Discover Somerset

Somerset offers several distinct ways to plan your trip: public art and culture in the city center, recurring events, and water sports on Lake Cumberland. Parks and an inclusive play area add to the recreational options. When planning your stay, you can first decide whether you’d rather explore the city center, plan around an event date, or focus on activities on the water.

Culture and Public Art in the City Center

Fountain Square Park is in the center of Somerset. A fountain is its focal point, and the park is also a cultural gathering place.

Historical City Planning

In 1801, city planners in Somerset recognized the need for a distinct city center as an open space for rallies, parades and other events.

The Mural Trail invites you to discover a diverse selection of murals in the city center. The locations of most of the murals are marked on the interpretive Walk Somerset map panels throughout the city center. This lets you make public art the focus of your exploration and use the marked locations to find your way.

Walk Somerset was planned as a self-guided tour with 24 historical information panels and location maps. It was intended to offer insights into Somerset’s history, culture and development, as well as highlight city parks and public art. This planned format differs from specifically seeking out the mural locations: the tour is designed to give a broader view of different aspects of the city.

Events in the City Center

Somernites Cruise takes place in the city center of Somerset on the fourth Saturday of every month from April through October. If you’d like to plan your trip around this date, check the current event calendar before you arrive. This will help you match your travel dates to the recurring event.

Another event venue in the city center is The Virginia. It hosts live music, comedy, classic movies and organized events. The program may change, so if you’re interested in a particular type of event, check the current schedule in advance. Together, Somernites Cruise and The Virginia offer different reasons to plan your stay around an event rather than solely around a visit to downtown.

Water Sports and Outdoor Recreation

Associated with Somerset, Lake Cumberland offers opportunities for sailing, water skiing, tubing and wakeboarding. The lake covers 63,000 acres of water. This gives you a distinct on-the-water focus alongside the culture and events of the city center. Providers and schedules may change, so check current details if you’re planning a specific activity.

The parks also offer a variety of ways to spend time outdoors. Somerset Parks & Recreation offers parks with walking and running trails, playgrounds, shelters and athletic fields. Depending on your interests, you can focus on exercise, play or sports. Individual facilities and programs may change, so it’s worth checking the current information if you have a specific plan.

The Miracle Museum is an inclusive play area in the city center of Somerset, designed to accommodate physical, sensory and social needs. Compared with the broader range of park amenities, it is a dedicated play space with an expressly inclusive focus. Somerset therefore offers a range of recreational options, each with its own distinct focus.

A Driving Tour Around Somerset

Nearby, a ten-stop driving tour developed by the Mill Springs Battlefield Association starts at the visitor center of Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument. It offers a different way to explore than the attractions in the city center: the focus here is a drive with several stops. If you’d like to explore beyond the city center, the tour makes for a distinct day out; it starts at the visitor center.

Discover more destinations: Burnside

Return to the main travel overview: Pulaski.