

General Information

Louisville is world-renowned for being home to America's most
exciting two sporting minutes each year when the Kentucky Derby is
run at the famed Churchill Downs racetrack. The thundering of the
hooves of thoroughbred racehorses, however, is not all this lively
city on the banks of the Ohio River has to offer. Kentucky's
largest city also offers scores of fine restaurants and a diverse
arts community, and boasts some of America's most beautiful parks
and renowned art and science museums. Louisville is definitely a city of good taste, with more than
2,500 restaurants serving an astounding variety of cuisines,
ranging from quiet cafés and coffee houses to ethnic restaurants
and gourmet palaces. The city is big on the national sporting map,
too, being the home of the famed Louisville Slugger, and baseball
fans flock to the downtown museum dedicated to the 'Official Bat of
Major League Baseball'. This, together with some exciting
attractions like an indoor forest, a restored old sternwheeler
river boat, an excellent zoo and a thrilling amusement park, makes
Louisville a perfect family holiday destination, set in the very
heart of America. The local tourist authority boasts that the city
is within a day's drive of more than half the population of the
United States.


Getting Around


Activites
Muhammad Ali Center,Louisville
Fans of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali can see and
experience all aspects of the life of the man dubbed 'The Greatest'
at this huge multi-media, interactive exhibition centre, which
features 10 theatres and more than 50 interactive stations. Ali's
story, including his boxing career, global humanitarianism and his
societal and religious convictions, is presented in thematic
displays according to the six core values he has encompassed:
confidence, conviction, dedication, respect, spirituality and
giving. The inspirational centre also includes displays of
memorabilia, a retail store, and cafe.
Admission:
$9 (adults), $4 (children 6-12); children under five are
free. Discounts for students, pensioners and groups
Opening time:
Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5pm; Sunday 12pm to
5pm

Kentucky Derby Museum,Louisville
Even those who are not horse-racing fans can
experience the thrill of the sport at the museum and through tours
offered at Churchill Downs, one of the world's oldest (established
in 1874) and most famous tracks, which hosts the annual renowned
Kentucky Derby. The Museum contains exhibits that bring the
pageantry and excitement of the Derby to life, including high-tech
computerised hands-on displays and video graphics. A video entitled
'The Greatest Race' is shown on a 360-degree screen every half hour
from 9am to 4.30pm (from 12.30pm on Sundays). Museum tour guides
take groups of visitors to see the Churchill Downs' stable and
infield areas, as well as through the historic Edwardian
grandstand, finish line and winners' circle.
Admission:
$10 (adults), $5 (children 5-12)
Opening time:
Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm (opens at 8am from 15
March to November), Sunday 11am to 5pm

Belle of Louisville,Louisville
The Belle of Louisville is America's oldest
still-serving sternwheeler riverboat, plying the Ohio River from
Louisville's waterfront to give visitors memorable sunset cruises,
sightseeing excursions and Saturday night party cruises. The
historic boat powered by two steam engines and boasting 32
whistles, was commissioned in 1914 and originally named the
Idlewild. She served as a packet boat for many years, carrying
passengers and freight on America's inland waters. In 1962 she was
purchased by the Jefferson County authorities and refurbished,
being declared a National Historic Landmark. Public sightseeing
cruises depart from the 4th Street Wharf in
Louisville.
Admission:
$15 (adults), $6 (children 4-12); other concessions
available. Other tickets are also available that include lunch,
dinner or dancing

Thomas Edison's House,Louisville
Thomas Edison, inventor of the incandescent electric
light bulb, lived in the house on East Washington Street in 1866
when he was only 19 years old and had yet to receive acclaim for
his many inventions. When Edison lived in Louisville he worked for
the Western Union as a telegraph operator on Second and West Main
Street, a few blocks from the house. Today the simple cottage,
built around 1850, has been restored as a museum housing
interesting artefacts like cylinder and disc phonographs, a
kinetoscope, the first home motion picture projector, numerous
versions of the light bulb and other inventions patented by
Edison.
Admission:
$5 (adults), concessions available
Opening time:
Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 2pm, or by prior
appointment

Cathedral of the Assumption,Louisville
The Cathedral of the Assumption is the fourth oldest
public building in Louisville as well as the third oldest Catholic
Cathedral in the United States in continuous use. Designed in the
Neo-Gothic style by William Keeley and Isaiah Rogers, the Cathedral
was completed in 1852. The steeple rises 287 feet (84m) above the
Louisville skyline, and upon its completion, was North America's
tallest spire. The chancel window is one of the oldest surviving
examples of hand-painted stained glass in the country. The
Cathedral of the Assumption is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places and is an active, urban parish with 1,500
registered families.
Opening time:
Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm, Sundays 1pm to 4pm;
self-guided tours are available
Louisville Science Center,Louisville
The Louisville Science Center in historic West Main
Street, founded in 1871 as a natural history collection, has
experienced more than a century of growth to become Kentucky's
largest hands-on science centre, visited by more than 550,000
people each year. A highlight of the centre is a 12,500 square foot
(1,161 sq metre) permanent exhibit known as The World Around Us,
featuring more than 40 interactive stations that challenge visitors
of all ages to make use of their creativity and problem-solving
skills. The centre also has a four-storey Imax theatre, a gift shop
and restaurant.
Admission:
Exhibits: $12 (adults), $10 (children 2-12), IMAX: $8
(adults), $7 (children), Combination ticket: $15 (adults), $12
(children)
Opening time:
Monday to Thursday 9.30am to 5pm; Friday and Saturday
9.30am to 9pm; Sunday 12pm to 6pm. IMAX and KidZone closed on
Mondays except during public and school holidays

