Login

Cart

Your cart is empty

Article: Things to Do in Somerset, KY — The Capital of Lake Cumberland

Things to Do in Somerset, KY — The Capital of Lake Cumberland

Things to Do in Somerset, KY — The Capital of Lake Cumberland | Somerset Candle Co.

Somerset, Kentucky · Lake Cumberland Tourism

Things to Do in Somerset, KY — The Capital of Lake Cumberland

From glassy morning water to downtown neon, Somerset offers experiences that light up every sense. We'd know — we've built scents around all of them.

Somerset Candle Co. · Lake Cumberland Guide · Updated 2025

Somerset, Kentucky sits at the heart of something rare — over 1,255 miles of freshwater shoreline, ancient forests, a thriving downtown, and a community that has a thing for cars, bourbon, and candlelight. We call it the Capital of Lake Cumberland, and if you've never been, you're overdue.

At Somerset Candle Co., every scent we pour is rooted in this place. The leather and amber of 1798. The bold, roasted warmth of Baxter's Coffee. The smooth cedarwood and sandalwood of Somer Santal drifting off the lake at golden hour. These aren't just candles — they're souvenirs of a place worth visiting. So here's your guide to making the most of it.

10 Experiences · Somerset & Lake Cumberland
01
On the Water

Boat, Fish, and Explore Lake Cumberland

Lake Cumberland is one of the largest lakes in the eastern United States, stretching across more than 1,255 miles of shoreline and dropping to depths that hold trophy-class striped bass, crappie, largemouth bass, and catfish. Known internationally as the Houseboat Capital of the World, the lake draws visitors who spend entire weeks navigating its coves by water — waking to sunrise over the ridge line and falling asleep to the sound of gentle waves. Local marinas offer boat rentals, pontoons, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards for visitors of every experience level.

Whether you're fishing dawn to dusk or cruising to one of the lake's 70+ hidden waterfalls, a day on Lake Cumberland is the defining Somerset experience.

🕯️
Bring the lake home. Our Somer Santal Candle — cedarwood, sandalwood, and amber — was inspired by Lake Cumberland evenings. Light it and you're back on the water.
02
Downtown Culture

Somernites Cruise — Car Cruise Capital of Kentucky

Every fourth Saturday from April through October, downtown Somerset transforms into one of the most celebrated car cruise events in the South. Thousands of classic cars, hot rods, and muscle cars line the streets for Somernites Cruise, a free, family-friendly gathering that draws enthusiasts from across the country. Vintage Chevelles, restored Mustangs, and everything in between roll through Fountain Square while local restaurants buzz and live music fills the air.

It's not just an event — it's a ritual. The kind that makes a town feel alive. View the full 2025 schedule at lctourism.com →

🕯️
The spirit of 1798. Downtown Somerset's leather, history, and warm nights inspired our 1798 Candle — our most beloved scent. A signature worth taking home.
03
Family Fun

SomerSplash — Kentucky's #1 Waterpark

Spanning 20 acres on the south end of Somerset, SomerSplash Water Park is one of the most popular summer destinations in Kentucky. The park features a massive wave pool, a long lazy river, a zero-depth kiddie splash zone, and an adrenaline-fueled lineup of slides including a speed slide, bowl slide, tube slide, and body slide complex. Open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, it's the summer anchor for families visiting Lake Cumberland.

SomerSplash also hosts private events and birthday parties throughout the season. Learn more at lctourism.com →

04
Outdoor Adventure

Hike and Camp in the Daniel Boone National Forest

Somerset borders one of the most spectacular wild landscapes in Appalachia. The Daniel Boone National Forest spans more than 700,000 acres of rugged terrain, ancient sandstone arches, towering cliffs, and over 600 miles of hiking, horse, and mountain biking trails. KY-192 west of Somerset cuts directly into the heart of the forest, passing Laurel River Lake and connecting to the legendary Red River Gorge Geological Area.

Day hikers, backpackers, rock climbers, and equestrians all find their version of wild here. The forest also borders Cumberland Falls, one of only two places in the Western Hemisphere where a Moonbow can reliably be seen on clear, full-moon nights.

🕯️
The woods in a vessel. Our Fireside Nights Candle with its natural crackling wooden wick was made for quiet forest evenings. Sustainably sourced wood, right down to the wick.
05
Festival Season

Master Musicians Festival

Every third weekend in July, Somerset hosts the Master Musicians Festival — a beloved, non-profit music event that has been bringing world-class artists to southern Kentucky for over 30 years. The festival has featured legendary acts including Willie Nelson, Wynonna Judd, Dwight Yoakam, The Counting Crows, and John Prine on its main stage. Held at Festival Field on Monticello Street, it's a multi-day celebration of music, community, and Kentucky summer.

