Bourbon distilleries, underground zip-lining, and museum row: there's no shortage of awesome things to do in Louisville, Kentucky! Whether you want to check out the city's history and culture, get outdoors, stuff your face, imbibe, or chase after an adrenaline rush, we've got a whole bunch of ideas.

The 63 Best Things to Do in Louisville, Kentucky (by a local)

Bourbon distilleries, underground zip-lining, and museum row: there’s no shortage of awesome things to do in Louisville, Kentucky! Whether you want to check out the city’s history and culture, get outdoors, stuff your face, imbibe, or chase after an adrenaline rush, we’ve got a whole bunch of ideas.

In this post, you’ll find all the best things to do in Louisville, sorted by category: adventure, outdoors & nature, historical activities, beer bourbon and booze (this is the largest category – of course), food, art and culture, and day trips. So you’ll never be wondering what to do in Louisville again, like, ever. (Psst: Bookmark this page so you can come back again and again!)

Ready to dive in?

Psst: Looking for more tips to explore Louisville? Check out a few of our other posts:

Kentucky Kingdom amusement park in Louisville, Kentucky
Kentucky Kingdom is Louisville’s very own awesome amusement park, full of roller coasters and wave pools and waterslides and funnel cake and nostalgia!

Things to do in Louisville: Adventure

There was not a single year of my childhood that I didn’t have a season pass to Kentucky Kingdom, Louisville’s very own awesome amusement park. Kentucky Kingdom is huge and fantastic, full of roller coasters and wave pools and waterslides and funnel cake and definitely-not-rigged games with giant stuffed animal prizes. Wanna know why the Kentucky State Fair is better than every other states’ fair? Because the ride section is literally an entire amusement park – Kentucky Kingdom is right next to the fair & expo center! Also because they have an entire room of bunnies, but I digress.

When I was in high school, the park was purchased by Six Flags and everything turned into overpriced food and awkward rock music – but it was *my* theme park, so we kept going.

But while I was in college, Kentucky Kingdom closed. I was heartbroken. I had like, an existential crisis. Like “is this IT? Is my childhood officially over?” And not just me, either. Louisville mourned the loss of Kentucky Kingdom.

But then, years later, like a phoenix rising from the Six Flags-destroyed ashes, Kentucky Kingdom (and its awesome waterpark, Hurricane Bay) re-opened. And like, after dusting off all the rides and a slapping on a new coat of paint, it was like things it went back in time to the good ol’ days of my childhood. This is one of those stories with a happy ending, and the ending is that now we can all ride roller coasters in Louisville again!

2 words: Underground. Zipline. That’s right. Zip through a freaking enormous limestone cavern underneath the city of Louisville. It combines 2 things that Lia’s terrified of but Jeremy loves: spelunking and ziplining!

And, if you’re wondering, there is nothing else like this in the entire world. How rad is that?!

Plus, while you’re down under, there are tons of other ridiculously nonsensical and super cool activities you can do too, like an underground aerial ropes course or even an underground bike tour. So. Freaking. Cool.

Feel like swinging your way through a forest canopy? Guess what, Tarzan? You don’t have to go to Costa Rica for that: you can do it right here in Louisville in our massive urban forest, just 30 minutes from downtown.

Tackle 5 treetop obstacle courses with 39 exciting crossings like the Log Swing, Wobbly Ladder (oh my god, I got wobbly just thinking about that) 2 Tarzan swings and 5 exhilarating zip lines at Zipline Kingdom in Jefferson Memorial Forest.

See also
The 25 Coolest Things To Do in Louisville in Summer

 
GET A PRINTABLE LOUISVILLE BUCKET LIST
Subscribe to our email list and we'll send you a FREE printable list with 75 fun things to do in Louisville!
You’ve successfully signed up! Check your email for details.
Kayaking in Red River Gorge Kentucky
Kayaking on Harrod’s Creek in Prospect, Kentucky is one of the best things to do in Louisville! Look for a small, sandy beach along the shore – it’s the perfect place to pull off for a picnic.

Things to do in Louisville: Outdoors & Nature

Cherokee Park is a big, beautiful park in Louisville winding through the Highlands neighborhood. It’s hilly and forested over 389 acres, and through it wind myriad walking paths, hiking trails, biking routes, and even a 2.4 mile scenic loop that you can walk or do by car if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t get lost easily and is able to follow signs (this disqualifies me– though I hear the secret is to keep turning left to stay in the park, and turn right to exit!).

The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who not only designed New York City’s Central Park, but also Louisville’s other major parks, Iroquois and Shawnee, as well as the city’s four parkways. Olmstead believed in the healing power of nature and its ability to refresh the soul, and probably the best way to do that is to get off the scenic loop and check out some of the hiking trails surrounding the park. The main trial is like a second loop surrounding the scenic loop, so it’s easy to pop in and out of the trails where you like. Taking the trails means you get to discover hilly forests, boardwalks over swampy areas, and even a bird sanctuary!

If you’re feeling more social, check out Dog Hill where you can always find dogs and their owners gathering, or Hogan’s Fountain where there’s a fountain from 1905 featuring a statue of the Greek God Pan, a large gazebo (the Witch’s Hat), a basketball court, and a play place! So go for a drive, a stroll, or even a hike or trail run, you Olympic athlete, you!

Located on Frankfort Avenue at a site that was once the Ohio Street Dump, the Waterfront Botanical Gardens is now a gathering place for nature lovers, flowers, and butterflies!

As of today, the Gardens have developed 4 of their 23 acres into an edible garden with adjoining waterfall fountain, native gardens, and pollinator gardens, where you can see plants like coneflowers, black-eyed susans, and bee balm. You can also take a walk down the new winding path which takes you down to the Butchertown Greenway, planted with colorful flowers along a waterfall stream.

