'''Louisville''' is the largest city in Kentucky; depending on how its population is calculated, it is either the 17th or 27th largest city in the United States. Louisville is also the namesake of the Official Bat of Major League Baseball - the Louisville Slugger.
Understand
A major city located on the Ohio River in North Central Kentucky across from Southern Indiana, Louisville exists at the confluence of Southern and Midwestern attitudes and cultures. Known historically as the 'Gateway to the South', Louisville has long been a transportation center for the region. Other local nicknames include 'River City' and 'Derby City', in addition to the myriad of ways the name can be pronounced, depending on one's accent. More or less any pronunciation is acceptable except 'Lewis', an error which will not offend anyone but definitely marks one as an out-of-towner. While it only borders on the region, tourists will probably find a bit of the famous Southern hospitality here, along with its varied cuisine and a relaxed attitude toward life. The city also boasts a vibrant arts and music scene and a world-class municipal parks system.
Louisville's biggest draw are the horse races at Churchill Downs (with the famous Kentucky Derby always the first Saturday in May), but the city is making a concerted effort to draw tourists year round. The architecture in Old Louisville and the Highlands is one-of-a-kind, and the people are very friendly.
The Downtown, Old Louisville, Highlands, and Frankfort Avenue areas are walkable and it is possible to take the city bus between one or all four without much difficulty, with a downtown hotel as base. Outside of this part of town though, you will almost certainly need a car.
Aside from Downtown, a must-see for many is the Highlands shopping district, on Bardstown Road roughly from Broadway to the Douglass Loop. Often described as "bohemian", it includes art galleries, bars, coffeehouses, midrange to upscale restaurants, and is ideally navigated by foot or bike. You can meet some locals on the sidewalks without much trouble, if you are interested. The street life here is particularly active on weekends when the weather is warm.
Get in
By plane
'''Louisville International Airport''' [http://www.louintlairport.com/] (SDF) serves all the major American airlines though it is only a spoke for most. The one terminal holds two concourses. Concourse A holds all the Skyteam (Delta, Northwest, and Continental Airlines) carriers (which dominate SDF as far as passengers carried) plus American Airlines (which moved from concourse B to the old TWA gates) and Midwest Airlines, while Concourse B holds United Airlines, US Airways, and Southwest Airlines. The terminal is small and easy to navigate.
With all of the airlines listed above, direct flights are available to most of their hubs, including Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, New York, Detroit, Philadelphia, and popular tourist destinations such as Orlando and Las Vegas. The airport is "International" in name only — there are once a week flights ''from'' Montreal and ''to'' Toronto! Too bad you can't fly with UPS whose huge all-points international "worldport" is located in Louisville just south of the passenger terminal.
There are non-stop flights to Louisville International Airport from the following cities (some cities may be seasonal or only offer service certain days of the week): Atlanta, Baltimore, Birmingham, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Memphis, Miami, Minneapolis St Paul, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, St Louis, Tampa and Washington [http://flyhere.com/Louisville-Standiford-Field-Airport-SDF/].
By train
Formerly served by Amtrak's Kentucky Cardinal, Louisville presently has no passenger train service.
By car
Several Interstates pass through Louisville: I-65, I-64 and I-71.
'''I-71''' (''North-South'') begins in Louisville and heads Northeast to Cincinnati and Cleveland.
'''I-65''' (''North-South'') will carry you from just outside Chicago, through Indianapolis North of Louisville and to the south through Nashville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Alabama, all the way to the coast at Mobile.
'''I-64''' (''East-West'') travels east through Lexington, West Virginia, on into Richmond, and ends near the Atlantic Ocean in Chesapeake, Virginia. To the west you'll find its beginning/end in Saint Louis, the "Gateway to the West"
By bus
'''Greyhound''', 1-800-231-2222, [http://www.greyhound.com/] services Louisville. Their depot is located at 720 W Muhammad Ali Blvd which is near the center of town. Service is frequent but it is inadvisable to arrive at the bus station late at night unless someone is coming to pick you up.
Get around
By bus
Louisville's public transit service, '''TARC''' [http://www.ridetarc.org], operates bus lines in all parts of Metro Louisville (Jefferson County). Fares are $1.50 for adults (75 cents for children between 6 and 17) with a possibility for two transfers in two hours. Tickets can be purchased at some banks and government offices but this will not really save you much money unless you are going to be staying in the city and getting around by bus for at least two weeks. Buses generally run from about 6AM-10PM, some later on weekends, but it is a good idea to check the schedule for each specific route. Timetables are only posted at major stops. The buses are also rather impractical in the suburbs, as they are infrequent and the stops are far apart.
