Home of the world’s greatest horse race (the Kentucky Derby), the world’s biggest baseball bat (a 120-foot-tall Louisville Slugger), and the man who was and is simply “The Greatest” (boxer Muhammad Ali, who was born and grew up here), Louisville (LOO-avil) is a characterful mid-sized city on the south bank of the Ohio River. During Kentucky Derby week, the mint julep–fueled party leading up to the first Saturday in May, the whole city comes alive, but Louisville is an enjoyable place to explore any time of year. Along with some well-above-average art museums and high-culture institutions, Louisville also has some top pop-culture destinations, best of which is the Louisville Slugger Museum (daily; $6; 502/588-7228), at 800 W. Main Street, marked by that giant baseball bat, and full of memorabilia on big hitters from Babe Ruth to Hank Aaron. Thanks to the Louisville Slugger connection, the local baseball team is called the Louisville Bats (502/212-2287), a Class AAA farm club for the Cincinnati Reds. The Bats play at Louisville Slugger Field, right downtown on Main Street. Games are broadcast on WGTK 970 AM.
Outside Louisville, along US-31 30 miles to the southwest, you can cruise past another icon: Fort Knox, and dream about the 150 million ounces of gold locked inside; at current prices, Fort Knox is worth almost as much as Bill Gates.
Louisville is also home to one of the better BBQ places you’ll find anywhere: Vince Staten’s (502/228-7427), northeast of downtown at 9219 US-42. Owner Vince Staten is also a noted historian of hardware, having written the excellent Did Monkeys Invent the Monkey Wrench? Stop by and say hi.
Another distinctive local product, bourbon, is best sampled at the rooftop D. Marie Lounge, where 100 bottles of bourbon frame views over the Ohio River. The bar is atop the landmark Galt House hotel (800/626-1814). For more information, contact the visitors bureau (502/584-2121 or 800/626-5646), in the convention center at 3rd and Market Streets.
