Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville, Kentucky, largest city of the Bluegrass State, is eclectic, weird, and unique. It is a city with great history, many famous and familiar inhabitants, and is often confused for the state’s capital. It isn’t, that’s Frankfurt. Not that Frankfurt, the other one. Blending some oddities and splendors of nature with some fantastic man-made enticements, Louisville is truly one of a kind, and we were happy to call it home for a while.

The Gateway to the South is as good as its name, bearing a semblance to its northern neighbors but sharing in some southern heritage and hospitality as well. It is a little bit of both worlds, which is what makes it so singular and special.

The first notable landmark in Louisville, at least when coming from the north or west, is the Ohio River which serves as the boundary of the city and state, separating it from Indiana. The river provides some great views and some water sports, though the Ohio is known as being a rather dirty waterway, both due to its tumultuous depths stirring up and carrying dirt, and because of litter.

Louisville, perhaps more than many other American cities, is split up into recognizable and distinct neighborhoods. The most visitable areas are the Highlands, Nulu, and the German Village. In these you can find many cafes and coffee shops, bars, pubs, unique shops, artwork, and entertainment. As you work your way south, and east, you can find more activities related to nature, like the chain of parks and the Kentucky knobs.

Louisville is accessible by car through the interstate highway system, by way of 65, 74, and 71. If you are driving, consult the table to the right for drive times.

If you are coming by plane you are going to be flying into Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. Muhammed Ali is a favorite son of the city, so you will be seeing that name a lot while here. The airport is basically in the middle of the city, south of downtown, and right off of highway 65, making it a great place to land and get moving, if you have things to do in the city itself.

From Indianapolis 2 Hours
From Chicago 5 Hours
From Cincinnati 2 Hours
From Nashville 3 Hours
From St Louis 4 Hours

The Big Four Bridge is a former railway across the Ohio River that has been converted to a pedestrian walkway. The bridge connects Louisville and Jeffersonville, IN across a quarter mile of water, and the bridge spans a full mile from tip to tip. It is a toll free, easy way to enjoy a walk in the city without worrying about traffic or streets, and it offers great views of the skyline and water.

Falls of the State Ohio Park is a great park on the north side of the Ohio river, making its name just a little more obtuse, as it is in Indiana. An interpretive center greets you as you approach the park, and entry to it is limited to those who pay the entrance fee. Parking elsewhere and walking to the park is free, and a walk through it and along the river is rewarding, as it is an unusual place. The water level on the banks of the Ohio changes drastically from time to time here, leaving the detritus of the river to be observed. Many fossils and shells can be seen in the bed and along its banks, and even in the woods around the river, making for an exciting time, if you’re into that kind of casual archeology. On the topic of limestone and fossils, both of these hard substances can be observed all throughout the less urban areas around Louisville. Limestone makes up a good portion of the Mammoth Caves, far south of Louisville, and is partially responsible for the geographical nature of the surrounding rural areas.

Located in the Nulu neighborhood, Red Tree is an eclectic and disorganized organization comprised of a little bit of everything. It is two stories with many rooms, an alley, and gifts, furniture, knick-knacks, and baubles that boggle the mind. We love this store and it is rare that you find a place offering such a wide array of household goods that isn’t dry, corporate, or stale. It is like an antique shop, but one that doesn’t smell old and with stuff you might actually want to buy. If nothing else, it’s always fun to walk inside and see what’s there.

The Louisville Zoo is exactly what you think it is, and is just as fun as every other zoo in an American metropolis. The zoo has been in operation continuously for over 50 years. Divided into 7 exhibition zones, the zoo displays many of the world’s most endearing animals and even features a Herpaquarium. Look it up, its pretty cool. Including the Herpaquarium, which is as fun to write as it is to say, the zoo boasts over 1,100 animals. We have seen tickets as low as $7.50 but the price varies on the time of year. Children under 3 can go for free.