By car
Car rental services are available at the airport. Louisville is encircled by two beltways, I-264 (officially the Henry Watterson Expressway and locally known as "the Watterson") and I-265 (the Gene Snyder Freeway, or unofficially "the Snyder"). Traffic is generally moderate except at peak hours on I-264 and in downtown. In particular, try to avoid "Spaghetti Junction", the downtown freeway interchange, between four-thirty and seven on weekdays.
The city streets are laid out in a grid pattern in downtown and a wheel-and-spoke system farther out. Frequently, the streets are named after outlying towns they eventually reach (Shelbyville Road, Bardstown Road, Taylorsville Road, etc.) Some of the urban neighborhoods, notably Germantown, Portland, and Cherokee Park, can be confusing for non-locals. Fortunately most neighborhoods are quite safe and passers-by will be more than happy to give you directions.
Louisvillians generally do not honk their horns unless there is real danger imminent. If this is not the case it is liable to be viewed as aggressive behavior.
By bike
Bicycling is becoming an increasingly effective way to get around Louisville. Although Louisville's bike program [http://www.louisvilleky.gov/bikelouisville] (''jonathan.villines@louisvilleky.gov'') is in its infancy (born at the 2005 Louisville Bike Summit), developments are occuring rapidly, and there are significant improvements on the immediate horizon. Bike lanes are being added on city streets, especially in and around Downtown which is already the most bike-friendly area of the city.
Every TARC bus in the city is equipped with bike racks, making bicycling a viable option for long-distance trips and trips along major arterial corridors. If you plan your transit route in advance, it is easy to get anywhere in the city using just your bicycle and public transit. Metro Government is also installing more bike racks every day, making it easy to park your bike at your destination.
See
Outside
Louisville's park system was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the "Father of American Landscape Architecture." Many consider it to be his greatest achievement. Cherokee Park, Iroquois Park, and Shawnee Park are the Flagship Parks, while more than a dozen smaller parks make up Louisville's own "Emerald Necklace." Cherokee Park features a 2.3 mile 'Scenic Loop' with one lane of traffic reserved entirely for cyclists, pedestrians, and other recreational activities. Iroquois Park is the tallest hill in the city and possesses a commanding view of downtown, especially on clear days. In addition to the major parks, dozens of smaller ones are spread throughout the city, such as Tyler Park in the Highlands, a favorite of locals, or George Rogers Clark Park in Germantown.
A newer addition, Waterfront Park, is arguably one of the greatest things the city has done to improve its image in a decade. Stretching along over a mile of the Ohio River, Waterfront Park offers playgrounds, artistic landscaping, fountains, and open lawns, all with spectacular views of the city skyline and the river. It frequently plays host to concerts and other festivals. The third phase of the park's construction is still in progress, and, when completed, will include a pedestrian walkway crossing the Ohio River via the currently-unused Big Four Railroad Bridge to Jeffersonville, Indiana.
Enjoy the view (day or night) of downtown Louisville from Ashland Park, on the Ohio River in neighboring Clarksville IN. Park the car and walk across the street to Widow's Walk, an ice-cream parlor/garden statue shop constructed to look like an old Victorian mansion. Nearby is also the Falls of the Ohio, a state park containing a fossil bed that spans quite a bit of area when the river is low.
Architecture
Old Louisville is an architectural treasure trove. Just south of downtown, it is the third largest National Preservation District in the country and the largest Victorian district in the United States. A particularly beautiful area is St. James Court and Belgravia Court, which plays host each fall to the St James Court Art Show. Faced with possible demolition in the 1970's, the area is now considered to be one of Louisville's best-kept secrets. A good way to see the neighborhood is to follow a walking tour [http://www.oldlouisville.com/walking_tours_of_old_louisville.htm]. It also has a number of locally-beloved bars and restaurants, and a heterogeneous population that gives the neighborhood a particularly eclectic feel.
Main and Market streets downtown contain the second largest collection of 1800's era iron facade buildings in the United States. Some have been torn down or otherwise destroyed, but also many new developments leave the old facades intact.