The plans for the future include a Japanese garden, a children’s garden, and a conservatory, which will be the Botanical Garden’s crown jewel housing tropical plants. Admission is free!

These beautiful botanical gardens in Oldham County were once the estate of a privately owned home. Today, Yew Dell is open to the public and offers gorgeous display gardens, educational programs, seasonal events, and hiking trails!

The Parklands of Floyds Fork is located miles away from downtown, where you’ll find a more rural part of the city (which also happens to be the area where I grew up) and one of the best parks in Louisville!

The Parklands are actually 4 separate parks which span over 4000 acres. The parks are a wealth of outdoor activities: you can go Mountain Biking, paddling down 22 miles of Floyds Fork (rent a kayak or canoe at Blue Moon Canoe & Kayaks) or explore 60-miles of hike-bike trails – there’s something for every kind of walker, cycler, and hiker!

The Parklands also hosts a terrifying Halloween haunted house and a gorgeous Christmas light event each year! You’ll find information about each park, access points, bike rentals, pathways and more right here.

Harrod’s Creek is a beautiful, scenic creek that connects to the Ohio River. Parts of the creek are home to a Great Blue Heron Rookery, so keep your eyes out for giant herons and their awkward, fluffy babies. And as you paddle along, keep an eye out for the beach! The small, sandy beach is the perfect place to stop and rest for a while.

Rent a kayak or canoe from Nachand Canoe & Kayak, or take a 10-mile SUP tour from Harrod’s Creek all the way to the Ohio River with Endless Summer Paddle.

Stand-Up Paddleboarding is kind of like if surfing and kayaking had a baby. It’s definitely challenging, but it’s a lot of fun once you get the hang on it!

Take an introductory lesson or jump right in. Endless Summer Paddle offers rentals, lessons, and even SUP yoga and bootcamp classes!

See also
12 Lakes Near Louisville, Kentucky (for Swimming and Boating)

The Belle of Louisville returning home underneath a pink sunset on the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky.
Louisville has EPIC sunsets, and there’s no better place to see them then along the Ohio River!

Head to Waterfront Park in downtown to take in one of Louisville’s legendary sunsets over the Ohio River. Seriously, Louisville has amazing sunsets. I think it’s a valley thing? They don’t have those kinds of sunsets elsewhere, I’ve checked.

We’ve got an entire guide to where to catch the sunset in Louisville – and this is one of the best spots!

The entire Waterfront Park stretches along the bank of the Ohio River in front of Downtown Louisville, and it’s a beautiful place to stroll or bike along the water, with paths running all the way long the waterfront and down scenic River Road.

Check out the Waterfront Park Events Calendar to see what’s happening on the Waterfront – there’s always something going on!

Where can you walk from one state to another? Louisville, y’all.

Dominating Waterfront Park is the Big Four Bridge, where you can stroll to Indiana, grab a beer at Upland Brewery, and stroll casually back to Louisville.

Louisville Kentucky Belle of Louisville Steamboat on Ohio River
Louisville, Kentucky has a fascinating history. And some of it can still be seen today: the historic Belle of Louisville steamboat is still operating over 100 years after her maiden voyage!

Things to do in Louisville: Historical

Louisville is an old city, with a rich and fascinating history.

Louisville is a river city, and its history is deeply rooted in its connection to the Ohio River and the steamboats who once chugged along her mighty banks transporting goods. And today, one historic steamboat still traverses the waters of the Ohio: the Belle of Louisville!

Built in 1914 and originally named Idlewild, which I love, the Belle of Louisville is still operating to this day alongside her much younger sister, the Mary M. Miller.

Take a sunset cruise and pretend it’s the early 1900s and you’ve got a shipment of bourbon to send down the river! This is hands down one of the best ways to watch the sunset in Louisville.

One of the most fascinating stories about Louisville’s past and present is the history of Civil Rights in Louisville. During the Civil War, Kentucky was a divided state. Families were ripped in half by political tensions, as some chose to fight for freedom while their brothers and cousins chose to fight for wealth. Louisville has always felt politically isolated from the rest of Kentucky, and it’s not hard to imagine how tense and personal politics felt in the 1860’s in today’s political climate.

On the self-guided Civil Rights tour of Louisville, you’ll trace the history of Civil Rights in Louisville all the way from the Civil War to the cultural context from which Muhammed Ali emerged and the Louisville of today, which is both welcoming to refugees and immigrants and yet still struggling to dismantle a geographical segregation that has physically divided Louisville for many years.

The tour is available online for free as a Google Map, or you can pick up a print copy of the tour at the Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research, the Muhammad Ali Center, the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage or the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The historic home of Lucy Clark – sister of General George Rogers Clark, founder of Louisville, and William Clark of “Lewis & Clark” Fame – was a meeting place for important American luminaries in the late 1700s. Presidents James Monroe and Andrew Jackson, John James Audubon, Cassius Marcellus Clay (not Muhammad Ali, I was confused too), and both Lewis and Clark—among others—all passed through Locust Grove.

Locust Grove has been beautifully preserved and maintained as a museum and a National Historic Landmark, and serves as a unique example of early Kentucky architecture, craftsmanship, and history.

But keep in mind that this beauty came at a horrible cost: the historic home was also a plantation, and its beauty was made possible by the cruel enslavement of human beings. You can lean more on the Unfolding the Story tour, which covers life at Locust Grove from the perspective of its enslaved residents.

Historic Cave Hill Cemetery is the most beautiful and largest cemetery in Louisville. Stroll through its quiet, garden-adorned grounds past ponds and mausoleums and think about the nature of life, the universe, and everything.

You can even print out a free informative Cave Hill Cemetery map and pay your respects to some of Louisville’s most famous residents: you’ll find the graves of Colonel Sanders, Muhammad Ali, and Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. among many other famous historical people.

