Where to Stay in Louisville, Kentucky (and Where NOT to): a Local’s Guide

Planning a trip to Louisville? It’s hard to fall in love with a city without having a great place to stay. Luckily,  there are tons of amazing places to stay in Louisville! Where to stay in Louisville depends on what kind of experience you’re after: do you want a centrally located boutique hotel or a gorgeous vacation rental that makes you feel like a local? Do you want to be in the heart of the urban city center, or would you rather walk through tree-lined streets past beautiful, historic homes? Louisville’s got it all, and we’re here to help you decide.

This guide to places to stay in Louisville is organized by neighborhood. We’ll tell you exactly why you might want to stay in each area we recommend along with a couple of specific accommodations to book. And we’ll also tell you where to avoid staying (because let’s be honest, no city is perfect).

Sound like a lot? Don’t worry, there’s a summary at the bottom of this post with all the info below condensed into one easy-to-digest list. We’re here to help, y’all!

Ready to start planning your trip to Louisville? Let’s go!

Psst: Need some more suggestions for your trip? Take a look at these other posts:

• The 63 Best Things to Do in Louisville, Kentucky
• Kentucky Derby Tips: The Ultimate First-Timer’s Derby Guide
• Louisville Weekend Trip: The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary
• The 19 Best Louisville Tours (by a local tour guide)

Where to Stay in Louisville by Neighborhood

Louisville is a very large city, and most of its locals divide it mentally into four parts: West End, East End, South End, and Downtown. And while each part of Louisville has its own highlights, there are a few neighborhoods which are much better to base yourself in on a visit to Louisville.

The neighborhoods we’ve included below are easiest to get around, even without having to rent a car: they’re walkable, bikeable, and serviced by buses, including LouLift, a free, zero-emissions electric bus that runs along Market & Main Streets downtown. (With that said, if you do have a car, you’ll be able to explore the South End, West End & the East End much more easily if you like!)

So even though us locals have love for the West End, East End, and South End, we think that Downtown and its adjacent neighborhoods are the most tourist-friendly parts of the city, including Old Louisville, The Highlands, Clifton, NuLu, Germantown, and Butchertown. Don’t worry, we’ll break each option down in detail!

Each of these neighborhoods is chock full of awesome stuff to do for visitors to Louisville, from restaurants to bars & breweries to theatres, parks, and more. We’ve listed a few of our favorite attractions in each neighborhood and included our top picks for both hotels and vacation rentals in each!

• Note about Vacation Rentals: Personally, we recommend booking vacation rentals directly through VRBO because it has fewer fees and more flexible cancellation policies than Airbnb, and we’re not fans of Airbnb’s unethical track record and lax security. Also, I was once kicked out of an Airbnb in Louisville because the landlord rented it to a permanent tenant – in the middle of my stay. Yikes! VRBO’s tend to be professionally managed, so you’re less likely to experience issues.

Let’s dive into it!

Where to Stay: Downtown Louisville

Downtown Louisville is filled with historic brick facades, towering skyscrapers and high-rises (don’t worry, there aren’t THAT many), hotels, theatres, and museums. Bordering the waterfront and the Ohio River, you’re never very far from a view of the water – just head up to the nearest rooftop bar!

Downtown is the best place to catch a gorgeous sunset, see some phenomenal local theatre, attend a baseball game, and explore a wide variety of expertly curated museums.

Along the waterfront, you’ll find a few bridges leading over the Ohio River into Indiana, including the walkable/bikeable Big Four Bridge. On a warm summer evening, there’s nothing better than a stroll along the Big Four bridge and Waterfront Park at sunset!

Museum Row and its neighbor, Whiskey Row, are my favorite parts of Downtown Louisville: they’re gorgeous and historically restored, with beautiful old brick facades. You can’t help but imagine yourself in a historical steamboating town smuggling barrels of bourbon downriver when you walk down West Main street!

Plus, the plethora of bourbon bars, speakeasies, and museums stuffed into a couple of blocks of downtown makes this one of the best places to explore in Louisville. Our favorite museums are the Frazier History Museum, the Kentucky Museum of Art & Craft (KMAC), Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, and the Muhammad Ali Center. You’ll also be close to the best independent theatre in town, Actor’s Theatre.

