In August, I packed up the car, brought Murphy along, and headed out to explore a little more of Indiana and Kentucky. I love finding towns I've never visited, walking through historic downtown areas, photographing interesting buildings, and seeing what I discover along the way.
This trip took me through Franklin and Madison, Indiana, before heading into Kentucky, where I spent some time around Williamsburg and visited Cumberland Falls.
Exploring Franklin, Indiana
Franklin was a fun town to explore with my camera. I spent some time walking around downtown, checking out the historic buildings, colorful storefronts, and little alleyways.
The Artcraft Theatre was one of my favorite buildings to photograph. I love old theater marquees, especially ones that have been preserved. The architecture around downtown was beautiful, too.
I also found some colorful murals, hanging decorations, and interesting details tucked between the buildings. These are the kinds of things I enjoy finding when I visit a new town.
Historic Madison, Indiana
Madison was another stop on my Indiana travels, and I really enjoyed photographing its historic downtown.
Located along the Ohio River, Madison has beautiful older buildings, decorative storefronts, churches, and plenty of character. I could spend hours walking around towns like this, looking at the architecture and finding different angles to photograph.
I especially liked the colorful murals and the little details that make these older downtown areas interesting. Madison has a lot of history, and you can see it in the buildings throughout town.
It's definitely a place I'd enjoy exploring again.
Heading Into Kentucky
From Indiana, my travels continued into Kentucky, with Williamsburg as part of the trip.
One of the things I enjoy about road trips is being able to explore different areas without having every stop planned out. I like taking the scenic route when I can, stopping to take photographs, and finding places I might otherwise drive right past.
Of course, Murphy was along for the adventure. He gets to explore new places with me, and I always enjoy having him as my travel companion.
Visiting Cumberland Falls
One of the highlights of this trip was visiting Cumberland Falls State Resort Park near Corbin, Kentucky.
I've always loved waterfalls, so I was excited to see this one.
Cumberland Falls is often called the Niagara of the South, and it's easy to see why. The waterfall stretches across the Cumberland River, with water rushing over the rocks into the gorge below.
I spent some time photographing the falls from the overlooks and enjoying the scenery. The surrounding forest and rock formations make it a beautiful area to explore.
Murphy came along here, too, and I had to get a photo of him at the Cumberland Falls sign.
I'd love to return to this area and spend more time hiking and exploring the trails.
More Small Towns and Road Trips Ahead
I'm always looking for new places to explore, especially small towns with historic architecture, interesting downtown areas, murals, and nearby places to hike.
This August trip gave me a little of everything — colorful Indiana towns, beautiful old buildings, some new scenery in Kentucky, and a waterfall to photograph.
And, of course, another adventure with Murphy.
I'm slowly catching up on sharing photographs from my 2026 travels, and I have plenty more places and adventures to share.
Photography & travels by Dawn Bergeron
