For many quilters going to “Paducah” is a rite of passage. This charming city in northeast Kentucky is one of the best quilting hubs in the U.S. and has become known as “Quilt City USA.” This month is a prime time to visit during the American Quilt Society show, which kicks off next week, April 22-25, 2026.
I’ve been lucky to travel to Paducah often, making my 5th trip earlier this year. In January, I was in town for a special Quilts of Valor® award ceremony at the National Quilt Museum. As one of the quilters who made a quilt for QOVF’s “Countdown to America’s 250th Anniversary) exhibit, I was honored to award my quilt to an active duty service member. You can learn more about that special event here.
Previously, I’ve traveled to Paducah for 2 AQS shows and 2 other QOVF events. Through these visits, I have developed a growing list of must-do things while I’m there. I’ll share my favorites so to help you plan a fun trip to this vibrant, inspiring quilting capital.
How to Get There
Consider flying into Nashvill or St. Louis and drive. I typically fly into Nashville and rent a car for the 2 hour drive west on I-24 to Paducah. I’ve found this to be the most economical despite the travel because it’s cheaper to fly into Nashville than Paducah. It also gives me a good excuse to spend time in Nashville, so I usually plan an extra night there either on my way to or from Paducah.
I’ve also flown into St. Louis and driven to Paducah. The drive is almost 3 hours, but very pleasant and my flight was a great deal. I like to have a car in Paducah because the city is spread out. Plus, Paducah’s airport is 15-20 minutes outside of town. Paducah has a bus line, but I can’t vouch for it, nor the availability of ride shares (Uber, Lyft).
In my experience flying into either one of these large cities and renting a car is comparable or less than flying into Paducah and I've got the convenience of my own transportation. Just a thought!
Where to Stay
Hotels. Paducah has a lot of good lodging options. I’ve consistently had a good experience with lodging in Paducah. I’ve stayed at the Fairfield Inn and the Courtyard off Highway 4 as well as the Holiday Inn downtown. This last trip I treated myself to a room at 1857, an adorable boutique hotel downtown, within walking distance of the National Quilt Museum and downtown. The high ceilings, brick walls and dark woodwork were gorgeous. The cost of my room was comparable to the hotels I’ve stayed at off Highway 4.
Short-term rentals. Some of my quilting friends have stayed at short-term rentals in the area and had a great experience.
Campers. Another friend brought her camper and stayed at a lake within a 40 minute drive, enjoying her stay. The bonus? She had her sewing machine and could sew at night after the show!
Lodging During Quilt Week
It’s helpful to book lodging for this popular event months ahead. But if you want to travel last minute, don’t worry! You can still likely find lodging. The Paducah Convention and Visitor’s Bureau works with local hotels to regularly update a list of available rooms leading up to Quilt Week. You can find that info here.
Must-See Shops, Venues
I’ve got a list of a favorite shops I always visit when I am in town. Here's what have enjoyed:
Hancock’s of Paducah – One of the largest fabric stores in the U.S., Hancocks of Paducah boasts over 60,000 square feet of quilting fabric! The store was founded in 1969 by Rowland and Susan Hancock and has a special place in Paducah’s Quilting History. Each visit I find good deals and wonderful quilting treasures. I’ve also learned a few tips and tricks to maximize my visit:
- Plan enough time to visit. I like to plan 1-2 hours so I can really enjoy browsing.
- The fabrics in the store and online share the same sale. Look for sale bolts throughout the whole store. I’ve gotten some great deals on fabric during my trips.
- If you visit during AQS’ Quilt Week, try to arrive in town early and shop on Tuesday before the show starts. The crowds at the store increase significantly as the show goes on and many of the sale bolts are gone if you wait until later in the week. To the store staff’s credit, they are quick about getting everyone through the line, so the wait at the cut table and register will move faster than you think.
- Hancock’s will ship fabric home. You’ll just have to pay the shipping and your purchases will arrive home shortly after you do. This has been very helpful for some of my trips!
Backyard Fabrics, Mayfield, Kentucky - This charming shop is about 45 minutes southwest of Paducah. Located on the owner’s farm in a huge building filled with adorable quality quilting fabric at a great price. The shop is only open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday mornings, so you’ll want to plan your visit. But the trip and planning are well worth it! A bonus – the shop is not too far out of the way if you are headed West on 1-24 from Nashville. You can find store info here.
National Quilt Museum - If you are looking for some serious quilt inspiration, plan a visit to the National Quilt Museum. The museum exhibits offer a wide range of inspiration from well-known designers to talented new and experienced. Quilts shown are made after 1980, in line with the NQM’s focus on being a contemporary art museum. The museum often exhibits work from their community challenges, many of which are open to everyone. The museum also has a fun gift shop with quilt-themed gifts, fabric, patterns, and more.