Technically, the Falls of the Ohio is in Clarksville, Indiana, but the Ohio River is in between Kentucky and Indiana so I’m gonna count this one. If we’re talking history, the Falls of the Ohio goes back way before Lewis & Clark – although it’s actually the place where they first met. It even goes back way before the indigenous inhabitants of this fertile valley. In fact, it goes back 390 million years.

The Falls of the Ohio offers a unique glimpse into the distant past: its fossil beds are among the largest naturally exposed Devonian fossil beds in the world. Learn about the history of the Land that Louisville now sits on and then go fossil-hunting on the shores of the Ohio!

See also
10 Stunning Places to Watch the Sunset in Louisville, Kentucky

The historic Conrad-Caldwell house museum, a Victorian castle in Old Louisville, Kentucky.
The historic Conrad-Caldwell house museum, a Victorian castle in Old Louisville, Kentucky, offers ghost tours during spooky season! (It’s great the rest of the year, too.)

Step back in time to the Victorian grandeur of Louisville’s Gilded Age. Constructed in 1895, the Richardsonian Romanesque castle is one of the most unique mansions in the Old Louisville neighborhood, which itself is home to America’s largest concentration of Victorian homes.

The home has been beautifully preserved, and you may just get a personalized tour from a docents who is a direct descendant of the former owners.

During spooky season, the house museum offers ghost tours, too – creepy! It’s on of our favorite things to do in Louisville in the fall.

Museums are great places to soak up history. But for a different kind of historical experience, you’ve got to go antiquing in Louisville. There’s a TON of awesome places to go antiquing in the area, though these three are my favorites!

Antiquing in Louisville reflects the history of Louisville: you’ll find everything from bourbon barrels to tiny ceramic moonshine growlers to cast-iron Fleur de Lis.

  • Take a walking tour to see historic Victorian homes in Old Louisville

Old Louisville is freaking gorgeous, with its historical landmarks and restored Victorian Homes and Central Park and tucked-away walking paths (Belgravia Court) and even a fountain at beautiful St. James Court.

Old Louisville is the most beautiful neighborhood in Louisville to stroll around! We recommend taking a historic walking tour of Old Louisville to learn all about the area and its storied past. Or if you’re feeling spooky, take a ghost tour!

You can also drive or walk around the area on a self-guided tour.

Things to do in Louisville: Beer, Bourbon, & Booze

Situated right in downtown Louisville, the Angel’s Envy distillery is a small batch bourbon distiller. Take a full tour of the gorgeous Louisville distillery along with a bourbon tasting, or if you’re short on time, try the shorter Sensory Tour, which also includes a bourbon tasting (and chocolate, too).

Angel’s Envy makes a delicious finished bourbon: after the usual aging process, Angel’s Envy bourbon is then aged in port barrels. The end product? A deliciously complex bourbon, perfect for both sipping and mixing into cocktails. Try it along with a Rye Whiskey finished in rum barrels!

Psst: We’ve got a whole guide to distilleries in Louisville!

It’s not just bourbon you can taste in Louisville! Butchertown based Copper & Kings makes brandy and absinthe – but since this bourbon country, you better believe bourbon plays a role!

Their American style brandies and apple brandies are aged in bourbon barrels, which adds a signature sweetness and smoothness. Even the absinthe is unique. Unlike most absinthes that get their green color from dyes or steeping plants, their absinthe is clear and comes in four flavors: regular, ginger, lavender, and citrus.

Take a tour of the distillery, grab a bite at the rooftop bar or a cocktail in the courtyard, or stop by one of the Mixt&pe events, where bartenders create craft cocktails inspired by songs!

Tucked unobtrusively into a space on Bardstown Road in the Highlands neighborhood, Great Flood Brewing is much larger inside than it first appears from the outside.

The taps at this Louisville brewery offer everything from Bourbon Barrel Aged beer to excellent Saisons and dark stouts. In addition to their own brews, Great Flood serves up a few notable outside offerings, such as the delicious Beer X-Tacy (a play on a much-beloved, but now closed, local record store called Ear X-Tacy, RIP).

See also
The Highlands Neighborhood Guide: Where to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay

I do love a bar that sticks to a shtick, and Apocalypse Brew Works certainly has a shtick: It’s the end of the world, might as well drink!

This excellent Louisville brewery’s tasting room is called “The Fallout Shelter,” and it serves up small batch brews. The beers are all appropriately named: there’s Cream-ation, a cream ale, ashes not included; Sunspot Stout, an oatmeal stout; and Fallout Dust, a peppery specialty beer.

One of my favorite things about Apocalypse is their dedication to sustainable brewing practices. Just because their theme is a dead planet, it doesn’t mean they can’t help prolong that fate.

Psst: we’ve got a whole guide to the best Louisville breweries!

Cocktail in the library of a speakeasy at Hell or High Water in Louisville, Kentucky
Hell or High Water is a mysterious speakeasy with a luxurious lounge … if you can find it!

Located at an unmarked address underneath a nondescript room and behind a blank door, you’ll wonder whether you’re at the right place as you wind through the dark underground hallway of Hell or High Water… until you arrive.

Decorated in dark red velvet and brick, with a lounge, a library, and several secret rooms, Hell or High Water feels like you’ve stepped back in time to somewhere totally elegant and extremely cool. The atmosphere is intimate and the drinks are divine.

We strongly encourage you to make a reservation before your date, and request to be seated in the Wardrobe Room. That’s all we can say about that…

What’s better than a speakeasy? A speakeasy that’s also a bowling alley!

With just 4 lanes and a well-curated menu of drinks and bites, Pin & Proof is anything but your typical bowling alley. The speakeasy/bowling alley is tucked away inside the elegant Omni Hotel in downtown Louisville, and is the perfect place to take a date.

