Louisville Kentucky Destination Guide
Louisville Kentucky, Hold the Bourbon! Come with Jason M to the KY for a Louisville Kentucky Destination Guide!
This December, my family and I decided to check out an urban center we had never explored. The criteria was simple. It had to be within half a day from our home in central Ohio and have something outside we could explore. After a few searches, we decided on a trek to Louisville, Kentucky!
I know what you are thinking…the Bourbon Trail! Sure, that would have been easy. However, this being a family adventure, we decided on people and places outside of that realm. Maybe another time.
Our journey started on a Friday afternoon, and after the four-hour drive, we arrived around dinner time.
After speaking to a couple of locals, we decided on Mussel Burger Bar and enjoyed, as you might imagine, mussels and burgers. I highly recommend the Argentinian burger and mussels for your table. This will give you fuel for your early morning.
The next morning, we decided to venture across the Ohio river to the Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville, Indiana. I was a little embarrassed not knowing about this park, but I am so glad we took the advice from one of my friends.
I recommend a stop at the visitor center to get your bearings. There is a small fee for entry, but the short video covering the history of the area is quite interestIng. The artIfacts and displays within the interpretIve center cover everything from the Devonian Fossil beds to the evolutIon of industry and commerce in the area. The Ohio River has been a superhighway for several centuries, and you gain a great understanding and perspectIve of this important fact.
Make sure you bring your NatIonal Parks Passport book as there is an opportunity for a stamp from a stop on the Lewis and Clark Trail.
NatIonal Park geeks unite!
The recent history lesson was fascinating, but with a 16-year-old obsessed with paleontology, it was off to the fossil beds. It was explained that August-November tends to be the best viewing as the Ohio river is normally at the lowest point. Amazing how you can walk out into the river and see so many formatIons. The park even has GPS coordinates for some of the best representatIons. Remember, you are exploring the 390-million-year-old Devonian fossils beds, so you will be exploring fossilized shells, corals, and a myriad of other ancient creatures. Certainly, a place for all ages to explore, however, accessibility can be tricky as these are natural formatIons without set pathways. In additIon, I would recommend boots as the footwear of choice.
After spending several hours exploring and enjoying the late autumn day, we crossed the river back into Louisville.
WantIng to support a local business, I booked us a tour via Trolley de’ Ville for later in the afternoon. Honestly, I wanted a quick synopsis of the area, and what a gem it turned out to be. Being the offseason, there were only three families on the tour, so the engagement from our guide was tremendous. We were able to view the downtown, Churchill Downs, but we found the visit through Old Louisville and the Historic Preservation District to be the biggest surprise. Over 40 blocks and the largest number of restored Victorian era homes from the 1870’s are on full display. While our trolley tour showed us a great sampling and explained the how, it provided us the desire to take a walking tour in the future and explore the possibility of staying in one of these magnificent giants.
After the tour, and requestIng a couple recommendatIons from our guide, we decided to try the local Dragon King’s Daughter which features a Japanese Mexican fusion. Weird, eh? It was absolutely outrageous! You really need to check out the menu for a full understanding of funkiness of this place. Between the shrimp tempura tacos, the traditIonal bibimbaps, and Mexican chicken wings, you will wonder what the hell is going on. This creatIvity provided some of the best food we have had in a long time. Love validatIng a local recommendatIon!
We concluded our day on the Big Four Bridge.
Originally constructed in 1895, this bridge has been repurposed for a pedestrian and cycling connectIon to southern Indiana. The two-mile round trip gives you stunning views of the downtown and well as a beautIful light show until late in the evening. A wonderful place to unwind from a busy day of exploratIon.
After another sleep, we woke on Sunday morning to tackle the famous Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. ReservatIons for the tour are highly recommended. The museum is small, but even a non-baseball fan will recognize the significance of the displays throughout. For myself, having the opportunity to hold a bat used by Babe Ruth and Roberto Clemente brought out my littlest baseball fan. The tour is an interestIng look into the history and sustainability of baseball bat productIon. While much has been flexed into technology, there is sIll plenty of hands-on craftsmanship throughout. Again, the offseason was a perfect time to visit as the crowds were minimal, and we were told the warmer months can produce the chaos you would expect.
Our next and final stop was the Kentucky Science Center which was just across the street.
Here we had the opportunity to explore the remains of mummified EgyptIan women, a Gemini Trainer used by NASA, and four stories of hands-on, interactIve exhibits for all ages. Alas, we were in a little bit of a time crunch, so this was a quicker visit than we would have liked, but it gave us the reason to come back and visit.
Overall, we packed a great deal into our visit to Louisville with a blend between exploring the outdoors as well as taking advantage of some of the museum and dining scene. As a family, I would highly recommend a visit as there is something for everyone and all interests. The downtown was easy to navigate and walk. The tour proved invaluable for a weekend adventure, and the dynamic food scene had us wantIng more. All this, and I didn’t have one sip of bourbon.