Other notable areas include the Cherokee Triangle neighborhood in the Highlands and Butchertown, which is just east of Downtown.
Inside
Market Street has a number of '''art galleries'''. If you are in Louisville on the first Friday of the month, there is a free gallery hop [http://www.trolleyhop.com/] around the downtown galleries, including a couple of glass studios. The '''Speed Art Museum''' [http://www.speedmuseum.org/] is a more traditional art museum on the campus of the University of Louisville. '''21C Museum Hotel''' [http://www.21cmuseumhotel.com/overview/default.aspx] has several art installations open to the public and is, like all hotels, is open to the public 24 hours a day. There are also a variety of art galleries within walking distance of each other in the Highlands/Bardstown Road area.
For performing arts, there is '''Actors Theatre''' [http://www.actorstheatre.org/], The '''Louisville Orchestra''' [http://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/], The '''Louisville Ballet''' [http://www.louisvilleballet.org/], The '''Kentucky Opera''' [http://www.kyopera.org/], and The '''Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts''' [http://ww2.kentuckycenter.org/].
'''Louisville Slugger Museum''', (''on Main street in downtown''), [http://www.sluggermuseum.org/].
'''Louisville Science Center''', (''on Main street in downtown''), [http://www.louisvillescience.org/].
'''Frazier Historical Arms Museum''', (''on Main street in downtown''), [http://www.frazierarmsmuseum.org/].
'''Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft''', (''on Main street in downtown''), [http://www.kentuckyarts.org/].
'''Kentucky Derby Museum''', (''south of downtown next to Churchill Downs''), [http://www.derbymuseum.org/].
'''Churchill Downs''', [http://www.churchilldowns.com/].
If you have a car, definitely take River Road out of downtown, past Zorn Avenue into the River Road Historic District. Beautiful country estates on the bluffs overlooking the Ohio River are amazing to see, along with all the fields that stretch along the river and great vistas of all the boats going by. The district stops when River Road ends at US Highway 42.
Kentucky Derby Festival
One of the nations biggest civic events, the Kentucky Derby Festival [http://www.kdf.org/] takes place for the first two weeks prior to the first Saturday in May when the Kentucky Derby is run at Churchill Downs. The biggest events include the following:
'''Thunder Over Louisville''' Quite possibly the world's largest air show and fireworks display. Thunder draws as many as 800,000 people to the banks of the Ohio river for a day long event filled with food, music, skydivers and many types of aircraft (including military). The evening is topped off with the world's largest fireworks display set to music, usually lasting 30 minutes. Thunder is held on the Saturday two weeks before Derby (sometimes three weeks, depending on when the Easter holiday is observed so as not to interfere with it).
'''The Great Balloon Race''' It is held the Saturday before Derby, unless bad weather takes place, then it will be the next day. If bad weather takes place that day, the race is canceled. The Balloon Race starts at the Kentucky Exposition Center [http://www.kyfairexpo.org/] and ends a few miles away in whatever direction the wind is blowing and carrying the balloons. On the Friday night before the race, the balloons are inflated for the Balloon Glow, a very pretty sight at night.
'''The Mini Marathon''' Usually starting at Iroquois Park in the south end, the race is run along city streets for about two hours until the runners reach the finish line downtown. It is held on Saturday morning a week before Derby, usually ran at the same time as the balloon race.
'''The Great Steamboat Race''' Held on Wednesday afternoon before Derby, the race usually pits the Belle of Louisville [http://www.belleoflouisville.org/] against the Delta Queen [http://www.deltaqueen.com/] for a race up the Ohio River and back again, ending downtown at the Clark Memorial Bridge. In some years, a third boat has sometimes raced. The winner is awarded the Gilded Antlers for another year until the next race.
'''Pegasus Parade''' Held for several blocks along Broadway (on the south end of downtown), the parade is the scene for floats, marching bands, celebrities, and many others groups. The parade is held on Thursday before Derby.
