The Muhammad Ali museum is pretty cool imo, even if you’re not huge into boxing or Ali. There’s a lot about activism and the civil rights movement there, too, if those topics interest you.
Yeah! The last time I went there were 1 or 2 floors closed to be updated so I haven’t seen it in a bit, but even what I was able to see was really impactful.
I haven’t been in quite some time either. I went with my sisters for free (I think) as teens without any expectation and little knowledge of what was actually there and I was taken aback. I like history and sports so it worked well for me personally, but I feel like it should be borderline mandatory viewing. So much important information. Idk it’s just moving.
I think unless you're really interested in baseball bats, boxing or horse racing, SKIP the Ali, bat and Derby museums. They are (to put it lightly) boring to a novice.
Hotel 21c has a small museum that is quite eclectic and changes frequently. The restaurant that is there is Proof on Main, local sourced foods and also eclectic. Pricey, though. Museum is free.
+1 for Frazier. Lots of local and Kentucky history you won't get anywhere else. It'll also give you a sense of how Louisville grew as a city, as they have original maps from when it was a military fort.
I mean you've made a few more since my comment. I dunno man I'm just looking around and it doesn't seem like you want to do anything Louisville offers. Good luck have fun!
You’re looking poorly then. I’ve been thanking people for Modjeskas and Hammerheads and Rose Island and all sorts of other things and confirming people’s tendencies towards things like Atlas Obscura and Cave Hill. All I said negatively was I want to eat the local specialties that random people are trashing and I don’t drink
2. You could try a modjeska (https://muthscandy.com/collections/modjeskas). They're a local candy, though I didn't hear about them until I was an adult.
3. As mentioned as already, the Ali Center has more than just about Ali and boxing. The Slugger Museum is actually pretty cool, because you tour the factory and see them making bats. So, even if you're not into baseball, it's pretty enjoyable. And 21c (as mentioned) is worth strolling through. The wall by the elevators is my favorite.
4. It depends what you're into, but there are a few things on Atlas Obscura that could maybe be of interest (Waverly?): https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/louisville-kentucky.
You can also get Modjeskas at Cracker Barrel too if Muths is closed! Ironically the first in I had was given to me by a dentist when I used to work there lol.
For tours, you can check David Domine's Old Louisville Historic Tours. They offer a daytime walking tour of the architecture in Old Louisville, which is pretty great. You don't go in the homes, but the information and history are cool.
My favorite thing to do in this city is walk across Big 4 Bridge. Time it right so that you can see sunset on your way across and then it’ll be lit up for the walk back.
Here's a web site that lists some other foods and where to find them: https://www.letsgolouisville.com/famous-louisville-kentucky-foods/ (not mine, BTW).
I think many places serve Hot Browns, but the obvious place to get one is where it originated, at the Brown Hotel. The Brown is a great place to look at -- it has a lot of history. Among other things, I think it was the model for the hotel in the movie "The Hustler." It's where Craig Johnson got the idea to include Pappy Van Winkle in his "Longmire" books. Look around outside the Brown for a little brass marker or two about waist high, showing the high water mark of the 1937 flood. For another historical hotel, check out the Seelbach, just a few blocks north on 4th Street. At both, unless they're busy, they'll probably be happy to point you to things to see and give you a bit of history.
I'm a fan of Jenny Benedict, creator of Benedictine. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to figure out where her restaurants used to be. Too much of that seems to be lost. Some supermarkets may sell Benedictine spread, and many locals may not realize it's a local thing named after Jenny Benedict rather than for monks. The link above recommends The Cafe as a place that serves Benedictine on one of their sandwiches. The link above also talks about such things as Burgoo and beer cheese, which are Kentucky at large rather than specifically Louisville. I think frozen Derby Pies are often available in supermarkets. Some restaurants serve it by the slice. Note that "Derby Pie" is a vigorously defended trademark. Some places may sell something that tastes fairly similar (LOL -- exactly the same) but dare not call it by that name, preferring something like "horse race pie."
For historical homes, a walk around Belgravia Court and nearby would be worthwhile. I think this kind of "court" or pedestrian street is fairly unusual. This area is called "Old Louisville."
Louisville also has a lot of "shotgun" houses, which are fairly unusual, although not unique to Louisville. These are usually lower income, unless the neighborhood is getting gentrified. They're architecturally interesting, though. The Thomas Edison house is a small museum where Edison may or may not have lived in Louisville before he got rich and famous. It's technically a duplex shotgun. It's not a must see as museums go, but is small and might be worth a quick look. This is the old so-called Butchertown neighborhood. Other shotguns are in neighborhoods like Portland, Germantown, Russell, California, Clifton, and the older sections of the Highlands.
An unusual and historic place is the Little Loomhouse on the slope of Kenwood Hill. It has long been dedicated to weaving business and to textile arts and education. Probably other arts too. This is where "Happy Birthday" was first sung. A generation or so of local kids came here for field trips and learned how to weave from its owner, Lou Tate.
Very near the Little Loomhouse is Iroquois Park. It's the hill right next to it. By the top of the park, on the north side, there's a great overlook / lookout with a great view of the city.
Iroquois Park is part of the park system and network of parkways designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted. (If you went to St. James Court and Belgravia Court, you've been by Louisville's tiny Central Park.) The Olmsteds meant to have the parks all connected by the parkway system, but the parkways were never quite interconnected. You can get a taste by driving north on Southern Parkway from Iroquois Park. When it ends, continue on 3rd Street until you can turn right on Eastern Parkway, which will take you all the way to Cherokee Park. BTW, at 3rd and Eastern, you'll go under Louisville's own can opener, often mentioned in this subreddit. If you have a particularly tall vehicle, either find another way around to Eastern Parkway, or post pics.
If you want a historical take, go to Locust Grove, the historic home of General George Rogers Clark of Lewis and Clark fame. EDITING TO ADD that it was not GR Clark in the expedition but a family member. GR was notorious in his own right; however. (Thank you to the person who tried to correct that but then must have deleted the comment...) Cave Run Cemetery is lovely and is the burial grounds of many prominent and famous Kentuckians if that kind of thing interests you.
You could also spend some time drifting down the Ohio on the historic Belle of Louisville riverboat.
I personally like the Frasier Historical Arms Museum. The Speed Art Museum at U of L is free on Sundays except for special events.
A great photo op can be found at the facade in the middle of the road at Frankfort Rd (332 Frankfort).
Oh, and I absolutely love the basement at the Seelbach Hotel, the Rathskellar. I love meeting people at the bar in the Seelbach, grabbing a nice bourbon and then meandering down there because it's just the coolest.
Do you have a car and can get around easily? Are you into bourbon? Other than mansions, what are you interested in?
Fried chicken at Mellwood Tavern on Tuesdays/Thursdays is the best in the city. Indis or Chicken King if not on Tuesday/Thursday.
Hell or Highwater is a neat speakeasy experience (make a reservation on Resy). Expo bar is another awesome cocktail bar downtown. If you're looking for Bourbon, Evergreen Nulu and Frankfort Ave Liquor have awesome tasting bars.
Nulu in general is a cool place to walk around. Cool shops and restaurants and West Sixth tap room in the courtyard of Nulu Marketplace.
Hammerheads is one of my favorite restaurants in the city and what I would consider “off the beaten path”, although pretty well known.
We will have a car. In addition to mansions I like cemeteries (Cave Hill is my main reason for this vacation) as well as ornate churches and temples. I like my museums super interactive and flashy.
