10 Best Things To Do In Louisville: From Bourbon To The Kentucky Derby

Bourbon pouring from distilleries, banjos twanging from every corner, and horses thundering across race tracks – these are just some of the things that Kentucky, a geographical and cultural crossroads that’s part North and part South. One of the best cities to explore in Kentucky is Louisville. You’ll discover that there are several things to do in Louisville. 

If somebody talks to you about Louisville, they’ll probably mumble about the posh horse races, free-flowing bourbon, baseball bats, and a legendary boxer named Muhammad Ali, the city’s native son. But there are more things to do in Louisville than just these. Go on and shake those stereotypes off as you explore these activities through this guide.

Here Are Some Of The Best Things To Do In Louisville

Craving for travel? You might want to consider visiting the pleasing city of Louisville. But first, you need a guide. Here are the best things to do in Louisville. 

1. Experience Bourbon, Tour A Bourbon Distillery

Louisville is regarded as the center of the bourbon-making universe. Technically, it is Kentucky that invented bourbon, and most of the global supply of this beverage comes from this Kentucky city and around. So, you are definitely missing a lot of you are not going to have this on your things to do in Louisville guide. 

Some of the best places for experiencing bourbon in Louisville are The Silver Dollar, Proof on Main, Bourbons Bistro, The Comfy Cow, and Doc Crow’s Southern Smokehouse & Raw Bar, to name a few.

Right as you get a taste of bourbon, you might also want to learn more about this drink by touring bourbon distilleries. Head to Evan Williams Bourbon Experience for its family-friendly exhibits and engaging production tours. Just a few blocks away is Angel’s Envy that does not only offer tours but also tastings of its slightly sweet, port-cask-finished whiskey. Other favorites include Kentucky Peerless, Old Forester, Jim Beam, and Maker’s Mark.

2. Be Part Of The Kentucky Derby 

Louisville locals do not only profess their love for bourbon, but also for horse racing. The Kentucky Derby is considered as the most prestigious annual horse race all over America. This event is held at Churchill Downs, regarded by many as the “cathedral of horse racing.”

Each year since 1875, that’s right, 1875, the Kentucky Derby brings spectators to Churchill Downs right here in Louisville for a week filled with excitement, suspense, and spectacle. What all your senses can feel at the Derby are unmatched, making this one of the best things to do in Louisville. 

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3. Learn More About The Event At The Kentucky Derby Museum

The Kentucky Derby has been held on the first Saturday of May since 1875. So, if you missed that date or can’t make it to the Derby itself, that does not mean you cannot experience this. Include on your things to do in Louisville list your visit to the Kentucky Derby Museum. 

Enjoy the Churchill Downs experience at this impressive horse racing museum. Located on Central Avenue very near to the main entrance of the racecourse, the museum opened in 1985, several decades after the first Kentucky Derby.

Nonetheless, its two floors of exhibits will tell you the story of how a Thoroughbred race horse is turned into a champion. It also features a special homage to one of the greatest winners of the event, Man O’War. There’s also a half hour tour of Churchill Downs, bringing the world’s greatest horse racing venue right in front of your eyes.

4. Pay Tribute To Louisville’s Native Son, The Great Boxer, Muhammad Ali

Louisville is the birthplace of Muhammad Ali, that mythic boxer who is hailed as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, and as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. So, if you are headed for the things to do in Louisville, you’ll find Ali’s name in various places, from streets to museums, and you can pay tribute to this legend at the Muhammad Ali Center. 

The city’s greatest son is commemorated in style in this museum located on Ohio River’s southern shore. Here, you will witness Ali’s poems and drawings, learn about his conviction for refusing to be drafted or how he trained for his bouts, and view footage of some of his matches. If you love boxing, this place is a must-visit, but here, the boxer is humanized more than you can possibly imagine. 

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5. Participate In This Old Louisville Ghost Tour That’s Recommended By The New York Times

Looking to bring some chills down to your spine? Take part in this Old Louisville ghost tour that’s been recommended by the New York Times. If you are looking for unique and terrifying things to do in Louisville, this is the choice. 

If you appreciate history well, you will also love this tour. Old Louisville is where you can find some of the country’s most beautiful Victorian mansions that trace back to wealthy families during the 1800s. 

But here’s the catch. On this walking tour, you will uncover the eerie past of this neighborhood together with a guide that will tell you about its ghostly and haunted tales whether you like it or not. After all, you chose to partake in this tour. You’ll stop at various highlights such as the Witches’ Tree, the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum, and the Filson Historical Society.