  • Go back in time to learn about bourbon in a Prohibition-era speakeasy

Two things Louisville loves – theater and bourbon – merge at The Evan Williams Experience. On the Speakeasy Tour, you’ll be guided through a safe into a secret Prohibition-era bar where you’ll sample premium bourbons served by a ghost from the early 1900’s (or possibly an actor, we really can’t be sure).

If time travel and ghost bartenders aren’t your thing, you can also take a modern-day tour featuring a film and unique historical walk through the founding of the Evans William distillery up to today. Both tours include bourbon tastings, as well as a souvenir distillers glass.

Located just 5 miles from downtown Louisville in Shively, the Stitzel-Weller Distillery was once the most famous in the world – and home to legendary bourbon master himself, “Pappy” Van Winkle.

Unfortunately, even though this distillery was originally founded by the man himself, Van Winkle bourbons are currently made by Buffalo Trace – which means no, you won’t get a sample of the ultra-premium, extremely rare bourbon here.

But you will get to learn all about the fascinating history of the distillery and its role in the bourbon industry! You can pick from a variety of tour and tasting options.

See also
The 26 Best Louisville Breweries (and Southern Indiana, too)
  • Fill out your passport on the Urban Bourbon trail

Y’all ever heard of the Louisville bourbon trail? Well, there are so many Louisville bourbon bars that they have their own name: the Urban Bourbon trail (cute, right?).

To qualify for the Urban Bourbon trail, bars in Louisville have to offer 50+ different varieties of bourbon – and a staff that can walk you through nosing each of them like a pro.

Pick up a little passport to stamp, just like the real Bourbon Trail! Once you’ve filled up your passport, you can trade it in for a souvenir t-shirt. I wish they gave out t-shirts for eating your way through Louisville, too. I’d have a whole wardrobe. To help you on your Urban Bourbon journey, be sure to download the app to help guide you to the nearest bourbon bar.

  • Bourbon-bar-hop on Whiskey Row

Whiskey Row in downtown houses several of the best bars on the Urban Bourbon trail – and some of the best food in Louisville, too!

One of our favorites is Doc Crow’s Southern Smokehouse & Raw Bar, which serves up delicious food alongside a plethora of bourbon. Try anything from the smoker, the mint julep lemonade, and for dessert order the Wilbur sundae with brown butter praline ice cream, candied bacon and cinnamon pork rinds.

We also love the speakeasy themed Down One Bourbon Bar . With over 160 bourbons, you’ll find whatever rare bourbon you’ve got your heart set on here, plus a few more you’ve never heard of – all alongside some absolutely fantastic food, of course. Consistently ranked and awarded as one of the best Bourbon Bars in America, Down One is an incredible bourbon bar that can’t be skipped when visiting Louisville.

And finally, head to Sidebar at Whiskey Row for bourbon, burgers and beer. Local legend has it that their burgers are the best in town. Pair your burger with a barrel-aged cocktail (yes, y’all) or an expertly crafted bourbon cocktail.

Cocktail at sunset at 8up Rooftop Bar in downtown Louisville Kentucky
8Up is one of the best places to watch the sunset in Louisville.

8Up’s chic rooftop bar overlooking the city serves up craft cocktails, like their Louisville Frappe made with Buffalo Trace Bourbon, biscotti liqueur and a heavy cream float.

In the winter, you can rent a cozy igloos to enjoy the sparkling lights of the city from above in comfort.

In our opinion, Gravely Brewing Company is one of the best places in town to watch Louisville’s famously beautiful sunsets, since it’s high above anything around it and you have a completely unobstructed view of the city! It’s nothing but you, sky, and of course, beer.

Gravely Brewing Company offers a large selection of in-house brewed beers. Try a Tootsee Roll Pastry Stout, with a melt-in-your-mouth milk chocolate taste with a hint of hazelnut, or their Lavender Hill Saison, a pale beer with a hint of lavender and lemon.

Outside you’ll find the Mayan Street Food truck to grab some delicious tacos or guacamole, and up a flight of stairs is a large patio on a hillside with some of the best views of the city. The brewery also includes a space for live music as well, so you may luck into some jams when you visit!

See also
The 26 Best Louisville Breweries (and Southern Indiana, too)

Biscuit Sandwichfrom Biscuit Belly in NuLu, Louisville Kentucky
Our favorite biscuit sandwich from Biscuit Belly is the Mama’s Boy: buttermilk chicken with roasted jalapenos, pimento cheese, crunchy pickles, and a fried green tomato. YUM!

Things to do in Louisville: Food

What’s better than eating at a really good restaurant? A food tour of Louisville that takes you to SEVERAL really good restaurants, all while telling the story of Louisville’s fascinating history! Each 3-hour walking food tour tells the story of Louisville one bite at a time. On the NuLu Food & History walking tour, you’ll taste Kentucky classics like bourbon balls and fried chicken, see a historic home once occupied by Thomas Edison, taste a candy inspired by a Victorian-era actress, and trace the history of German immigrants in Louisville. On the Highlands Food & History Walking Tour, you’ll walk along some of Louisville’s oldest and most iconic streets and taste (and drink) local specialties; visit the final resting place of Muhammad Ali and Colonel Sanders; try a dish inspired by the Hot Brown at Muhammed Ali’s former boxing gym; and admire the opulent architecture of Louisville’s beautiful Victorian homes. On the evening Phantoms of Prohibition: Cocktails, Bites & Ghosts Tour you’ll explore the hidden stories of Louisville’s haunted past. As you eat and drink your way down Whiskey Row, you’ll meet the resident ghosts of Louisville’s historic downtown, trace the footsteps of bourbon magnates and mobsters, see Al Capone’s secret getaway, discover hidden speakeasies, and learn the shocking truth about Prohibition. There’s tons to taste and learn, even for seasoned locals! Use the code LGL15 for 15% off your booking.