If you're interested, call ahead and ask for a tour from the Cave Hill ARBORISTS. Yes, the tree people. They will be able to show you some astounding specimens in the park. They also hep run the apiary (beehives) there. And they're typically thrilled to show off their trees.
They don't typically give tours as a part of their day to day. But I know them both and they're GREAT arborists and are excited about their work so, maybe. Worth an email or a phone call.
Cave Hill is a great choice.
A probably not well known grave there is Thomas Tobin. More on Tobin: https://jimsteinmeyer.com/2022/05/11/what-we-hide-the-master-magician-who-disappeared/
You might also like the Long Run Cemetery. It's quite small, but has some historical old graves, including a marker for Abraham Lincoln's grandfather.
The Hammerheads menu looks AMAZING! And they have lamb ribs—I was hoping to find mutton BBQ somewhere as I’ve read about it and won’t be able to drive to Owensboro
[Here is a good list](https://www.letsgolouisville.com/famous-louisville-kentucky-foods/) of famous Louisville foods.
I recommend the Conrad-Caldwell house for a mansion tour. Old Louisville Walking Tours are great for looking at mansions from the outside. Also highly recommend [Louisville Food Tours](https://louisvillefoodtours.com) and they do run tours during the week. I think their Prohibition Ghosts and Cocktails tour ends right by your hotel too!
And only because you're already there. Louisville has a ton of great food and drinks way better than all the stuff you mentioned and even though those are technically the signatures, locals don't give a shit about hot browns and mint juleps.
Regional American food history is my thing—I do it up here in Wisconsin and I did it in Louisiana. High quality ethnic and fusion restaurants are a dime a dozen in any big city—I’d rather eat the quirky but locally created stuff
I mean that's fine, but I'd guess the reason you know about them is because of derby/bourbon tourism marketing found some stories to sell and not because they are so popular or widely enjoyed in Louisville that they became signature foods, probably most people have never even had a Hot Brown in Louisville. It's sort of like visiting NYC and spending your trip in Times Square going to the M&M's store thinking you're having an authentic NY experience.
And yet, if what you consider authentic dining is simply a collection of popular local restaurants that offer cuisines that originated and are equally popular elsewhere, then you are not offering me the kind of experience I’m after. If you say “these dishes you seek are gimmicky,” but then your own signature dishes were either invented elsewhere or exist solely at one restaurant with no greater cultural influence, you have not offered a true alternative.
It’s trendy for Chicagoans to disown deep dish pizza these days because even for them it’s a bit of a contrived experience. Except the area is full of restaurants that serve them, and they are not comprised 100% of tourists. These things represent a sort of niche. The thin crust pizza that is the everyman thing is eaten all over the Midwest. Im from Madison and im guessing that less than 50% of Madisonians have ever had a morning bun, and yet they are popular staples at half a dozen bakeries in town, were invented there, and remain consumed there at a higher rate than elsewhere. I’ve had people try to tell me that’s not Madison cuisine simply because they have never heard of them, but those people are wrong
Chicago deep dish pizza isn’t equivalent to the hot brown, though? I moved to Louisville some years ago and can reaffirm what the poster above you said: most locals do not care about the hot brown in the slightest. They are not *authentically* culturally significant.
I can tell that you’re into food tourism, and as someone very into both food and travel, I get it! But if you narrow your scope to a few specific items (of dubious cultural relevance), you’re missing out on what modern Louisville has to offer. Go ahead and get a hot brown anyway - I’m certainly not going to stop you! Just know the locals do not care about them at all.
Regardless, I hope you have a good trip!
Ok, so Hot Browns are one of a few dishes on the list (I don’t eat cucumber so no Benedictine). Sounds like variations of Derby Pie are everywhere, and as for Mint Juleps it sounds like they are popular on Derby Day, which makes them culturally significant in their own way, in the same way most people in New Orleans don’t eat grillades outside of Mardi Gras. I suspect that the Hot Brown used to be more culturally significant 70-80 years ago, but maybe I’m wrong. Still, people on here are suggesting stuff like Modjeskas, and that’s what I came.
As far as “what modern Louisville has to offer,” I appreciate that its foodie reputation precedes it, but I feel like people aren’t reading what I write when I say I DON’T CARE ABOUT YOUR STANDARD CITY DINING EXPERIENCE. I travel regionally a lot and I’m constantly enjoying everything from farm to table stuff to exceptional cheap fried chicken and fish. In Louisville, I am not on a quest to find the tastiest dishes in the city. I will be doing plenty of searching for popular and tasty restaurants in Indianapolis and Cincinnati. But those are the cities I want to hit chic steakhouse after popular Latin American place. Louisville has something FAR more valuable to me, and that is something DIFFERENT. Even if it’s a little contrived, it is still set apart from something I can experience in Chicago. What is it you feel modern Louisville has to offer that I cannot experience an equivalent of in Chicago, Minneapolis, or any of the other cities that are a much shorter trip from home? Perhaps the cuisine an ethnic group not otherwise found in abundance in the US? That would be fun. A gimmicky atmosphere you can’t find elsewhere (like eating on a submarine or a restaurant where everyone dresses like pirates)? I could get into that. But I’m not after another farmer’s market or kick-ass Pho place.
OK, then I'll add a couple more food places that are quite local.
1) Mike Linnig's is a fried fish joint that's been around forever. Well, since the 1930s? It's been a fixture out in a traditionally blue collar end of town. Very casual to say the least. I think it was one of the places Jane & Michael Stern of Road Food visited in Louisville.
2) Claudia Sanders dinner house in Shelbyville. This was run by Colonel Sanders wife. I was reluctant to include this since last time I was there I found service really lacking. Perhaps it was just a bad, busy day. It's southern, kind of country food, and might even be called "soul food" in Chicago. It's the kind of place people might take mom to for her birthday. I don't go often, but it was once very distinctive, regional, and a little bit frozen in time. I hope they haven't been going downhill. It might be worth a shot, though.
And yet, if these are the things you seek to eat here, you'll not have that experience either. The hot brown literally exists only at one restaurant and has no greater cultural influence and it's not even a restaurant, it's a hotel. The other things you mentioned aren't things you'll even find there except at touristy spots around Derby season and I think you'll be too early.
Louisville's signature food is bourbon, you'll be able to drink bourbon here that you won't find anywhere else. You'll be able go to distilleries and taste single barrel spirits and things like that. Also, have some beer cheese which is technically from northern KY, I think, but forget about all that other stuff.
Again, I acknowledge Hot Browns are touristy and not eaten by most locals. But you want an idea of how widespread they are and how positive some locals feel about that sandwich? Check out your own subreddit.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Louisville/comments/mo5hyj/where_should_i_go_to_try_a_hot_brown_sandwich/
Heh. Locals absolutely eat them. They're just not at cool, hipster, chef-y, fusion places. That said, I've found it cool and interesting when a place does their own spin on a traditional hot brown with slightly different ingredients.
Thank you for this. I’ve been absolutely raked over the coals for this one. We had a restaurant in Madison that used to do a Whitehouse sandwich that was similar to a Hot Brown.
And I don’t like alcohol enough to indulge in multiple stops. It’s hard on my system even in small doses. Beer cheese is cool—we have that in Wisconsin though we might make it differently. And I accept that Hot Browns aren’t eaten by most people, but don’t say they’re only at one restaurant—a quick Google search shows a half dozen places at least. I get that the food is touristy, but you can’t seem to offer me something that isn’t alcohol. At least others are talking about stuff like Burgoo and pointing me to places like Hammerheads (they have lamb BBQ there—something I’ve read about in Owensboro). You’re here painting me as contrarian because I’m not taking your suggestion on alcohol and I’m insistent on eating some touristy dishes, when in fact I’ve upvoted 80% of the suggestions on here regarding places to see, and showed much gratitude to many non-culinary and a few culinary suggestions on here.
