🌤 Weather at Waveland State Historic Site by season
| Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36–76 °F | 63–87 °F | 36–80 °F | 25–47 °F |
Each range runs from the coldest monthly average low to the warmest monthly average high in that season (1991-2020 climate normals), measured at Lexington Bluegrass Airport, 6 mi away, elevation 980 ft. Conditions at the park can differ from the station, especially where elevation differs — check a forecast before you go.
Waveland State Historic Site is a state historic site in Kentucky near Lexington in Fayette County. The 1848 Greek Revival mansion of Joseph Bryan, a grandnephew of Daniel Boone, is toured with its slave quarters, smokehouse and icehouse.
Quick Facts
| State | Kentucky |
| Nearest City | Lexington |
| County | Fayette County |
Location & Getting There
Waveland State Historic Site is located near Lexington, Kentucky. The park’s coordinates are 37.9713, -84.5372.
Things to Do
Waveland is a Greek Revival plantation house on the southwest edge of Lexington, finished in 1848 by Joseph Bryan, a grandnephew of Daniel Boone, and the reason to come is the guided tour. Tours run Wednesday through Saturday at 10, 11:30, 1, 2:30 and 4, and Sunday at 1, 2:30 and 4, and they do not stop at the parlor: the route takes in the three surviving outbuildings — slave quarters, smokehouse and icehouse — and Kentucky State Parks frames the story as “the everyday lives of the family and the enslaved people who lived and worked at Waveland in the 1850s.” Tickets are sold in the log-cabin gift shop.
The grounds ask for another hour. A quarter-mile Waveland Loop Trail crosses three footbridges past a spring, a pond, the stone footings of what were probably a springhouse and a grist mill, and a “faux cemetery” of genuine 19th-century headstones set up for teaching. The Lexington Garden Club keeps a perennial garden and an herb garden; there is also a learning garden and a hemp plot. Picnic tables, two charcoal grills and a playground sit on the lawn.
Best Time to Visit
April through October, when the house and gift shop are open Wednesday to Sunday; from November to March tours are by appointment only. Tea Tuesday runs most Tuesdays by reservation, with Christmas teas in December and a break until Valentine’s week. The Waveland Art Fair is on the lawn on September 12, 2026, and a vintage baseball game is among the park’s own “top five” — check the events calendar for dates. The grounds themselves are open dawn to dusk, seven days a week, except during special events or bad weather.
Visitor Tips
Tour prices as of September 2026: adults $15, seniors 62+, AAA, military and adult groups of 10 or more $12, children 6–12 $6, school groups $4 (arranged in advance). Walking the grounds, trail and gardens is not priced separately. Dogs are welcome outside on a leash under the statewide Kentucky State Parks policy, but not inside the house. Photographers need a day or annual photo pass from the gift shop, and no sessions are allowed during special events. There is no camping; the site is a day trip, and the big red barn and the mansion itself can be rented for weddings and reunions.
Waveland sits at 225 Waveland Museum Lane, Lexington, KY 40514; phone 859-272-3611. Hours, rates and events were verified at parks.ky.gov on September 2, 2026 — confirm tour times before you drive in, especially in winter.
Explore More Kentucky State Parks
Waveland State Historic Site is one of many outstanding state parks in Kentucky. Discover more parks in our Best State Parks in Kentucky guide, or use our Park Finder to search by activity, location, or features.
Wildlife & Nature
Waveland SHS — a 1847 Greek Revival mansion built by Joseph Bryan, a grandnephew of Daniel Boone. The estate provides a complete picture of antebellum Kentucky plantation life — including the enslaved workers’ quarters. The grounds’ gardens, forest, and meadows support songbirds and white-tailed deer.
Nearby Attractions
Lexington — adjacent — “Horse Capital of the World” (surrounding Bluegrass horse farms). Keeneland Race Course — 5 miles west. University of Kentucky — 3 miles east.
Keep exploring: The closest neighbors are Fort Boonesborough State Park (within about an hour’s drive) and General Butler State Park (within about an hour’s drive).
🐾 Dogs & Pets at Waveland State Historic Site
- Pets allowed? statewide rule
- Pets are welcome in most outdoor areas of Kentucky state parks but must be leashed in all public areas.
- Leash rule statewide rule
- Leash required in all public areas (official policy does not state a maximum length)
- Beaches & swim areas statewide rule
- Pets are restricted from beaches, nature preserves and some historic sites
- Cabins & lodging statewide rule
- Pet-friendly rooms and cabins available at select lodges for a $50-per-accommodation fee, max two pets, 80 lbs per pet
- Pet fees statewide rule
- No day-use pet fee; $50 pet fee per accommodation for lodging (undisclosed pets: $150 per incident)
- Statewide exceptions statewide rule
- Pets banned from State Nature Preserve trails at parks including John James Audubon, Natural Bridge, Cumberland Falls, Carter Caves and Pine Mountain
Are dogs allowed at Waveland State Historic Site?
Pets are welcome in most outdoor areas of Kentucky state parks but must be leashed in all public areas. Individual parks can post stricter rules — check signage on arrival.
Rules verified July 2026 via parks.ky.gov. More: Kentucky state parks guide · Dog rules in all 50 states compared
Park Location
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