St. James Court Art Show
A free event, the St. James Court Art Show [http://www.stjamescourtartshow.com/] has been running strong for more than 50 years. This is the 5th largest Art Show in the United States. The show hosts an impressive 650 plus artists from all over the Americas. The outdoor Art Show is open during the daylight hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the weekend of the first Saturday in October. Held in the heart of historic Old Louisville among the country's largest collection of Victorian homes. An easy drive or bus ride about 1 mile due south of downtown Louisville near Central Park. The heart of the fair is the fountain on St James Court and the lovely Belgravia Court [http://www.oldlouisville.com/Autumn/AutumnBel.htm] where the artists have to compete for attention among the historic mansions that line the street under towering oaks. Tip: this is a beautiful neighborhood to explore even if it not an Art Show weekend.
Do
Recreational biking
If you want to bike for recreation, consider biking "the parkways" to the three major parks (Eastern Parkway to Cherokee Park, Southern Parkway to Iroquois Park, and Algonquin/Northwestern/Southwestern Parkway to Shawnee Park). These were originally designed just for bikers (and other "pleasure craft"), although now, especially Eastern, will require urban cycling skills except perhaps on a Saturday or Sunday. But they still represent the absolute finest the city has to offer in terms of biking - the three parks are magnificent, all have dedicated biking lanes (as in, you get half of or all of the road). Probably about 25-35 miles to see all three, if you're in good shape this can make for the perfect day ride around town, with frequent stops since there's a lot to see. There are minor hills on the parkways, but some moderate hills in Iroquois and Cherokee parks.
A good starting place is Waterfront Park, which has free parking, and also gives you a chance to experience downtown and all three "sides" of Louisville. Beginning at the Waterfront, you can take the Riverwalk to Shawnee Park (in the process of being renovated with a Scenic Loop bike path similar to that in Cherokee Park), and - by the end of 2007 - connect via Southwestern and Algonquin Parkways to the Ohio River Levee Trail to the Farnsley-Moreman Landing in the southwest corner of the county; almost a 20 mile ride.
You can also go from the Waterfront along the Beargrass Creek Trail to Cherokee Park (see a Louisville bikeways map [http://www.louisvilleky.gov/BikeLouisville/IWantTo/existingbikelanes.htm] for details). In the next five to seven years, you will be able to bike all the way from Prospect, in the northeast part of the county, to Farnsley-Moreman in the southwest - over 25 miles. By 2012, you'll be able to bike a full hundred miles around the entire city.
You can rent bikes at Waterfront Park.
Extreme sports
Younger or more adventurous types who are into skateboarding, aggressive skating, or BMX may want to check out Louisville Extreme Park, located on the corner of Franklin and Clay Streets just east of I-65 downtown and open 24/7. Among its features are a 24-foot full pipe, seven bowls of different sizes, a street course, ledges and rails, and a 12-foot vert ramp with a 13-foot extension. For more information, see [http://www.louisvilleextremepark.org the park's official site].
Music
Louisville has a large and thriving music scene catering to every possible taste in music. There are many bars that feature standard-issue cover bands but of greater interest to adventurous visitors are the venues featuring original local music as well as big-name out-of-town acts.
'''Skull Alley''', [http://www.skullalley.net/] Louisville's latest all-ages [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIY#Subculture DIY] venue, located at 1017 East Broadway.
'''Headliners''', [http://www.headlinerslouisville.com/] 1386 Lexington Road. Attracts medium-size national acts and top-drawing local acts.
'''Bulldog Cafe''', [http://www.myspace.com/bulldogcafe] 10619 W Manslick Road. Pretty far out from the center of the city, but a good place to see local and national acts that tend towards heavy rock and metal.
Learn
'''University of Louisville''', [http://www.louisville.edu/]
'''Bellarmine University''', [http://www.bellarmine.edu/]
'''Spalding University''', [http://www.spalding.edu/]
'''Sullivan University''', [http://www.sullivan.edu/]
'''Jefferson Community College''', [http://www.jefferson.kctcs.edu/]
'''McKendree College''', [http://www.ky.mckendree.edu/]
'''Southern Baptist Theological Seminary''', [http://www.sbts.edu/]
Work
Buy
Support Louisville's impressive number of locally-owned businesses by shopping in areas like the Highlands (Bardstown Road) and Clifton/Frankfort Avenue. A local legend that has gained notoriety elsewhere is [http://www.earx-tacy.com ear X-tacy], an independent music store with an extensive selection. Shops displaying 'Keep Louisville Weird' signs are members of a coalition of locally-owned businesses.