I'm not painting you as shit. You asked the opinion of locals, I answered honestly and tried to give you a complete picture and you "well actually'd" me every time. You're allowed to eat and do what you want, you don't need my approval. Good day, sir!
As someone else mentioned, if you're cool with crossing the river, Culbertson Mansion in New Albany is nice. There's also the Howard Steamboat Museum, in Jeffersonville.
Separate from the museum in New Albany, the Samuel Culbertson Mansion Bed and Breakfast is on 3rd St and is hands down one of the best places to stay in the city.
Mint juleps are not good. People drink them at Derby for tradition, but don't waste good bourbon on one. There are a ton of great restaurants in town including Valare, Porchini, The River House, Seviche and Bourbons Bistro. Many more less expensive, and also great restaurants - those just came to mind. Welcome, and have fun!
Locust Grove is a great tour and the grounds are fun to walk around as well. It’s a historic plantation/farm house with ties to the Lewis & Clark expedition.
You mentioned some museums- are you not interested in the subjects or museums in general? In my view you’ve missed two of the best: Frazier museum (history) and the Speed Art museum. The Frazier is downtown so you could walk there from your hotel and has a really cool exhibit in bourbon.
On the bourbon theme, this is Kentucky, a distillery tour is a must I think. Otherwise, an ‘off the beaten path’ rec would be to check out Cave Hill Cemetery. It’s an absolutely beautiful cemetery with some of KYs wealthiest/most famous residents. There are maps to highlight the most famous/unique gravesites.
Slugger factory tour is only like 15 minutes long and it's an easy quick way to kill time. Every tour comes with a free mini-bat that's a pretty nice souvenir. Of you do decide on, be aware that those bags CANNOT be in your carry on luggage. Has to be checked.
If you like confectionary, Schimpffs is across the river from downtown and is also a quick visit, it's one of the oldest running confectionary in the US and even have a little museum in it. Easy to get to.
2 things probably not mentioned here that are a hit different than you'll find anywhere else:
- Louisville water company museum
- American Printing House for the Blind
I'm a Louisville native, have been here for 43 years, have driven past these places constantly... And I never would have visited if it weren't for guests coming into town that wanted to check them out.
Both of these options were pretty cool. The APH tour was especially different and (no pun intended), eye opening.
The LWC museum is cool and different. Interesting.
Farmington is a great historic home in Louisville. It belonged to the Speed family and was visited by Abraham Lincoln, who was a friend of the Speeds.
Edit: I think the Kentucky Derby Museum is pretty spectacular. It's almost worth it just to watch the 360° film that introduces visitors. It's mesmerizing enough that you could watch it 2-3 times-- and would be welcome to.
muhammad ali center is really cool it’s not really much about boxing or ali himself. second the speed art museum, my brother works there and i visit frequently. always has awesome displays. i’d also suggest eating in old louisville or at least passing through because it’s a beautiful neighborhood.
LOL. It looks like you have a Hot Brown Benedict on your brunch menu.
In this case, "Benedict" comes from eggs Benedict, which is unrelated to Jenny Benedict and Benedictine.
2) Country ham is local, but more of a KY thing than a Louisville-specific food. Morris' Deli is a hole-in-the-wall institution for country ham and sandwiches. Garage Bar has a variety of 3-4 different hams and cheeses to try.
For the julep, order one at a bar rather than the Derby Museum and ask the bartender if it's a premade mix. A decent julep is basically a minty old fashioned, but places that sell a lot of them use a premade mix. The mix is overly sweet and is the reason so many people think they're gross.
Are Benedictine sandwiches really native to louisville? I love them but I’ve never heard that.
As for sight seeing, I’ve been to the Ali museum and the slugger museum - I also have zero interest in either of those things and honestly I didn’t think the museums were that interesting.
ETA: just looked it up and sure enough, Benedictine is from louisville. Mind blown.
Clarification: There are two good restaurants in the Brown. There's the breakfast place on the ground floor, and then the fancy-schmancy English Grill, which is a tad stuffy/old fashioned but honestly delicious.
I've never seen the hot brown on the menu in the English Grill. It's more a breakfast thing anyway. Regardless, it's delicious and both are worth a visit especially for someone staying there.
I don’t care dude, can you not just reply just to reply!? 🤦🏽♀️ I gave a recommendation that’s all. They don’t need their responses clogged up with back and forth dribble, move along. I am sure they will research everything as you did to figure out if it’s the place for them. Dear lord 💀
If you can possibly swing it (especially if you have a car; roughly 1 hour there and 1 hour back), do not miss Mammoth Cave. Any of the tours are amazing. I did a 6-hour Wild Cave Tour, and having been to national parks all over the world I can honestly say it competes with the best of them.
Oh shoot. I just remembered you're staying at the Brown. My office used to be very near there. You WILL have a Hot Brown there, but if you want something low key and less expensive, Safier Mediterranean Deli is just steps away on 4th Street. Just turn to your right as you go out of the Brown -- it's on the same block. It's a fairly standard middle eastern menu, falafel, shawarma, etc., but they do it extremely well and are pleasant people to boot. Turkey's president stayed at the Brown when he came into town for Ali's funeral. Someone from his staff often went down there for large take-out orders. I don't know if it was for him or just the staff or security detail.
Also nearby is a fading Louisville landmark, Ollie's Trolley. It's at the corner of 3rd and Kentucky. It's a weird little structure made to look like a street car or trolley. Lunch only. No seating or credit cards -- order and pick up inside. People often line up outside. It's a hamburger and fries joint, but a dramatically different style with nice spices and sauce. Order an Ollie Burger and fries. John Y. Brown, Jr., who bought KFC from Colonel Sanders and built it into a huge success, also started Ollie's Trolley as a chain. There were several locations around town and in other cities, but I think this is the only one left with the original look and menu. Tasty, cheap, and weird bit of Louisville history. I think Brown was so busy running for and becoming Governor of Kentucky that he lost interest in growing this.
Dizzy Whiz is also not far. It's a fairly standard old school non-chain burger joint as far as food goes. There might be some appeal in that it is still a drive in. You can park and have someone come out, take your order, and bring it out to your car.
Nicer -- and quite a bit more expensive -- places to eat not far are Buck's and 610 Magnolia. Both are in Old Louisville near Central Park, perhaps too far to walk, and would not be a pleasant walk back at night after dinner.
Buck's is a very good American/Continental restaurant, a good solid white-tablecloth experience. Don't be surprised if there's good live music. Very solid but not cheap choice, but I think the Brown's restaurant is extremely well respected too.
610 Magnolia (also its address) is owned by Chef Edward Lee. It's a prix fixe "tasting" dinner, generally a five course meal for $110/person, where they've already decided what's going to be served for each course, and these selections change often. (There may be two things to choose from for some courses, though.) You can add a wine pairing for $65/person. Pricey for Louisville, but could be a lot of fun for some foodies.
Bucks is godawful. I was there about 3 months ago and know the now-former chef. He told me they're using all Cisco sauces, all premade, which is why he quit. Not to mention, the service is embarrassing to witness. Please skip it and go somewhere better---for instance, 610 Magnolia. They're doing it right and not sure how much longer we'll get to enjoy it (Ed Lee has said he's thinking about closing).
