Last Updated on December 15, 2023
You’ll find many unexpected things to do in Kentucky’s Louisville…
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
By Carla Marie Rupp
Horses, bourbon, bats and basketball are all top-of- mind when people think about Louisville, Kentucky. But there are many more things to do in this city than most realize.
You can, for example, delve into Kentucky Derby history, take horse-drawn carriages and trolleys, and see Museum Row and Whiskey Row – they contain the largest collection of cast-iron structures outside of the SoHo district in New York City – and even fly on underground zip lines. Today downtown Louisville thrives.
Things to Do From Arts and Crafts to Baseball Bats
Among the things to do in Louisville, Kentucky, you can also learn about 1,000 years of history. Just visit the interactive exhibits at the Frazier Museum. And experience the Kentucky Science Center and the Kentucky Museum of Art & Craft. You can also honor America’s famed champion boxer at the Muhammad Ali Center.
To find one of Louisville’s biggest attractions, just walk down West Main Street. And there look for the gigantic bat outside The Slugger Museum & Factory.
I took the walk and couldn’t believe I could get so enthused about baseball bats. Many Major League players, who also prefer them, do as well.
Join the tour and you’ll be walking in the footsteps not only of such baseball greats as Stan Musial and Lou Gehrig, but also those of Buster Keaton, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, among others.
If you go soon, you can buy a pink baseball bat for Mother’s Day. It’s a big-seller.
Enjoy Award-Winning Theater
But there’s another side to the city as well: Louisville is developing into a cultural center in the South as contemporary American plays take center stage in the city.
Excitement is in the air this month as the Humana Festival of New American Plays brings popular new dramas to town, and also draws visitors from 30 foreign countries.
Begun in 1976 and with 400 plays now to its credit, the festival celebrates American playwrights and new theatrical works. It is produced by the Tony Award-winning Actors Theatre of Louisville and, notably, three of its plays have gone on to win Pulitzer Prizes.
As for theatrical arts, the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts is the setting for touring Broadway shows. You can see great productions right from New York’s “Great White Way.” Or grab a seat at the Kentucky Opera and Louisville Ballet.
Fond Memories of This Kentucky City
Since there are a lot of things to do in Louisville, fond memories are made for people of all ages. My friend Susan Eberman married her husband here 50 years ago and their daughter, Donna Rand, still loves to brag about her native city, “You can always find fast horses and fine bourbon in Louisville but the city also boasts southern hospitality, fine arts and exquisite dining,” she told me.
I made memories of my own with my New York friend Tea Alagic who, I was surprised to discover, was so passionate about Louisville theater.
A theater director herself, as well as a Shakespeare expert and MFA graduate of Yale Drama School, Tea was in Louisville for the Actors Theatre of Louisville, directing The Brothers Size, a poignant, powerful play starring professional actors from New York. It wound up being a rave success.
Taking the Pulse of Main Street
Before I arrived in Louisville I never realized the city was so theater-oriented and culturally rewarding. My lodging was on Main Street across from KFC Yum Center, where the Louisville Cardinals play, and as I walked along Main downtown I talked with many people, some of them actors working on plays, some in town for a visit, others friendly local residents.
We compared notes on restaurants, shops, museums and other Louisville surprises within a short radius. “It’s nice to experience a real American Main Street,” said Slaven Vlasic, who found a lot of photo ops in Louisville while away from his job at Getty Images in New York City.
A local resident, who has called the city home for 50 years, confided to me that to her Louisville is like “a big country town – and people here are very kind and will help you, unlike in some big cities.” She recommended I walk across the bridge to Indiana – but be sure to come back.
Cultural Proof
I saw a lot of proof of the cultural blossoming of Louisville, one, interestingly enough, when I was in the upscale restaurant Proof on Main, located in the 21C Museum Hotel.
The hotel’s lobby was full of paintings, installations and sculptures, a mini gallery of sorts, much like the small galleries I often visit in New York, and with a similar air of sophistication.
It made me feel that I’d someday like to return and find more things to do in Louisville, Kentucky, and perhaps see some of those celebrated thoroughbreds, catch live theater and go zip lining.
Oh, and also to taste that bourbon cake I heard so much about from my friends.
You may also enjoy: Auntie and Niece on A Cultural Crawl / Cooperstown, NY and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum / Indiana Amish Country: Travel at a Slower Pace
If You Go:
Louisville Visitor & Information Center
301 S. Fourth Street
Tel: (502) 379-6109
www.gotolouisville.com
Actors Theatre of Louisville
316 W. Main Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Tel: (505) 581-1206
http://www.actorstheatre.org
Louisville Slugger Museum
800 W. Main St.
Louisville, KY 40202
Tel: (877) 775-8443
www.sluggermuseum.com
It has been years since I have traveled to Louisville on a family trip as a young girl. Even after all this time it was like opening a door to a simpler time.. before e mails and cell phones! I always enjoy reading Carla’s wonderful travel stories so much since she always draws her readers in and she makes you feel as if you are in that bus seat sharing the views.
Another great story my globe friend.
Thank you, Candace. i enjoy your comment — and do agree there’s something to it about Louisville bringing us to a “simpler” time, yet still being up-to-date as well. It was fun writing it. I’m happy you are a fan of my writing..