Glassworks,Louisville
America's first complete centre dedicated to the art
of glass, from architectural glassworks to the finest glass
jewellery and ornaments, is located in Louisville on the corner of
9th and Market Streets in the historic Snead Manufacturing
Building. Visitors can watch glassblowers, flameworkers, cutters
and designers at work, creating glass art in the open air and
studios. Renowned resident glassmakers are Mark Payton and Brook
White, but the centre also plays host to visiting glass artists.
Glass art is also on sale at the centre. Guided tours are
available.
Admission:
Guided tours: $6.50; self-guided tours: $4.50,
concessions available
Opening time:
Guided tours every Saturday at 10am, 11am, 1pm and
3pm. Self-guided tours may be undertaken Monday to Friday 10am to
4pm
Forest Discovery Center,Louisville
Just a few miles north of Louisville off Highway 65 is
the fascinating Forest Discovery Center, located in Indiana.
Designed to highlight the wonders of the forest and value of the
tree as an ever-renewable resource, the centre offers the chance
for visitors to wander through an indoor forest, past a 1,000
square foot (93 sq metre) mural made of small wood inlays
(marquetry), and traverse an enclosed glass skywalk to explore a
working sawmill.
Admission:
$6 (adults), $4 (children 6-12), concessions
available
Opening time:
Monday to Friday 9am to 2pm

Kentucky Horse Park,Louisville
The only theme park in the world dedicated to man's
relationship with the horse, the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington
covers 1,200 acres in Kentucky's famous Bluegrass country. A visit
to the Park begins with a film show in the visitor's centre,
followed by exploring the vast and comprehensive International
Museum of the Horse. Guests can also wander through a self-guided
farm tour watching the farrier at work and admiring the tack shop,
before attending a half-hour parade in the show ring, which
highlights the characteristics of some of the park's 40 different
breeds of horses. In the Hall of Champions, legendary thoroughbreds
are presented for viewing and visitors can also enjoy a carriage or
horseback ride around the park's extensive show facilities. The
presentations are held only between March and
October.
Admission:
15 March to 31 October :$15 (adults), $8 (children);
rest of the year $9 (adults), $6 (children). Free for children
under 6
Opening time:
Daily 9am to 5pm (15 March to 31 October); Wednesday
to Sunday 9am to 5pm (1 November to 14 March)

Woodford Reserve Distillery,Louisville
Besides horses, Kentucky is famous for its Bourbon
whiskey. Numerous distilleries are open to the public, but one of
the oldest still operating is the Woodford Reserve Distillery
nestled between lush horse farms in Woodford County on McCracken
Pike. Bourbon was first distilled here in 1812 when it was known as
the Labrot & Graham Distillery. The beautiful limestone
buildings have been restored to their original condition and the
site is a National Historic Landmark. It is the only bourbon
distillery still using copper pot stills, the traditional method of
distillation. A visitor's centre provides displays and videos on
the history of bourbon and guests can watch how bourbon is
distilled in the traditional manner.
Admission:
$5 (Discovery Tour), which includes a
tasting
Opening time:
Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 5pm; Sunday 12.30pm to
4.30pm (April to October). Woodford Reserve Bourbon Discovery Tour:
Tuesday to Saturday 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. Sundays 1pm, 2pm
and 3pm (April to October)

Frankfort,Louisville
The capital city of Kentucky, history-rich Frankfort
is situated about 50 miles (80km) east of Louisville, about 50
minutes drive from Louisville International Airport. The state
capital boasts a vast array of architectural styles, famous
landmarks, museums and enjoyable shopping precincts. Among the
interesting attractions in the city is the Old State Capitol, a
Greek Revival building dating from 1830 with a unique
self-supporting staircase held together by precision and pressure.
Another architectural attraction is the Frank Lloyd Wright designed
Zeigler house, dating from 1910. Besides numerous historic houses
and buildings Frankfort boasts a fascinating History Center,
historic sites, war memorials and scenic wildlife
reserves.

Mammoth Cave,Louisville
The Mammoth Cave National Park near Edmonson in
south-central Kentucky boasts the longest cave in the world, with
350 miles (563km) of caverns and passages having so far been
explored and, according to experts, 'no end in sight'. The cave has
been promoted as a tourist attraction since 1861, making it
America's oldest attraction, which was encompassed in a national
park in 1941 to preserve the cave system and the scenic river
valleys of the Green and Nolin Rivers. The park offers camping,
cave tours, hiking trails, hotel accommodation, canoeing and
horseback riding. There are a variety of cave tours on offer with
varying levels of difficulty and sightseeing options, run to
different schedules. Visitors are advised to request a brochure and
book in advance.
Admission:
Mammoth Cave PassageTour: $5. Other tours range from $10
to $48
Opening time:
Visitors Center: 8.45am to 5.15pm. Various different
tours on offer daily