Some of my favorite exhibits I’ve seen there were an exhibit from Charles Camron, Kaffe Fassett’s Birthday Exhibit, quilts made by kids in the museum’s youth education programs and of course QOVF exhibits. You can find out more info about the museum and their open quilt challenges here.
Downtown Paducah - Just across the street from the National Quilt Museum is Paducah’s downtown shopping area. These historic blocks boast some great restaurants, local art, and fun shopping just a few blocks from Paducah’s scenic wall with colorful murals depicting local history. Just behind the wall is the vast Ohio River. I always make a point to walk down to the river and enjoy the scenery.
My favorite gift shop downtown is Bricolage which offers fun quilting shirts, stickers, gifts, with the right amount of snark and humor.
Restaurants
If you eat in Paducah, you’ll eat well! Here’s a list of my favorite restaurants.
Downtown Paducah
- Stellas – Offers some good southern classics as well as steaks and seafood?
- Max’s Brick House Oven – Their pizza and pasta will be memorable. Bring a big appetite!
- Broussard’s – Their Cajun cuisine was divine! My husband and I enjoyed a huge meal with all our Cajun favorites and didn’t go away hungry.
- Kirchhoff’s Bakery – Established in 1873, Kirchhoff’s has been a mainstay of downtown for decades. Known for their luscious baked goods and lunch-time deli, it’s a great affordable stop for a treat or sandwich.
- Etc. Coffee – Next door to Kirchoff’s, Etc. serves up a great cup of coffee! You can get a plain cup of joe or try one of their seasonal coffee and latte’s as you browse the vintage clothing and home goods in the shop.
Other Favorite Eats
Patti’s Settlement – This is a new favorite from my most recent trip. The restaurant has 13 themed dining rooms, gift shops, and fun outdoor area to explore. Their claim to fame is their flowerpot bread (a large shareable yeast roll baked in a clay flowerpot) and strawberry butter and their delicious pork shops. I had their catfish which was fresh (no bottom feeder taste) and shared their delicious coconut cake with friends for dessert.
Patti’s Settlement reminded me of White Fence Farms in Denver, which was a large complex with the main restaurant, shops, activities for kids, and more. We visited just after Christmas, so it was fun to see all the lavish holiday decorations in the dining rooms and shops. We dined in the Trophy Room, complete with a large moose antler rack on the wall, so I felt right at home!
Patti’s Settlement is about 40 minutes southeast from Paducah. You’ll want to go early or make reservations ahead of time, especially during AQS Quilt Week.
You can find info about these area restaurants and more at the Paducah Convention and Visitors Bureau site here.
Quilt Week Tips
AQS Quilt Week is peak quilt time in Paducah. The city swells with over 50,000 show visitors each year. Despite the large number of visitors, Paducah and the AQS show remain accessible and easy to navigate during this time. Here are some key things that have helped me enjoy the shows more:
Park at the Convention Center. Parking is a minimal fee and easily accessible. There is usually enough parking.
Ride the shuttle between the Convention Center and “The Bubble.” The show is in two areas – the main convention center and an inflatable building a few blocks away called “The Bubble.” It’s hard to describe this temporary building, but it’s a huge tent-like building held up by air pumps. It’s cool to visit! You can walk between the main center and The Bubble, but it’s faster to ride the shuttle.
Use the shuttle buses from the hotels in town. Often there’s a shuttle bus that runs between the hotels off 1-24 and the AQS show downtown. These shuttles are convenient and relaxing if you don’t want to drive to the show.
Make dinner reservations ahead of time. It can be tricky to get a table at the downtown restaurants during the show. I recommend making reservations before you travel or earlier in the day.
Plan at least 2 days at the show. You’ll need that much time to see all the exhibits and do some fun shopping. Check out the classes, too, as Paducah is usually the premiere AQS show where many well-known quilters teach.
Wear comfortable shoes! This is a must as you’ll spend a lot of time on your feet.
Enjoy the traditional Strawberry Shortcake served at Quilt Week! Usually, the local Boy Scouts have a booth with some yummy strawberry shortcake available. There will be other food trucks offering many options as well. And you can always pack a lunch and enjoy it in the outside eating area if needed.
I won’t make it to this year’s Quilt Week, but I know there are more trips to Paducah in my future. I hope these tips help inspire you to visit this wonderful city. Let me know, too, if you’ve visited Paducah and what some of your favorite tips and places are!