There’s also no shortage of bourbon in downtown (or anywhere in Louisville, for that matter). Bars pour bourbon along the Urban Bourbon Trail on Whiskey Row, tucked into a few quiet alleys are hidden speakeasies, and several bourbon distilleries operate right in the middle of downtown.

As for transit, you definitely don’t need a car downtown. There are wide, flat sidewalks to walk, bike-share stations all over with bikes to rent, and electric scooters you can rent by the minute.

• Verdict: Stay in downtown if you want to be right in the urban center of the city close to the waterfront, museums along Museum Row, speakeasies and restaurants along Whiskey Row, and bourbon distilleries!

Where to Stay in Downtown Louisville

Your best bet downtown is to stay in a hotel! There aren’t many vacation rentals in this area. Our two favorite accommodations in downtown Louisville are both boutique hotels located right on Museum Row in the heart of downtown.

• The Grady Hotel: Louisville’s newest boutique hotel is right on Museum Row in the heart of downtown – and y’all, it’s gorgeous! The historic building dates back to 1883 and was once a medicinal bourbon apothecary – but today, it’s a stunning hotel that stays true to its historic past.  The lounge is themed like the bourbon bar/library you’ve always wanted in your own personal mansion, the rooms are incredibly modern and chic, and if you like, your windows can look out on the historic facades of Museum Row or the beautiful Ohio River. Breakfast is included, and you can grab (bourbon) cocktails and bites at the on-site restaurant which is named for a company which made Derby hats during the roaring twenties in the very same building.  Plus, the hotel is dog friendly (for an additional fee), so you can bring along your pet (and take the world’s cutest photos of them in a little Marker’s Mark bourbon barrel bed!!!)
• 21C Museum Hotel: You know that book we all read in elementary school, Night at the Museum? (Or wait, is that a Ben Stiller movie??) Anyway, this is your chance to finally achieve your sleeping-in-a-museum fantasy! This incredibly unique boutique hotel is both a hotel and a contemporary art museum, located right on Museum Row – so you’re literally staying in one of the area’s coolest attractions! Staying in a museum hotel is as hip as it gets, y’all. Pop down and see the art or catch a live performance in the museum, or just admire the modern art in your room – each room is different! 21C is also home to one of the best restaurants in Louisville, Proof on Main – do not miss out on eating at Proof, even if you’re not staying here! 21C is super unique and well worth it!. Oh, and .. er, try to make a visit the men’s bathroom on the main floor. Just trust us. Fun fact: there are 21C locations in other cities, but Louisville’s is the original location!

Where to Stay: NuLu

NuLu stands for New Louisville. That’s right, Louisville is cool enough to have its own neighborhood nicknames, like SoMa in SF or SoHo in NYC. (We’re very proud!)

Nulu was created in recent years thanks to an upswing in development in a part of Downtown Louisville that didn’t really have a whole lot going on. Just a few years ago, this area was a dead zone of empty lots, abandoned warehouses, and other not-super-exciting stuff.

But its proximity just down the street from Downtown and a few blocks south of the waterfront meant that NuLu was ripe for development.

Today, it’s the most up-and-coming neighborhood in Louisville. The area is super walkable and a lot of fun to explore. Rad new shops, art galleries, markets, bars, breweries, and restaurants seem to be opening in NuLu daily, breathing new life into warehouses, lofts, and under-utilized industrial spaces!

There is so much good food in NuLu, it’s ridiculous! Start with a coffee from Quill’s. For lunch, pick up a delicious biscuit sandwich at Biscuit Belly or some hot friend chicken at Royal’s Chicken. For dessert, grab ice cream from Louisville Cream or a warm chocolate chip cookie from Please & Thank You. And for a fancy dinner, head to Mayan Cafe! There’s so much good food here that this neighborhood is even home to its very own food tour.

The NuLu Food & History Walking Tour by Louisville Food Tours tells the story of Louisville and Kentucky through its cuisine. On 6 delicious stops, you’ll taste Kentucky classics like bourbon balls and fried chicken, see a historic home once occupied by Thomas Edison, taste a sweet treat inspired by a Victorian-era actress, and trace the history of German immigrants in Louisville.

Use the code LGL10 for 10% off your booking, and be sure to come hungry – there’s a lot of food on this tour. The 3 hour tour runs on Fridays and Saturdays at 1pm and 1:30 PM. Read our full tour review here!