Logan Street Market located along the border of Germantown and Paristown, is Louisville’s coolest food hall and indoor farmer’s market. The stalls in the market feature handcrafted goodies (and goods) from over 25 local chefs, artisans and vendors, so you can spend a whole afternoon eating, sipping, and strolling!

Pick up a third-wave coffee and a bagel with lox, or a creamy boba tea and fresh sushi, or a craft beer and a cheesecake – or any combination of food and drinks you’d like, the options are endless – and stroll through the local vendors selling carefully curated goods.

Logan Street Market is also a Public Benefit Corporation which follows sustainability principles and positions their social mission – to provide access to affordable food and groceries to an underserved part of the community – at the core of their business.

  • Try a Hot Brown, Louisville’s culinary claim to fame

In 1926, the chef at the famous and historical Brown Hotel invented a dish that is famous to this day: The Hot Brown. It’s a baked open face sandwich with turkey, tomato, bacon, and Moray sauce, but honestly, it tastes better than. it sounds.

While you can taste the original at The Brown Hotel, there are versions on menus all over town – so many that the tourism board even created the “Hot Brown Hop” which lists out all of the places you can go to try a Hot Brown! My personal favorite is from Buck’s in Old Louisville.

Bourbon Balls and Modjeskas at Muths Candy in NuLu Louisville Kentucky
Bourbon balls and modjeskas are two of Louisville’s culinary claims to fame! You’ll get to sample them both on a NuLu food & history walking tour.

Where can you get not one, but TWO of Louisville’s most iconic confectionery creations? Muth’s Candies in NuLu! This candy store has been an iconic Louisville staple for over a century, and still makes some of the best sweets in town. Pick up a bag or 3 of each and anything else that strikes your fancy!

The famous Modjeska was named after a Polish actress and Muth’s Candies still has the original recipe! Anton Busath was the inventor of the Modjeska but after his candy store in Louisville burned down, Muth’s Candies welcomed him into their kitchen for the holiday season. After deciding not to reopen his candy store, Busath gifted Muth’s the recipe for Modjeska. The candy is essentially a delicious, soft caramel with a chewy marshmallow center. Try it dipped in chocolate or rolled in nuts!

Muth’s also serves their version of the Kentucky bourbon ball: the Bourbon Barrel! While most bourbon balls have a bourbon cream center, Muth’s Bourbon Barrel features a deliciously soft, dough-like center. So, you can cross two of the most famous Louisville and Kentucky foods off your bucket list in one spot!

See also
13 Famous Louisville (and Kentucky) Foods You Have to Try

NuLu’s delicious biscuit-sandwich eatery makes 3 different, delicious gravies. Order a “Gravy Train” to try them all and appreciate the excellent pun.

We have yet to dislike a single thing we’ve tried off the menu, but our favorite biscuit sandwich (the Mama’s Boy) pairs buttermilk chicken with roasted jalapenos, pimento cheese, crunchy pickles, and a fried green tomato.

In addition to incredible biscuit sandwiches, we also recommend ordering some Bonuts, biscuit donut holes served with bourbon cream cheese frosting or chocolate gravy.

Louisville has a handful of Chefs who are taking the culinary world by storm, and at the forefront is Chef Edward Lee. Maybe you saw him as a guest judge on Chopped, or competing on Top Chef, or hosting The Mind of a Chef – he’s a huge deal!

At 610 Magnolia in beautiful, historic Old Louisville, you’ll find perfectly plated gastronomic perfection. But the food isn’t your typical Southern fare. Chef Lee aims to put ALL of Louisville – historic and progressive, diverse and complex -on a plate.

His food is an unexpected combination of flavors, culture, and ingredients. During your 5 or 9-course (!) tasting menu you might get tempura fried okra or Chawanmuski with fried oysters. You can also opt-in for a wine pairing. Just be sure to reserve, like, way in advance.

  • Eat brunch with a (Drag) show at Le Moo.

By night, Le Moo is one of Louisville’s best and most luxurious steakhouses. But on Sundays, things get a little less fancy-fine-dining and a little more mimosas-and-ridiculousness.

Yes, y’all: Le Moo is home to the best Drag brunch in town, and we don’t just mean the food! Enjoy the delicious food of Le Moo’s decadent brunch buffet-style, while a rotating cast of fabulous Queens keeps you laughing. Just be sure to make reservations in advance.

Psst: There are actually two Drag brunch options in Louisville! Get all the details in our guide to brunch in Louisville.

  • Hang out on the best patio in the city at Hauck’s Corner

I may be a little late to the game but I just discovered Hauck’s Corner, a corner-store-turned bar and restaurant. You may recognize Hauck’s Corner as the famous home of the Dainty World Championship, but it’s an excellent spot for hanging out all summer long.

Though Hauck’s itself may only be the length of a shotgun house, the patio is a different story. Once you head in the back you’ll find the patio spans four-ish houses down the block, with a gazebo, cornhole, a giant blackboard for chalk, little metal grocery store rides for the kids (remember those??) and plenty of twinkling lights and seating. It’s basically the Disneyland of bars.

The food is also so damn good. They have a chicken and waffle sandwich that is sweet and spicy and tender, pretzels and beer cheese, and a whole lot of other excellent bar food choices done right. They have a great beer selection, and did I mention Old Fashioneds on tap? Welcome to your new fav summer hangout!

The Silver Dollar is described as “a re-imaging of a 1950s Bakersfield, California honky tonk,” which is right up our alley since my husband was born in Bakersfield and totally gets the whole Bakersfield-is-the-South-of-California thing.

Anyway, now you can visit Southern/Central California right here in Southern/Midwestern Louisville! So grab a copy of the Grapes of Wrath – for historical context – and head to the Silver Dollar for Biscuits and Gravy, churro french toast, and chilaquiles. Or go for dinner and try a fried catfish sandwich or buttermilk fried chicken livers.

True to their Kentucky ties, you’ll also find a huge selection of bourbon and whiskey at Silver Dollar, and they make an excellent Mint Julep – served in a real Mint Julep cup.