Free admission for children under 12 and an atmosphere that's equal parts laid-back and alive, Master Musicians is the kind of festival you remember for years. View all Somerset festivals →

06
History

Battle of Mill Springs & Civil War History

Just west of Somerset lies the Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument, site of the first major Union victory in the western theater of the Civil War. In January 1862, approximately 10,000 soldiers clashed in the rolling hills of Pulaski County in a battle that turned the tide of Confederate Kentucky. Today the battlefield offers a 10-stop driving tour, a 14-marker interpretive hiking trail, and a Visitor Center and Museum with original Civil War artifacts on permanent display.

For history enthusiasts, it is one of the most immersive and undervisited Civil War sites in the nation.

07
Local Flavor

Downtown Dining, Breweries & Baxter's Coffee

Somerset's downtown food scene has quietly become one of the best in south-central Kentucky. Start your morning at Baxter's Coffee, a locally-owned roastery where every cup begins as a whole bean roasted in-house. Evenings fill up at Charred Oak, Urban Stillhouse, Birdies & Barrels, and Tipsy Toad, where live music plays weekly against a backdrop of craft cocktails and bourbon-forward menus. In Burnside, Guthrie's Grill offers lakeside dining with some of the best views on the water.

The downtown mural scene, the Virginia Theater, and small boutiques like Styled by Nat along with local favorites like Somerset Mercantile, The Gracious Table, and Worthy Weeds—round out a walkable, genuine small-city experience that never feels manufactured.

🕯️
Baxter's, in candle form. The bold, roasted depth of Somerset's favorite coffeehouse is captured in our Baxter's Coffee Candle — a scent that starts the day right.
08
On the Water

Watersports at Wake Cumberland

Wake Cumberland Watersports offers professional instruction and equipment for wakeboarding, surfing, and water skiing on Lake Cumberland — one of the most ideal inland bodies of water in the region for tow sports. Whether you've never been on a board or you're refining an advanced trick, the instructors on the water give visitors an experience that's hard to replicate anywhere else in Kentucky. Lessons are available for all ages and skill levels throughout the summer season.

Learn more about Lake Cumberland watersports →

09
Bourbon & Local Sips

Craft Bourbon Trail & Local Wineries

Somerset sits at the edge of Kentucky's bourbon heritage, and the Lake Cumberland Craft Bourbon Trail takes visitors through nine of the state's finest small-batch offerings in a single curated experience. Closer to home, Sinking Valley Winery and Cedar Creek Vineyard in Somerset provide beautiful settings for tasting local vintages. Haney's Appledale Farm — featured in Southern Living — adds a seasonal apple-picking and warm-pie dimension that defines Kentucky fall.

Explore wineries and breweries on Lake Cumberland →

🕯️
Pour yourself a scent. Our Cumberland Bourbon Trail Candle was built around this very experience — warm, complex, and unmistakably Kentucky.
10
Only in Somerset

Candle-Making Experience at Somerset Candle Co.

This one is personal. At Somerset Candle Co., we offer a hands-on candle-making experience where you'll pour your own custom candle using our premium coconut soy wax, choose from our curated fragrance blends, and leave with a vessel that's entirely yours. It's a two-hour sensory experience designed for couples, friend groups, corporate teams, and anyone who wants to take a piece of Somerset home in their own hands.

Our candles are available for pickup at Dream Market Shoppes, 178 US-27, Somerset, KY throughout the week — or shipped anywhere in the country. Every scent is hand-poured right here in the Capital of Lake Cumberland.

🕯️
Book your experience. Reserve your candle-making session → — a 2-hour experience you'll remember, and a candle you made yourself.
"Real life, unsalted on Lake Cumberland."
— Lake Cumberland Tourism, Somerset-Pulaski County CVB

A Town That Stays With You

Somerset is the kind of place that gets under your skin — not because it's trying to impress you, but because it's genuinely itself. It's Baxter's on a slow Tuesday morning and SomerSplash on a scorching July afternoon and the way the lake looks from General Burnside Island at dusk. It's car cruise Saturdays and the smell of bourbon in cool evening air and the sound of a crackling wooden wick from across the room.

At Somerset Candle Co., every candle we pour is an attempt to bottle that feeling and hand it to someone who needs it. Whether you live here, grew up here, or are visiting for the first time — there's a scent for where you've been and where you're going.

Come for the lake. Stay for the night.

Shop Scents Inspired by Lake Cumberland

Every fragrance we craft is rooted in Somerset, Kentucky — the lake, the land, the people, and the stories. Find yours.

Shop Signature Collection Book an Experience

Continue Reading

Candle Care
The Complete Guide to Wooden Wick Candle Care
Clean Ingredients
Why Coconut Soy Wax Is Worth It
Gift Guide
The Best Lake Cumberland Gifts for Every Occasion
Experiences
What to Expect at Our Candle-Making Experience

Written by Courtney Ikerd

Read more

$10 SHIPPING

Care & Attention

Top-notch support

Secure payments