• Local Travel Tip: Hands down the best way to taste the best food in NuLu is on a NuLu Food and History Walking Tour with Louisville Food Tours! Explore the story of Louisville and the NuLu neighborhood while tasting Kentucky classics including bourbon balls, biscuits, fried chicken, and – of course – bourbon! Read our full review of the tour. Use the code LGL10 to save 10% on your booking.

There are also tons of opportunities to shop local in NuLu. Browse the shops at the NuLu Marketplace and pick up rad, artist-crafted souvenirs to take back home with you from Revelry Boutique + Gallery. Show your pride and support Louisville’s LGBTQ scene by shopping at Louabull – 100% of proceeds go towards fighting for LGBTQ equality, pride, visibility and justice. 

After dark, grab a drink and dance the night away at Galaxie and Garage Bar (which, yes, used to be a mechanic) or sip a bourbon at Taj Louisville.

For more tips, head to our complete guide to things to do in NuLu!

• Verdict: If you want to stay fairly close to downtown (and the waterfront) and be within walking distance of fantastic food and great nightlife, this is the best neighborhood to base yourself in!

Where to Stay in NuLu

Your best bet for this area is to stay in a vacation rental! There aren’t many big hotels here, but there are some incredibly cute, centrally located apartments and lofts.

• For a contemporary boutique hotel feel, check out the Hancock House on Jefferson Street, just two blocks from Market where all the restaurants and shops are! You can choose a comfy and functional studio apartment complete with a kitchen and great views. A perfect home base for your NuLu explorations!
• This chic, hip loft is one street over from the shops and restaurants on Market Street. The loft features two bedrooms on two separate stories, a gorgeous kitchen, updated bathroom (with an Instagrammable tile wall, I might add) and a cute little outdoor patio.
• This budget-friendly historic apartment is right next to the NuLu Marketplace! It’s easy to find, just look for the colorful rainbow horse mural on the side of the building. Inside the apartment is all exposed brick walls, high ceilings and huge windows looking out on the city views of NuLu. Relax by the working fireplace, take a bath in that huge bathtub, cook in that stunning kitchen (or don’t, there’s incredible food steps from your door) and enjoy!

Where to Stay: The Highlands

The Highlands is made up of a few smaller micro-neighborhoods, all under the Highlands umbrella, and is one of Louisville’s most historic and most walkable areas.

Its tree-covered streets are lined with beautiful historic homes, including many gorgeous Victorians, especially in the Original Highlands and Cherokee Triangle micro-neighborhoods. The streets and sidewalks are well maintained and perfect for walking and biking, and the entire neighborhood is wonderfully green. Y’all, it’s just freakin’ gorgeous here. Although I may be slightly biased – this is where we live!

The jewel of the Highlands is Louisville’s incredible urban park, Cherokee Park. This beautiful 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.

Exploring Cherokee Park’s scenic loop or hiking on its many trails is a respite from the urban center of Louisville, full of hilly forests, boardwalks, and even a bird sanctuary – and it’s smack dab in the middle of the Highlands!

The Highlands is also home to many of Louisville’s best restaurants, bars and breweries all lining the Bardstown Road corridor, as well as the historic Cave Hill Cemetery. On a crisp fall day, there’s nothing more peaceful than a stroll through Cave Hills’ quiet, garden-adorned grounds, past ponds and mausoleums filled with Louisville’s most famous residents such as Colonel Sanders, Muhammad Ali, and Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr.

While you’re here, be sure to take the Highlands food & history tour with Louisville Food Tours. You’ll wind through the Original Highlands learning about the history of Louisville, and stop to taste bourbon and enjoy Louisville specialties like bourbon balls and a dish inspired by the Hot Brown. Use the code LGL10 for 10% off your booking!

The Highlands feel much greener and less urban than Downtown or NuLu, but you’re still very close to Downtown – only about 10 minutes driving or a 20 minute, mostly flat bike ride. (And NuLu is just down the street, about a mile away.) The neighborhood is highly walkable, and talking walks is a great way to explore, because the area is gorgeous!

Head to our neighborhood guide for more suggestions on things to do in the Highlands.

