DISCOVER
Despite not being in Bourbon County, Louisville has been dubbed Bourbon City due to its rich history, culture, and economy around whiskey. Take a bourbon tour along downtown Louisville’s historic Whiskey Row, which once boasted more than 50 distilleries prior to Prohibition and is still home to more than a dozen bars and distilleries that carry on the history and production of bourbon. If you’re looking for something with a bit more substance, be sure to try out some regional favorites, like burgoo, a meat stew that predates the Civil War, or the Hot Brown, an open-faced sandwich created in 1926 that is still served today at the Brown Hotel.
EXPERIENCE
Make some time to visit the Kentucky Derby Museum to learn about the history of the longest continually running sporting event in America. Experience 150 years of fashion at the race and learn about the building of Churchill Downs. If you’re feeling fancy, don those hats and head to Churchill Downs, where you can take a tour of the grounds, or, if you’re so inclined, stick around for the mint juleps and watch one of the 70 racing events held at the 175-acre racing complex each year. See several of the 1,400 Thoroughbred horses that are housed in the stables annually.
LEARN
Often referred to as “America’s pastime,” baseball has played a large part in the history of Louisville. Make a stop at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory to learn how the famous baseball bat came to be, and see how it is made today. Nestled in downtown Louisville, be sure to visit the Muhammad Ali Museum to learn about the boxer’s life and test out your own boxing skills in his hometown. Any trip to Louisville would be incomplete without a visit to the Frazier History Museum to learn about all things Kentucky history and culture.
LEARN MORE
Louisville Tourism
gotolouisville.com
Main Image: Brown-Forman Distillery; Credit: Louisville Tourism
