Louisville
Kentucky Derby home: bourbon, bluegrass, and year-round entertainment
The largest city in Kentucky and the birthplace of Muhammad Ali and the Kentucky Derby is Louisville. Here, you may tour landmarks recognizing some of history’s biggest influencers, dine at award-winning restaurants, and sip some of the best spirits in the world along the Urban Bourbon Trail—all on the same day. In addition to offering genuine local experiences, Louisville extends its unique Southern friendliness to guests. Take a seat and stay for a while.
Louisville’s Aspirations to Glory
Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer, was born in Louisville. On the self-guided “Footsteps of Greatness” tour, see the Muhammad Ali Center, the boxing facility where he began his career, his childhood home, Cave Hill Cemetery, his burial location, and much more. Additionally, Colonel Harland Sanders, the man behind Kentucky Fried Chicken and a well-known citizen of Louisville, is laid to rest in Cave Hill Cemetery. The famed wooden Louisville Slugger baseball bat, another product of Louisville, is made by hand at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. The Frazier History Museum serves as both the gateway and the welcome center for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, a network of distilleries specializing in bourbon whiskey, the state’s most popular export. Visit Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace, Hodgenville, which is close by. Of course, visiting Churchill Downs, the site of the yearly Kentucky Derby horse race, and the Kentucky Derby Museum are essential to any meaningful visit to Louisville.
Louisville’s Cuisine and Drinks
With over 2,500 eateries—many of which are James Beard Award finalists—Louisville’s dining scene offers both sophisticated and international food. To truly experience Louisville, you need try a few local specialties. The Hot Brown sandwich comes first. This sandwich is served open-faced, topped with sliced turkey and bacon, and baked with a cheese-infused béchamel sauce called French Mornay. It was invented in 1926 at the Brown Hotel; try it there. After that, visit one of the pubs, eateries, or distilleries along Louisville’s Urban Bourbon Trail to sip on the official cocktail of the city, the Old Fashioned, which is made with bourbon. You can go exploring alone or with a guide. Prearranged excursions of the region’s breweries and distilleries are provided by Mint Julep Experiences; some of these tours include stops at nearby horse farms.
Complete with elegant homes spanning from 1880 to 1910, Old Louisville, a 45-block region, is the largest Victorian architecture district in the United States. Central Park, created by Frederick Law Olmsted, is also located there. The best way to see it all (and fill up your camera roll) is with a walking tour. Experience a trip down memory lane to the Belle of Louisville riverboat, which dates back to around 1914 and is the oldest of its kind still in service. A two-hour trip of the Ohio River allows you to take in the picturesque riverbank setting. Go across the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge at night to go to Jeffersonville, Indiana from Louisville Waterfront Park. The bridge was first built in 1895 as a railroad bridge and was given new life in 2013 when a plethora of vibrant lights were installed around its perimeter.