Other Than Distilleries, What To Do On Your Visit

So you’re visiting the distilleries here in Kentucky, and you’re looking for places other than distilleries to visit too. Here are some cool places to check out.

Belle Of Louisville & Mary M. Miller Riverboats – 401 W. River Rd. (at the foot of the Galt House) – The Belle is the oldest steam boat still rolling on the river and is a National Historic Landmark. The Mary M. Miller is a cool steamboat replica named after the first woman Steamboat Captain. They offer a variety of cruises so check out their website at www.BelleOfLouisville.org or stop by if you’re staying at the Galt House, Moxy, Distil or other hotels just walk down to the oldest Coast Guard Station which is their gift shop and ticket office at the wharf.

Bernheim Forest Arboretum – great hiking and you’ll find the Forest Giants as you do. located across from Jim Beam Distillery off exit 112 off I-65. This is a 30 minute drive from downtown Louisville, and has over 16,000 acres of land donated by Whiskey Baron, Isaac Wolfe Bernheim (of IW Harper). Go see the Giants in the Forest – Mythical Giants constructed out of timber lurking in the forest.

Big 4 Pedestrian Bridge – 1101 River Road at Waterfront Park – Very cool experience as well as good exercise to walk up the spiral walkways up to and across the Old Big 4 Bridge. As you end up in Jeffersonville, there’s the Parlour Pizza and cool bar, ice cream, Match Cigar Bar, and many other things to do over there before you walk back.

Cave Hill Cemetery – 701 Baxter Ave – Cave Hill is the After Life “home” to Bourbon icons, J.T.S. Brown, George Garvin Brown, and other notables like Colonel Harlan Sanders, and Muhammad Ali.

Churchill Downs Race Track, and Churchill Downs Museum – 700 Central Ave – Home of the Kentucky Derby; Churchill Downs is the most famous and attended horse race in the world. But they have live racing from Derby Week (last week of April, first week of May through July 4th weekend) and the Fall and Winter Meets. When they’re aren’t racing, you can always visit the Museum there to learn about the history of the trace and the Kentucky Derby.

Dairy Kastle – 575 Eastern Parkway – neighborhood walk up ice cream shop. There’s not many left in the world, and this is one of them. Soft Serve ice cream cones and cups, milkshakes, chili dogs and more. You’re going to have to wait in line, but that’s fun too. This is as local as it gets folks.

Falls Of The Ohio State Park – 201 Riverside Dr, Clarksville, IN – home of the Falls Of The Ohio River on the river, with Fossil Beds, and an Interpretive center with indoor and outdoor activities, and really all kinds of things for all ages and interest levels.

Keeneland Race Track – 4201 Versailles Rd – Lexington, KY – Home of the Bluegrass Stakes, Makers 46 Mile, and the Keeneland Yearling Sales, Keeneland is one of the most historic horse tracks in the country. More of a dressy affair than other tracks, and quite the social event of the year.

Logan Street Market – 1001 Logan St – Weekend Neighborhood indoor (and some outdoor) market and food court.

Louisville Bats Baseball Team – 401 E. Main St. – www.milb.com Our Triple A team affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.

LouCity Football Club – 350 Adams St. – www.loucity.com We have quite the soccer team here in LouCity and they have many home games at Lynn Family Stadium.

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory – 800 W Main St. – If you’re a baseball fan or not, you’ve got to stop in and see and hear the history of this iconic bat. You can also have a customized Louisville Slugger with your own name on it made while you wait.

Mammouth Cave National Park – The largest Cave system known in the world! You can find something to do in the 52,830 acres above and below the ground here at Mammouth Cave. 75 miles from Louisville, it is an all day adventure, but SO cool.

Muhammad Ali Center – 144 N. 6th St – Dedicated to the life and legacy of Louisville’s Favorite Son, Muhammad Ali. During his life and after I would argue too, Ali was the most recognizable face in the world!