• Verdict: Historic Victorian homes, trees and lush greenery, a giant urban park, walkable neighborhoods, and Louisville’s best places to eat and drink lining the thriving Bardstown Road corridor all make the Highlands one of the best places to stay in Louisville, especially if you prefer to be a little away from the urban Downtown core!

Where to Stay in the Highlands

Your best bet for the Highlands is to stay in a vacation rental! There aren’t many big hotels here, but there are some incredibly cute, centrally located apartments and lofts.

• This stylish Highlands Home is the perfect “walk to all” location. Its bright and artsy, with four bedrooms, a modern kitchen, and a beautiful outdoor deck area. The location truly is perfect too- by the intersection of Bardstown and Eastern Parkway, you’ll truly be able to walk to the best of the Highlands, including Cherokee Park.
• Located in the Baxter Avenue section of the Original Highlands, this Southern, Chic Home off Barrett Avenue is a stone’s throw away from both the historic Cherokee Triangle and NuLu. This home is spacious and hip, with a fantastic bathroom (and a luxurious soaking tub and marble shower!) and a secluded outdoor patio with a huge hot tub!
• This Five Bedroom House is perfect for groups as it has 5(!!) bedrooms and is nestled in the Cherokee Triangle area near some of the best Highlands nightlife. You’ll be able to eat, and drink, and walk to all kinds of things from this location!

Your best bet for the Highlands is to stay in a vacation rental! There aren’t many big hotels here, but there are some incredibly cute, centrally located apartments and lofts.

• This stylish Highlands Home is the perfect “walk to all” location. Its bright and artsy, with four bedrooms, a modern kitchen, and a beautiful outdoor deck area. The location truly is perfect too- by the intersection of Bardstown and Eastern Parkway, you’ll truly be able to walk to the best of the Highlands, including Cherokee Park.
• Located in the Baxter Avenue section of the Original Highlands, this Southern, Chic Home off Barrett Avenue is a stone’s throw away from both the historic Cherokee Triangle and NuLu. This home is spacious and hip, with a fantastic bathroom (and a luxurious soaking tub and marble shower!) and a secluded outdoor patio with a huge hot tub!
• This Five Bedroom House is perfect for groups as it has 5(!!) bedrooms and is nestled in the Cherokee Triangle area near some of the best Highlands nightlife. You’ll be able to eat, and drink, and walk to all kinds of things from this location!

Where to Stay: Old Louisville

Old Louisville is home to the largest collection of historical Victorian homes in the world, made up of 48 blocks of gorgeous, mansion-esque, Victorian homes and tree-covered streets. Simply put, Old Louisville is one of the most absolutely beautiful neighborhoods in Louisville. (Personally, I rank it at the very top!)

Walking paths wind through the historic homes, and at the center of the neighborhood is the small but charming Central Park, yet another one of Olmsted’s creations. In the summer, Central Park is home to Shakespeare in the Park, one of Louisville’s best and longest-running theatre festivals!

One downside of staying in Old Louisville, though, is that unlike some of the other neighborhoods on our list, there is no central stretch of businesses to stroll through – the area is firmly residential, so you probably won’t be within walking distance to much.

That said, there are a few gems tucked in the neighborhood, like Buck’s Restaurant, Old Louisville Brewery, and Mag Bar. You’ll also be less than a mile away from the Speed Art Museum (which is free on Sundays) and Churchill Downs. You can take historical walking tours here as well, and the bustling campus of the University of Louisville is adjacent to the neighborhood.

But even if you don’t stay here, taking a walk through the beautiful historic streets of Old Louisville is absolutely a highlight of any visit to Louisville! The ornate Victorian mansions, flickering gas lamps, and fountains of Belgravia Court and St. James are picture-perfect for a stroll at twilight.

Oh, and … the neighborhood is said to be super haunted. We consider that a plus, personally. Take an Old Louisville Ghost Tour to really get to know the neighborhood after dark …

• A quiet, tree-line neighborhood filled with Louisville’s most beautiful Victorian homes, trees and lush greenery, and a small urban park make Old Louisville the most scenic neighborhood to stay in during your trip. But you won’t be in walking distance to much other than scenery, so plan to bike or drive to other neighborhoods for food, drink, and activities.

Where to Stay in Old Louisville

There’s a mix of vacation rentals and cozy bed and breakfasts tucked into Old Louisville! We’ve got a recommendation for each.