6. Go On A Private Tour Around The KMAC Contemporary Art Museum

If you are a museum junkie, then you should not skip a tour around the KMAC Contemporary Art Museum on your things to do in Louisville list. Actually, erratum on that. It’s a private tour so you can feel freer to explore this place. 

This museum is Louisville’s premier downtown arts and culture experience. With this private tour, you will get a personalized introduction to Kentucky’s rich arts scene, together with a knowledgeable guide who will lead you through the exhibits. 

Featured artists here include big names like Picasso, Simone Leigh, and more. This tour already includes a complimentary beverage. Sounds fun? Sign up for this tour today.

7. See The ‘Big Bat’ At The Louisville Slugger Museum 

Aside from the Kentucky Derby and bourbons, Louisville is also known for its baseball bats. Quite weird to hear if you are learning about this for the first time as the popularity only centers on just one sports equipment. You will learn more about Louisville Slugger baseball bats at the Louisville Slugger Museum. 

Baseball is touted as “America’s National Pastime,” and the Louisville Slugger, with its roots dating as far back as 1884, is the name of the most famous wooden bat used by professional ballplayers to smash singles and bash doubles, as well as belt triples and pound home runs in a ballpark. The Slugger is probably the greatest bat in baseball. 

You can see the 120-foot tall “big bat” in this museum located in the Hillerich and Bradsby Factory on West Main Street. Aside from this, you can also experience more things to do in Louisville here, such as having a go in the batting cage yourself, pitching like Roger Clemens, and taking a factory tour to see how the bats today are crafted, among many other experiences.

Can’t get enough of the best things to do in Louisville? Discover more of what the USA has to offer. How about going down south to New Orleans? Here’s a guide to NOLA.

8. Head Underground At The Louisville Mega Cavern

There are so many leisurely things to do in Louisville, right? But if you want to see a little bit of nature, Louisville also has something to offer. 

One of the city’s finest attractions is actually a vast cavern on Taylor Avenue situated in the southeastern portion of the town. Once a limestone mine, the Louisville Mega Cavern is an underground cave that’s been converted into an adventure park, complete with tram rides, mountain bike courses, obstacle courses, and ziplines. For cyclists, this place boasts over 12 miles of cycling trails, also making it the world’s largest indoor cycling park.

9. Get Spooked At Waverly Hills Sanatorium

You have heard about the renowned sanatoriums in other cities in the United States and the world, and Louisville also has something to share in this arena. 

The Waverly Hills Sanatorium is very noticeable, protruding out of the landscape of the city like something out of a horror flick, and it has something to be proud of. This place housed in Tudor Gothic Revival architecture is said to be one of the most haunted places on Earth. Thousands of people died here during the outbreak of the tuberculosis epidemic in the early 1900s. It has been said that many of their ghosts still roam its halls. If you wish to include this on your things to do in Louisville, there are guided tours and even overnight stays being offered.

10. Try Louisville’s Favorites, A Hot Brown And Bourbon Ball

So, you have been fascinated by Louisville’s baseball bat story and gotten creeped out by its ghost tales. Now, it is time to shake them all off. How? By indulging in some hot browns and bourbon balls, two of Louisville’s most famous foods. 

Hot browns are an open-faced turkey and sandwich that’s smothered with Mornay sauce, a béchamel sauce (a kind of French sauce) with shredded or grated cheese added. This delight was invented at downtown’s Brown Hotel, therefore the name. The best place for the best hot browns is at Biscuit Belly in the NuLu neighborhood. 

Meanwhile, bourbon balls are bite-sized chocolate with a creamy and bourbon-infused filling. Head over to Muth’s Candies for the best bourbon balls around.

Thank you for taking some time to read this “things to do in Louisville” guide. You might want to check out another guide here: things to do in El Paso.

Things To Do In Louisville: Airlines That Fly To This City In Kentucky

As you prepare for that amazing trip to Louisville, of course, you need to know which airline to choose, especially if you are traveling by air. Let’s make the most out of the best things to do in Louisville. Here are some of the airlines that fly to this Kentucky city. 

• Spirit Airlines
• United Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Airlines 
• Southwest Airlines 

Discover Louisville, The Gateway To The South

The things to do in Louisville may sound like they’re for passionate boxers, horse racers, bourbon lovers, or baseball players, but seriously, you really don’t have to love horse racing, bourbon, boxing, or baseball to adore and appreciate Louisville. Louisville is for everyone.

This fun-loving and freewheeling Kentucky city is one of the friendliest destinations anywhere in the world. Though things get exciting here during Derby Week, Louisville entices and entertains travelers all year round.

There is a reason why Louisville is nicknamed the “Gateway to the South.” Discover this destination today.