There are several malls and shopping areas in which to browse, including:
'''Oxmoor Mall''' [http://www.oxmoorcenter.com/] and '''Mall St. Matthews''' [http://www.mallstmatthews.com/], Shelbyville Rd at I-264. Oxmoor Center is immediately east of 264 (outside the loop) and Mall St. Matthews is immediately west of 264 (inside the loop).
'''Jefferson Mall''', Outer Loop and Jefferson Blvd, [http://www.shopjefferson-mall.com/].
'''The Summit''', Brownsboro Rd at I-265, [http://www.thesummitonline.com/].
'''Springhurst''', Westport Rd. at I-265
'''Dixie Manor''', Dixie Hwy near Lower Hunters Trace
'''Shelbyville Road Plaza''', Shelbyville Rd. west of I-264.
'''Stonybrook''', Hurstbourne Pkwy & Taylorsville Rd.
Eat
Local specialties include the '''Hot Brown''' [http://www.brownhotel.com/hotbrown.php3], a broiled open-faced turkey sandwich with bacon and mornay sauce, and '''Derby pie''' [http://www.derbypie.com/], which is similar to a pecan pie but incorporates chocolate.
Fourth Street Live [http://www.4thstlive.com/] downtown, between Liberty St. and Muhammad Ali Blvd., opened in 2004 and is home to several restaurants including:
'''Hard Rock Cafe''', [http://www.hardrock.com/]
'''TGI Friday's''', [http://www.tgifridays.com/]
'''Maker's Mark Bourbon House''', [http://www.makerslounge.com/]
'''Sully's Saloon''', [http://www.sullyssaloon.com/]
'''Red Star Tavern''', [http://www.redstartavern.net/]
'''The Pub Louisville'''
'''Rocco's Pizza'''
Locals usually prefer to dine at one of the local eating establishments below.
Budget
'''Spinelli's''', 614 Baxter Ave. Late night (open until 5AM W-Sa) Philly pizza. A luxury car is installed indoors for seating.
'''J. Gumbo's''', 2109 Frankfort Ave. Excellent Cajun food. Gumbo, Jambalaya, Etoufee, Creole, etc. Try the drunk chicken, it's excellent. All meals are $6.00.
'''WW Cousins''', Breckenridge Ln. & Dupont Circle. Dress your own hamburger and salad bar.
'''Twig 'n' Leaf''', Corner of Bardstown Road and Douglass Boulevard. Classic American diner and a local tradition.
'''Check's Cafe''', Corner of Burnett Avenue and Hickory in Germantown. Same as above, can't beat the price. The decor features a lot of local sports memorabilia. Doubles as a bar.
'''Cafe 360''', Corner of Bardstown Road and Bonneycastle. Order anything you want, 24-hours. Also has a bar. Food is okay but it's really more of a social place to go. Great Hookah.
'''Shah's Mongolian Grill''' 423 E. Warnock Street near U of L. Choose-your-own-stir-fry. Huge bowls of food for about $5.
Mid-range
'''Ramsi's Cafe on the World''', 1293 Bardstown Rd. A local favorite.
'''Kashmir Indian Restaurant''', 1285 Bardstown Rd. Right next to Ramsi's Cafe on the World. Good, affordable Indian food.
'''Lynn's Paradise Cafe''', 984 Barret Ave. Another local favorite.
'''The Irish Rover''', 2319 Frankfort Ave., [http://www.theirishroverky.com/].
'''The Granville''', 1601 S 3rd St. Considered by many to be the best burgers in town.
'''Melillos''', 829 E Market St., [http://www.melillos.com/]. Excellent New York style Italian.
'''Carly Rae's''', 103 West Oak Street.
Splurge
'''Avalon''', 1314 Bardstown Rd.
'''Le Relais''', 2817 Taylorville Rd, [http://www.lerelaisrestaurant.com/]. Fine French food.
'''Asiatique''', 1767 Bardstown Rd, [http://www.asiatique.bigstep.com/]. French/Asian Fusion.
'''Artemisia''', 620 E Market St, [http://www.artemisiarestaurant.com/]. Contemporary Continental Cuisine
Drink
'''Mint juleps''' is a local drink, traditionally drunk during the Kentucky Derby. If you want to try this classic Southern drink outside of Derby week, it's difficult to find a bar that can make them, owing to the difficulty of stocking fresh mint and the fact that they aren't often ordered. One spot that does offer them year-round is Maker's Mark Bourbon House & Lounge (Fourth Street Live); they sell for $8 as of March 2006.