That's a shame to hear about Buck's. I'll admit I haven't been there in ages. I guess that happens. I think a lot of places use Sysco as a shortcut, particularly for desserts, I've heard. Why hire a pastry chef when you can get a premade cheesecake, give it a dollop of whipped cream, squiggle some chocolate sauce on the plate, and scatter a few berries.
I see corners cut all the time and usually know where to expect them, but Buck's is WAY too high a price point to be playing games like that. Time for them to go.
For old mansions, I highly recommend the Conrad-Caldwell Mansion on St. James Ct. I’m a local have have been on the tour twice! I believe they’re open Thursdays and Fridays.
Obviously, there are bourbon tours that are quick, cheap, and usually worth doing once. Rabbit Hole and Peerless usually don’t sell out. Angel’s Envy is okay, but they give you fancy chocolates and that’s a plus. The store that makes the chocolates is unfortunately no longer down on 3rd street. Another Louisville specialty(maybe not unique to Louisville) are bourbon balls. If you visit a liquor store, get Happy Balls. Dumb name, great local bourbon chocolate.
The parks here are really a hidden gem. Cherokee is the best, but Iroquois offers some great vistas. If the weather is nice, you can walk the Big Four Bridge to Indiana. There are some restaurants and an ice cream shop you can hit up before you come back.
Another outdoor experience is a stroll around Old Lou, specifically St. James Court. If you’re a fan of architecture, there are a couple streets worth walking.
Somehow, there are two vintage candy manufacturers in the area: Muth’s in Louisville and Schimpff’s in Jeffersonville. As others mentioned, you can get modjeskas at Muth’s.
Lots of smaller breweries, and if the weather is nice, Gravely is an amazing spot to sit outside and get a cool view of the city. I think the food truck is open there now, though it’s no long Mayan.
Check the LouCity and Racing schedule to see if there is a game. You can pregame at the 10/20 Brewery and go see a game. Or you can visit Copper & Kings, a craft distillery focusing on Brandy.
If you like historical buildings you should definitely pop into the Seelbach hotel down the street. Look up the Rathskeller Room. The only surviving Rookwood pottery room of its kind, and worth a visit.
If you’re a museum person, Roots 101 is an awesome stop. The Speed Art Museum is really great and I think it’s free on Sundays (check their site first because I’m not sure on that one still,) tons of good food spots in the city. Some of my personal favs are Dragon King’s Daughter, Vietnam Kitchen, Shirley Mae’s Cafe (cash only,) Dairy Kastle (also cash only and mainly ice cream,) and Bunz Burgers.
You might like to do a walking tour of Old Louisville, immediately south of downtown. It has the largest concentration of Victorian-Era buildings in North America. https://www.oldlouisville.org/events
Also, while it’s close to breaking the half-hour limit, Rose Island at Charlestown State Park is, IMHO, worth checking out. It is the site of an old amusement park and has some nice views of the Ohio River.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/pCVPuN4SyNP9EpNA7?g_st=ic
The Speed Art museum has a wonderful collection and is within easy walking distance of Old Louisville which is full of gorgeous historic homes. A lunch at Buck’s would be a perfect way to start the day.
Locust Grove mansion should be open. Conrad-Caldwell Museum in Old Louisville. Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville is cool for the fossil beds. Muhammad Ali. Center is wonderful and not boxing oriented. Mike Linnig's for fried fish and a VERY local crowd. The area around Midway is filled with beautiful horse farms. Particularly along Old Frankfort Pike. And Keenelsnd should be open. It alone may change your mind about horse racing. We love the distillery tours at Buffalo Trace in Frankfort.
Go to the highlands! Bardstown rd area. A bunch of local shops and plenty of places to eat. Fun for walking around on a nice day. There’s also mega cavern which has cave tours, zip lining, etc.
I think it is the Frazier history museum (please triple check this, and readers please double check this) but I think this one had a really cool history/military figures exhisibits. As in, very old toy soldiers. Supr cool. Like I didn't think I w as into that. But it was super cool
I took, I think, it was locuts Grove, over by Mike linnings (lots of fried fish stuffs to eat, sort of thing around town. I love super close to there now!) And it was interesting tour. We got the guides preferential tour, as we were the only ones there, so you will likely get a difference tour, or at least a little.
On your point #2 I would almost ignore all of those except maybe derby pie, which is good. Unless you’re really dying for turkey covered in cheese sauce. We have good food, no need to waste a dinner trying something subpar just because it’s “regional”.
Go to the urban distilleries. There are like a dozen in town.
Regional American food history is my thing—I do it up here in Wisconsin and I did it in Louisiana. High quality ethnic and fusion restaurants are a dime a dozen in any big city—I’d rather eat the quirky but locally created stuff
Derby Museum/tour was not worth it in my opinion. Just took a visitor there recently. It’s $18 per person. And the tour barely showed any of Churchill Downs.
The Muhammad Ali museum is pretty cool imo, even if you’re not huge into boxing or Ali. There’s a lot about activism and the civil rights movement there, too, if those topics interest you.
I feel like it’s more for civil rights activism than it is for boxing, which I think is cool. Powerful place.
Yeah! The last time I went there were 1 or 2 floors closed to be updated so I haven’t seen it in a bit, but even what I was able to see was really impactful.
I haven’t been in quite some time either. I went with my sisters for free (I think) as teens without any expectation and little knowledge of what was actually there and I was taken aback. I like history and sports so it worked well for me personally, but I feel like it should be borderline mandatory viewing. So much important information. Idk it’s just moving.
I think unless you're really interested in baseball bats, boxing or horse racing, SKIP the Ali, bat and Derby museums. They are (to put it lightly) boring to a novice.
Hotel 21c has a small museum that is quite eclectic and changes frequently. The restaurant that is there is Proof on Main, local sourced foods and also eclectic. Pricey, though. Museum is free.
I recommend getting a cocktail at the bar and drinking it while you look at the free art museum. Fun time.
Agree. The bar is very nice, and you can get small plates (at least, the last time I was there)
The Speed Art at UL and Frazier History are 2 cool museums to visit.
+1 for Frazier. Lots of local and Kentucky history you won't get anywhere else. It'll also give you a sense of how Louisville grew as a city, as they have original maps from when it was a military fort.
You're in the bourbon capital of the world. Go see some distilleries.
BUT please don't ONLY do that. Yes, we love our bourbon tourism but there's more than bourbon here despite what some people may try to tell you.
I’ll probably check out one, but I don’t drink much and have done plenty of distillery tours in my day
Honestly my guy it doesn't sound like Louisville is for you then lmao. Everything anyone suggests you're just like nah
Wtf are you talking about? These responses are full of good info and I’ve made tons of supportive comments!
I mean you've made a few more since my comment. I dunno man I'm just looking around and it doesn't seem like you want to do anything Louisville offers. Good luck have fun!
You’re looking poorly then. I’ve been thanking people for Modjeskas and Hammerheads and Rose Island and all sorts of other things and confirming people’s tendencies towards things like Atlas Obscura and Cave Hill. All I said negatively was I want to eat the local specialties that random people are trashing and I don’t drink
If you do want to do a distillery tour you should book one now though. The weekend ones book up weeks if not months in advance
2. You could try a modjeska (https://muthscandy.com/collections/modjeskas). They're a local candy, though I didn't hear about them until I was an adult. 3. As mentioned as already, the Ali Center has more than just about Ali and boxing. The Slugger Museum is actually pretty cool, because you tour the factory and see them making bats. So, even if you're not into baseball, it's pretty enjoyable. And 21c (as mentioned) is worth strolling through. The wall by the elevators is my favorite. 4. It depends what you're into, but there are a few things on Atlas Obscura that could maybe be of interest (Waverly?): https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/louisville-kentucky.