• If you can snag it, our favorite Louisville vacation rental is right on beautiful little Central Park! The location is perfect: it’s across the street from the park, on a gorgeous tree-lined street. The view of the park out the bedroom window is wonderful to wake up to each day! You’ll have a full kitchen and a private balcony, plus a luxurious updated bathroom. The apartment is the perfect balance of historic and modern, and we’ve stayed here several times!
• The Inn at St. James Court is a charming b&b located on the famous fountain court in Louisville, St. James Court. It’s our favorite area to go for a walk and the most iconic part of the neighborhood! The bed and & breakfast is very much old-world charm, from the ornate Victorian home it’s located within to the grandeur of the lounge and each comfortably-furnished room.

Where to Stay: Clifton

The Clifton neighborhood is centered around Frankfort Avenue, a walkable and historic street lined with locally-owned restaurants, shops, galleries, and more. It’s the kind of street that’s designed for strolling down and popping into anything that looks interesting, much like its cousin, Bardstown Road in the Highlands. Clifton has some of the best places to eat and drink in Louisville, including Comfy Cow (one of the best places to get dessert in Louisville)!

The houses in the Clifton neighborhood are less historic and tend to be shotgun-style homes, which means they are typically a little cheaper – perfect for a budget-friendly stay.

But the area is every bit as green, walkable, and beautiful as the older neighborhoods in Louisville, and there are some beautiful historic gems to discover. Be sure to take a walk to tiny Bingham Park, designed in 1915 by Frederick Law Olmsted. The walk to the park is lovely, and one of the best places to see Clifton’s oldest and most beautiful homes.

Clifton borders Butchertown and the Highlands, and is right on the other side of Cave Hill Cemetery, making it a central place to base yourself in during a trip. At the very top of Frankfort Avenue you’ll find the Louisville Botanical Gardens and the eastern tip of the downtown waterfront – downtown is less than a mile away along the river!

Running along one side of Frankfort Avenue for a few blocks along its border with neighboring Crescent Hill is a train, and at one point the tracks cross Frankfort Avenue. Most of the time, the tracks are empty, but a few times a day the train can cause some irritation. Take note, especially if you’re visiting with dogs – mine was NOT a fan!

• Verdict: If you’re on a tight budget, stay in Clifton for easy access to the quiet, walkable Frankfort Avenue corridor, lined with local shops, galleries, and some of the best places to eat and drink in town.

Where to Stay in Clifton

Your best bet for this area is to stay in a vacation rental! There aren’t many big hotels here, but there are some incredibly cute, centrally located apartments and lofts.

• This Bright, Spacious Apartment will help you stay on top of your brunch game- literally. Located right above the delicious Morning Fork, you can literally roll out of bed and head down to a spectacular brunch. You’ll also be just minutes from the waterfront and other fabulous Clifton locations!
• If you need a little more space, this 3 Bedroom House is also near the top of Frankfort Avenue, and in seconds you can eat at fabulous restaurants like the Silver Dollar.
• This Historic and Bright 3 Bedroom Apartment will take you closer to the middle of Clifton, getting you even closer to all the food and shops along the road. You’ll also be close to Bingham Park and the Victorian homes along Coral Street.

Where to Stay: Butchertown

Bordering Clifton, NuLu, and the waterfront, Butchertown has this uber-cool industrial renaissance thing going on, with some of the best restaurants in town, a brandy distillery, art galleries and performance spaces, and some seriously hip shops. Learn more in our Butchertown neighborhood guide.

But when I was growing up in Louisville – and when my mom was growing up in Louisville – Butchertown was that one part of town that always sort of … smelled. That’s because “Butchertown” is not a name pulled out of thin air: there is actually a meat processing plant that STILL operates in this part of Louisville.

But don’t worry: it doesn’t smell so bad anymore – in fact, on the weekends, it doesn’t smell at all!

So why am I suggesting that you stay in a meatpacking district? Y’all, because it’s cool as hell. Grab a drink at Ten20 Brewery or take a tour of Copper & Kings distillery. Attend a drag show at Play Louisville and shop the local vendors at Butchertown Market.

And as you explore, keep an eye out for street art – there are a ton of awesome murals gracing the sides of old warehouses in this industrial part of town!

