Louisville, Kentucky isn’t, in fact, the capital of Kentucky, but being the largest city in the state gives it the upper hand on cultural activities and sites, but still manages to maintain the quirky southern charm of a small town. Louisville is a great blend of natural beauty, interesting historical architecture, and an incredible food and drinks scene. If you’re looking for a place to visit that is slightly off the beaten track but super fun, you’ll love Louisville.
What to Do
If you’re looking for an art scene in Louisville, head over to the downtown area for some great choices. The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft is a free museum that has two floors of local and international artists that feature all sorts of different types of art and crafts, such as textiles, mosaics, pottery, and more.
Just down the street is 21c, a hotel that also boast a fabulous gallery in it’s lobby and in the downstairs space. The works rotate fairly frequently, and you can see everything from modern paintings and photographs, to murals done by artists like Kehinde Wiley, the artist who recently did Barack Obama’s portrait.
If you love whiskey, you’ve come to the right place. Kentucky is the birthplace of bourbon, and just within Louisville there are several large and small distilleries. From Jim Beam to Evan Williams and Heaven Hill, you can go on tours and do lots of samplings throughout the cities. There are also bourbon only bars where you can do tastings of bourbon.
If you want to escape the city for a while and enjoy the beautiful Ohio River, go to the Big Four Bridge which is a completely pedestrian bridge that connects Louisville with neighboring Indiana! It is about a mile long and you can occasionally hear music being played through the speakers. Once you cross over the bridge and enter Indiana, you will be greeted by the small town of Jeffersonville, which has many cute pubs, ice cream shops, and a very famous candy shop called Schimpffs. The shop has actually been open since 1891, so you have to go.
What To Eat
Kentucky is obviously known for their fried chicken, and there is one place that never fails to deliver. Big Momma’s Soul Kitchen is a Louisville institution where the menu changes daily, but you can always be sure to find their famous fried chicken along with their perfected southern classics like collard greens, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, and more. There isn’t any seating inside but you cannot miss out on this inexpensive flavor bomb of a dive.
Another Louisville staple to try is a dish called the hot brown that was actually created in the city in the 1920s at the Brown Hotel. The dish is a hot open-faced sandwich that is made with turkey, bacon, and smothered in cheesey bechamel sauce and baked until the cheese is super bubbly. You can find them in most places, but The Cafe restaurant has a great one.
Although not traditionally southern, Mayan Cafe is another Louisville staple that represents the Latino community of the city. This restaurant serves up farm to table Latin dishes that are super flavorful and delicious. They also have a great lunch menu, so check them out!