If you're the voyeur type, a Tom Waits fan, unexposed and looking for some culture shock, or just want to connect with some real locals, you might check out the forty or so hole-in-the-wall bars scattered throughout Smoketown, Germantown, Shelby Park, and Downtown. These places can range from extremely seedy (could get accosted) to the utterly laidback (ability to enjoy your malt 40 with cheap soulfood and the occasional mishmash, smattering of "local color" jabber-banter). Not for the faint of heart.
Smoking is not permitted in bars in the city of Louisville.
Pubs
There are many pubs around the city, with varying styles, prices and crowds. The Highlands, especially around the 900 block of Baxter Ave, is a great place to drink and meet new people.
Cahoots. 047 Bardstown Road . 502) 454-6687. PM-4AM M-F, 1PM-4AM Sa-Su. Beer, pub grub and a younger crowd.
Dublin's Cellar. 42 Baxter Ave. 502) 583-2969. ttp://www.dublinscellar.com. PM-4AM M-F 12PM-4AM Sa-Su. Irish Pub that boasts 68 beers on tap. Bar on one side and dance floor/club on the other.
Highlands Taproom. 279 Bardstown Road . 502) 459-2337. ttp://highlandstaproom.com/. Neighborhood pub with live music most nights.
Molly Malone's. 33 Baxter Ave. 502) 473-1222. ttp://www.mollymalonesirishpub.com. pen daily 11AM-4AM. Irish-style staples with a decent beer selection and a good patio.
Nachbar. 69 Charles St. ermantown. 502) 637-4377. PM-4AM M-Sa, 4PM-4AM Su. Large beer selection with a focus on German and Belgian style beers. Also features jazz and film occasionally.
Outlook Inn. 16 Baxter Ave. 502) 583-4661. PM-4AM. A more dive-ish feel but with a no less impressive beer list.
The Baxter Station Bar & Grill. 201 Payne Street. rish Hill at Payne St. 502) 584-1635. ttp://www.baxterstation.com. Old neighborhood tavern with a mix of international and regional dishes and plenty of beers on tap.
The Magnolia Bar & Grill. he Mag. 398 S Second St. 502) 637-9052. Considered the quintessential Louisville dive bar. Don't let the name confuse you, there is no food to be had here.
The Rudyard Kipling. 22 West Oak Street. ttp://www.therudyardkipling.com. pen F-Sa, after 6:30PM. Kentucky-style cuisine with live music and theater.
Microbreweries
Bluegrass Brewing Company. 60 S 4th Street. th & Broadway, at Theater Square. 02 568-2224. ttp://www.bbcbrew.com. 1AM-10PM M-Th, 11AM-11PM F-Sa, closed Su. appy hour 3PM-7PM, pints $3.50. Local microbrewery with three locations around town. Live music some nights. The original location is in St. Matthew's at 3929 Shelbyville Road (phone: 502 899-7070). Also the Taproom, 636 E Main St; serves beer but no food. (502-584-2739.)
Brownings. 01 E. Main St.. 02 515-0174. ttp://www.americascuisine.com/louisville/brownings.htm. 1AM-10PM M-Th, 11AM-12PM F-Sa, 12PM-9:30PM Su. Restaurant and bar that is connected to the Louisville Bats (AAA Baseball Team, affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds) Stadium. Restaurant serves lunch and dinner, with brunch on Sundays.
Cumberland Brews. 576 Bardstown Road. 02 458-8727. Small pub that brews their own beer. The Pale Ale is recommended by reviewers.
The New Albanian Brewing Company. ich-O's. 312 Plaza Drive, New Albany. 12 949-2804. ttp://www.newalbanian.com. Pizzeria and pub.
Bars
Fourth Street Live! [http://www.4thstlive.com/] (On 4th St, downtown) has plenty of bars, ranging from an English Pub to Maker's Mark own lounge and bar, but you'll pay a premium to drink there. Fourth Street is generally only busy on the weekends; it's dead on the weekdays except for 5-7pm or when the after work crowd grabs a drink. Be aware many of the swankier clubs and bars (Red Cheetah, Maker's Mark, etc.) have a dress code, and some have a cover charge, usually about $5. Fourth Street is free to enter.
