What is there to do in Louisville, Kentucky?

Go and see a horse race at Churchill Downs or take a cruise on the steamboat “Belle of Louisville.”

Yes, what @diavolobella said.

I’d love to tour the Kentucky bluegrass zone and look at all those amazing horse farms and countryside and take in a race!

There is a zoo there that is pretty cool. If they are there in the month of Oct. they can drive to Lexington (about 1½ hours) and go to the Keenland horseraces. Fantastic time and beautiful countryside. Keenland is almost as big as the Kentucky Derby.

Sadly, I think we’re out of the race season @ Churchill Downs.

Depending on what you’re interested in:

-> Louisville Slugger museum downtown is awesome
-> The “4th Street Live!” area is apparently pretty hopping on the weekends
-> My crowd was always Bardstown road. IF he’s got a car, head out there, lots of food & fun. Grinstead Rd to Trevillian way is the interesting bit.
-> Mark’s Feed Store (there’s one on Bardstown, but the original is out Shelbyville Road) is fabulous BBQ.
-> Falls of the Ohio is fascinating for fossils if the river isn’t high.
-> Cherokee Park is a fabulous “old” park, if he’s from California, it’s something to see.
-> Industrial History, there’s the Old Water Tower—out on River Road.

That’s all I can think of. If he’s a theatre person, ATL is always good or at least interesting. He’ll miss the Humana Festival (that’s spring), but their regular season is good (especially if Mark’s still AD)

Almost forgot, you can’t see Louisville without going to Lynn’s Paradise Cafe, or Day’s Coffee (have a mocha, they’re fabulous).

@grumpyfish. Nope, their calendar shows there are still events right now. Taking a tour of the track might also be fun. Another venue is Louisville Downs, if it’s still open. It’s been many years since I was there, but it had harness races and you could watch and have dinner in the restaurant in the glassed in clubhouse. My parents and I went there for a very nice Valentines Day dinner event once.

Alas, Louisville Downs is no more. :(

@diavolobella All the events look like Off-Track Betting events to me… The Museum is open (and fabulous!), but OTB isn’t really the same as seeing it live =)

@grumpyfish. Bummer. Still the Museum is great.

If it’s not too far afield, the Coca Coca Bottling plant in nearby Elizabethtown has an AMAZING museum.
http://www.schmidtmuseum.com/

Check out the caves in the area.Stalactites rock! have fun ;)

I love burning time at museums

Did the Louisville Slugger tour one time there and have the Speed Art museum slated for the next time I wind up there.

Rent a car, drive south to Fort Knox and see the Patton Tank Museum. Fabulous!

The food in Louisville is the best anywhere – I recommend Jack Fry’s if he wants something nice, The Bristol if medium priced. Eat breakfast at either Lynn’s Paradise Cafe or Wild Egg. Hillbilly Tea is good for lunch if he’s downtown. Carmichael’s Books on either Bardstown Rd or Frankfort Ave. Coffee shops – Heine Brothers, Java Brewing, Sunergo, Quills, or Highland Coffee. (Starbucks is for non-coffee drinkers in Louisville). If he’s there Friday night, BellX1 is playing at a little place called the Zanzabar. For some reason, the music in Louisville has been off the charts for the last few weeks. www.productionsimple.com

Actor’s Theater is always good, and Walden Theater has great student repertory performances – they’re doing The Learned Ladies by Moliere.

Check out the art exhibits at 21C, the Frazier History Museum, the Muhammad Ali Museum, and the Louisville Slugger Museum. All four of these are within 4 blocks of each other on Main Street, and all worthwhile.

@josie. I second the Patton Museum. Fort Knox..my old stomping grounds. I went to Fort Knox High School for two years.

Go to WhyLouisville to get a souvenir of the trip. Louisville has surprisingly great graphic artists. Any city that originated the LebowskiFest has potential.

I would say what josie said. Fort Knox is only a little over a ½ hour drive from Louisville.

There are much better things to do in Louisville than go to Ft. Knox.