Louisville

Louisville, the largest city in Kentucky, is known for the Kentucky Derby horserace and as the "gateway to the south" from southern Indiana. It's a lively mid-sized city with an excellent dining scene, ample opportunities for bourbon tasting, and interesting public art. Louisville is also the namesake of the Official Bat of Major League Baseball &mdash; the Louisville Slugger.

Understand
A major city 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. It is the largest city in Kentucky, with about one and a half million people living in the metro area.

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.

Louisville was the birthplace of boxer Cassius Clay, later known to the world as Muhammad Ali. He is buried at Cave Hill Cemetery in the Highlands, a couple of miles southeast of downtown, which is also the resting place for many other Kentucky dignitaries.

Climate
Weather in the Ohio Valley is notoriously hard to predict, but this is a general guide.

Spring starts sometime in late March or early April, normally it is very brief and summer-like weather sets in before the trees have had time to grow back their leaves. Generally this leads to pleasant weather for the Kentucky Derby, although torrential rain and (once or twice) even snow, are not unknown.

Summer usually has a few vilely hot and humid weeks, where nobody goes outside much who doesn't have to, but is generally milder and more pleasant than some other parts of the South. Brief but fairly violent thunderstorms are common during the summer.

Fall starts around September, although an "Indian Summer" with warm and sunny days often occurs that month and it gets colder as it approaches November. Fall is widely considered the most pleasant season in Louisville, and many annual events are scheduled for those months.

Winter in Louisville can be just above 32°F (0°C) and drizzling for days on end, or just below with dustings of snow that manage to melt again quickly. Ice storms, where freezing rain builds up on trees and structures and causes damage, are rare but happen occasionally. There is the occasional cold snap where it will stay well below freezing for a week or so at a time, and any snow already on the ground will linger. The last time Louisville had a real blizzard was in 1993, but those are so rare that people still regularly talk about it. Then again, beautiful sunny days where the temperature gets above 65°F are also possible. You really never know what you're going to get.

The Ohio Valley also regularly has the highest pollen counts in the US. If you're very allergic to pollen, you may want to avoid visiting in late spring/early summer.

Tourist information

 * Go to Louisville website

By plane

 * 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. Allegiant, which does not use the traditional hub-and-spoke model, offers nonstop flights, some seasonal, to popular vacation destinations in the Southeast. Southwest, which also does not use the hub-and-spoke model, offers nonstops to several of its own key cities. The airport is "International" in name only &mdash; there are no longer any non-stop passenger flights to any location outside the U.S. Too bad you can't fly with UPS whose huge all-points international "Worldport" cargo hub is in Louisville just south of the passenger terminal.
 * Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is 1.5 hours away by car, and is a focus city for Delta Air Lines and low-cost carriers Allegiant Air and Frontier Airlines.

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. The Ohio River crossings in both directions are tolled; see &sect; Get around
 * 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 St. Louis, the "Gateway to the West"

By bus
see also: bus travel in North America
 * Greyhound,, services Louisville. Their depot is at 720 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd. 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 or you are taking a taxi. There are many pickpockets and scammers here and nearby.
 * Megabus. Service from Chicago, Indianapolis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta. The bus stop is on the north side of Jefferson St in between Roy Wilkins Ave and S 8th St.

By bus
TARC (Transit Authority of River City) operates bus lines in all parts of Louisville Metro (Jefferson County). Cash fares are $1.75 for adults (does not include transfers). With the MyTARC Card, available for purchase online or at a couple of locations in the city, fares are $1.50 and include a transfer good for two hours from initial boarding. 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. Frequency and punctuality leave something to be desired, but the buses are an effective way to get around for a visitor, especially between downtown and major sites like the airport, Churchill Downs, and the trendy areas in the eastern part of the city.

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, downtown, I-64 between the Snyder and Watterson, and the Snyder for about 2 miles in either direction from I-64. In particular, try to avoid "Spaghetti Junction", the downtown freeway interchange, between 7AM and 9AM and 4:30PM and 6:30PM on weekdays.

Three of the five bridges that cross the Ohio in Louisville are now tolled. The Abraham Lincoln Bridge, which opened in 2016, carries I-65 northbound into Indiana, while the older John F. Kennedy Bridge is now southbound only. The new Lewis and Clark Bridge, plus associated freeway segments, also opened in 2016 to connect I-265 between the two states. The I-65 and I-265 crossings are tolled in both directions. Rates depend on whether the vehicle carries a transponder issued by the local tolling authority (or the multi-state E-ZPass consortium), or if the vehicle's license plate has been registered with said authority. For cars, passenger trucks, and motorcycles, current rates per crossing are:
 * $2.10 for vehicles with transponders.
 * $3.16 for vehicles without transponders, but with plates registered with the tolling authority.
 * $4.20 for vehicles that have neither transponders nor plates registered with the tolling authority.