Maker's Mark Bourbon House & Lounge. 46 S Fourth St. 502) 568-9009. ttp://www.makerslounge.com. -Th 11AM-12AM, F-Sa 11AM-4AM, Su 5PM-12AM. Upscale bar with bourbons from each of Kentucky's distilleries.
Coffeehouses
There are a plethora of good coffeehouses in Louisville. Local chains are Heine Bros Coffee & Java Brewing Company. There are three Heine stores alone just in the Highlands area, another in Crescent Hill, and the other in the east end (off Chenoweth Ln). Java has a Fourth Street Live location, a Main St branch, and a store in Crescent Hill where it was founded. (Others one the east reaches of town, Prospect, Middletown, etc.) Other selections include Highland Coffee at 1140 Bardstown Rd/627 S 4th St, Old Louisville Coffee House at 1489 S 4th St, Sunergos Coffee [http://www.sunergoscoffee.com/] on 2122 S Preston St, and Ray's Monkey House [http://www.raysmonkeyhouse.com/] at 1578 Bardstown Rd.
There is a chocolatery called Coco's Chocolate Cafe. It is located at 1759 Bardstown Rd. in the heart of the Highlands. Coco's Chocolate Cafe serves handmade ice creams, artisan chocolates, drinking chocolate, chocolate fondue, and other chocolate desserts in a comfy, relaxing cafe setting. Check out Coco's Chocolate Cafe[http://www.CocosChocolateCafe.com/] for menu items and directions. Or, call them at 502-454-9810.
LGBT
Louisville has a substantial gay, lesbian and transgendered communities, most visibly concentrated in The Highlands neighborhood, in the East End and Downtown. There are numerous venues and events catering to them and those friendly to them.
While not necessarily known for its exceptional coffee, Day's Coffee [http://www.dayscoffee.com/] on Bardstown Road has enjoyed a loyal following among Louisville's gay AND family oriented populations for years, thanks to it's very laid-back, unpretentious atmosphere.
The Connection [http://www.theconnection.net/], located downtown, is Louisville's premier gay club and boasts an enormous dance floor and showroom, though it has seen better days. Still worth the cover on weekends or special events for those who enjoy a good drag show.
Tryangles [http://www.yelp.com/biz/tryangles-louisville] is a Louisville gay standby that endears by possessing the contradictory qualities of both homeyness and sleaze in equal measure. Wonderful place for furry cowboys looking to trade recipes.
Fuzion [http://www.myspace.com/fuzionnightclub] is a relatively new kid on the block, most popular on Friday and Saturday nights with Louisville's very young, very gay, or very hipster. Prime, located downtown on Main St. is the newest gay club to open and caters to those and those looking for the tan, fit and fun.
Both Woody's and Teddy Bears have have been victims of some scary hype, though for those not afraid of men and transsexuals "of a certain age" or beyond, they can be great places to relax over a game of pool or unselfconscious karaoke.
Sleep
Keep in mind that most Louisville hotels around Derby weekend will usually charge three times the normal rate. The only way to avoid this is to stay with friends and family or to stay at hotels at least 100 miles away, such as Cincinnati.
Budget
'''Motel 6-(Only 7 Miles from Louisville)''' [http://www.motel6.biz/]
'''Microtel Inn Louisville (East)''', [http://microtelinn.com/reservations/locationdetail.asp?facid=29].
Mid-range
InnPLace Louisville. 700 Bluegrass Pkwy. 02-491-4830. ttp://www.innplacelouisville.com/. The InnPlace Hotel and Conference Center provides small-town friendliness in the dynamic city of Louisville. Combining outstanding service, comfortable guest and meeting rooms, and a convenient location, the InnPlace strives to be your destination for business travel or vacation. Located in the heart of Louisville_fs east end, it_fs minutes from diverse dining, shopping, and entertainment. The InnPlace is twelve miles from the downtown city center and Louisville International Airport. Close proximity to Interstate 64 makes getting to attractions such as Churchill Downs, the Belle of Louisville, and Horseshoe Casino quick and easy.
''' Comfort Suites ( 20 Miles from Louisville) ''' [http://www.dcomfort.com/]
'''Hyatt Place Louisville/East ''', [http://louisvilleeast.place.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/place/index.jsp].
