It’s pretty easy to see why Lexington is a great college town. Nestled in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region, Lexington has the amenities of bustling city, wrapped in small-town charm and surrounded by rolling hills and beautiful horse farms. Lexington is also within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the country’s population, making it an ideal college location that’s not too far away from home.

The north end of UK’s campus is just minutes away from the heart of downtown Lexington. Downtown you’ll find a variety of restaurants and local eateries specializing in everything from Southern-style home cooking to sushi and all cuisines in between. Many local establishments honor the UK Plus Account, UK’s debit account program tied to student ID cards.

UK students also enjoy Lexington’s thriving arts scene. Monthly gallery hops, Broadway touring company performances at the Lexington Opera House and all types of fairs and festivals entertain students and locals alike. Another favorite locale is the historic Kentucky Theater. The Kentucky is famous for its midnight showings of cult classics like Rocky Horror Picture Show and shows a recent favorite at midnight to close out K Week, UK’s welcome week for new students.

Want to see national recording artists? Lexington has great venues to catch a show. Rupp Arena is where college basketball was perfected. But hoops aren’t the only thing that’s on stage there – concerts and comedians make Rupp Arena one of the most frequent stops on any trip to Lexington. UK’s own Student Activities Board hosts big name performers and musicians on campus twice a year with their Homecoming and spring concerts in Memorial Coliseum.

The real stars of Lexington, though, are Kentucky Thoroughbred horses. There’s a reason Lexington is known as the horse capital of the world. In 2010, the Kentucky Horse Park hosted the World Equestrian Games, the first time the games had been outside of Europe, and each October and April live racing season at Keeneland Race Course is a favorite UK student tradition.

And once you’ve earned your UK degree, you don’t have to leave the city. Lexington is not just a great college town; it’s a great life town and has the rankings to prove it. Forbes Magazine named Lexington the best city for finding a job in 2011. Other publications have noticed, too, naming Lexington one of the best cities for families, a best community for young people and a top 10 city for the future.