Located on the banks of the Ohio River, Louisville is Kentucky’s largest city. The eyes of the world are on Louisville each year when the “fastest two minutes in sports”, the Kentucky Derby, is run here. Tourism ads will tell you there are over 90 attractions and 2,500 restaurants. There are museums, galleries, concert halls and nightclubs in abundance. But there are also opportunities to experience nature in the big city and plenty of outdoor recreation as well. Here are our curated picks for you.
Tour of the Derby Museum is included as our Friday afternoon activity.
- Baseball fan? The bat of most major league baseball teams is made atLouisville Slugger Museum & Factory. Admire the world’s biggest baseball bat and take the factory tour!
https://www.sluggermuseum.com/
- Louisville Mega Cavern is the world’s only underground zipline adventure.
https://louisvillemegacavern.com/
- The Ali Center presents and mobilizes Louisville’s native Muhammad Ali’s legacy
of creating change, pursuing justice, and inspiring greatness.
- Built in 1914, The Belle of Louisvilleis the oldest operating and the only remaining authentic steamboat from the great American packet boat era. A National Historic Landmark and an icon of the Louisville waterfront, she is the most widely traveled steamboat of her size in American history.
https://www.belleoflouisville.org/
- Take a break and enjoy nature nearby at Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve, right in town, and Louisville Nature Center with 41 acres of flora and fauna.
https://www.louisvillenaturecenter.org/beargrass-creek
- Take a horse-drawn carriage tour along Main Street and visit Kentucky Museum of Arts & Craft with the works of over 500 artists on display.
- Louisville is also home to many historic houses including the ornate 1895 Conrad-Caldwell House Museum, Farmington Historic Home (designed by Thomas Jefferson) and Locust Grove, 1790 home of Revolutionary War hero General George Rogers Clark.
Dining
Just a few steps from the Hyatt is 4th Street Live!, Louisville’s premier dining and entertainment destination! Venues include Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse, Bourbon Raw, Brazeiros Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse, Pizza Bar, PBR Louisville, The Sports, and Social Club, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Tavern on Fourth, TGI Friday’s and The Fudgery. Live music is featured nightly at Howl at the Moon.
Louisville has a thriving dining scene, and the many restaurants along Bardstown Road and NuLu are truly little gems.
https://www.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-louisville-kentucky
https://www.southernliving.com/travel/south-central/best-lousiville-kentucky-restaurants
Our top recommendations for Thursday dinner include The Brown Hotel Lobby Bar & Grill – for the iconic “The Hot Brown”, La Bodeguita de Mima and Nami Modern Korean Steakhouse.
Day Trips
- If you were unable to go on the Thursday Bourbon – try the Urban Bourbon Trail, with one of the stops just outside our hotel.
https://www.bourboncountry.com/things-to-do/urban-bourbon-trail/
- Visit Mammoth Caves National Park- the world’s longest known cave system
https://www.nps.gov/maca/index.htm
- Birthplace of Lincoln and My Old Kentucky Home- National Park again.
https://www.nps.gov/abli/index.htm
- Abbey of Gethsamani – The oldest Trappist Monastery in the US.
- Ark Encounter – Experience Bible history at the life-size Noah’s Ark theme park near featuring a zoo, zip lines, and timber-frame restaurant.
https://arkencounter.com/