Rates are higher for larger vehicles. Tolling is all-electronic; vehicles without transponders will have pictures of their license plates taken, with a bill sent to the registered owner. The downtown Clark Memorial Bridge (also known as the "Second Street Bridge") and the Sherman Minton Bridge that carries I-64 across the river remain toll-free for now.

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 the neighborhoods surrounding 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.

By bike
Bicycling is becoming an increasingly effective way to get around Louisville. Bike lanes are being added on city streets, especially in and around Downtown which is already the most bike-friendly area of the city. In fact, former long-time mayor and Kentucky lieutenant governor Jerry Abramson is an active cyclist.

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.

The Louvelo bikeshare system has 39 stations and offers a "pay as you go" plan.

By scooter
Here, "scooter" refers to electric-powered stand-up scooters, not the small motorbikes also called by that name. Electric scooters have become increasingly popular for short-distance trips in congested areas such as downtown and the Highlands. Four companies offer so-called "dockless" scooter rentals—Bird, Bolt, Lime, and Spin, with HOPR soon to join them. These scooters are rented and activated through each company's mobile app, with payment via the app. Several caveats, however, apply to this transportation mode. First, city ordinances prohibit e-scooter usage at night. Rental scooters are also equipped with geofencing technology that automatically slow them to 10 mph (from a maximum speed of about 15 mph) in downtown, Waterfront Park, the pavilion of the KFC Yum! Center, and Mid City Mall in the Highlands. This same technology also prevents them from being used for many trips in the Frankfort Avenue corridor, as they are deactivated in the vicinity of the Kentucky School for the Blind and the American Printing House for the Blind for the safety of blind people in that area. They are also deactivated at the Kentucky Exposition Center and the Extreme Park. The most significant issue, however, is that current city ordinances only allow them to be used in standard vehicle lanes. Both bicycles and scooters are banned from sidewalks, but scooters are also banned from bike lanes.

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." features a 2.3 mi (3.7 km) "Scenic Loop" with one lane of traffic reserved entirely for cyclists, pedestrians, and other recreational activities. contains what was the tallest hill in Louisville before the city merged with surrounding Jefferson County in 2003; the hill's location gives it 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,, 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 is an old railroad bridge, now pedestrianized, that lets you walk between Waterfront Park and Jeffersonville, Indiana.

Enjoy the view (day or night) of downtown Louisville from Ashland Park, on the Ohio River in neighboring Clarksville, Indiana. 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 1970s, 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. 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 1800s-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 around the downtown galleries, including a couple of glass studios. In March 2016, the Speed Art Museum, a more traditional art museum on the campus of the University of Louisville, reopened following a complete rebuilding. 21C Museum Hotel has several art installations open to the public and 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, The Louisville Orchestra, The Louisville Ballet, The Kentucky Opera, and The Kentucky Center (in full, the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts). The Kentucky Center also operates the newly opened Old Forester's Paristown Hall east of downtown (see "Music").

If you plan on visiting more than one downtown museum, consider buying the Main Ticket, a pass that provides one admission to the Frazier Museum, Art and Craft Museum, Kentucky Science Center, Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, Peerless Distilling, Slugger Museum, and Ali Center. $45.99 ages 13 and up, $29.99 children 6–12; pass valid for one year after purchase. Pass holders must purchase a separate admission to the Science Center for any children 2–5; ages 5 and under are admitted free at all other attractions.

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 nation's biggest civic events, the Kentucky Derby Festival takes place for the two weeks prior to the first Saturday in May when the Kentucky Derby (usually referred to locally simply as "Derby") is run at Churchill Downs. The biggest events include the following:



Other festivals and events

 * Louisville Trifesta — A series of music festivals held on consecutive weekends in September, all organized by Danny Wimmer Presents and now held at the Kentucky Exposition Center. In order, they are:
 * Louisville Trifesta — A series of music festivals held on consecutive weekends in September, all organized by Danny Wimmer Presents and now held at the Kentucky Exposition Center. In order, they are:
 * Louisville Trifesta — A series of music festivals held on consecutive weekends in September, all organized by Danny Wimmer Presents and now held at the Kentucky Exposition Center. In order, they are:
 * Louisville Trifesta — A series of music festivals held on consecutive weekends in September, all organized by Danny Wimmer Presents and now held at the Kentucky Exposition Center. In order, they are:
 * Louisville Trifesta — A series of music festivals held on consecutive weekends in September, all organized by Danny Wimmer Presents and now held at the Kentucky Exposition Center. In order, they are:

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 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 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 for details). Eventually you will be able to bike all the way from Prospect, in the northeast part of the county, to Farnsley-Moreman in the southwest &mdash; over 25 miles. Long-term plans will allow you to bike a full hundred miles around the entire city, but the completion date of that project has now been pushed back to around 2020.

