Louisville

On the first Saturday in May, women wear extravagant hats, everyone sips a mint julep, and the crowd holds its breath for "the most exciting two minutes in sports": the Kentucky Derby in Louisville is the most famous horse race in the United States. A trip to Louisville also takes you to bourbon distilleries, along the Ohio River, and to the hometown of Muhammad Ali. For a Southern city break full of flavor and history, the city is a rewarding destination.

At the Falls of the Ohio

In 1778, George Rogers Clark founded a settlement at the rapids of the Ohio River, named after the French king Louis XVI in gratitude for his support during the Revolutionary War. Because boats had to bypass the falls, Louisville became an important trading hub. In the 19th century, German and Irish immigrants shaped neighborhoods like Germantown and Butchertown, while tobacco, bourbon, and the railroad brought prosperity. The first Kentucky Derby was held in 1875. The boxer Muhammad Ali grew up in the West End; the neighborhood of Russell there was a center of African American life in the 20th century, with shops, churches, and jazz clubs.

Sights in Louisville

Churchill Downs, with its two white spires above the grandstand, is the home of the Kentucky Derby; the museum next door lets you experience the race in a 360-degree film. At the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, recognizable by the giant baseball bat outside the entrance, you can see how the legendary bats are made. The Muhammad Ali Center tells the story of the boxer's life and his commitment to civil rights. The Big Four Bridge, a pedestrian bridge, spans the Ohio into Indiana, and Waterfront Park on the riverbank is a popular meeting place. Old Louisville, one of the largest Victorian residential districts in the United States, enchants with its magnificent mansions.

Bourbon and Food

Louisville is the gateway to bourbon country; about 95 percent of the world's bourbon comes from Kentucky. Along Whiskey Row in Downtown, several distilleries offer tours and tastings, and the Urban Bourbon Trail leads you through bars with extensive selections. Restaurants in Louisville serve the Hot Brown, an open-faced turkey sandwich baked with bacon and cheese sauce that was invented at the Brown Hotel in 1926, as well as Benedictine, a cucumber and cream cheese spread, and Derby Pie with chocolate and walnuts. NuLu, the neighborhood east of Downtown, and Bardstown Road in the Highlands are ideal for restaurants and bars.

Neighborhoods and Culture

The Highlands around Bardstown Road are the city's alternative neighborhood, with record stores, vintage shops, and pubs, while Germantown and Butchertown are being transformed by breweries and restaurants in old brick buildings. The Frazier History Museum is the official starting point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and tells the story of the state. The Speed Art Museum on the University of Louisville campus is the largest art museum in Kentucky. The parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, above all Cherokee Park, weave through the city with green hills and trails.

Getting Around, When to Go, and Day Trips

Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is about 15 minutes south of Downtown and is also the worldwide hub of UPS. TARC buses run within the city; for distilleries in the surrounding countryside, a car or a guided tour makes sense. The best time to visit is spring, when the Kentucky Derby Festival brings two weeks of celebration, as well as fall. Day trips along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail lead to Bardstown, to Mammoth Cave National Park with the longest known cave system in the world, and to the horse farms near Lexington.