Harrods Hill - Lexington, KY

The land that Harrods Hill sits on was once vast farmland for breeding horses and growing crops. Houses in Harrods Hill were constructed between 1980 and 1997, during one of Lexington's boom periods. This residential neighborhood attracts those who want proximity to downtown and the airport.

The Aviation Museum of Kentucky lies just north of Harrods Hill at the Blue Grass Airport. This museum features exhibits and demonstrations designed to help explain the history and societal impacts that flight has had in the state of Kentucky.

Lexington has a very impressive arts scene as evidenced by the vast number of galleries, theaters, and festivals celebrating art and culture. The Art Museum at the University of Kentucky campus houses permanent exhibits showcasing styles including sculpture and photography. The Mayfest Arts Fair occurs annually in May and features artist's work in the literary, visual, and performing arts.

Restaurants in and around Harrods Hill cater to those looking for casual dining options. Breakfast lovers flock to Wild Eggs, while those searching for a family-friendly place for dinner choose fast favorites including Fazolis and Qdoba. Most of these and other options cluster along Harrodsburg Road or Man O War Boulevard within shopping complexes such as Palomar Center and Beaumont Centre Circle.

Beaumont Centre Circle houses a number of local restaurants, including the popular Bru Burger Bar. Bru creates masterpieces out of all-beef patties. Bru Burger, the house specialty, comes served with Taleggio cheese, bacon, tomato jam, caramelized onion, chopped lettuce, and mayonnaise. Those dining in claim the burgers to be some of the best in the city.

Sahara Mediterranean Cuisine sits across the street from Bru Burger Bar. The chicken shawarma and house-made cucumber salad remain favorites. Regulars suggest coming in early, as the kitchen operates like a home kitchen and can run out of the popular dishes before the dinner rush ends.

Those interested in karaoke drive up Harrodsburg Road to Mac's Karaoke Bar, which stays open nightly from 5:30 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. Music venues and high-end nightclubs can be found in downtown Lexington near the University of Kentucky campus. Lexington residents catch popular bands at Rupp Arena or Thursday Night Live.

Over 95 percent of Harrods Hill residents drive a personal vehicle or carpool to work. Those driving into downtown Lexington take Harrodsburg Road straight into the city center. New Circle Road, which encircles the city of Lexington, can also be reached via Harrodsburg Road. Interstate 75 can be accessed by following New Circle Road to Georgetown Road north. Those visiting Harrods Hill park along residential streets.

Some alternative modes of transportation remain available to locals in Harrods Hill. Residents utilizing public transportation rely on LexTran's affordable bus service. Bus stops sit along Harrodsburg Road to the east of Harrods Hill, and buses operate between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. during the workweek with limited hours on weekends. Taxi cabs and Uber both service this community.

Though the neighborhood setup encourages leisurely walks and bike rides, Harrods Hill remains car-dependent. Cyclists will find bike lanes along Fort Harrods Drive, Wellington Way, and Snaffle Drive.

Harrods Hill contains a number of parks and public spaces for residents to enjoy the outdoors. Harrods Hill Park sits within the neighborhood and features a basketball court, five soccer fields, multipurpose fields, a paved trail, a large playground, and a rentable picnic shelter. Further north of Harrods Hill sits Cardinal Run Park South, which covers over 50 acres and houses seven baseball fields, trails, and a playground. Parks operated by the city of Lexington remain free to use and dog-friendly. Those with dogs may prefer to drive to the three-acre Wellington Park dog park, which lies just south of Harrods Hill on Wellington Way.

Lexington hosts a number of annual festivals on park grounds. The ever-popular Fountain Films on Friday at Triangle Park in downtown Lexington occurs on select Friday evenings during the summer. Residents from all over the city pack a blanket and picnic dinner and head to the park to enjoy classic movies and friendly company.

The cost of living in Harrods Hill averages 30 percent higher than Lexington's city average and 25 percent higher than the national cost-of-living average. Housing remains the biggest factor influencing this high cost of living, and homeowners pay roughly 85 percent more on housing costs in Harrods Hill than most communities throughout the United States. While only a small portion of those living in the neighborhood rent, apartments in Harrods Hill are very affordable with one-bedroom apartments averaging about $593 a month.

Costs such as transportation, goods, and services remain constant throughout Lexington. LexTran's bus service costs riders $1 each way with free transfers, and gas prices sit at 10 percent less than the national average. Restaurants and bars charge reasonable amounts for quality food and beverages. A pint of domestic, local beer sets patrons back around $5.

The Palomar Center shopping complex lies to the south of Harrods Hill along Man O'War Boulevard. Locals find this conveniently-located shopping center to have a solid variety of goods and services, including a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market, CVS, and a sports apparel retailer. Other nearby shopping centers include Stonewall Center on Clays Mill Drive and the Mall at Lexington Green. For upscale shopping, locals head to the Fayette Mall on Nicholasville Road where name brands sold include Abercrombie, Christopher & Banks, and Michael Kors.

One of Lexington's most humane pet stores can be found on Harrodsburg Road. Most Valuable Pets, named the best single pet store in the county in 1996, sells locally-bred dogs, cats, fish, small mammals, and amphibians. This store provides amazing customer service from start to finish. Staff guide shoppers in finding the perfect pet to suit individual lifestyles. This one-stop-shop also provides grooming services and custom fish-tank consultations.

Harrods Hill residents live close to one of the city's best running stores. John's Run/Walk Shop in Palomar Center carries shoes and apparel for every type of runner from the beginner to those participating in marathons. John's posts upcoming races and clinics within the store, so anyone interested in joining a group should stop on by to check out the schedule.

Locals purchase groceries at the Wal-Mart in Palomar Center or the Kroger along Beaumont Center Lane. The Sahara International Grocery on Fieldstone Way caters to those looking for diverse food choices. The closest farmers market to Harrods Hill, the Lexington Farmers Market, opens every Saturday from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. during the spring, summer, and fall with limited winter hours. This market can be found downtown at Cheapside Park.