Proof on Main is the unique restaurant inside of Louisville’s famous 21C Museum Hotel on Museum Row – and it’s every bit as quirky as its hotel home. Redecorated regularly with its own series of installations, the restaurant is a gallery in its own right.

Oh, and the food is magnificent. Proof is an excellent place for a brunch, lunch, or dinner in Louisville. Dinner options at Proof include the blackberry pop tart with chicken liver pate & cracklin, braised rabbit ragout, and roasted bones, whatever that means.

Order drinks after your meal and take them with you as you wander through the galleries in 21C, making impressive-sounding comments about art. Hellooo, date night!

What do you do when you can’t decde which ice cream flavor you want? You get a flight, of course!

My favorite flavors are Bourbon Ball, which tastes like chocolate and bourbon and bourbon ball cream filling and heaven; an Old Fashioned ice cream with bourbon and Angostura bitters; spiced carrot cake with a cream cheese swirl; white chocolate ice cream with a blueberry cobbler swirl; chocolate ice cream with swirls of Bourbon ganache.

There are several Comfy Cow locations in Louisville (including in the airport, for a send-off treat) but my personal favorite is the one on Frankfort Avenue in Clifton, which is in a charming pink house!

Ice Cream Cone from Louisville Cream in Louisville Kentucky copy
Eating my feelings at Louisville Cream! Strawberry mascarpone ice cream topped with toasted marshmallow and cinnamon-sugar brioche bites.

Roasted peaches. Bourbon smoked pecans. Mascarpone swirled with homemade strawberry jam. Louisville Cream in NuLu makes ice cream that sounds like desserts, topped with baked goods and mix-ins that elevate their cones from “amazing” to “am I dreaming??”

In addition to ridiculous ice cream cones, they also have delicious ice cream floats, made with craft soda like Kentucky’s own Ale8 and Sioux City Cream Soda.

Grab something cold and sweet on a hot day and stroll around NuLu for the perfect Louisville afternoon pick-me-up. (Psst: our NuLu neighborhood guide will help!)

Nord’s Bakery is home to fluffy, yeasty donuts with some of the most imaginative and delicious combinations you have ever seen, and I have no trouble saying their my favorite donuts in town!

Maple fans have a choice of two different flavors, the maple with a decadent chocolate drizzle or the savory maple with smoky bacon. Yes, you read that right. Crispy bacon on top of a maple Long John – just try it before you think we’re crazy!

If you are feeling a little more adventurous, branch out and try some of Nord’s more daring combinations, like a French Fry donut that somehow manages to bring the best of both breakfast and lunch fried foods in one bite.  

Visit Friday through Sunday for special flavors like red velvet, chocolate-glazed crullers, and pumpkin spice cake – you won’t regret it! Just don’t be surprised if there is a line; people love these donuts!

See also
The 12 Best Desserts in Louisville: from Ice Cream to Pie (and more!)

Gooey and chocolatey with a warm, molten core, it’s like the pleasure of eating warm cookie dough combined with the satisfying crunch around the outside of a well-baked cookie. There’s also a hint of salt which totally takes it to the next level.

Don’t skip the coffee, either: Please & Thank You makes a damn fine cup of coffee, crafted with beans from local roastery Good Folks. They’re one of the best coffee shops in Louisville!

And one of the best spots for river sunset-watching is at Captain’s Quarters, a gorgeous restaurant on the banks of the Ohio River off a scenic stretch of River Road.

Order a Hot Brown or some fresh seafood, and sit outside. The giant outdoor patio of this waterfront restaurant is perfect for sunset watching. Note: On weekend evenings during the summer, Captain’s Quarters does tend to get pretty packed, so arrive early to snag a good spot!

Things to do in Louisville: Art & Culture

Located adjacent to the University of Louisville’s campus in Old Louisville, the Speed Art Museum is the oldest, largest, and foremost museum of art in Kentucky.

Called one of “The World’s Most Beautiful New Museums” by Travel & Leisure Magazine (the building is rad, seriously… you should visit just for the selfie) the museum features rotating exhibitions on a diverse array of ancient, classical, and modern art.

The museum is free to visit on Sundays, so this is always a fun thing to do in Louisville on the weekend! You can check out our in-depth guide to the best museums in Louisville!

Technically 21C is a Museum Hotel. Like, you can sleep … at the museum. Which is awesome, and secretly one of my childhood dreams (did anyone else read this book when they were little?!). But it’s also an extremely cool contemporary art museum to visit at any time of day (the museum is open 24/7) and one of my all-time favorite attractions in Louisville.!

The first thing you’ll notice is the giant gold Statue of David out front, parked in front of the bedazzled limo, and adorned with giant red plastic penguins. And trust me, it’s all uphill from there. The galleries change frequently, so you might find an installation on Feminist art, or possibly a live dance performance. Or, dine in an art gallery at Proof, the delicious restaurant located inside 21C!

If you’re visiting, this unique art museum/hotel is one of the best places to stay in Louisville.

See also
14 Incredible Museums in Louisville, Kentucky

Entrance to Churchill Downs with horse statue and flowers in Louisville Kentucky
Even when races aren’t running, Churchill Downs is home to a fantastic museum, the Kentucky Derby Museum.

There is nothing as heart-poundingly exciting as watching your money sprint away from you down a track. Err, I mean a horse. That’s what I meant. Horse racing is SO thrilling, and cheering on your horse with a screaming crowd during a 30-second stretch is just as exciting at the Kentucky Derby as it is any other day at the track, particularly if you’re like us and only ever bet $2 at a time.

Even when races aren’t running, Churchill Downs is home to a fantastic museum, the Kentucky Derby Museum. You can learn about the history of thoroughbred racing, the Kentucky Derby, Black heritage in racing, and more.

