Major city · United States
HodgenvilleHodgenville, Kentucky
Come for one half-day: the Lincoln Birthplace site and the town square museum. Sleep in Bardstown or Elizabethtown, not here.
Hodgenville is a town of about 2,900 people in LaRue County, Kentucky, and it exists on the map for one reason: Abraham Lincoln was born on Sinking Spring Farm, 3 miles south of the square. The National Park Service site is free and takes 1.5–2 hours; the town museum takes an hour. There is almost nowhere to sleep, so most visitors drive in from Bardstown or Elizabethtown and leave the same day.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- USD
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity); ice and occasional snow Jan–Feb
- Airports
- SDF · LEX
- Nights
- 0–1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
- United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
- United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
- United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Hodgenville911 ▾
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Abraham Lincoln Birthplace NPS site+1 270 358-3137
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Hodgenville, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the US dollar (USD, $).United States-wide
- SIM or eSIMAT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.United States-wide
- Tap waterTap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.United States-wide
- TippingSit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.United States-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 120 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.United States-wide
- SafetyA quiet small town; the real risks are driving the two-lane roads at dusk, deer on the roadside…
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations.United States-wide
- Emergency numbers911 police, fire, ambulance · +1 270 358-3137 Abraham Lincoln Birthplace NPS site
- Sundays & holidaysFederal holidays close offices, banks and post offices; national parks stay open.United States-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportSDF Louisville Muhammad Ali International (About 1 h 15 min by car via I-65 and KY 61; the closest large airport.).
- Getting aroundYou need a car.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Coffee$2–4
- Museum or sight ticketBirthplace site entryFree
- Budget bedShort-term rental near the square, a night, per roomUS$120
- Mid-range bedSmall local motel room, a night, per roomUS$100
- High-end bedSmall local motel room, a night, per roomUS$140
A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$45 · Mid US$80 · High US$150
Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- SDF Louisville Muhammad Ali International (About 1 h 15 min by car via I-65 and KY 61; the closest large airport.) · LEX Blue Grass Airport, Lexington (About 1 h 30 min by car; useful if you are coming from the east.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
Feb
Avoid
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
Mar
not flagged
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
Apr
Best
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
May
Best
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
Jun
not flagged
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
Jul
Avoid
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Aug
Avoid
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Sep
Best
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
Oct
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Nov
not flagged
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
Dec
not flagged
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
Best: Apr–May, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jan–Feb, Jul–Aug. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)), coolest Jan (−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C) low), wettest May (12 rain days), driest Sep (8). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Hodgenville: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C)
10 rd
Feb
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
−2°C (28°F)28°F (−2°C)
9 rd
Mar
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
11 rd
Apr
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
11 rd
May
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
12 rd
Jun
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
10 rd
Jul
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
11 rd
Aug
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
9 rd
Sep
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
8 rd
Oct
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
8 rd
Nov
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
10 rd
Dec
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
−2°C (28°F)28°F (−2°C)
11 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
You need a car. The birthplace site is 3 miles south of the square on US 31E/KY 61, and the Knob Creek boyhood home is about 10 miles northeast of it. There is no useful public transport between them; a taxi or rideshare from town is possible but unreliable, so plan to drive yourself.
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Door to door: About 45 min
US 31E northeast, about 40 min by car
Best base for the area; bourbon distilleries and a walkable old town.
Door to door: About 30 min
KY 61 northwest to I-65, about 25 min by car
Chain hotels and interstate services; the practical place to sleep.
Door to door: About 50 min
US 31W north via I-65, about 45 min by car
The base is active military; the Patton Museum and public areas have their own rules — check before going.
Door to door: About 50 min
US 68 east, about 45 min by car
Small college town; only worth the drive if you are heading that way anyway.
Door to door: About 1 h 20 min
US 31E north to I-65, about 1 h 15 min by car
Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep there instead.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Hodgenville town square
One small motel and a couple of short-term rentals; book weeks ahead or you will be driving.
Bardstown
About 40 min northeast on US 31E; the best base for this area, with far more beds and food.
Elizabethtown
About 25 min northwest via KY 61 and I-65; chain hotels right off the interstate.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- $45–70 excl. bed
- Mid
- $70–120 excl. bed
- High
- $120+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Chain hotel in Elizabethtown or Bardstown1 × 1 night × US$130 | US$130 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$80 | US$160 |
| Rental car, one day1 × US$70 · check | US$70 |
| Fuel, about 100 km of local driving1 × US$12 | US$12 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15 | US$30 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | US$40 |
| Trip total≈ US$221 per person per day, bed included | US$442 |
2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax is added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee | $2–4 |
| Fast-food burger meal | $8–12 |
| Local hamburger and a sideCash-friendly small-town counters. | $8–14 |
| Pizza, one large | $14–22 |
| Lincoln Jamboree reserved seatSaturday nights; free weekend campsites with electricity for customers — check. | $8 |
| Birthplace site entry | Free |
| The Lincoln Museum entry | check |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- The birthplace site closes at 4:45 pm most of the year and 6:45 pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day: arrive by early afternoon.The birthplace site closes at 4:45 AM pm most of the year and 6:45 AM pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day: arrive by early afternoon.
- Knob Creek is a separate unit 10 miles away with daylight-only hours and no staffed visitor centre: check before you drive out.
- LaRue County was dry; Hodgenville voted wet in 2018, so alcohol is sold in town but not everywhere in the county.
- Cell coverage is fine in town but patchy on the back roads toward Knob Creek.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 911
- Abraham Lincoln Birthplace NPS site
- +1 270 358-3137
Pocket card
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HodgenvilleHodgenville, Kentucky
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
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To this address, pleaseTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Abraham Lincoln Birthplace NPS site+1 270 358-3137
Embassy
No embassies here; the nearest consulates are in Chicago or Atlanta, and most visitors deal with their embassy in Washington, DC.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Rental car, one day: $45–110 plus fuel (check)
- Fuel, Hodgenville → Bardstown and back: about $8–12
- Lincoln Jamboree seat: $8, reserved
Say or show
- Where is the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace? — Where is the birthplace site?
- Is there an entry fee? — Is it free?
- How far is the boyhood home? — How far is Knob Creek?
- Do you take cards? — Can I pay by card?
- Where is the nearest hotel? — Where is the nearest hotel?
Small-town services close early; fill the tank and buy water before you head to Knob Creek.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Hodgenville. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Apr–May, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity); ice and occasional snow Jan–Feb · month by month →
- 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 5 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for SDF: last sensible drive times, rental-car desks, and a Bardstown fallback if Hodgenville beds are full.
- Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Lincoln Square, the birthplace site, and the Knob Creek unit.
- Place pages with verified hours for the birthplace site, Knob Creek and The Lincoln Museum, plus eat pages with last orders.
- Hostile-arrival fixtures for late flights into SDF and for winter ice on KY 61.