Things to Do In Louisville

Louisville, Kentucky offers you many unique attractions that make a perfect family vacation. Louisville attractions will fill your vacation with adventures that will keep you talking about them long after you leave. Rich in both history and modern culture, the city offers something for everyone.

Some of the attractions in the city are: Kentucky Derby Museum features three floors of exhibits that bring the pageantry and excitement of the Derby to life, including high-tech computerized hands-on displays and video graphics. Louisville Automobile Museum houses collectible cars and is worth for car enthusiasts.

For a wonderful nightlife, various bars and clubs are also situated in the city such as: Jim Porter’s club, O’Shea’s Traditional Irish Pub, Stevie Ray’s Blues Bar and more. For shopping lovers, several shopping malls are also situated in the city such as: Jefferson Mall, Oxmoor Center, Bardstown Road Antique Shop Corridor and more.

Louisville Zoo features some 1300 animals in their natural environments. If you want to explore some of the performing arts venues in the city then an array of theaters are also situated in the city such as: Walden Theater, Actor’s Theater, Banbury Theater and many more. The “Belle of Louisville” is America’s oldest still-serving sternwheeler riverboat situated in the city. The “Cathedral of the Assumption” is the fourth oldest public building in city as well as the third oldest Catholic Cathedral in the United States that is in continuous use.

Muhammad Ali Center

Stop at The Muhammad Ali Center to learn about The Champ’s boxing career and humanitarian efforts. Try a round of shadow boxing with The Greatest Muhammad Ali.

Louisville Slugger Museum

Make your trip to Louisville a memorable one with a visit to this Slugger Museum which is home to the world’s biggest baseball bat. This unique building is as a landmark of Louisville and stands distinguished from other nearby buildings. The Baseball bat it owns is 120 feet tall, made from hollow carbon steel and weighs 34 tons. The bat leans against the building and was erected in 1995. This place has become a great tourist attraction since then.

For the sports aficionados, visit the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. Stroll through the factory and see northern white ash and maple trees turned into a Louisville Slugger baseball bat that may end up in the hands of your favorite baseball player.

Louisville Zoo

Give your kids a pleasant outing by taking them to the Louisville zoo. The zoo spread itself on an area of 135 acres and is home to over 1300 wild animals. The zoo also organizes award-winning exhibits and special events that attract visitors in large numbers. This zoo has been accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) and the American Association of Museums (AAM). It is worth sparing time to visit the Louisville Zoo.

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park

Have fun with your complete family in this beautiful Louisville State Park. This park has a large variety of outdoor and indoor activities which include badminton, basketball, volleyball, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and weight room along with 12 lighted tennis courts, 10 soccer fields, 3 lighted softball fields, a mile-long fitness trail, a 1¼ mile nature trail, a permanent BMX track, a Model Aircraft airfield, a dog park, playgrounds, and picnic facilities. Now what else one could dream of inside a park! It is a complete entertainment spot perfect to visit with the family and kids.

Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom

This is one of the best tourist attractions in Louisville. Covering a vast area this amusement park lots of thrilling rides, a water park and ‘Chang’, one of the world’s longest steel stand-up roller coasters. This park covers 58 acres of land out of which 38acres belong to Kentucky State Fair Board. Don’t miss the fun, rock, and party hard at the Six Flag Kentucky Kingdom.

Waterfront Park

This Park is very near to the downtown area and is a hot spot for recreational and fun activities. This park is built in an area of 72 acres giving the visitors enough space to relax all day or indulge in recreational activities available in the park. The park also has a large playground where you can play games, do jogging or spend time as you like. This place is just right for a family picnic as the environment is calm and soothing.

Portland Museum

This museum dedicates itself to the city’s river heritage and showcases it by a display of newsreels of 1937 flood, along with a light and sound show. Built in 1978 but its exhibits were moved to Beech Grove Estate mansion on Portland Avenue in 1982. There are several gardens situated just behind the museum which are replicas of gardens that the original owners had during 19 century. This museum is thus worth visiting.

Louisville Science Center

It is a must-see for young and old, this incredible Science Center has various fun and educative activities that give a better understanding of science, mathematics and technology. Especially a do not miss for kids as they get a chance to explore the world of technology along with some fun-filled activities. More than half a million people visit this place annually and the number of students is quite large in this visit count.

Kentucky Derby

Those of you who are fond of horse races must visit this Kentucky Derby in Louisville. This is a high-risk equine race for pedigree horses, held yearly in Louisville on the first Saturday in May. Thoroughbred racetrack Churchill Downs opened in 1875, hosts the race each year. The Kentucky Derby heralds the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. SO plan your tour accordingly so that you can enjoy both the festival as well as the derby at Louisville.

Belle Of Louisville

Take a cruise down the Ohio River on the Belle of Louisville, a 1914 steamboat and National Historic Landmark. It’s the oldest operating paddlewheel steamboat in the nation powered by engines dating back to the 1890’s.

Louisville Mega Cavern

The Louisville Mega Cavern guided tram tour takes the family underground to learn the history of geology, mining and recycling in Louisville. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, this cavern was the largest civil defense shelter in the nation.

Churchill Downs

Take a tour of Churchhill Downs, home to the Kentucky Derby. Learn about the training that goes into preparing a winning horse. Take some pictures so the kids can prove to their friends they visited the most famous racetrack in the world.

Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts

Stop by the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts for a 30 minute show narrated by Ashley Judd. The movie visits Kentucky’s people, culture, history, music, and spirit on a multi-media large screen. The viewers experience the great state of Kentucky in a capsule.

For a memorable travel vacation, make Louisville, Kentucky your family’s destination. Let the kids take home a mini Louisville Slugger Baseball Bat. Cruise the Ohio River on the Nations oldest operating paddlewheel steamboat. Tell your friends to make Louisville, Kentucky their next travel destination.

It takes more than one day to visit all the sights in Louisville, a modern metropolis rich in history and tradition. For information on more sights to see, visit or call the Louisville Visitor Center at 301 S. Fourth St. 4th & Jefferson, Louisville, KY 40202 Phone 502 379-6109.