Prestonsburg, Kentucky travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Prestonsburg is a city and the county seat of Floyd County in Daniel Boone Country.

5 sights · 2 things to do · 1 places to stay

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Prestonsburg

Middle Creek Battlefield

The Confederate forces were always poking around trying to stir things up until this battle finally erupted just to the west of present day Prestonsburg, pitting future President James Garfield against Confederate Brig. …

Country Music Highway

Hwy 23 is designated the Country Music Highway. You can travel its entire length from Pikeville to Ashland, but a good segment is between Prestonsburg and Paintsville where the Kentucky Opry (see Do section) and Loretta …

East Kentucky Science Center & Planetarium

Planetarium and natural science exhibits.

West Prestonsburg Bridge

Nice rainbow arch bridge.

1958 Bus Crash Site

Scene of a horrific bus crash where a school bus impacted a tow truck and then catapulted into the freezing Levisa Fork where it was carried away and submerged, resulting in the loss of 26 people, mostly children.

Mountain Arts Center Studios

This is where a troupe keeps the bluegrass, country, and gospel spirit alive with a song.

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 86°F; winter lows dip to about 21°F. Wettest: May and Jul. (climate data from nearby Natural Bridge State Park)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
HTS Tri-State Airport / Milton J. Ferguson Field, Huntington — 50 mi away. Directions
CRW Yeager Airport, Charleston — 80 mi away. Directions
CVG Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport, Cincinnati / Covington — 141 mi away (major hub). Directions

The remoteness will probably require you to drive here over long stretches of curvy Appalachian roads. Hwy 23 is the main roadway that accesses this area known as the Big Sandy Valley River Valley.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 2-day itinerary

Day 1

Morning East Kentucky Science Center & Planetarium, West Prestonsburg Bridge
Afternoon 1958 Bus Crash Site, Jenny Wiley State Resort Park

Day 2

Morning Middle Creek Battlefield, Mountain Arts Center Studios
Afternoon Country Music Highway

Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.

Food for you

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Map

Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.

Understand

Prestonsburg was the site of the biggest Civil War battle in eastern Kentucky, at a place called Middle Creek. Even though it's only 14 miles from the next county seat over, Paintsville, in these Appalachian hills the little towns feel rather isolated, and the inhabitants are holding on as their economic mainstay, coal mining, is fading away.

Get in

The remoteness will probably require you to drive here over long stretches of curvy Appalachian roads. Hwy 23 is the main roadway that accesses this area known as the Big Sandy Valley River Valley.