For local readers of Southern Living magazine, something familiar likely jumped off the pages of the April 2024 edition.
On Page 69, nestled between a short feature about the venerable (Louisville) Brown Hotel’s signature dish (the hot brown) and another about the bluegrass heritage of the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center, Henderson was listed as No. 8 in the Top 10 “Best Small Towns” in Kentucky along with Bardstown, Berea, Paducah, Danville, Grand Rivers, Frankfort, Newport, Paris and Richmond.
In an accompanying short sidebar labeled “Best BBQ Joint,” our Thomason’s Barbecue was listed as No. 2 in Kentucky just behind Owensboro’s Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn.
Other barbecue establishments ranked behind Thomason’s were Feast BBQ (Louisville), Old Hickory Bar-B-Que (Owensboro), Starnes Bar-B-Q (Paducah), Harned’s Drive-In (Paducah), Blue Door Smokehouse (Lexington), R&S BBQ (Tompkinsville), Knoth’s Bar-B-Que (Grand Rivers) and Red State BBQ (Lexington).
It wasn’t the first time Southern Living has taken note of Thomason’s. In a 2016 story titled “10 Kentucky Must-Visit Barbecue Joints,” for example, the Atkinson Street restaurant came highly recommended, making note of the pork and mutton in “tangy dip.” Of course, locals would advise first-timers not to even think about skipping the barbecue baked beans.
This year’s bits about the Bluegrass State are included in the magazine’s April cover story titled “The South’s Best 2024.” It’s their eighth-annual publication of this poll.
There is a spread for each southern state from Alabama to West Virginia totaling 72 pages of travel ideas if a case of wanderlust, along with a little spring fever, is cropping up right about now.
The staff conducted an online survey last July and August to reach their conclusions, and they reported that more than 20,000 SL readers responded with their thoughts on such things (in addition to “Best Small Towns” and “Best BBQ Joint”) as “Best Dive Bar,” “Best Banana Pudding,” “Best Scenic Trail,” “Best Cuban Sandwich,” “Best Snorkeling Spot,” “Best Music Venue,” “Best Tea Room,” “Best Gumbo” and more. Obviously, some categories are tailored toward specific southern states.
The magazine says: “And while we’re always excited to showcase bustling cities on the rise and charming small towns, we also hoped to recognize beloved gems that might be tucked away on side streets or along back roads.”
There’s also a second piece, “The South’s Best Cities on the Rise,” that features 25 hot destinations for “flourishing downtowns and burgeoning food scenes.” Bowling Green landed on that list at No. 7 as the sole Kentucky city mentioned on the list.
Abby Dixon, executive director of Henderson Tourist Commission, said she had no advance warning that 42420 would be mentioned in the April issue.
But she added that Henderson has been mentioned previously in this particular annual magazine feature and it’s always good for tourism.
“I think Southern Living is a staple publication for people to turn to for travel inspiration,” she said. “They have spent decades uncovering hidden gems for their readers to have the authentic southern experience.”