That said, we have to acknowledge that horse racing is a problematic sport. I grew up with horses, and I love them dearly. Treatment of racehorses depends mostly on owners and jockeys, and unfortunately, not all of the bigger players in horse racing are invested in their horses’ health and safety. We firmly believe the racing industry needs more regulations in place to keep horses safe.

If you want to learn more about the care of racehorses and see where they are raised, this tour takes you to two horse farms which have an 80 year history and have raised over 200 stake horses.

See also
Kentucky Derby Tips: The Ultimate First-Timer’s Derby Guide (by a local)

  • See a play at a local theatre company

I’ll never stop shouting this from the rooftops: Louisville has an incredible theater scene. Not only has the city produced Hollywood actors such as Jennifer Lawrence – who I actually studied theater with in middle school! – Ashley Judd, Jennifer Carpenter, and Tom Cruise, but the independent Louisville acting scene is thriving.

Most theater aficionados have heard of the world famous Humana Festival of New Plays in April, but Louisville produces excellent theater year-round. Pick up a LEO Weekly to see what’s playing.

Some of my favorite local theater companies and venues are: Theatre [502], The Alley Theatre, Commonwealth Theatre Center, Looking for Lilith, Pandora Productions, Bunbury Theatre, The Bard’s Town Theatre, and Actor’s Theatre Louisville.

What do you get when you combine a thriving theatre scene with a large LGTBQ+ community? A booming Drag scene, y’all! Play Louisville hosts multiple Drag shows every night from Thursday-Sunday with a rotating cast of fabulous Drag Queens.

Never been to a Drag show? Be sure to read up on the proper etiquette, and don’t forget to bring cash to tip the talented performers. And remember: if you are not a member of the LGBTQ+ community, be aware that you are entering a queer space and need to be mindful of your behavior and your mindset – this guide will help!

First Friday Hop in Louisville is one of the best ways to get to know the city’s rad, extensive art scene. Hop on one of the free zero-emission TARC buses and ride around downtown Louisville to explore its galleries, shops, and restaurants.

From game design to art and craft to costume design to artisan chocolates to sound visuals (?) to karaoke (YES), First Friday Hop changes every month but is always a ton of fun!

Girl with umbrella standing in the rain at the foot of a Giant Baseball Bat at Louisville Slugger Museum on Museum Row in Louisville Kentucky
The Louisville Slugger Museum is the home of the largest baseball bat in the world, and also the factory where all Louisville Slugger bats are made! It’s one of the coolest places to visit in Louisville.

At the Frazier History Museum on downtown’s Museum Row, you can visit the Cool Kentucky exhibition, which brings the history of Kentucky to life for all visitors. Cool Kentucky displays tons of artifacts and facts about what makes Kentucky so incredibly cool!

The museum is also the Official Starting Point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Pick up your ticket online to skip waiting in line at the door!

Louisville sluggers, perhaps the greatest contribution to baseball ever (you’re welcome everyone), are made right here in Louisville at the Slugger Factory!

Taking a tour of the Louisville Slugger factory at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is one of the coolest and most unique things to do in Louisville. Not only can you try your hand at the batting cage using bats from famous baseball stars, but you’ll walk away with an awesome souvenir: a mini Louisville Slugger bat!

Finding the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is easy: just head to Museum Row and look for the world’s largest Baseball Bat. It’s 120 feet tall.

See also
Louisville Weekend Trip: The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary

Love art and crafts? The KMAC museum is for you. The Kentucky Museum of Art & Craft “explores the relationship between art and craft by identifying art as big idea and craft as the intersection between process, materials and labor.”

So you might find a contemporary art exhibit woven from cloth, or crafted from clay, or blown from glass. This Museum Row staple is also free, so stop in and take a look!

Muhammad Ali was one of Louisville’s most famous residents. And the Muhammad Ali Center, which was co-founded by Ali himself during his lifetime, is dedicated the his life and legacy.

As honest as it is informative, the museum expands beyond Ali’s illustrious boxing career and examines, with a critical eye, the man himself – with all of his flaws – as well as the racist and conflicted society from which he emerged.

One of Museum Row‘s oldest and most kid-friendly museums, the Kentucky Science Center is still to this day one of my favorite Louisville museums (probably thanks to spending many happy hours there as a kid myself).

So grab your favorite kid and see an IMAX movie, climb a rock wall, do an experiment, or make something amazing at the Science Center!

Horses Grazing in a Field in Kentucky
There’s tons of things to do close to Louisville on a day trip! The road trip is half the fun – Kentucky is full of pastoral scenes like this.

Things to do in Louisville: Day Trips

One of the best day trips from Louisville is to go bourbon tasting on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail! Although there are plenty of distilleries in Louisville, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a whole different experience.

As you drive out of Louisville and into the rolling hills of Kentucky horse country, you’ll see what I mean.

Hands down, our favorite distilleries to visit are Woodford Reserve and Maker’s Mark: if you have to limit yourself to just one single day trip from Louisville, those are the bourbon distilleries we recommend.

But if you can swing it, give yourself some time to pick up a passport and complete the whole trail! We recommend booking a tour – they will take care of the planning (and most importantly, the driving) for you.

Deam Lake is the best and closest beach to Louisville, and makes a fantastic (and quick) summer day trip. The water is warm and perfect for swimming, and the lake is sandy and wonderful. Pack a picnic lunch and a swimsuit and plan to spend the day!

Located a scenic 30 minutes from downtown Louisville, Deam Lake State Recreation Area is located in Carr Township, Indiana. In the cooler months, this area is also a wonderful place to go hiking.

This is one of our favorite lakes near Louisville!

There are two huge, beautiful lakes near Louisville that are perfect for a day of fun on the water! Bring a picnic lunch and plenty of sunscreen.

Taylorsville Lake is about an hour outside of Louisville in Spencer County. Grab some friends and go in on a pontoon boat from the Taylorsville Lake Marina.

