When was the last time you vacationed in Louisville? If it’s been more than a year or two, you’re due back for a visit! The River City (a local nickname thanks of the Ohio River) has a vibrant sports, food/beverage and arts scene. The width and depth of local attractions landed Louisville on the prestigious NYT “52 Places To Go” list in 2023.
We invite you to come stay with at the Inn at Woodhaven while experiencing some exciting new places and activities that have recently opened up around town. While it’s still great to visit Churchill Downs or hit the Bourbon Trail, we’re sure you’ll want to work these things on our list to your next Louisville vacation itinerary.
Is Louisville worth visiting, again? With a constant stream of new places to check out, the only answer is your dang right it is!
Your First Visit to Louisville, Kentucky
For a first timer, there are plenty of reasons to visit Louisville. Whether you’re drawn to the city’s history or the interesting history behind the distilleries on Whiskey Row, Louisville Kentucky, is the perfect destination for a quick getaway.
American icons such as Muhammad Ali, Lewis and Clark and the (in)famous Colonel Harlan Sanders have all left their mark on the city and you can visit their final resting places on Cave Hill Cemetery. Speaking of cemeteries… you may enjoy a tour of Louisville’s most haunted places. We have some of the most haunted places in the US!
While there are plenty of hidden gems and local favorites waiting for your discovery, let’s start by going over the heavy hitters in terms of tourism. These are some of the main attractions and are at the heart of Louisville’s claim to tourism fame.
Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs
Anyone interested in horse racing will have heard about the Kentucky Derby, that one time a year when Louisville, Kentucky becomes Derby City, the center of equestrian America.
This annual event is held in early May and if you’re lucky enough to get tickets, you’re in for a real treat. Apart from the excellent food and special drinks served at the Derby, you’ll also have an amazing view of the “most exciting two minutes” in sports! That it IF you manage to get tickets for that first Saturday of the races.
Keep in mind that this is a BIG IF! Tickets sell out incredibly fast as do accommodations and it makes sense to book way ahead if you plan on making this part of your next visit.
You may also like: How to Host a Kentucky Derby Party
Kentucky Bourbon Trail
There’s a good reason why Louisville is also known as the Bourbon City. Not only is it an essential stop on the larger Kentucky Bourbon Trail, but Louisville is the only city that has a bourbon trail of its own.
On the Urban Bourbon Trail, visitors take a tour of several distilleries on the famous street known as Whiskey Row in downtown Louisville. With popular brands such as Angel’s Envy, Jack Fry and Evan Williams taking part in the trail as well as the Old Forester distillery, the Urban Trail is a must-visit for any bourbon enthusiast.
Who knows, you may leave Louisville as a licensed Bourbon Steward! Take a bourbon tour or stay at the Inn and we’ll teach you how to drink bourbon like a local.
Louisville Museums
Even on rainy days, there’s plenty to do in town. How about a visit to the Louisville zoo, Muhammad Ali Center or even better, one the city’s famous museums. Downtown Louisville is home to more than just the distilleries of Whiskey Row, it’s also where you can find Museum Row!
The Louisville Speed Art Museum features the best international and local contemporary art as well as some notable works by icons such as Rembrandt and Picasso. Likewise a stop at the Frazier History Museum is guaranteed to be a hit with visitors looking to learn more about the city’s history.
If you’re more of a sports fan, than the Louisville Slugger Museum is a must. You can put your hands on the actual baseball bats that were used by the greats as well as take a tour of the factory that makes the authentic Louisville Slugger baseball bats.
See more things to do in Louisville (that are nearby the Inn) here.
Reasons to Come Back: The Louisville Restaurant Scene
While there are plenty of historical sites and museums that are all worth visiting, Louisville tourism is based on more than just history, it’s also about experiencing southern living at its finest.
Let’s go over one of our favorite reasons to visit Louisville, the amazing food scene!
Enso Louisville
Next up is Enso Louisville, a restaurant located in Louisville’s Clifton neighborhood. Opened in Fall 2023, Enso is a culinary experience. With an a la carte menu that is served as soon as the food is prepared, it’s a rare opportunity to experience food at its peak and really focus your attention on just one or a few dishes at a time.
Kentucky-born chef, Laurence Weeks, is responsible for Enso’s impressive menu that “interlinks Japanese and Southern culture to create thoughtful and authentic dishes.” Weeks trained under James Beard-recognized chef Todd Richards, who encouraged Weeks to “find his roots in food.” The result is a unique array of Asian flavors, creatively combined with local comfort foods.
While most visitors to Louisville have bourbon on the brain, it’s worth expanding your beverage horizons with Enso’s extensive sake and Japanese whiskey menu. Their food menu makes it a challenge to choose, with homemade udon noodles and coal-grilled dishes.
North of Bourbon
If you’re like us and you simply can’t get enough of Chef Weeks’ food, then consider the amazing North of Bourbon restaurant in Germantown, Louisville. This restaurant lets you experience one of the true gems of southern living, cajun cuisine.
Although chef Lawrence Weeks is more than adept at Asian cuisine, his true roots are in the deep south. His family hails from Louisiana and Mississippi and although he’s got incredible Asian culinary chops, Weeks grew up eating humble Bayou classics.
With humble Bayou dishes on the menu such as fried catfish and grits, as well as a Gumbo that can only be described as ‘enticing’, the menu reflects Weeks’ heritage and offers the best of Creole cuisine.
In addition to their delicious food, the restaurant also has an extensive collection of bourbons and a repertoire of cocktails.
North of Bourbon isn’t just a beloved local institution—they were nationally recognized in the prestigious NYT Restaurant List in 2024 (image courtesy of their website). Making a reservation in advance is wise!
Louisville Food Tours
We’ve got plenty of bourbon tours (see our top recommendations here) and museum tours, but have you ever been on a food tour? It’s time for you to experience Louisville Food Tours during your next vacation. With tours ranging from three to five hours, it’s a great way to hit several Louisville foodie spots while also enjoying an informative audio tour and getting some light to moderate exercise (see their Boards & Bites: Stand-up Paddleboard and food tour option).
Louisville Food Tours features several different types of excursions, with both daytime and evening tour options, including their Highlands Heritage Tastes & Tales Tour, Beyond the Barrel Bourbon Food Tour, and Phantoms of Prohibition Cocktails, Bites & Ghosts Tour.
We love their NuLu Food & History Tour, which is three hours long and includes six stops in the fun and funky NuLu neighborhood and historic Butchertown. It’s a great way to maximize your local Kentucky flavor experience with bourbon balls, fried chicken, and more.
Be sure to research which tour you’d like in advance so that you can plan it into your itinerary. Each walk is approximately 1 to 1.5 miles, so wear comfortable shoes.
We love the fact that they keep their tour groups to about 12 people max and offer lightweight audio headsets, so you can always hear the guide, regardless of where you are in the group or what local noise is around.
With over 700 reviews and a 5-star rating, this is an activity you will not want to miss! Important to note: Tours are rain or shine, but they do have umbrellas if need be.
A Historic Favorite– Refreshed!
If you are a previous guest of the Inn at Woodhaven, but haven’t stayed with us in a while, we’d love to welcome you back to Louisville and show off our own property refresh. From new Stearns & Foster mattresses to thoughtfully renovated bathrooms and new decor, we strive to bring you the best of historic charm and comfortable, modern features.
We hope you’ll take a look at our redesigned rooms and will book your next Louisville vacation with us. We’re a small business that is here to support and uplift our small business community, so please ask us questions about where to go and what to do as you plan your trip. That’s just one of the personalized perks that our bed and breakfast has to offer, including our caramel french toast casserole!
