Traveling to Paducah

We are a PROUD Partner of the Paducah Visitors Bureau! Check out their website before planning your visit to Ephemera Paducah and you’ll find all kinds of other fun stuff to do while you are here. Links to local hotels and restaurants, entertainment venues, and activities abound!

Read below about my favorites!

Lodging in Paducah

We love Auburn Place Hotels and Suites Paducah. Our visitors who have stayed here rave about the convenience (right off of Exit 4), breakfast is included and the people there are so. stinking. NICE! I think there are also cookies involved in their hospitality. Their large rooms work well for sharing. We are partnering with them for 2022 a little differently. We don’t have room holds for each workshop, but have a rate for our students as space is available. Call the hotel at 270-444-7667 and ask to make a reservation for the Ephemera Workshops. The code should be in their system, but if not, tell them it is code EWS when making their reservations. Sorry, but their system does not allow for online use of the code at this time. The rate is $84 per room, per night, plus tax. The reservations must be made by phone to get the rate.

There are AirB&Bs within walking distance of the studio I can highly recommend: Pinecone Retreat.  The Respite Bed & Breakfast is relatively new and about 7 blocks away and the Belle Louise, is just a few blocks away. Both have multiple rooms and could accommodate a small group. The closest chain hotel is one of our newest properties, the Holiday Inn Paducah Riverfront, about 9 blocks away.

In downtown Paducah, you will find a nice boutique hotel, the 1857 Hotel is a fun space and in the middle of all the cool downtown stuff — walking distance to bars and restaurants. I also appreciate that they showcase local artists’ work in their facility. Other downtown lodging options are the Foxbrier and various locations found on AirB&B.

We have about every hotel chain in Paducah so if you are “points loyal” you can find brands like Marriott Residence Inn, Hampton Inn, Drury Inn, La Quinta, and Comfort Inn & Suites. Visit the Paducah Visitor’s Bureau site for contact information. I’m also a Tripadvisor junkie when I travel. Check them out for reviews of Paducah properties.

Most of the reputable chains are located in the Mall area which is Exit 4 off of I-24. It is a straight shot to the studio and less than a 10-minute drive.

If you have a large group and would like to rent a house within walking distance, my friend, Chad Wilson would be the guy to call. He has a very large Victorian House in Lower Town that can sleep upwards of 7. Chad’s cell phone is 270-853-6972 and you can send him a text.

Above the Studio is The Loft. There are six beds in 3 bedrooms and two baths in this 2,500 s.f. apartment. If you have a group coming and would like to stay in The Loft, contact Kristin. This year we are housing our instructors in The Loft during workshops. We may open up other rooms/beds to students prior to class. If so, look for an email about 45 days out. However, if you are interested in staying in The Loft at times other than classes, reach out to Kristin.

Air Service (updated 5/3/22)

We do have commercial air service, although it is limited and will be changing soon. Currently, we have 2 flights a day on a 50-seat jet through Skywest a carrier for United. All flights go to/from Chicago O’Hare. However, this will be changing soon as we have been told we are losing this service. Possibly by Fall 2022.

For personal travel, my husband and I use the Paducah airport about half the time and the Nashville airport half the time. Nashville, TN is an easy 2-hour drive on I-24 and has many air service options.

Do you need a car?

If you fly into Paducah, I highly recommend renting a car. We are a small town and don’t enjoy the same options for public transportation as one has in larger cities. For about the same price as our taxi service, you can have much better reliability renting an economy car for tooling around town. There are places to stay within walking distance of the Studio, but grocery stores and restaurants might stretch the limits of where you would like to walk to after class. If you would like me to query the class about travel plans and possible ride sharing to/from Nashville or while you are in Paducah, I will. Please make your ride sharing arrangements prior to your workshop. 

If you choose to use a taxi service, Blue Dot is newer and I’ve heard reliable (270) 558-1234.  I recommend you arrange airport pickup the day prior to landing and the day before departing. I DO NOT recommend Chi’z Cabs.

Although Uber and Lyft will show up on your app, again, they are not the most reliable. Recently a student had car trouble on the way into Paducah and when she tried to get a ride into the studio was told it would be 45 minutes to an hour before anyone could pick her up.