Why visit Berea
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 38 places to eat, 11 places to stay and 8 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Boone Tavern and Lincoln Hall, Berea College.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 29°F.
Weather in Berea
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Berea
Berea is a home rule-class city in Madison County, Kentucky, in the United States. The city is best known for its art festivals, historic restaurants and buildings, and as the home to Berea College, a private liberal arts college. The population was 15,539 at the 2020 census. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in Kentucky, having increased by 27.4% since 2000.
From the Wikipedia article Berea, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do8
Museums and landmarks4
Boone Tavern
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Hotel in Berea, United States of America
Lincoln Hall, Berea College
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
National Historic Landmark at Berea College, Berea, Kentucky
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Louisville and Nashville Railroad Passenger Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic railway station in Berea, Kentucky, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes38
Cracker Barrel
Diner · American · 1.7 mi
101 McKinney Drive, Berea
Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea Cafe & Grill
Cafe · Sandwich, Burger, Salad, Regional · 1.1 mi
Mo-Su 09:30-16:00
Mariachi's Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.6 mi
780 Chestnut Street, Berea
Yamato
Restaurant · Japanese · 1.8 mi
103 Brenwood Street, Berea
Main Street Cafe
Restaurant · 1.2 mi
110 North Main Street, Berea
26 more on the map.
History
The history of Berea is tied with the history of Berea College, which was founded in 1855. The Berea railway station was created in 1882 as part of the Kentucky Central Railroad, and later the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N). Berea was formally incorporated by the state assembly in 1890.
In April 1996 a tornado went through the city, causing damage to about 800-1000 homes, with 20 percent of those being destroyed.
From the History section of Berea, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay11
Churches and places of worship18
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging12
Schools, colleges and libraries14
Healthcare5
Map of Berea
120 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 29°F | 3.7 in | 0.7 in |
| Feb | 51°F | 32°F | 3.8 in | 0.2 in |
| Mar | 60°F | 39°F | 4.3 in | 0.4 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 48°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 78°F | 57°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 64°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 67°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 66°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 60°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 49°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 40°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 49°F | 33°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Berea College Hcn (1 mi away), rain and snow from Richmond State Police, NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Madison County has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-09-01: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2025-04-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-16: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-04-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Blue Grass Airport (LEX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 35 miles away.
- Richmond 10 mi north, about 16 min by car
- Brodhead 15 mi southwest, about 23 min by car
- Crab Orchard 15 mi southwest, about 24 min by car
- Lancaster 16 mi west, about 26 min by car
- Mount Vernon 16 mi south, about 26 min by car
- Irvine 19 mi northeast, about 31 min by car
- Stanford 20 mi west, about 33 min by car
- McKee 20 mi southeast, about 32 min by car
- Nicholasville 26 mi northwest, about 41 min by car
- Lexington-Fayette 32 mi north, about 52 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Berea Kentucky City Hall, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Djuan Trent Miss Berea Area 2011 Speaking at the Podium, Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Winners of the Miss Berean Area Pageant 2011 (cropped), Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Djuan Trent Miss Berea Area 2011 with Chad Hembrey, Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Jenna Day - Miss Berean Area Pagent 2011 (6), Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Djuan Trent Miss Berea Area 2011 with Bob, Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Jenna Day - Miss Berean Area Pagent 2011 (5), Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Jenna Day - Miss Berean Area Pagent 2011 (1), Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Djuan Trent Miss Berea Area 2011 at Podium, https://www.flickr.com/people/chadhembree/, CC BY 2.0
- Jenna Day - Miss Berean Area Pagent 2011 (3), Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Jenna Day - Miss Berean Area Pagent 2011 (2), Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Djuan Trent Miss Berea Area 2011 Raising Hand, Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Djuan Trent Miss Berea Area 2011 Listens, Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Djuan Trent Miss Berea Area 2011 Swap, Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Djuan Trent Miss Berea Area 2011 Singing, Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Jenna Day - Miss Berean Area Pagent 2011 (4), Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Djuan Trent Miss Berea Area 2011 Smiling, Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Djuan Trent Miss Berea Area 2011 Chat, https://www.flickr.com/people/chadhembree/, CC BY 2.0
- Djuan Trent Miss Berea Area 2011 Listening, https://www.flickr.com/people/chadhembree/, CC BY 2.0
- Djuan Trent Miss Berea Area 2011 Sings, Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Winners of the Miss Berean Area Pageant 2011, Chad Hembree from Berea, KY, US, CC BY 2.0
- Near New Auto Center, 200 Richmond Road North, Berea, Kentucky - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- DraperHallBerea, Parkerdr, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buildings of the Berea College in Kentucky, PublicDomainFan08, CC0
- Berea Visitor Center, Parkerdr, CC BY 2.5
- BooneTavernBerea, Parkerdr, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Near New Auto Center - December 2023 - Sarah Stierch, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- ISS052-E-12172 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS038-E-22489 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS052-E-12173 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Gymnosporangium cornutum (62), John Abrams, CC BY 4.0
- Gymnosporangium cornutum (61), John Abrams, CC BY 4.0
- Honor of John B. Fenn, Chase Bohannon, CC0
- Pendulum (Chase Bohannon), Chase Bohannon, CC0
- Kentucky Artisans Center - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 03, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Kentucky Artisans Center - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 01, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Kentucky Artisans Center - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 02, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- PXL 20241125 174548338 (54519411006), Chase Bohannon, CC0
- Boone Tavern Hotel - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 01, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- For Mountain Youth historical marker, Nyttend, Public domain
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