I am the tourist, and this is my guide to Louisville, KY. I don’t live in Louisville, so it will never be a local’s guide, but many of the things on my tourist lists are recommendations from locals. If I’m missing anything, please drop it in the comments and I’ll add it to the guide.
Food and Drinks
- Holy Grale– a beer-forward gastropub inside an old church!
- Jack Fry’s– southern food and cocktails with a rich history
- Doc Crows– southern BBQ and raw bar
- The Troll Pub– an underground pub with a huge beer list
- Nic and Norman’s– southern comfort food (other locations in GA, TN, and SC)
- Mussel & Burger Bar– a casual American bistro
- Please & Thank You– coffee shop with delicious cookies
- La Bodeguita de Mima– Cuban restaurant and rum bar
- Bluegrass Brewing Co– microbrewery and restaurant
- Goodwood Brewing– brewery with a traditional, taproom menu
- The Urban Bourbon Trail– curated collection of local bars and restaurants to complement a day of touring distilleries
- Distilleries- There are so many distilleries to visit in Louisville, but we aren’t bourbon drinkers. The two most recommended were Angel’s Envy, which we visited and actually enjoyed, and Michter’s Distillery
Things to Do
- Muhammad Ali Center– excellent museum even if you know nothing about him or boxing, closed Monday and Tuesday
- Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory– surprisingly interesting, regardless of your knowledge or interest in baseball
- Churchill Downs-famous racetrack with a museum that, similar to Muhammad Ali and Louisville Slugger, you don’t need to care about horse racing to enjoy
- Carmichael’s Books– Louisville’s oldest independent bookstore
- Falls of Ohio State Park– technically in Indiana, this state park is across the river from Louisville with significant natural and historical resources (according to the website). It’s also a great place for a quiet walk and bird watching
- Bernheim Forest and Arboretum– located 26 miles south of Louisville, it has over 16,000 acres of pristine, wild forest
Stay
- The Steelbach Hilton– an opulent, historic hotel that inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald when he was writing The Great Gatsby! It also has secret tunnels used by Al Capone, and a resident ghost!
- 21c Museum Hotel– this funky art hotel chain is worth a visit, even if you don’t stay there
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