Green River Lake State Park is about an hour and a half away from Louisville in Campbellsville. Rent a houseboat, fishing boats, ski boats, jet ski, or pontoon boat from the marina! In addition to boating, you can also relax and swim at the beach, go horseback riding or hiking on 28 miles of trails, play miniature golf, and even stay overnight at the on-site campground.

Kentucky is known for its enormous cave systems and sweet, limestone-filtered water. And other than bourbon and spelunking, one of the coolest ways to appreciate the geology of Kentucky is to go swimming in a huge, limestone rock quarry! The water is crystalline, naturally filtered and wonderfully cool on a hot summer’s day.

Note that this is a huge, natural swimming hole – not a maintained pool. So yeah, there are fish (and you can even go scuba diving to see them up close). Also, you must be 18+ or over – children are not allowed, even with their parents. And child-free doesn’t mean it’s a place to party: no drugs or alcohol are allowed.

But hey, in exchange for sharing the water with a few marine critters and absolutely no children, you’ll have a TON of space to float, dive, and swim in a gorgeous natural setting!

Throw on your swimsuit and pack some sunscreen and a personal flotation device (these are required) and head to LaGrange, about 35 minutes outside of Louisville.

hiker at rose island at charlestown state park indiana
Charlestown State Park serves river views, lush forests, and abandoned amusement parks.

30 minutes outside of Louisville along the Ohio River in Indiana, this beautiful state park is home to some stunning hiking trails – and an abandoned amusement park! The area was once owned by the Louisville Ferry Company in 1881, and became a popular stop for fancy Victorian tourists on riverboat excursions from Louisville and other cities down the river.

In 1923 it became Rose Island – though it’s really a peninsula – when it was purchased by businessman David Rose (no, not that David Rose) to become a summer resort. He added an amusement park with a small wooden roller coaster, a dance hall, golf course, dining facilities, riverfront cottages, the Rose Island Hotel, and even a zoo with a wolf, monkeys, and a bear named “Teddy Rosevelt”. You know, everything you need as a fancy Victorian tourist to keep yourself amused.

Rose Island operated until the Great Flood of 1937 that submerged 70% of Louisville, which really put a damper on the vibe – and it was left abandoned. Discover the ruins on the Rose Island loop, a moderate 3-mile hike and one of our favorite hikes near Louisville.

See also
The 17 Best Hikes in Louisville, Kentucky

Mammoth Cave is the longest recorded cave system in the world, a National Park, AND a UNESCO World Heritage Site. How much cave is there? There is SO MUCH CAVE. It’s mammoth! Get it?!

You can actually take a boat ride UNDERGROUND, and then go check out the cave where Jesse James once hid from the law (and the sun).

Once you emerge from your descent into the underworld, there are plenty of daylight activities: canoeing, fishing, boating, water skiing, swimming, horseback riding, balloon rides, even zipline tours! Mammoth Cave is a fantastic place to take a day trip from Louisville.

Red River Gorge is one of the best outdoor adventure destinations in Kentucky! Located in Daniel Boone National Forest, Red River Gorge is chock full of camping, hiking, rock climbing, and even ziplining. One of the most famous sights and hiking trails in Red River Gorge is to a stunning natural rock bridge.

Even if you’d rather observe your nature from within the air-conditioned comfort of your car, Red River Gorge is a must-see: a one-hour, 46-mile scenic byway winds through the Red River Gorge, dotted with beautiful scenic overlooks. Rent a cabin, throw on your favorite flannel shirt, and get wilderness-y!


Phew, is that a massive list or what?? Believe it or not, we actually had to edit ourselves down to keep this list from being too long… so next time you hear someone say “there’s nothing to do in Louisville!” send them this list, and give them a side-eye from us. (Psst: Bookmark this page so you can come back again and again!)

Which of these things to do in Louisville are you most excited to try? Did we miss one of your favorite activities in Louisville? Drop us a comment below!

Psst: Looking for more tips to explore Louisville? Check out a few of our other posts:


Let's go, y'all signoff graphic
FOLLOW US

Psst: Save this post for later on Pinterest!

 
GET A PRINTABLE LOUISVILLE BUCKET LIST
Subscribe to our email list and we'll send you a FREE printable list with 75 fun things to do in Louisville!
You’ve successfully signed up! Check your email for details.

13 Comments

  1. This is so full of great information for us first timers to Louisville. We are coming the middle of February for a wedding. We will come on a Friday and leave on a Monday. I know it will be cold but will most places be open?

    1. Yes, most places should be open! Barring seasonal things, of course, like the racetrack at Churchill Downs (the museum will be open) or Kentucky Kingdom.

  2. Awesome post you have here, I love doing outdoor adventures like kayaking on Harrod’s Creek. It was truly an amazing trip for me.

  3. Awesome post you have here, I love doing outdoor adventures like kayaking on Harrod’s Creek. It was truly an amazing trip for me. Thank you for sharing!

  4. I love reading this…but one correction. George Roger’s Clark was the founder of Louisville and was a brigadier General in the Revolutionary War. His much younger brother WILLIAM Clark was the Clark of “Lewis and Clark” fame. Lots of people confuse that, just giving a heads up. Same family though. Keep doing what you are doing ..lots of great content!

  5. I grew up in Louisville, attended the university there through age 24, great memories. This web site was so fun to read. Would love to come back for a visit and enjoy many of the places and foods listed here. thanks for the information. Excellent job!!

    1. I found this list very helpful to find places to eat and visit. Almost everything was great and fun. The only disappointing place was the Logan Street Markey. It was too pricey and the food only edible. Not worth the stop.

      1. Thank you so much – there are so many fun things to do around town! Logan Street Market may change vendors every so often, and of course, not everything is for everyone. But I am glad you liked the list overall 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.