{"id":1817,"date":"2022-10-06T09:19:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-06T09:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/?p=1817"},"modified":"2023-01-13T17:09:54","modified_gmt":"2023-01-13T17:09:54","slug":"sunday-manifest-louisville-ky","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/2022\/10\/sunday-manifest-louisville-ky\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Manifest: Louisville, KY"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Louisville
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone\/Shutterstock<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The largest city in Kentucky, and the state\u2019s cultural epicenter, Louisville is a place where old meets new. Set along a stretch of the Ohio River, it\u2019s a city of stately Victorian homes, modern skyscrapers, and historic landmarks from its early days as a major shipping port and Union stronghold during the Civil War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Louisville may be best known for three things \u2014 baseball bats, horse racing, and Kentucky bourbon \u2014 all of which are proudly embraced and showcased throughout the city\u2019s vibrant downtown district and in the dozen or so distinctly unique neighborhoods<\/a><\/strong> that surround it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Downtown<\/a><\/strong> is where you\u2019ll find Louisville\u2019s iconic Main Street, with its historic Romanesque and Classic Revival buildings, famous Whiskey Row<\/a><\/strong> and Museum Row<\/a><\/strong>, and the flashy Fourth Street Live<\/a><\/strong> entertainment district. If you\u2019re looking to be in the center of the action, downtown is it. Some of the city\u2019s best hotels, shops, restaurants, and attractions are here \u2014 easily walkable and fun to explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create your own self-guided walking tour<\/a><\/strong> to see some of the stunning architecture up close and personal. Then consider checking out the Louisville Slugger Museum<\/a> <\/strong>for a behind-the-scenes look at how the famous wooden bats are made. View the special exhibits and galleries at the Muhammad Ali Center<\/a><\/strong>. Enjoy interesting events at the Frazier Kentucky History Museum<\/a><\/strong>. Or tour some of the local distilleries near the river before strolling through the curated collection of bars and award-winning restaurants that make up Louisville\u2019s legendary Urban Bourbon Trail<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Rows
Photo credit: Jakub Moravec\/Shutterstock<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Just outside of downtown you\u2019ll find some of the city\u2019s other popular neighborhoods \u2014 all worth a visit if you have the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lovely Old Louisville<\/a><\/strong> community, with its picture-perfect Victorians and sidewalks lined and shaded by beautiful oaks and magnolias, is a fantastic place to get a feel for the city\u2019s history and culture. Stroll through the neighborhood on your own, or take one of the guided tours<\/a><\/strong> that are offered Tuesday through Saturday, starting at the visitors center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hip neighborhoods of Clifton and Crescent Hill<\/a><\/strong> are the places to go for indie boutiques, galleries, antique shops, and popular locally owned restaurants. Have brunch at the European-style Blue Dog Bakery<\/a><\/strong> or the casual Morning Fork<\/a><\/strong> restaurant. Check out the selections at Just Creations<\/a><\/strong>, Peacock Boutique<\/a><\/strong>, and Guestroom Records<\/a><\/strong>. Or tour the restored Gothic gatehouse and walk the paths around the Crescent Hill Reservoir<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Gothic-style
Photo credit: Wirestock Creators\/Shutterstock<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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In the artsy neighborhoods of Smoketown and Shelby Park<\/a><\/strong>, two miles southeast of downtown, you can explore the Logan Street Market<\/a><\/strong> for an incredible variety of food, drink, shopping, and community events. Keep an eye out for the community\u2019s colorful street murals that honor some of the famous people who\u2019ve lived in Louisville. And spend some time outdoors, enjoying the 16-acre Shelby Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead. In the evening, grab a seasonal cocktail at the low-key Trouble Bar<\/a><\/strong>, named one of the Best Bars in America by Esquire<\/em> magazine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, no visit to Louisville is complete without a trip to the historic Churchill Downs<\/a><\/strong> racetrack and the Kentucky Derby Museum<\/a><\/strong>, a short 15-minute drive southwest of downtown. Make an afternoon of it and view the museum\u2019s interactive exhibits and outdoor stables; book a special guided tour of the grounds (with opportunities to stand trackside, walk through the grandstands, and even visit Churchill Down\u2019s green-roofed barns and Backside community); and take a break with a quick and casual lunch at the Derby Caf\u00e9<\/a><\/strong> where you can try their version of Louisville\u2019s famous Hot Brown sandwich along with their special Derby-Pie. Dine outside on the covered terrace and add a refreshing Mint Julep for an authentic Louisville experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Three
Photo credit: Brent Hofacker\/Shutterstock<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Finally, whether you\u2019re visiting Louisville for a short getaway or a longer vacation, don\u2019t miss a walk along the Big Four Bridge<\/a><\/strong>. Crossing the Ohio River at Waterfront Park and connecting to southern Indiana on the other side, this former railroad bridge was renovated as a pedestrian bridge in the 1990s and now features a special LED lighting system and wide paved ramps that make it accessible to bikes, skates, and wheelchairs. The views of the river and Louisville\u2019s skyline from the bridge are spectacular, especially at sunset when the water and sky are bathed in warm pink and orange. It\u2019s a perfect place to kick off or wrap up a vacation in Kentucky\u2019s Derby City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We currently have a\u00a0fun Bourbon-Friendly Weekend in Louisville<\/a><\/strong> <\/strong>curated and ready to go on our Experiences<\/a><\/strong> page. But if you\u2019d prefer a longer Louisville vacation or have another destination in mind, let us know. We\u2019re always happy to curate a custom trip for you wherever you\u2019d like to go.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The largest city in Kentucky, and the state\u2019s cultural epicenter, Louisville is a place where old meets new. Set along a stretch of the Ohio River, it\u2019s a city of stately Victorian homes, modern skyscrapers, and historic landmarks from its early days as a major shipping port and Union stronghold during the Civil War. Today,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":1820,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[98,131,47,94,54,92,46,16,116],"tags":[56,38,130,35,13,15,36,12],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/DowntownLouisville-SeanPavoneShutterstock.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1817"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1817"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1817\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2575,"href":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1817\/revisions\/2575"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1820"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1817"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1817"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manifestescapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1817"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}