• Verdict: If “converted warehouse turned lofts/galleries/marketplaces/restaurants” is up your alley, you’ll want to stay in this post-industrial part of town adjacent to NuLu and downtown that’s splashed with murals and full of extremely hip things to do.

Where to Stay in Butchertown

Butchertown is a fabulous neighborhood to stay in, and it allows you to explore other close neighborhoods like Nulu and Clifton on foot!

• This Artsy Butchertown Apartment has three bedrooms and a fabulous, renovated kitchen. You will be in the perfect spot to stroll down E. Washington Street to all the fabulous shops, distilleries, and Play Lousville.
• This Historic Shotgun House in super charming and cozy, with exposed brick and warm colors. You’ll be right in the middle of Butchertown and close enough to stroll over to Nulu!

Where to Stay: Germantown

Bordering the lush Original Highlands neighborhood as well as up-and-coming Shelby Park and Paristown Point, Germantown is was founded in the 1800s by, you guessed it, German immigrants.  This historic Louisville neighborhood is populated by narrow “shotgun houses,” long, skinny homes that you’ll find sprinkled throughout certain neighborhoods in Louisville.

This is a quieter and more residential neighborhood, with a few cool businesses and unassuming taverns sprinkled amongst the residential streets, but it strikes a great balance between residential and urban without feeling terribly industrial.

Best of all, it’s in a fantastic location. You’ll have easy access into the glamorous Victorian-lined streets of the Original Highlands and the shops and restaurants along Barrett and the Bardstown Road corridor without having to pay Highlands prices.

You’ll also be walking distance to two European-style public markets full of local food and shops: Logan Street Market and Village Market, which sits next to the music venue, Paristown Hall. In the winter, this area is also home to a Christmas Market and outdoor ice skating rink!

Thanks to its German heritage, the area is home to some awesome places to eat in Louisville and, of course, some of the best places to drink beer in Louisville, as well. Grab both at Four Pegs or Hammerheads. The pizza at The Post is said to be the best in town. And you’ll find awesome dive bars on every corner, like Nachbar and The Merryweather.

If you like hunting for treasure, head to Fleur de Flea, where you can sip coffee or a cocktail while you admire the collection of fascinatingly weird artifacts (and perhaps find one to take home).

By the way, don’t get confused when you see signs for Schnitzelburg: no, this isn’t a rude anti-Germantown slur. It’s actually a micro-neighborhood within Germantown.

Perhaps the most interesting bit of trivia about Germantown is its annual Dainty World Championship. The Dainty game includes two sticks, a long “dame” broomstick and short “dainty” stick, and whoever can hit the dainty the farthest wins!

The game was invented in Schnitzelburg and follows some rather interesting rules – for instance, you must be over 45 years old to play! Curious? Watch a game for yourself!

Read more about Germantown here.

• Verdict: Stay in Germantown if your budget is more important than the scenery, you don’t need to be directly downtown, and you want to be within walking distance to lots of adjacent neighborhoods. Or if you want to compete in the Dainty World Championship.

Where to Stay in Germantown

Your best bet for this area is to stay in a vacation rental! This is a residential area and there aren’t any hotels here. But there are some incredibly cute, centrally located apartments and lofts.

• Located in the center of Germantown, this Stylish Two Bedroom House is super cute and modern! You’ll be in walking distance of Goss Avenue with it’s shops and restaurants, as well as Barret Avenue which is also trendy and busy.
• This totally modern shotgun-style home on the border of the Original Highlands has gorgeous tall ceilings with floor-to-ceiling windows, and is the perfect location to walk to the shops and restaurants along Barret Ave, Bardstown Road, Paristown Point, and Logan Street Market.
• This intimate, modern loft is located directly in the heart of Germantown! Centrally located between NULU and the Highlands, you’ll be within walking distance of Germantown’s most noteworthy hangouts. This modern loft is thoughtfully designed and the perfect place to unwind after a long day of exploring Germantown and its surrounding neighborhoods!

Where NOT to Stay in Louisville

Louisville has lots of great hotels, but unfortunately, a lot of them are in the East End – a part of town that can be great to live in, but not ideal for visitors and tourists.

Louisville’s East End is not accessible by public transit, so a car is a requirement. The area consists of sprawling suburban neighborhoods, broken up by 4-5 lane roads lined with strip malls, big box stores and parking lots (although to be fair, so is much of Louisville outside of the neighborhoods above).