Carla, you certainly haven’t been to Louisville in a while!! Our once beautiful and thriving downtown is like a ghost town since BLM came to town looting, burning and ruining (not protesting) businesses and our streets!! 😡😡 NO ONE GOES DOWNTOWN ANYMORE!!! You couldn’t pay me enough money to go down there!! So, for me to read your column saying Louisville’s downtown is thriving was quite a shock!! 😲 Then, I noticed they comments are all from 2015!!! Louisville was thriving then but now — IT’S A BOARDED UP GHOST TOWN!! Our mayor has no backbone and will NOT LEAD!! Louisville is going to hell in a handbasket!! There is a mass exodus of people from Louisville to the countryside. My once beautiful city that I was very proud to be from has gone up in smoke (literally) and now I’m embarrassed to call Louisville my hometown! 😡
Thank you Karen.
Jim
Wow, you obviously haven’t been downtown in a very long time. Nulu is hopping and bopping all the time. You must never go to a basketball game either. Around the yum center is vibrant. I’m afraid my dear that you know not what your talking about.
Thanks for your perspective Maggie.
Jim
Back in the 1960’s when I was there, it was very much a different time.
Gas prices were well under a dollar according to my father’s gas log book. Of course back then I was too young to drive. We went to the Calument Stud Farm. Am sure I am not spelling the name right. Man O’ War was foaled at that farm. Secretertarit was War’s many times great grand foal. Like the old horsemen always said “Blood will tell”. Man o’ War’s gravesite was at the farm too. A life sized statue of the great racing stallion stands in pride of place at his grave. All the really great race horses..Citatation, Whirl Away.. and so many others came from those stud farms in that area.
We are horse people, my mother and I. My father knew the love of horses ran deep with us. That became very clear when I started learning the fine art of carriage driving. The song “Jingle Bells” holds a special meaning for me because just like in the song we have driven that one horse open sleigh over snow covered fields on a cold winter’s day. The sleigh is long gone now as are the horses that pulled it. Even so I remember Kentucky and the golden sunshine that seemed to dance across the paddocks where the broodmares stood under old oak trees standing head to tail swishing flies as their young foals chased each other in games of tag.
Where my own love of horses really began that one summer day.
Your love of horses beginning here is so beautiful — and I love your writing also, Candace. Thanks again for elaborating in this comment, Candace! These are precious memories.
I have never been to America the information and the places to see the things to do in your article Carla make me want to visit, my Love for Horses is a special passion and has been since I was a very little girl, I was allowed a ride on a great horse by the name of Tullock horses give me great joy in life I have owned a few not any special breed, as long as they were horses I didn’t care they are such majestic animals the last horse I owned his name was Sandy I used to talk to him for hours, I think some times he even understood me, well I like to think he did. So Thanks again Carla for a very interesting and informative read
Hello Carol, I am so glad to read about your experience with horses here. I am thrilled that by reading my travel story on my trip to Louisville, Kentucky, sparked your interest in visiting the United States. We also had several horses when I grew up. Thanks again for commenting!
Always enjoy Carla Rupp’s creative writing.
Really enjoyed this story.
Thanks Larry. I appreciate your compliment on my Louisville, KY, story! I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s a wonderful city to visit.
Thank you for the lovely story which brought back many fond memories. As a “born and bred” Louisvillian I have discovered that living in other parts of the world have only now allowed me the necessary “space” to understand and appreciate what a unique and wonderful place Louisville is, and how fortunate I was to grow up there.
I look forward to reading more travel stories and reports in the future!
I’m glad my story brought you good feelings and wonderful memories about Louisville, KY. Thank you for writing!
I am from the county of Oldham…just north of Louisville. Growing up and getting your driver’s license as soon as possible was the thing to do so you and your friends could travel into the city. Going to Thunder Over Louisville, the opening all day and night ceremony of the Kentucky Derby was a and is still a must! Food, drink and craft booths line both sides of the Ohio River. And you can guarantee an awesome air show during the day and a spectacular fireworks show at night. I may live in Alabama now…but I will always call Louisville Kentucky home!! By the way….for those if you that have always wondered….the bluegrass really isn’t blue…although it is beautiful!
Thank you Brenda!
Jim
Beware of carjackings on the rise in Louisville. Some fatal.
Thank you Randall.
Jim
Louisville is dirty and filled with gangbanging thugs. Drive by shootings, armed robberies, assaults, and murder are a daily occurrence. I lived there for years, and still have family members there. I suppose if you’re wealthy and going to the ritzier places, you should be fine.
Dont forget about our city’s faned waterfront,and its most celebrated resident,the steamboat Belle of Louisville….
Thank you John.
Jim
Boarded up ghost town my ass.
The Ville is still one one of the hippest mid sized citys on the planet.
That Karen Tinnel sounds like she IS a real KAREN and a KAREN on DRUGS!
Hi Roger,
Thanks for your perspective.
Jim
When you do come back, check out the live music venues Louisville has to offer! There is an overwhelming abundance of phenomenal musicians.
This is a great city and I am proud to call it home!
Hi Steve,
Thanks for reminding us about live music in Louisville!
Jim
Hi Jim, is Carla still writing?
Thank you!
-Jeremy
Yes she is, Jeremy.
Jim
I live here 30 years now stay away unless you like homeless people on every corner, shootings every day ,all around crime, bored up business,(BLM) thanks,just a Hell hole…I warned ya..Shit Hole
Thank you for your perspective Steve.
Jim