Louisville is the largest city in Kentucky, with more than 600 thousand people, and it’s well known for many things, including the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
But is Louisville worth visiting?
Absolutely!
Louisville is full of museums, bourbon distilleries, sporting events, and some insanely good food. This travel guide has all the best things to do, places to stay, restaurants, distilleries, and tours in Louisville.
Read on for everything you need to plan the perfect trip to Louisville, Kentucky!
Or check out other posts on Louisville here:
- Louisville Travel Guide
- Top Louisville Hotels
- Hotels in downtown Louisville
- Louisville Distilleries
- Louisville Hotels with Jacuzzis
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Updated September 19, 2023
Published: June 9, 2022
Things to do in Louisville, Kentucky
First, let’s look at all the best things to do in Louisville, KY! The city has a lot of cool things associated with it, including baseball bats, horse racing, fried chicken, and bourbon, all of which you can learn about and enjoy during a visit to the city.
Frazier History Museum
The Frazier History Museum highlights the history of Kentucky, as well as the US and the world. Some of the permanent exhibits include Lewis & Clark and the Civil War.
It has one of the largest collections of toy soldiers and mini historical figures in the world. And the museum has an exhibit on the history and culture of bourbon, so it’s a great stop to make before hitting up some Louisville distilleries.
Address: 829 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
As a baseball fan, the Slugger Museum was the #1 reason I wanted to visit Louisville, and it didn’t disappoint!
At the museum, you can:
- tour the factory to see how baseball bats are made
- hold bats used by current and past MLB players (including Hall of Famers)
- learn about the history of baseball bats.
The factory produces 1.8 million bats each year, and it has the world’s largest baseball bat standing at 120 ft (36.5 m) tall!
Address: 800 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202
Kentucky Science Center
The Kentucky Science Center is a great place to visit in Louisville with kids. They have a lot of hands-on exhibits, educational IMAX shows, and programs where people of all ages will have fun learning about science.
Address: 727 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202
KMAC Museum
The KMAC Museum, or the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, is a contemporary art museum in downtown Louisville. It primarily highlights art from artists in the region, but there are also works from national and international artists.
Address: 715 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202
Muhammad Ali Center
Muhammad Ali, the world-famous boxer, was born in Louisville. The city has a center named after him dedicated to teaching others about his life and inspiring them to achieve great things as he did. The center is full of exhibits, videos from his life, and event spaces.
Address: 144 N 6th St, Louisville, KY 40202
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs is a horse racing track where the famous Kentucky Derby takes place. The track opened in 1875, and the first Derby took place the same year. There are tons of other races at the track, so you can catch another horse race here even if you aren’t in town for the Kentucky Derby.
Address: 700 Central Ave, Louisville, KY 40208
Kentucky Derby Museum
Next to Churchill Downs is the Kentucky Derby Museum. In this interactive museum, you can learn all about the history of the famous Derby, watch historical footage and films about the Derby, and take a tour of Churchill Downs.
Address: 704 Central Ave, Louisville, KY 40208
Fourth Street Live!
Fourth Street Live! is Louisville’s entertainment district full of restaurants, bars, and live music. There is an open-air stage in the center surrounded by many fun dining and entertainment options, including a piano bar, a sports bar with bowling, and plenty more.
Address: 4th Street between W Liberty St. and W Muhammad Ali Blvd in downtown Louisville.
If you love Fourth Street Live!, check out KC Live! in Kansas City.
Catch a game at Louisville Slugger Field
Slugger Field is home to the Louisville Bats, a minor league baseball team. The Bats play from April to September, and they have a lot of fun theme nights and specials at their games like family nights, wine slushies, craft beer days, and fireworks.
Address: 401 E Main St, Louisville, KY 40202
More Fun Things to do in Louisville
Where to Stay in Louisville, Kentucky
I highly recommend staying in downtown Louisville for easy access to all the best things to do and places to eat in the city. There are hotels and home rentals like Airbnbs.
Below are three of the top hotels in Louisville to fit all budgets. For even more, check out my full list of the top hotels in Louisville, Kentucky.
Budget: Courtyard by Marriott Louisville Downtown
If you want a great location in Louisville but are visiting on a budget, the Courtyard is a great Louisville hotel. You can walk everywhere, and there’s a pool, restaurant, and bar at the hotel.
Plus, there’s a shuttle from the airport, making getting downtown easy!