The long-abandoned Big Four Bridge has been reopened as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge connecting Waterfront Park with downtown Jeffersonville on the Indiana side.

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 David Armstrong Extreme Park, 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.

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 and big-name out-of-town acts.

Buy
Support Louisville's impressive number of locally-owned businesses by shopping in areas like the Highlands (Bardstown Road) and Clifton/Frankfort Avenue. Shops displaying "Keep Louisville Weird" signs (a concept originated in Austin, Texas) are members of a coalition of locally-owned businesses.



There are several malls and shopping areas in which to browse, including:
 * and, 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).

Outlet shopping is available in nearby Simpsonville at (take I-64 east to Exit 28).

Groceries and other basics
The dominant supermarket chain in the Louisville area is Kroger, with over 20 locations in Jefferson County alone, plus many others scattered around the surrounding counties (a few Kroger-owned stores on the Indiana side of the river bear the legacy Jay C nameplate). Several of these are open 24/7. No other supermarket chain has anything close to Kroger's presence, though the local chain ValuMarket and the deep-discounters Aldi and Save-A-Lot have several locations.

In the organic/natural niche, Whole Foods and Trader Joe's each have one location in the area, both near Mall St. Matthews. A smaller national chain, The Fresh Market, has a location in northeast Louisville. Finally, the local chain Rainbow Blossom has four Louisville locations plus one across the river in New Albany.

The real competition for Kroger comes from two major discount chains. Walmart has nine stores in its "Supercenter" (discount store plus supermarket) format, plus three supermarket-only Walmart Neighborhood Markets, in Jefferson County alone. Two of the Supercenters and one Neighborhood Market close overnight; the rest stay open 24/7. Meijer, a Michigan-based chain that in many ways pioneered the concept that Walmart made a cliché, has four stores in Jefferson County, all of which are also open 24/7. Target also has several locations that all offer groceries, but without the specialized counters of a traditional supermarket or the 24/7 hours of Walmart and Meijer.

Both of the major national pharmacy chains, CVS and Walgreens, are also ubiquitous throughout Louisville. Walgreens is absorbing several local locations of the former third major chain, Rite Aid. CVS and Walgreens have many 24/7 locations, though not necessarily in the areas you might expect. Note also that all pharmacies in Target stores throughout the U.S. are now operated by CVS, and include CVS signage.

Eat
Local specialties include the Hot Brown, a broiled open-faced turkey sandwich with bacon and Mornay sauce, and derby pie, which is similar to a pecan pie but incorporates chocolate. Kentucky is of course the home of KFC, but, like most Southerners, Kentuckians take fried chicken fairly seriously, and if you want inexpensive, tasty fried chicken, there are better local alternatives. Considering that it's not widely known for it, pizza is surprisingly good in Louisville. There are a lot of outlets and the market is quite competitive.

Louisville has established itself as a major "foodie" destination. Part of the reason is the ready availability of fresh ingredients from around the country, and even the world, thanks to the location of UPS' main hub at Louisville International Airport.

Vegetarians and vegans have a lot of options in Louisville, particularly at the numerous Ethiopian, Indian and Mediterranean restaurants.

Locals usually prefer to dine at one of the local eating establishments below.

Budget

 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.

Drink
The mint julep 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.

Smoking is not permitted in bars in the city of Louisville. While most bars in Kentucky are required to close at 2AM, some Louisville bars are licensed to stay open until 4AM.

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.



Bars
Fourth Street Live! (On 4th St, downtown) has plenty of bars, 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. Many of the swankier clubs and bars have a dress code, and some have a cover charge, usually about $5. Fourth Street is free to enter. Some other possibilities are below.