Cave Hill Cemetery and Arboretum is a large cemetery in the heart of Louisville. Aside from being a peaceful resting place for the citizens of Kentucky, it is also a beautiful and manicured walking park featuring some charming and graceful architecture in the form of headstones and statues. Cave Hill is home to some notable names, such as the Colonel himself, Harlan Sanders and Louisville’s own Muhammed Ali. There are some lesser known but still famous names like Nicola Marshall and George Rogers Clark there as well. It is a beautiful place to walk, learn, and remember.

The Louisville Mega Cavern is one of those attractions that you have to be aware of before you go, or you won’t ever know it is there. This massive, 370,000 square foot expanse in home to Jeep tours, zip lines, guided tours, a bike park, and a seasonal Christmas light drive, as well as storage facilities for commercial use. For decades the cavern was limestone quarry, but after the natural resource had been removed a huge space that remained mostly the same temperature and humidity year-round remained. Backfilled with nearly 1 million truckloads of recycled dirt, brick, and other materials to create a commercial space, the Mega Cavern is both the largest recycling center in the state, as well as, technically, its largest building. Located under the Louisville Zoo and the Watterson Expressway, it is easy to get to and fun to visit.

Bernheim Arboretum and Forest is a free (donations encouraged) arboretum and nature area, and is a joy to explore. Featuring miles of delightful and easy paths, Bernheim is a great way to spend a few hours enjoying the natural Kentucky landscape. It is also the home of three giants, the work of Thomas Dambo, a Danish artist with quite a few of these pieces of art around the world. We loved these three wooden behemoths when we were Louisville residents, but it wasn’t until years later that we saw another of his giants, quite by accident, on a boat off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico! It’s a big world, but it’s a little smaller if you’re a giant. You can read about our giant friend, and Puerto Rico, here!

4th Street Live is located on… 4th Street. This is where you can find some of the more pop culture events that happen in Louisville, and many of the permanent residents eschew them for less flashy occurrences. But there is fun to be had, especially if you like drinks, crowds, excitement, and that kind of city entertainment. The nightlife here can be good, and you can find many good restaurants in the area, including Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse. Welcome to Flavortown USA.

The Parklands of Floyds Park is a special and massive park system encompassing some 4,000 acres of donation supported land. Open from sunrise to sundown, this chain of four parks serves the city and thousands of visitors on any given day. Boasting walking trails, biking trails, horse trails, sports fields, waterways, pavilions and a lookout tower (a repurposed silo), the Parklands offer a massive bang for no bucks at all.

If you enjoy the outdoors in any capacity, this is a great park system to visit. Located on the east side of Louisville, the parks have something for everyone. Playgrounds and spray grounds for children, green spaces, sports fields, and miles of paths for athletes, fishing, paddling, dog parks, natural wildlife and plant life, forests and rivers; we could go on and on. It’s a big place, so check out the main website for a map and other information.

On the subject of the outdoors, we cannot continue without highlighting Jefferson Memorial Forest, the largest municipal, urban forest in the US. At 6,500 acres, it’s quite a sizable park. Featuring miles of trails, a 7-acre lake, and large, steep hills known as knobs, JMF is the place to go if you are in Louisville and want a hike.

Food and Drink

Something that surprised us very much when we first moved to Louisville was the quality of the coffee, and specifically the espresso. There is an abundance of different, independent coffee shops and chains, plus the more staple brands like Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. If you’re an addict like we are, there are more than enough cafes to whet your whistle, and probably not enough time to sample them all. We have listed our favorites here, in no particular order.

The Wiltshire Pantry Bakery and Cafe is a delightful little place with a nice aesthetic that serves up some great brunch and light options for walking about. We’re talking bread, pastry, cake pops, oatmeal, yogurt; that kind of thing.

