashland to have electric lights. Around World War I, the only air-conditioned tennis courts in the world were located near the entrance of the cave. The stream also provided the town's water supply, but mistaken development caused raw sewage to seep into the water and forced the closure of the cave for fifty years. The stench was so bad in the 1960s that pedestrians typically crossed to the other side of Main Street rather than walk near the entrance and birds would sometimes fall from the sky. The problem has been largely solved in recent years.
Take a look at our United States trip builder to refine the details of your trip to Horse Cave.
Source
Create a full itinerary — for free!

Plan your trip to Horse Cave

  • Get a personalized trip
    A full day by day itinerary based on your preferences
  • Customize it
    Refine your trip. We'll find the
    best routes and schedules
  • Book it
    Choose from the best hotels and activities. Up to 50% off
  • Manage it
    Everything in one place. Everyone on the same page.

Where to stay in Horse Cave

Browse hotels, guesthouses, and unique homes and book your stay on the world's leading accommodation sites.
20 million rooms are at your fingertips!
2 adults
Adults (12 +)
- +
Children (2-11)
- +
Infants (Under 2)
- +
Close

Places to visit with Horse Cave

LouisvilleTrip planner Best for: Cave, Specialty Museum, Distillery LexingtonTrip planner Best for: Casino, State Park, Brewery Mammoth Cave National ParkTrip planner Best for: World heritage site, Cave, Hiking Trail Bowling GreenTrip planner Best for: Cave, Specialty Museum, History Museum FrankfortTrip planner Best for: Distillery, Government Building, Specialty Museum

Recently planned trips to Horse Cave

1 day in Horse Cave BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum 4 days in Horse Cave BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo The Glendale Antique Mall 5 days in Mammoth Cave National Park, Horse Cave & Louisville BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES Mammoth Cave National Park Horse Cave Louisville 2 days in Horse Cave BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES The Glendale Antique Mall Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum 1 day in Horse Cave BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo 3 days in Horse Cave BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo Mammoth Cave Campground 3 days in Horse Cave & Louisville BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES Horse Cave Louisville 1 day in Horse Cave BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo 4 days in Horse Cave BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo The Lincoln Museum 4 days in Mammoth Cave National Park & Horse Cave BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES Mammoth Cave National Park Horse Cave 3 days in Horse Cave BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum The Book Store 1 day in Horse Cave BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo The Book Store
See all trips