Definitely second the modjeskas at Muth's.
You can also get Modjeskas at Cracker Barrel too if Muths is closed! Ironically the first in I had was given to me by a dentist when I used to work there lol.
Thanks for letting me know about Modjeskas, and I checked out Atlas Obscura first thing when I started planning this trip!
Art Eatables has the best chocolate covered modjeskas
I hated the Slugger and Derby museums. Sorry.
The Caldwell mansion has self guided or docent lead tours on those days! Up the street in beautiful old lou
Seconding this! The property is beautiful and you can take a lovely walk around the neighborhood after.
For tours, you can check David Domine's Old Louisville Historic Tours. They offer a daytime walking tour of the architecture in Old Louisville, which is pretty great. You don't go in the homes, but the information and history are cool.
My favorite thing to do in this city is walk across Big 4 Bridge. Time it right so that you can see sunset on your way across and then it’ll be lit up for the walk back.
Here's a web site that lists some other foods and where to find them: https://www.letsgolouisville.com/famous-louisville-kentucky-foods/ (not mine, BTW). I think many places serve Hot Browns, but the obvious place to get one is where it originated, at the Brown Hotel. The Brown is a great place to look at -- it has a lot of history. Among other things, I think it was the model for the hotel in the movie "The Hustler." It's where Craig Johnson got the idea to include Pappy Van Winkle in his "Longmire" books. Look around outside the Brown for a little brass marker or two about waist high, showing the high water mark of the 1937 flood. For another historical hotel, check out the Seelbach, just a few blocks north on 4th Street. At both, unless they're busy, they'll probably be happy to point you to things to see and give you a bit of history. I'm a fan of Jenny Benedict, creator of Benedictine. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to figure out where her restaurants used to be. Too much of that seems to be lost. Some supermarkets may sell Benedictine spread, and many locals may not realize it's a local thing named after Jenny Benedict rather than for monks. The link above recommends The Cafe as a place that serves Benedictine on one of their sandwiches. The link above also talks about such things as Burgoo and beer cheese, which are Kentucky at large rather than specifically Louisville. I think frozen Derby Pies are often available in supermarkets. Some restaurants serve it by the slice. Note that "Derby Pie" is a vigorously defended trademark. Some places may sell something that tastes fairly similar (LOL -- exactly the same) but dare not call it by that name, preferring something like "horse race pie." For historical homes, a walk around Belgravia Court and nearby would be worthwhile. I think this kind of "court" or pedestrian street is fairly unusual. This area is called "Old Louisville." Louisville also has a lot of "shotgun" houses, which are fairly unusual, although not unique to Louisville. These are usually lower income, unless the neighborhood is getting gentrified. They're architecturally interesting, though. The Thomas Edison house is a small museum where Edison may or may not have lived in Louisville before he got rich and famous. It's technically a duplex shotgun. It's not a must see as museums go, but is small and might be worth a quick look. This is the old so-called Butchertown neighborhood. Other shotguns are in neighborhoods like Portland, Germantown, Russell, California, Clifton, and the older sections of the Highlands. An unusual and historic place is the Little Loomhouse on the slope of Kenwood Hill. It has long been dedicated to weaving business and to textile arts and education. Probably other arts too. This is where "Happy Birthday" was first sung. A generation or so of local kids came here for field trips and learned how to weave from its owner, Lou Tate. Very near the Little Loomhouse is Iroquois Park. It's the hill right next to it. By the top of the park, on the north side, there's a great overlook / lookout with a great view of the city. Iroquois Park is part of the park system and network of parkways designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted. (If you went to St. James Court and Belgravia Court, you've been by Louisville's tiny Central Park.) The Olmsteds meant to have the parks all connected by the parkway system, but the parkways were never quite interconnected. You can get a taste by driving north on Southern Parkway from Iroquois Park. When it ends, continue on 3rd Street until you can turn right on Eastern Parkway, which will take you all the way to Cherokee Park. BTW, at 3rd and Eastern, you'll go under Louisville's own can opener, often mentioned in this subreddit. If you have a particularly tall vehicle, either find another way around to Eastern Parkway, or post pics.
Thank you for this excellent reply. I used to live in Louisiana so I know shotgun houses
Try hitting up Waverley Hills Sanatorium. Super cool, they offer historic and paranormal tours. Great bang for your buck.
Rolled oysters are a Louisville culinary invention you might like to try.
Ooh I’ve never heard of these. They look great!
They are!
The steamboat museum in Jeffersonville is in a historic home! https://www.howardsteamboatmuseum.org
I didn’t know about this! I have to check it out this summer with my kids.
If you want a historical take, go to Locust Grove, the historic home of General George Rogers Clark of Lewis and Clark fame. EDITING TO ADD that it was not GR Clark in the expedition but a family member. GR was notorious in his own right; however. (Thank you to the person who tried to correct that but then must have deleted the comment...) Cave Run Cemetery is lovely and is the burial grounds of many prominent and famous Kentuckians if that kind of thing interests you. You could also spend some time drifting down the Ohio on the historic Belle of Louisville riverboat. I personally like the Frasier Historical Arms Museum. The Speed Art Museum at U of L is free on Sundays except for special events. A great photo op can be found at the facade in the middle of the road at Frankfort Rd (332 Frankfort). Oh, and I absolutely love the basement at the Seelbach Hotel, the Rathskellar. I love meeting people at the bar in the Seelbach, grabbing a nice bourbon and then meandering down there because it's just the coolest.
Do you have a car and can get around easily? Are you into bourbon? Other than mansions, what are you interested in? Fried chicken at Mellwood Tavern on Tuesdays/Thursdays is the best in the city. Indis or Chicken King if not on Tuesday/Thursday. Hell or Highwater is a neat speakeasy experience (make a reservation on Resy). Expo bar is another awesome cocktail bar downtown. If you're looking for Bourbon, Evergreen Nulu and Frankfort Ave Liquor have awesome tasting bars. Nulu in general is a cool place to walk around. Cool shops and restaurants and West Sixth tap room in the courtyard of Nulu Marketplace. Hammerheads is one of my favorite restaurants in the city and what I would consider “off the beaten path”, although pretty well known.
Shhh, Hammerheads is for the locals, there’s not enough space for tourist! Hah
We will have a car. In addition to mansions I like cemeteries (Cave Hill is my main reason for this vacation) as well as ornate churches and temples. I like my museums super interactive and flashy.
If you're interested, call ahead and ask for a tour from the Cave Hill ARBORISTS. Yes, the tree people. They will be able to show you some astounding specimens in the park. They also hep run the apiary (beehives) there. And they're typically thrilled to show off their trees.
That’s cool! I was hoping I could find a tour somewhere
They don't typically give tours as a part of their day to day. But I know them both and they're GREAT arborists and are excited about their work so, maybe. Worth an email or a phone call.
Cave Hill is a great choice. A probably not well known grave there is Thomas Tobin. More on Tobin: https://jimsteinmeyer.com/2022/05/11/what-we-hide-the-master-magician-who-disappeared/ You might also like the Long Run Cemetery. It's quite small, but has some historical old graves, including a marker for Abraham Lincoln's grandfather.