Address: 100 South Second Street
Mid-Range: Hyatt Regency Louisville
For another great, not too pricey hotel with a perfect location, check out the Hyatt. The Hyatt also has a restaurant and indoor pool. It’s only one block from Fourth Street Live!, and you can easily walk to all the distilleries from here.
Address: 320 West Jefferson Street
Luxury: Omni Louisville Hotel
The Omni Hotel is a great hotel in downtown Louisville, and it’s one of the best. If you are staying in the summer, there’s an outdoor pool, plus three bars and three restaurants in the hotel. If you want a great location and some great dining options at the hotel, the Omni is perfect.
Address: 400 S. 2nd Street
How many days should I spend in Louisville?
Louisville is a smaller city compared to many in the United States, so you do not need too much time there to get a feel for the city.
Louisville is a great place to take a weekend trip and 2-3 days in Louisville is a good amount of time to spend in the city.
But, if you want to spend time touring all the distilleries without squeezing them into a couple of days or want to explore more than just downtown Louisville, you can easily spend a week here and stay busy.
If you stay for longer in Louisville and want to break up your stay, I have some day trips from Louisville listed below you should check out!
How to Get to Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is easy to get to if you want to fly in from the United States, specifically from the East Coast or Florida.
Louisville International Airport (code SDF) has lots of nonstop throughout the US, or you can take a one-connection flight to hundreds of cities worldwide.
Here are the current destinations Louisville airport has nonstop flights to (as of June 2022):
Another option for getting to Louisville is to drive. If you are coming from somewhere in the Midwest or you are on a United States road trip, driving to Louisville is easy.
Here are the closest cities to Louisville that are connected by major highways:
- Lexington, KY
- Cincinnati, OH
- Indianapolis, IN
- Nashville, TN
If you come from one of these cities, you have a short drive, but you can drive to Louisville from anywhere in the contiguous United States.
Places to Eat in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville has a great variety of food, ranging from traditional southern food, some amazing food from around the world, and some American classics.
Here are the best places to eat in Louisville, KY!
La Bodeguita – Cuban Restaurant & Rum Bar
La Bodeguita was easily my favorite place to eat (and drink!) in Louisville. The restaurant was a recommendation from one of my bartenders, and it was a hit. The drinks are good, unbeatable food, and the staff couldn’t have been nicer.
Address: 725 E Market St, Louisville, KY 40202
Main Eatery
The Main Eatery is a simple, casual place to grab lunch on weekdays in Louisville. They have a variety of soups, sandwiches, salads, and more. The food comes fast, so if you are looking for a quick bite before a day of bourbon tastings, this is the place!
Address: 643 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202
Vincenzo’s
Vincenzo’s is one of the best places to eat in Louisville if you want something fancy and don’t mind spending a bit of money. The restaurant serves traditional Italian food like pasta, fish, and meat dishes, and there is a large wine list so you can pair a glass or bottle with your meal.
Address: 150 S 5th St, Louisville, KY 40202
Wild Eggs
For breakfast in Louisville, Wild Eggs is great. They serve all the traditional breakfast foods, plus mimosas, coffees, and lunch food. They also have some unique breakfast dishes called Wild Eggs Creations.
Address: 121 S Floyd St, Louisville, KY 40202
Mussel & Burger Bar
Mussel & Burger Bar is a modern, American restaurant in Louisville. It’s a great place to eat with a group thanks to their variety of foods and drinks. They have salads, sandwiches, and of course, burgers and mussels. And for drinks, they have a huge variety of beer, wine, cocktails, and of course, bourbons and whiskeys.
Address: 113 S 7th St, Louisville, KY 40202
Doc’s Bourbon Room
Doc’s is a must-visit place for bourbon and whiskey lovers in Louisville. The gastropub has more than 2,000+ varieties of whiskey and bourbon to try, plus some fun cocktails, wine, and beer. The southern food and smoked meats on their menu pairs perfectly with the drinks here.
Address: 129 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202
Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse
Check out Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse for one of the most upscale places to eat in Louisville. They have a great ambiance, and the menu includes steaks, filet mignon, sushi, and other traditional seafood dishes.
Address: 325 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202
Brazeiros Louisville
Another good steakhouse in Louisville is Brazeiros, which is on the same block as Fourth Street Live! Brazeiros is a Brazilian steakhouse with a large variety of meats and wines from South America. They offer a Full Experience option where you can enjoy 15 different cuts of meat, plus sides and a salad bar.