The Irish Rover is an iconic restaurant in the Highlands that serves, surprise, surprise, Irish fare. They’re good at it though, so much so that they were featured in Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. A brick building with a comfortable feel inside and outdoor seating when the weather permits, it has often been full when we have visited. For good reason, as the drinks are good, the food is better, and the staff are great.

Coffee

Safai is one of the best coffee shops we have frequented, and sells some of the most unique tasting, small batch espresso we have had. A special flavor lingers after their cold brew, and the location in the Highlands shopping area is fantastic. Parking can be a challenge if it is busy in the area, but it is worth it.

Heine Brothers Coffee is a chain that is local to Louisville, and they have some great drinks. On the whole their drinks are a little sweeter to cater to a larger audience, but sometimes that’s exactly what you want. Quality drinks at a decent price, Heine Bros. was always good for us.

Quills Coffee is a growing and delicious chain that offers some delectable espresso and a wonderful atmosphere. With 6 locations in Louisville, and 1 in Indianapolis, it is a convenient place to get a little pick me up.

Sunergos Coffee has 5 locations in Louisville and has a distinct taste of its own. Each shop has a small, single location feel, and an informal atmosphere.

Alcohol

While we’re talking about beverages, let’s talk alcohol. Aside from the surprisingly good and readily available coffee scene, there are several adult drinks associated with this city that you simply must have a go at.

The first is the Mint Julip. While this Virginia native may hail from another state originally, it has made a home centered around the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs.

The second is less well known for its origins, but is world famous nonetheless: the Old Fashioned. First concocted, and recorded, at the Pendennis Club, which is still open, the old fashioned is a staple of every club and bar, and it is a poor bartender indeed who does not know the recipe by heart.

The third and arguably best known, and most sought, is of course, bourbon. The popular Bourbon Trail is comprised of 47 stops at some of the most famous distilleries in the world, making some of the most popular bourbons and whiskeys in the world. Louisville itself hosts 8 of theses 47 in the city limits, with another dozen within easy driving distance, if not so easy coming back. Names like Woodford, Evan Williams, Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, and Wild Turkey dominate the list, but there are some distillers of real quality in the lesser known names. If you care to imbibe a beverage from time to time, Kentucky is a great place to ply your hobby.

There is even a place downtown called Barrels & Billets which offers what they call a “Custom Bourbon Experience”, where you can experiment with different bourbons and taste profiles and create your own, personal bottle of bourbon for $50. While it won’t be an aged to perfection classic, it is still fun.

Louisville sports are just as far ranging and eclectic as the city itself, including all the usual suspects and a few unusual characters that are nonetheless world famous. Churchill Downs is in the running for most famous horse track in the world, and puts on quite a show in May each year. The annual gathering routinely brings in over 150,000 in person spectators, with the exception of 2020 when races were held without crowds at all, and 2021 when attendance was limited due to the pandemic. Such attendance figures make it one of the most popular and well attended events in the world.

Aside from horse racing, Louisville boasts an excellent soccer culture, with premier men’s and women’s professional teams, and a beautiful stadium located downtown. If you are lucky enough to make a game at Lynn Family Stadium, we suggest you do so.

The Louisville Bats, a AAA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, play at Louisville Slugger Field, also downtown. Before catching a game, head over to the Louisville Slugger Museum, a short drive west of the baseball diamond, to check out the history of the popular bat.

We couldn’t possibly forget to include the University of Louisville in our list of notables, or in our list of sports names to see when in town. Hometown pride in the Cardinals is strong, and the University takes up a lot of space south of downtown, and around the airport. It is hard to miss when driving on 65, and the stadium is very nice. If you’re in town for a college football game, you won’t be disappointed.

Sports

To be honest most neighborhoods in Louisville are just fine, and it is fairly similar to most other American cities. The west side of downtown can be rough, and areas adjacent to the airport aren’t suitable for a picnic, but our time here never left us feeling unsafe. Take normal precautions and you’ll be alright.

Click here for a map of our favorite places in Louisville!