 * Pussycat Lounge, adult entertainment, nightclub. 4744 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213, 1 1/2 stars.
 * Pussycat Lounge, adult entertainment, nightclub. 4744 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213, 1 1/2 stars.
 * Pussycat Lounge, adult entertainment, nightclub. 4744 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213, 1 1/2 stars.
 * Pussycat Lounge, adult entertainment, nightclub. 4744 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213, 1 1/2 stars.
 * Pussycat Lounge, adult entertainment, nightclub. 4744 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213, 1 1/2 stars.

Coffeehouses
There are a plethora of good coffeehouses in Louisville. Local chains include Heine Brothers' Coffee & Java Brewing Company. There are three Heine stores in the Highlands area alone, with nine more scattered around town, one across the river in Jeffersonville, and a vintage Airstream trailer renovated into a mobile branch that travels to local events. Java has a Fourth Street Live! location, a Main St branch, and a store in Crescent Hill where it was founded. (Others are on the east reaches of town, Prospect, Middletown, etc.) Vint (four locations) merged with Heine Brothers in 2011, but remains a separate chain, and sources its coffee separately from its sister chain. Other selections include Highland Coffee at 1140 Bardstown Rd/627 S 4th St and Sunergos Coffee on 2122 S Preston St.

LGBT
Louisville has substantial gay, lesbian and transgender 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.



Sleep
Around Derby weekend, most Louisville hotels will charge at least three times the normal rate, and often more. 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 or Indianapolis. Other significant events that will cause increases in hotel rates, though by a lesser amount, are Thunder Over Louisville (while its crowds are several times those of the Derby, they're more local); the Street Rod Nationals in early August; the Kentucky State Fair, held for 10 days ending with the last Sunday in August; NASCAR races at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta; and home games for some U of L sports, mainly football and sometimes men's basketball. Lexington is a slightly closer alternative apart from Derby weekend (when it fills up just as much as Louisville, especially when graduation at the University of Kentucky is on the same weekend), though it also takes in a large amount of overflow for NASCAR races, and regularly fills up for UK sports and graduations.

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 more than 120-year-old Victorian mansion, here's your chance. More options can be found across the river in Jeffersonville, Indiana.

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 Street (the Greyhound bus station is unfortunately 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 Metro Police arrive) so be very cautious. However, a daytime 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 daytime is not a risk.

The crime risk is lower 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.

The west end of Louisville is commonly considered the most dangerous due to its gang activity (partly due to how impoverished it is). Don't leave your car unlocked, and don't stare at other people.

Newspapers

 * The Courier-Journal. Local daily newspaper with a mix of national news and Kentucky-specific reporting. Sold at gas stations and Carmichael's Bookstore.
 * LEO. The Louisville Eccentric Observer, the local alt-weekly. The founder, John Yarmuth, now represents Louisville in the U.S. House of Representatives, and his son runs the paper. It's a good source for concert and event listings.
 * Velocity. Weekly, local entertainment guide published by The Courier-Journal.
 * The Voice-Tribune. East end weekly newspaper.

By phone
No overlay area code has yet been imposed on the Kentucky side of the metropolitan area, so 7-digit local dialing from a landline phone is still allowed.

The same is not true on the Indiana side. In September 2014, an overlay code (+1 930) was established throughout the area that had been served by only area code 812. A local or in-state call on the Indiana side now requires all 10 digits of the local number be dialed (omitting just the leading +1 from a local landline call). If a sign on an established business in Indiana displays only a seven-digit number, dial 812 before it.

Consulates

 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇩🇪 Germany

Go next
There are plenty of places to visit outside Louisville. The Indiana towns of New Albany, Clarksville, and Jeffersonville are just across the river and for most visitors' purposes can be considered part of Louisville. You'll hear the phrase "Kentuckiana" used to describe the metro area including the Indiana side, but this expression is mainly used by the media and not something locals frequently say. To the south are Mammoth Cave National Park (longest cave system in the world), Fort Knox (home of the gold bullion and the Patton Museum), the  Abbey of Gethsemani, the historic town of Bardstown, home of  Stephen Foster-The Musical, the Bourbon Trail, the Lincoln Birthplace, the Bernheim Forest Arboretum and Nature Center.

To the east is the state capital at Frankfort, where you'll find some distilleries in the area. Lexington is the home of the Kentucky Horse Park. The Kentucky Speedway, since 2011 home to races in all three of NASCAR's national series (Cup, Xfinity Series, Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series), is off I-71.

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. Holiday World & Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus boasts the Raven, one of the most popular wooden roller coasters in America.


 * Bardstown
 * Brandenburg
 * Clarksville
 * Jeffersontown
 * Jeffersonville
 * New Albany
 * Saint Matthews
 * Shelbyville
 * Shepherdsville