Address: 450 S 4th St, Louisville, KY 40202
Nulu Marketplace
Nulu Marketplace is a newer place to visit in Louisville, as it just opened in April 2021. It’s a cute courtyard surrounded by multiple bars and restaurants, so it’s the best place to eat in Louisville if you want options.
Here are some of the places to eat and drink at Nulu Marketplace:
- West Sixth Brewery
- Emmy Squared (Detroit-style pizza)
- Torino’s Sandwich Bar
- Gertie’s Whiskey Bar
There are also shops at Nulu Marketplace!
Address: 823 E Market St, Louisville, KY 40206
Royals Hot Chicken
Royals Hot Chicken is a great place to eat if you want something fast! They have a great variety of hot chicken, including chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, and chicken salads. These pair well with the different dipping sauces to soothe the heat. And, for dessert, try the donuts, shakes, and other sweets.
Address: 736 E Market St, Louisville, KY 40202
Garage Bar
Garage Bar is a cool gastropub also in the Nulu neighborhood. It’s a great place to go in Louisville if you want to enjoy some of the best bourbons, whiskeys, and beers in the city but also want some food to go with it. They also have a lovely patio out front.
Address: 700 E Market St, Louisville, KY 40202
Distilleries in Louisville, Kentucky
Distilleries are a massive attraction in Louisville, and one-third of bourbon is made in Louisville. Even if you are not a bourbon or whiskey drinker, visiting a distillery is a fun way to learn about one of Louisville’s most famous commodities.
Here are the top distilleries in Louisville:
- Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co
- Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery
- Evan Williams Bourbon Experience
- Old Forester Distilling Co.
- Angel’s Envy Distillery
- Rabbit Hole
Day Trips from Louisville, KY
There are some easy day trips you can take from Louisville. Visiting some of these other cities is a fun way to see more of the midwest and break up a longer trip in Louisville.
All these trips are easiest if you have a car, but you can always hire private transportation or book a tour.
Or, if you are going to be in any of these other cities, Louisville is a great day or weekend trip to take from them!
Kentucky Distillery Tour
There are more distilleries in Kentucky outside of Louisville, including some of the best-selling brands in the country. From Louisville, you can take a trip to some of these other distilleries, either independently or with a tour.
Here are some distilleries near Louisville:
- Jim Beam
- Bulleit Bourbon
- Four Roses Warehouse & Bottling Facility
- Buffalo Trace Distillery
- Three Boys Farm Distillery
- Old SteelHouse Distillery
Pro travel tip: A few minutes east of Jim Beam is Forest Edge Winery, a cute winery with great wine and tastings!
Lexington, KY
Lexington is the easiest and quickest day trip from Louisville. If you like Churchill Downs, you’ll enjoy Lexington’s Kentucky Horse Park, a huge park with a museum, horse-drawn carriages, and shows. The city is also home to the University of Kentucky and the childhood home of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln.
Pro travel tip: Frankfort, the capital of Kentucky, is between Lexington and Louisville. On your way to Lexington, stop at the State Capitol and learn about the history of Kentucky.
Louisville to Lexington travel time: 78 miles; 1.3 hours
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati, Ohio, is a beautiful city on the Ohio River, just over the Kentucky border. Cincy has great breweries, professional sports, and a variety of museums. Plus, Over-the-Rhine, one of Cincinnati’s neighborhoods, has stunning buildings and some of the best places to eat and drink in the city.
Louisville to Cincinnati travel time: 99.5 miles; 1.5 hours one way
Indianapolis, IN
Finally, Indianapolis, or Indy as the locals call it, is the capital of Indiana. Indy has a great zoo, many museums, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Each May, the racetrack, which is the highest-capacity sports venue in the world, hosts the Indy 500, a huge car racing event.
Louisville to Indianapolis travel time: 113 miles; just under 2 hours one way.
Have fun in Louisville, KY!
Louisville is such an underrated city, and I highly recommend visiting there, especially for bourbon drinkers and museum lovers.
Be sure to check out these other great destinations in the United States:
Planning a trip soon? Here are some of my favorite sites to use to plan every trip:
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- Booking.com for a huge variety of hotels, vacation rentals, flights, and more
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- TripAdvisor for the top hotels around the world
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