Downtown Corbin

Corbin, a small city in Kentucky's Daniel Boone Country, is the birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Understand

Corbin (population 7,900 in 2020) is a small community on US 25, the main north-south highway in the area before Interstate 75 opened in the 1950s.

Get in

By car, take Interstate 75 to US Route 25W.

Get around

Taxi services include Venture Cabs (+1 606-526-1211), Yellow Cab (+1 606 528-5055) and Tri-County Taxi (+1 606 523-8294).

See

Harlan Sanders Café

• 1 Harland Sanders Café and Museum, 688 U.S. Route 25W, North Corbin, ☏ +1 606 528-2163. 10AM-10PM. Former 1930s roadside café, once famous for country ham, steaks and fried chicken, heartily recommended by Duncan Hines Adventures in Fine Dining (1939). When Interstate 75 bypassed US 25 in 1956, killing local business, the Colonel took to the road to promote a franchise. The café is now a museum, the associated filling station and motel are gone. A modern KFC franchise is adjacent.  

Do

• 1 Laurel River Lake, Daniel Boone National Forest, 1700 Bypass Road, Winchester, ☏ +1 859 745-3100. Reservoir for boating, swimming, fishing and camping.  
• Sanders Park, 201 S. Main St.. City park's herb garden includes chives, oregano, tarragon and thyme. There's also a statue of the Colonel. :

• Sheltowee Trace Outfitters (10 miles from Corbin), toll-free: +1-800-541-7238. Canoe and white water rafting trips on the Cumberland River. A small campground is located on site. 

Buy

• Trademart Shopping Center, 1000 Cumberland Gap Pkwy (US 25E), ☏ +1 606 528-7635. 45-store mall anchored by JC Penney. 

Eat

There's more to Corbin than fried chicken; various chains (Applebee's, Arby's, Burger King, Dairy Queen, Domino's, Hardee's, Little Caesar, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Subway, Taco Bell, Wendy's) and a good selection of independent restaurants are represented locally.

• Seasons Restaurant, 313 S. Main St., ☏ +1 606 528-1298. Open for lunch Tu-F and dinner Th-Sa. $20-25. 

Drink

Corbin is a wet city that allows alcohol sales.

Sleep

• 1 Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, 7351 Hwy. 90 (21 miles from Corbin), ☏ +1 606 528-4121, toll-free: +1-800-325-0063. Fifty-one room historic DuPont Lodge with stone fireplaces, restaurant and meeting facilities, cabin rentals, cottages and campsites.  
• Holiday Inn Express, 1973 Cumberland Falls Hwy, ☏ +1 606 523-4000. 
• Econolodge, 1860 Cumberland Falls Rd, ☏ +1 606 528-8150. A former Days Inn. 
• Baymont Inn and Suites, 174 Adams Rd., ☏ +1 606 523-9040. 
• Hampton Inn, 125 Adams Rd, ☏ +1 606 523-5696. 
• Red Roof Inn & Suites Corbin, 1888 Cumberland Falls Hwy, ☏ +1 606 526-1400. 
• Knights Inn, 37 Highway 770, ☏ +1 606 523-1500. 
• Corbin Inn (Best Western), 2630 Cumberland Falls Hwy, ☏ +1 606 528-2100. 
• Corbin/Laurel Lake KOA, 171 East City Dam Road, ☏ +1 606 528-1534. A private camp in Corbin on the shore of Laurel River Lake. The campground has 93 campsites, ranging from primitive to full hook ups, with cabins available for rent. Many amenities and open year round. 

Go next

• Big South Fork National Recreation Area
• Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
• Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
• Daniel Boone National Forest

Routes through Corbin

Lexington ← London ←	N  S	→ Williamsburg → Knoxville
Lexington ← London ←	N  S	→ splits into and
merges onto ←	N  S	→ Jct W → Williamsburg → Knoxville
merges onto ←	N  S	→ Cumberland Gap → Newport