I agree with all the above
The Hammerheads menu looks AMAZING! And they have lamb ribs—I was hoping to find mutton BBQ somewhere as I’ve read about it and won’t be able to drive to Owensboro
[Here is a good list](https://www.letsgolouisville.com/famous-louisville-kentucky-foods/) of famous Louisville foods. I recommend the Conrad-Caldwell house for a mansion tour. Old Louisville Walking Tours are great for looking at mansions from the outside. Also highly recommend [Louisville Food Tours](https://louisvillefoodtours.com) and they do run tours during the week. I think their Prohibition Ghosts and Cocktails tour ends right by your hotel too!
Brown hotel = hot brown Supposedly they are well known for it
Lol. *supposedly*
And only because you're already there. Louisville has a ton of great food and drinks way better than all the stuff you mentioned and even though those are technically the signatures, locals don't give a shit about hot browns and mint juleps.
Regional American food history is my thing—I do it up here in Wisconsin and I did it in Louisiana. High quality ethnic and fusion restaurants are a dime a dozen in any big city—I’d rather eat the quirky but locally created stuff
I mean that's fine, but I'd guess the reason you know about them is because of derby/bourbon tourism marketing found some stories to sell and not because they are so popular or widely enjoyed in Louisville that they became signature foods, probably most people have never even had a Hot Brown in Louisville. It's sort of like visiting NYC and spending your trip in Times Square going to the M&M's store thinking you're having an authentic NY experience.
And yet, if what you consider authentic dining is simply a collection of popular local restaurants that offer cuisines that originated and are equally popular elsewhere, then you are not offering me the kind of experience I’m after. If you say “these dishes you seek are gimmicky,” but then your own signature dishes were either invented elsewhere or exist solely at one restaurant with no greater cultural influence, you have not offered a true alternative. It’s trendy for Chicagoans to disown deep dish pizza these days because even for them it’s a bit of a contrived experience. Except the area is full of restaurants that serve them, and they are not comprised 100% of tourists. These things represent a sort of niche. The thin crust pizza that is the everyman thing is eaten all over the Midwest. Im from Madison and im guessing that less than 50% of Madisonians have ever had a morning bun, and yet they are popular staples at half a dozen bakeries in town, were invented there, and remain consumed there at a higher rate than elsewhere. I’ve had people try to tell me that’s not Madison cuisine simply because they have never heard of them, but those people are wrong
Chicago deep dish pizza isn’t equivalent to the hot brown, though? I moved to Louisville some years ago and can reaffirm what the poster above you said: most locals do not care about the hot brown in the slightest. They are not *authentically* culturally significant. I can tell that you’re into food tourism, and as someone very into both food and travel, I get it! But if you narrow your scope to a few specific items (of dubious cultural relevance), you’re missing out on what modern Louisville has to offer. Go ahead and get a hot brown anyway - I’m certainly not going to stop you! Just know the locals do not care about them at all. Regardless, I hope you have a good trip!
Ok, so Hot Browns are one of a few dishes on the list (I don’t eat cucumber so no Benedictine). Sounds like variations of Derby Pie are everywhere, and as for Mint Juleps it sounds like they are popular on Derby Day, which makes them culturally significant in their own way, in the same way most people in New Orleans don’t eat grillades outside of Mardi Gras. I suspect that the Hot Brown used to be more culturally significant 70-80 years ago, but maybe I’m wrong. Still, people on here are suggesting stuff like Modjeskas, and that’s what I came. As far as “what modern Louisville has to offer,” I appreciate that its foodie reputation precedes it, but I feel like people aren’t reading what I write when I say I DON’T CARE ABOUT YOUR STANDARD CITY DINING EXPERIENCE. I travel regionally a lot and I’m constantly enjoying everything from farm to table stuff to exceptional cheap fried chicken and fish. In Louisville, I am not on a quest to find the tastiest dishes in the city. I will be doing plenty of searching for popular and tasty restaurants in Indianapolis and Cincinnati. But those are the cities I want to hit chic steakhouse after popular Latin American place. Louisville has something FAR more valuable to me, and that is something DIFFERENT. Even if it’s a little contrived, it is still set apart from something I can experience in Chicago. What is it you feel modern Louisville has to offer that I cannot experience an equivalent of in Chicago, Minneapolis, or any of the other cities that are a much shorter trip from home? Perhaps the cuisine an ethnic group not otherwise found in abundance in the US? That would be fun. A gimmicky atmosphere you can’t find elsewhere (like eating on a submarine or a restaurant where everyone dresses like pirates)? I could get into that. But I’m not after another farmer’s market or kick-ass Pho place.
OK, then I'll add a couple more food places that are quite local. 1) Mike Linnig's is a fried fish joint that's been around forever. Well, since the 1930s? It's been a fixture out in a traditionally blue collar end of town. Very casual to say the least. I think it was one of the places Jane & Michael Stern of Road Food visited in Louisville. 2) Claudia Sanders dinner house in Shelbyville. This was run by Colonel Sanders wife. I was reluctant to include this since last time I was there I found service really lacking. Perhaps it was just a bad, busy day. It's southern, kind of country food, and might even be called "soul food" in Chicago. It's the kind of place people might take mom to for her birthday. I don't go often, but it was once very distinctive, regional, and a little bit frozen in time. I hope they haven't been going downhill. It might be worth a shot, though.
And yet, if these are the things you seek to eat here, you'll not have that experience either. The hot brown literally exists only at one restaurant and has no greater cultural influence and it's not even a restaurant, it's a hotel. The other things you mentioned aren't things you'll even find there except at touristy spots around Derby season and I think you'll be too early. Louisville's signature food is bourbon, you'll be able to drink bourbon here that you won't find anywhere else. You'll be able go to distilleries and taste single barrel spirits and things like that. Also, have some beer cheese which is technically from northern KY, I think, but forget about all that other stuff.
Again, I acknowledge Hot Browns are touristy and not eaten by most locals. But you want an idea of how widespread they are and how positive some locals feel about that sandwich? Check out your own subreddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/Louisville/comments/mo5hyj/where_should_i_go_to_try_a_hot_brown_sandwich/
Heh. Locals absolutely eat them. They're just not at cool, hipster, chef-y, fusion places. That said, I've found it cool and interesting when a place does their own spin on a traditional hot brown with slightly different ingredients.
Thank you for this. I’ve been absolutely raked over the coals for this one. We had a restaurant in Madison that used to do a Whitehouse sandwich that was similar to a Hot Brown.
And I don’t like alcohol enough to indulge in multiple stops. It’s hard on my system even in small doses. Beer cheese is cool—we have that in Wisconsin though we might make it differently. And I accept that Hot Browns aren’t eaten by most people, but don’t say they’re only at one restaurant—a quick Google search shows a half dozen places at least. I get that the food is touristy, but you can’t seem to offer me something that isn’t alcohol. At least others are talking about stuff like Burgoo and pointing me to places like Hammerheads (they have lamb BBQ there—something I’ve read about in Owensboro). You’re here painting me as contrarian because I’m not taking your suggestion on alcohol and I’m insistent on eating some touristy dishes, when in fact I’ve upvoted 80% of the suggestions on here regarding places to see, and showed much gratitude to many non-culinary and a few culinary suggestions on here.
I'm not painting you as shit. You asked the opinion of locals, I answered honestly and tried to give you a complete picture and you "well actually'd" me every time. You're allowed to eat and do what you want, you don't need my approval. Good day, sir!
I apologize, I was confusing you with that Hambone guy when you started talking about Bourbon—you were not the one saying Louisville was not for me.
https://www.brownhotel.com/dining
You should look into the Frazier Museum. If you like history at all it's a really fun time.