'''Ramada Downtown North Louisville''', 1041 Zorn Avenue,-71 Exit #2 and Zorn Ave, Louisville, Kentucky 40207 ''+1'' 502-897-5101, [http://www.ramadabluegrass.com/north_louiseville_kentucky_hotel-Home.aspx].
'''Ramada Limited & Suites Airport/Fair/Expo Center - Louisville''', 2912 Crittenden Dr, I-264 Exit 11, Louisville, KY 40209 ''+1'' 502-637-6336, [http://www.ramadabluegrass.com/ramada_louisville_airport_ky_hotel-Home.aspx].
Splurge
There are five great downtown hotels. They are:
'''The 21c Museum Hotel''', 700 West Main Street, 502-217-6300, 877-217-6400 toll free. [http://www.21chotel.com/].
'''The Seelbach Hotel''', [http://www.seelbachhilton.com/].
'''The Brown Hotel''', [http://www.brownhotel.com/].
'''Galt House Hotel & Suites''', 140 North Fourth St,[http://www.galthouse.com/].
Hyatt Regency Louisville" address="320 West Jefferson. ttp://www.louisville.hyatt.com. Located downtown connected to Kentucky International Convention Center and 4th Street Live.
There are many other hotels around town and in downtown, but they are rather generic. If you're going to pay more for a hotel, you might as well get character as well. There are also some Bed and Breakfasts in Old Louisville, if you'd like to stay in a 120+ year old Victorian mansion, here's your chance.
Contact
Newspapers
'''Courier-Journal''', [http://www.courier-journal.com]. Local daily newspaper.
'''LEO''', [http://www.leoweekly.com/]. The Louisville Eccentric Observer, the local alt-weekly.
'''Velocity''', [http://www.velocityweekly.com/]. Weekly, local entertainment guide.
'''The Voice-Tribune''', [http://www.louisville.com]. East end weekly newspaper.
Stay safe
Most of Louisville is pretty safe (for a city its size it has never been featured on the TV show "Cops"). Probably the least safe areas are west of Ninth St, and the Greyhound bus station is unfortunately located here. Professional scammers acting as panhandlers are common at the station, and while not terribly aggressive or rude they are persistent. Pickpockets are also a problem, as they will often snatch belongings from the side pockets of any bags or purses you may have. In addition, several attempted muggings have occurred directly outside of the terminal, (with station security being shockingly apathetic and unhelpful in these situations, at least until the LPD arrive) so be very cautious. However, a day-time drive through this part of town along Portland and then Northwestern Parkway is very interesting and not dangerous at all. Areas around Churchill Downs are also relatively sketchy, but again, simply driving through in the day-time is not a risk.
Crime is virtually nonexistent east of the Highlands. Within the Highlands, crime is still low, but use caution exiting bars on Baxter Avenue if you are alone. This same advice applies to Old Louisville, only more so. Other than this, just use common sense like you would anywhere else.
Get out
There are plenty of places to visit outside Louisville. To the south are Mammoth Cave National Park (longest cave system in the world) [http://www.nps.gov/maca/], Fort Knox (home of the gold bullion and the Patton Museum), the Abbey of Gethsemani [http://www.monks.org/], the historic town of Bardstown, home of Stephen Foster-The Musical [http://www.stephenfoster.com/], the Bourbon Trail [http://www.kybourbon.com/english/pages/trail.html], the Lincoln Birthplace [http://www.nps.gov/abli/], the Bernheim Forest Arboretum and Nature Center [http://www.bernheim.org/].
To the east is the state capitol at Frankfort, where you'll find some distilleries in the area. Lexington is the home of the Kentucky Horse Park [http://www.imh.org/]. Located off I-71 is the Kentucky Speedway [http://www.kentuckyspeedway.com/], currently home to IndyCar and Nationwide Series racing and rumored to be a future home for Sprint Cup racing.
To the north is the river town of Madison, Indiana, home of the Madison Regatta. Nashville, Indiana and Brown County are a haven for artists.
To the west, numerous caves are found, including Squire Boone, Wyandotte and Marengo. [http://www.holidayworld.com/ Holiday World & Splashin' Safari] in Santa Claus boasts the Raven, one of the most popular wooden roller coasters in America.
Metro Louisville communities
Bardstown
Brandenburg
Clarksville
Jeffersontown
Jeffersonville
New Albany
Saint Matthews
Shelbyville
Shepherdsville