You won’t find much in the East End that’s walkable – sidewalks in general are hard to come by. Plus, it’s far away from the best things to do in Louisville.

The reason so many hotels are in this area is that there’s lots of space and it’s near a few business parks. You might find some spacious vacation rentals too – there are tons of homes here with – but you’ll be spending a lot of time in your car, getting on the highway to leave the East End and head downtown.

So, unless you have a good reason to want to be in the area, we don’t recommend staying in Louisville’s East End, including anything outside of the loop that the Watterson Expressway (I-264) makes around the city.

The same holds true for a few neighborhoods outside of the core downtown city center. We recommend not staying in Fern Creek, near Dixie Highway, in Shively, in Middletown, or in Pleasure Ridge Park.

And if you’re considering staying in Prospect, Crestwood, or anywhere outside of Jefferson County, that’s actually not Louisville at all! You’ll be about 30+ minutes away from most of the stuff to do in Louisville and well outside of the city limits.

Basically, if a neighborhood doesn’t border one of the neighborhoods we mentioned above, and isn’t within a few miles of downtown, don’t stay there during your visit! (Again, that doesn’t mean these aren’t great places to live – but a visit as a tourist has very different priorities than someone looking for a place to live.)

We hope that helps you narrow down your decision! In case you’re still feeling a little overwhelmed, we’ve got a summary below.

Where to Stay in Louisville: Summary

We’ve done our best to summarize all the information you need into one, bite-sized paragraph! Here goes:

• Downtown Louisville: Base yourself in downtown if you want to be right in the urban center of the city, next to the waterfront, museums along Museum Row, speakeasies and restaurants along Whiskey Row, and two bourbon distilleries. We recommend staying in a hip boutique hotel on Museum Row, like The Grady Hotel or 21C Museum Hotel.
• NuLu: Base yourself in NuLu if you want to stay close to downtown while being within walking distance of fantastic food and great nightlife in a quirky, up-and-coming neighborhood. We recommend a vacation rental, like this chic, hip loft one street over from the shops and restaurants on Market Street, or this budget-friendly historic apartment right next to the NuLu Marketplace.
• The Highlands: Base yourself in the Highlands if if you prefer to be a little away from the urban Downtown core surrounded by Historic Victorian homes, trees and lush greenery, a giant urban park, walkable neighborhoods, and Louisville’s best places to eat and drink lining the thriving Bardstown Road corridor. We recommend a vacation rental like this stylish Highlands 4br Home, this Charming Apartment on the 2nd floor of a fairytale-esque Victorian home, or this modern Five Bedroom Apartment in the Cherokee Triangle.
• Old Louisville: Base yourself in Old Louisville if you don’t mind not having much “stuff” to walk to, but still want to be surrounded by beautiful Victorian homes, trees and lush greenery in Louisville’s most beautiful neighborhood. We recommend staying in our favorite Louisville vacation rental on beautiful little Central Park, or in the charming The Inn at St. James Court.
• Clifton: Base yourself in Clifton for budget-friendly vacation rentals with easy access to Frankfort Avenue, a charming walkable street lined with local shops, galleries, and some of the best places to eat and drink in town. We recommend this bright, spacious apartment located directly above a fantastic brunch spot, this 3 Bedroom House near the top of Frankfort Avenue (closest to downtown) or this historic and bright 3br apartment in central Clifton near Bingham Park and the Victorian homes along Coral Street.
• Butchertown: Base yourself in Butchertown if you like post-industrial urban renewal and street art, and still want to be adjacent to NuLu and downtown. We recommend this artsy Butchertown apartment.
• Germantown: Stay in Germantown if your budget is more important than the scenery, and you don’t need to be directly adjacent to downtown. We recommend this stylish 2br house in walking distance of the shops and restaurants on both Goss Avenue and Barret Avenue, as well as this totally modern shotgun-style home on the border of the Original Highlands.

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Did you figure out where to stay in Louisville? Which neighborhood did you land on? Drop us a comment below!

Psst: Need some more suggestions for your trip? Take a look at these other posts:

• Louisville Weekend Trip: The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary
• The 63 Best Things to Do in Louisville, Kentucky
• 13 Famous Louisville (& Kentucky) Foods You Have to Try
• The 19 Best Louisville Tours (by a local tour guide)

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