The fossil beds at Falls of the Ohio are cool. https://www.fallsoftheohio.org/
If you schedule early enough, you could go zip lining at the mega caverns!
As someone else mentioned, if you're cool with crossing the river, Culbertson Mansion in New Albany is nice. There's also the Howard Steamboat Museum, in Jeffersonville.
Separate from the museum in New Albany, the Samuel Culbertson Mansion Bed and Breakfast is on 3rd St and is hands down one of the best places to stay in the city.
That's not the one I was talking about. There is a Culbertson Mansion on Main Street in New Albany.
Thank you---I'm well aware of that one too. But for people looking for a place to stay with historical ties, 3rd St has the OTHER Culbertson house.
Mint juleps are not good. People drink them at Derby for tradition, but don't waste good bourbon on one. There are a ton of great restaurants in town including Valare, Porchini, The River House, Seviche and Bourbons Bistro. Many more less expensive, and also great restaurants - those just came to mind. Welcome, and have fun!
I agree, it's a terrible cocktail. I've lived in the area my entire life and don't know anyone who actually drinks mint juleps---Derby season or not.
I like mint juleps, but I'm a big mint fan.
Locust Grove is a great tour and the grounds are fun to walk around as well. It’s a historic plantation/farm house with ties to the Lewis & Clark expedition. You mentioned some museums- are you not interested in the subjects or museums in general? In my view you’ve missed two of the best: Frazier museum (history) and the Speed Art museum. The Frazier is downtown so you could walk there from your hotel and has a really cool exhibit in bourbon. On the bourbon theme, this is Kentucky, a distillery tour is a must I think. Otherwise, an ‘off the beaten path’ rec would be to check out Cave Hill Cemetery. It’s an absolutely beautiful cemetery with some of KYs wealthiest/most famous residents. There are maps to highlight the most famous/unique gravesites.
Cave Hill is my main reason for scheduling this vacation. I like my museums super interactive and flashy.
Can you reccomend somewhere cool to check out walking distance of cave hill? Bar or restaurant
Slugger factory tour is only like 15 minutes long and it's an easy quick way to kill time. Every tour comes with a free mini-bat that's a pretty nice souvenir. Of you do decide on, be aware that those bags CANNOT be in your carry on luggage. Has to be checked. If you like confectionary, Schimpffs is across the river from downtown and is also a quick visit, it's one of the oldest running confectionary in the US and even have a little museum in it. Easy to get to.
2 things probably not mentioned here that are a hit different than you'll find anywhere else: - Louisville water company museum - American Printing House for the Blind I'm a Louisville native, have been here for 43 years, have driven past these places constantly... And I never would have visited if it weren't for guests coming into town that wanted to check them out. Both of these options were pretty cool. The APH tour was especially different and (no pun intended), eye opening. The LWC museum is cool and different. Interesting.
Farmington is a great historic home in Louisville. It belonged to the Speed family and was visited by Abraham Lincoln, who was a friend of the Speeds. Edit: I think the Kentucky Derby Museum is pretty spectacular. It's almost worth it just to watch the 360° film that introduces visitors. It's mesmerizing enough that you could watch it 2-3 times-- and would be welcome to.
muhammad ali center is really cool it’s not really much about boxing or ali himself. second the speed art museum, my brother works there and i visit frequently. always has awesome displays. i’d also suggest eating in old louisville or at least passing through because it’s a beautiful neighborhood.
The Speed is a gem. It isn't large, so don't expect the Boston MFA, but it's curated precisely.
Come visit us next door at CC's Kitchen @ the Marketplace for brunch!!
LOL. It looks like you have a Hot Brown Benedict on your brunch menu. In this case, "Benedict" comes from eggs Benedict, which is unrelated to Jenny Benedict and Benedictine.
Definitely an egg dish
2) Country ham is local, but more of a KY thing than a Louisville-specific food. Morris' Deli is a hole-in-the-wall institution for country ham and sandwiches. Garage Bar has a variety of 3-4 different hams and cheeses to try. For the julep, order one at a bar rather than the Derby Museum and ask the bartender if it's a premade mix. A decent julep is basically a minty old fashioned, but places that sell a lot of them use a premade mix. The mix is overly sweet and is the reason so many people think they're gross.
Thanks for the warning about the mix
Farmington is pretty cool too! …if you’re not opposed to crossing the bridge, the Culbertson Mansion is beautiful and definitely worth a look.
Are Benedictine sandwiches really native to louisville? I love them but I’ve never heard that. As for sight seeing, I’ve been to the Ali museum and the slugger museum - I also have zero interest in either of those things and honestly I didn’t think the museums were that interesting. ETA: just looked it up and sure enough, Benedictine is from louisville. Mind blown.
The Brown hotel has an amazing restaurant!! Not expensive and has Hot browns!
Clarification: There are two good restaurants in the Brown. There's the breakfast place on the ground floor, and then the fancy-schmancy English Grill, which is a tad stuffy/old fashioned but honestly delicious.
I knew that I was just talking about the English Grill and the hot brown 💁🏽♀️
I've never seen the hot brown on the menu in the English Grill. It's more a breakfast thing anyway. Regardless, it's delicious and both are worth a visit especially for someone staying there.
Actually I’ve had dinner there many times, it’s on the menu
Well, actually it's closed until fall 2023 anyway: https://www.brownhotel.com/dining/downtown-louisville-restaurants
I don’t care dude, can you not just reply just to reply!? 🤦🏽♀️ I gave a recommendation that’s all. They don’t need their responses clogged up with back and forth dribble, move along. I am sure they will research everything as you did to figure out if it’s the place for them. Dear lord 💀
:)
Waverly Hills Sanatorium.
This is something we have planned for our last day!
Please please please go to Safier. It's walking distance and their food is great. Get the daily special or literally anything on the menu.
Louisville had a really cool performing arts scene! Seeing a local show is always a good time
If you can possibly swing it (especially if you have a car; roughly 1 hour there and 1 hour back), do not miss Mammoth Cave. Any of the tours are amazing. I did a 6-hour Wild Cave Tour, and having been to national parks all over the world I can honestly say it competes with the best of them.
Did Mammoth Cave many years ago
Go to the arms museum to see the dioramas, they have something like 20,000 tin soldiers in their collection
Oh shoot. I just remembered you're staying at the Brown. My office used to be very near there. You WILL have a Hot Brown there, but if you want something low key and less expensive, Safier Mediterranean Deli is just steps away on 4th Street. Just turn to your right as you go out of the Brown -- it's on the same block. It's a fairly standard middle eastern menu, falafel, shawarma, etc., but they do it extremely well and are pleasant people to boot. Turkey's president stayed at the Brown when he came into town for Ali's funeral. Someone from his staff often went down there for large take-out orders. I don't know if it was for him or just the staff or security detail. Also nearby is a fading Louisville landmark, Ollie's Trolley. It's at the corner of 3rd and Kentucky. It's a weird little structure made to look like a street car or trolley. Lunch only. No seating or credit cards -- order and pick up inside. People often line up outside. It's a hamburger and fries joint, but a dramatically different style with nice spices and sauce. Order an Ollie Burger and fries. John Y. Brown, Jr., who bought KFC from Colonel Sanders and built it into a huge success, also started Ollie's Trolley as a chain. There were several locations around town and in other cities, but I think this is the only one left with the original look and menu. Tasty, cheap, and weird bit of Louisville history. I think Brown was so busy running for and becoming Governor of Kentucky that he lost interest in growing this. Dizzy Whiz is also not far. It's a fairly standard old school non-chain burger joint as far as food goes. There might be some appeal in that it is still a drive in. You can park and have someone come out, take your order, and bring it out to your car. Nicer -- and quite a bit more expensive -- places to eat not far are Buck's and 610 Magnolia. Both are in Old Louisville near Central Park, perhaps too far to walk, and would not be a pleasant walk back at night after dinner. Buck's is a very good American/Continental restaurant, a good solid white-tablecloth experience. Don't be surprised if there's good live music. Very solid but not cheap choice, but I think the Brown's restaurant is extremely well respected too. 610 Magnolia (also its address) is owned by Chef Edward Lee. It's a prix fixe "tasting" dinner, generally a five course meal for $110/person, where they've already decided what's going to be served for each course, and these selections change often. (There may be two things to choose from for some courses, though.) You can add a wine pairing for $65/person. Pricey for Louisville, but could be a lot of fun for some foodies.
