“Downtown Louisville is seeing a resurgence,” says our passionate tour guide Tommy, at the Evan Williams Experience. With the Bourbon trail and the number of distilleries in the area along with fun and interesting tourist destinations and great new restaurants popping up, there is a lot you can see.
We dipped in for a weekend sampling on our road trip from Nashville, Tennessee to Phoenix, Arizona.After checking into our hotel early evening, we headed out for a sunset drive around the area following the river and then heading eastward.
The Ohio runs on the north side of Louisville and is a large tributary that separates Kentucky from Indiana and gave Louisville it’s notoriety as a shipping destination and port before a set of waterfalls, basically rapids that were hazardous to the early boats delivering goods.
Crew would offload boats, moving their supplies by land past the falls and then reload them.
During our short drive we experienced what I love about the South, loud bullfrogs and lighting bugs. I wanted to stop and try to catch them but sadly, there wasn’t any places to pull off the road.
The next morning, we ditched the car and walked around Downtown Louisville. For our first stop, we headed off to the famed Louisville Slugger Museumto take a factory tour. For $16, you get to visit the small museum and an hour tour walking on the factory floor. You can actually hold one of your favorite players unfinished bats. The name Louisville is synonymous with baseball and has made bats since the beginning of professional baseball more than 125 years. Approximately 60 bats are made from one tree that they sustainably grow on their own lands. With the tour, you receive your own mini bat.Home run!
https://www.sluggermuseum.com/
$16 adult
$9 children under 12
Senior citizen discount available
During this summer, you can buy discount ticket to those who visit in the evening: $7 after 6:00PM
When you buy your ticket, you schedule your tour time so might want to order on line.
Next stop, Muhammad Ali Center. Cassius Clay, (Muhammad Ali), was born in Louisville and his story is interesting. Not only was he one of the greatest boxers in the world - something he repeatedly proclaimed - but he was also an activist, fighting for equal rights. Some people called him a traitor for refusing to be drafted as a conscientious objector while others called him a hero for standing up for his beliefs. He was convicted for not reporting for the draft and appealed the conviction all the way to the Supreme Court who then struck down the conviction five years later due to a technicality. The Supreme Court ultimately found that the government had failed to properly specify why Ali's application had been denied. There are a variety of displays and videos. You can watch a fight and even make your own fight poster. A print out is available later at the gift shop or they will email it to you.
https://alicenter.org/
Cost $14 for adults$9 children 6-12
Military and senior discounts
We bought tickets on site and they give us a AAA discount.
Evan Williams Bourbon Experience
By now it was past noon and time for the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. There are a number of tasting rooms in the Downtown. I love Evan Williams Kentucky Cider so this was my pick. It’s my to go drink in the fall mixed in with spiced apple cider. Evan Williams is a family owned distillery that has been brewing since 1783. They know Bourbon! To be called a Bourbon, the alcohol must contain 51% corn and be brewed within the US. Additionally, it must be no more than 125% proof when it come out of the still. We were very lucky in that we got to taste the Bourbon that had just been distilled and before it was aged in the barrel. After the hour-long tour, you get to taste 4 different bottles and see what a difference the time in the barrel makes. Kentucky hug!
https://evanwilliams.com/plan-your-trip.php
Cost $15 includes four tastings
Children under 21 are welcome but no tastes for them.
They also have special event tastings that you might want to attend.
Our last stop during our taste of Louisville was a quick walk to the Bristol Bar and Grille.
I ordered a Louisville inspired dish, the Hot Brown with a twist, turkey and French bread, baked with green chili mornay sauce and Monterey jack cheese finished with Pico de Gallo and bacon.
It was a bowl of gooey deliciousness. My boyfriend ordered a BLT with Benedictine, basically a spread of cream cheese, cucumber, and green onion. I also had the Spinach salad. It was all so good.
https://www.bristolbarandgrille.com/614 West Main Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Sadly, afterward, it was time to leave. Louisville is definitely a city I would come back too. I would love to walk the different neighborhoods in the future.