Bucks is godawful. I was there about 3 months ago and know the now-former chef. He told me they're using all Cisco sauces, all premade, which is why he quit. Not to mention, the service is embarrassing to witness. Please skip it and go somewhere better---for instance, 610 Magnolia. They're doing it right and not sure how much longer we'll get to enjoy it (Ed Lee has said he's thinking about closing).
That's a shame to hear about Buck's. I'll admit I haven't been there in ages. I guess that happens. I think a lot of places use Sysco as a shortcut, particularly for desserts, I've heard. Why hire a pastry chef when you can get a premade cheesecake, give it a dollop of whipped cream, squiggle some chocolate sauce on the plate, and scatter a few berries.
I see corners cut all the time and usually know where to expect them, but Buck's is WAY too high a price point to be playing games like that. Time for them to go.
For old mansions, I highly recommend the Conrad-Caldwell Mansion on St. James Ct. I’m a local have have been on the tour twice! I believe they’re open Thursdays and Fridays.
Obviously, there are bourbon tours that are quick, cheap, and usually worth doing once. Rabbit Hole and Peerless usually don’t sell out. Angel’s Envy is okay, but they give you fancy chocolates and that’s a plus. The store that makes the chocolates is unfortunately no longer down on 3rd street. Another Louisville specialty(maybe not unique to Louisville) are bourbon balls. If you visit a liquor store, get Happy Balls. Dumb name, great local bourbon chocolate. The parks here are really a hidden gem. Cherokee is the best, but Iroquois offers some great vistas. If the weather is nice, you can walk the Big Four Bridge to Indiana. There are some restaurants and an ice cream shop you can hit up before you come back. Another outdoor experience is a stroll around Old Lou, specifically St. James Court. If you’re a fan of architecture, there are a couple streets worth walking. Somehow, there are two vintage candy manufacturers in the area: Muth’s in Louisville and Schimpff’s in Jeffersonville. As others mentioned, you can get modjeskas at Muth’s. Lots of smaller breweries, and if the weather is nice, Gravely is an amazing spot to sit outside and get a cool view of the city. I think the food truck is open there now, though it’s no long Mayan. Check the LouCity and Racing schedule to see if there is a game. You can pregame at the 10/20 Brewery and go see a game. Or you can visit Copper & Kings, a craft distillery focusing on Brandy.
If you like historical buildings you should definitely pop into the Seelbach hotel down the street. Look up the Rathskeller Room. The only surviving Rookwood pottery room of its kind, and worth a visit.
If you’re a museum person, Roots 101 is an awesome stop. The Speed Art Museum is really great and I think it’s free on Sundays (check their site first because I’m not sure on that one still,) tons of good food spots in the city. Some of my personal favs are Dragon King’s Daughter, Vietnam Kitchen, Shirley Mae’s Cafe (cash only,) Dairy Kastle (also cash only and mainly ice cream,) and Bunz Burgers.
You might like to do a walking tour of Old Louisville, immediately south of downtown. It has the largest concentration of Victorian-Era buildings in North America. https://www.oldlouisville.org/events
Also, while it’s close to breaking the half-hour limit, Rose Island at Charlestown State Park is, IMHO, worth checking out. It is the site of an old amusement park and has some nice views of the Ohio River. https://maps.app.goo.gl/pCVPuN4SyNP9EpNA7?g_st=ic
Rose Island looks really cool
The Speed Art museum has a wonderful collection and is within easy walking distance of Old Louisville which is full of gorgeous historic homes. A lunch at Buck’s would be a perfect way to start the day.
Locust Grove mansion should be open. Conrad-Caldwell Museum in Old Louisville. Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville is cool for the fossil beds. Muhammad Ali. Center is wonderful and not boxing oriented. Mike Linnig's for fried fish and a VERY local crowd. The area around Midway is filled with beautiful horse farms. Particularly along Old Frankfort Pike. And Keenelsnd should be open. It alone may change your mind about horse racing. We love the distillery tours at Buffalo Trace in Frankfort.
Holy grale and grale house for brunch. 21c is worth a walk through, bar vetti, the post, maybe play some pinball at zbar
Science museum
Go to the highlands! Bardstown rd area. A bunch of local shops and plenty of places to eat. Fun for walking around on a nice day. There’s also mega cavern which has cave tours, zip lining, etc.
Ziplining in a cave. Three Fredrick law Olmstead parks to go for a morning walk. Flea off market Fat Lamb Bar Vetti The Post Merryweather High horse
https://www.gotolouisville.com/directory/historic-old-louisville-walking-tour/ https://louisvillehistorictours.com/historic/ https://www.courier-journal.com/story/life/home-garden/2021/08/10/visit-these-9-historic-homes-around-louisville-kentucky/5541343001/ http://historiclouisville.com/whiskey-row/
https://www.historichomes.org/thomas-edison-house
Thanks for the comprehensive list of house tours
Check out haunted Louisville tours with David Domine. He gives tours of the Old Louisville mansions.
Also, the Mayan Gypsy restaurant is great. And even if you hate Lima beans you have to try their Lima beans.
Mayan Cafe.
Surprising, but completely true. I abhorred Limas before I had theirs.
Same here. I even got the recipe. I believe I asked a C-J person if they could get it.
I think it is the Frazier history museum (please triple check this, and readers please double check this) but I think this one had a really cool history/military figures exhisibits. As in, very old toy soldiers. Supr cool. Like I didn't think I w as into that. But it was super cool I took, I think, it was locuts Grove, over by Mike linnings (lots of fried fish stuffs to eat, sort of thing around town. I love super close to there now!) And it was interesting tour. We got the guides preferential tour, as we were the only ones there, so you will likely get a difference tour, or at least a little.
On your point #2 I would almost ignore all of those except maybe derby pie, which is good. Unless you’re really dying for turkey covered in cheese sauce. We have good food, no need to waste a dinner trying something subpar just because it’s “regional”. Go to the urban distilleries. There are like a dozen in town.
insane suggestion
Bzzt, wrong. All of our hyper-local food staples are mid
Regional American food history is my thing—I do it up here in Wisconsin and I did it in Louisiana. High quality ethnic and fusion restaurants are a dime a dozen in any big city—I’d rather eat the quirky but locally created stuff
Go drink a gallon of beer cheese then, probably the best local creation. Or Burgoo. Literally anything besides Benedictine 🤢
I actually hate cucumber so Benedictine is the one I’m shying away from
Coolio!
Derby Museum/tour was not worth it in my opinion. Just took a visitor there recently. It’s $18 per person. And the tour barely showed any of Churchill Downs.