By Kathie Stamps
Tourism’s 2015 economic impact for Louisville was $1.7 billion, and the city is adding $1 billion in infrastructure. The 12.7 million annual visitors to Jefferson County are in for one treat after the other for years to come, to see the old (Belle of Louisville steamboat) and the new (Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse).
The Kentucky Exposition Center, adjacent to the Louisville International Airport, is the sixth-largest convention center in the nation. Churchill Downs, Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, the Muhammad Ali Center, the Louisville Zoo, the Louisville Mega Cavern and 4th Street Live are among unique attractions that continue to impress visitors and convention-goers.
More than $180 million is at play in the renovation and expansion of the downtown Kentucky International Convention Center. When KICC re-opens in summer 2018, national meeting and convention opportunities should increase 25 percent – thanks in part to a national marketing campaign promoting a new 40,000-s.f. ballroom and 200,000 s.f. of exhibit space.
KICC will have a stunning new high-rise neighbor, the Omni Louisville Hotel, which broke ground in January 2016. Set for a target opening of May 2018, the 30-story hotel has an estimated cost of $274 million and will be the city’s tallest hotel. General contractor Brasfield & Gorrie, headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., is constructing 612 guest rooms and suites, two restaurants, a lounge, café, bowling alley, a 20,000-s.f. Fresh Market and grocery, and 70,000 s.f. of meeting and event space. Omni Hotels & Resorts company is based in Dallas.
Meanwhile, the motorcoach market is transitioning from bus trips for seniors to specialty travel for affinity groups, a group niche that Louisville is strongly positioned to attract, particularly after hosting the American Bus Association in 2016. This organization’s travel and tourism show had a record number of attendees from across the globe and typically boosts business subsequently over a multiyear period.
From hotel space to greenspace, visitors to Greater Louisville dare welcome inside and outside. The newly expanded Speed Art Museum has larger spaces for special exhibitions plus an art park and public piazza that will engage the artistic abilities of University of Louisville students and faculty.
Beautiful greenspace also abounds in Louisville and the region throughout 120 parks. Louisville’s park system was designed by prominent 19th century landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, creator of New York’s Central Park. The 4,000-acre Parklands of Floyds Fork comprises four major parks linked by a park drive and trail systems. Waterfront Park is part of the Louisville Loop, an in-progress project that is connecting 100 miles of bike paths around the city.
The culinary scene is another reason leisure and group travelers rave about Louisville. National publications and rating entities have named the area to “top” lists for foodies and culinary tourism. There are 50 independent restaurateurs known as the Louisville Originals, award-winning restaurants, locally made products, craft beers collectively referred to as Lou’s Brews and, of course, bourbon.
Often called “bourbonism,” the tourist attractions surrounding bourbon are abundant with the ever-expanding Urban Bourbon Experience. Along a block of Main Street known as Whiskey Row, Kentucky Peerless Distilling, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience and the Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse have opened since 2013. Within the next couple of years there will be Michter’s and Angel’s Envy distilleries. Also, 146-year-old Old Forester bourbon, Brown-Forman’s founding brand, has a new distillery and bourbonism experience in the works to include a welcome area, fermentation room, cooperage, tasting room and bottling line. The 60,000-s.f. distillery is set to be complete by the end of 2017.
Abbey Road on the River
World’s largest Beatles festival
abbeyroadontheriver.com
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace
National Historic Site
Symbolic cabin of Lincoln’s birth
Hodgenville, KY – nps.gov/abli
American Printing House for the Blind
Factory and museum
aph.org/museum
Beck’s Mill
Restored late 1800s mill
Salem, IN – becksmill.org
Belle of Louisville/Spirit of Jefferson
Steamboats
belleoflouisville.org
Bernheim Arboretum
and Research Forest
Nature preserve
Clermont, KY – bernheim.org
Blackacre State Nature Preserve
and Historic Homestead
Home dates to 1785
blackacreconservancy.org
The Brennan House
Historic home and gardens
thebrennanhouse.org
Bullitt County History Museum
In old courthouse
Shepherdsville, KY – bullittcountyhistory.org
Carnegie Center for Art & History
Includes multimedia experience
New Albany, IN – carnegiecenter.org
Cave Hill Cemetery
cavehillcemetery.com
Churchill Downs
Home of the Kentucky Derby
churchilldowns.com
Conrad-Coldwell House Museum
Home celebrates Edwardian Age
conrad-coldwell.org
Corydon Capital State Historic Site
Indiana’s first state capital
Corydon, IN –
thisisindiana.org
Culbertson Mansion State Historic Site
Built by Indiana’s wealthiest man in 1867
New Albany, IN –
indianamuseum.org/explore/culbertson
Falls of the Ohio Foundation
Ancient fossil beds
Clarksville, IN – fallsoftheohio.org
Farmington Historic Plantation
Home to prominent Speed Family
historicfarmington.org
Flame Run Glass Studio and Gallery
Glassblowing studio
flamerun.com
Forecastle Festival
Music, art, activism
forecastlefestival.com
Fort Duffield
Union stronghold during Civil War
West Point, KY
Fourth Street Live!
Downtown dining, entertainment, shopping
4thstlive.com
Frazier History Museum
fraziermuseum.org
General George Patton
Museum of Leadership
Cavalry and armor history
Fort Knox, KY – generalpatton.org
George Rogers Clark Homesite
Replica of cabin built in 1803
Clarksville, IN – fallsoftheohio.org
Gheens Science Hall
and Rauch Planetarium
At the University of Louisville
louisville.edu/planetarium
Harvest Homecoming Festival
Family-oriented activities
New Albany, IN – harvesthomecoming.com
Historic Old Louisville
Neighborhood of Victorian architecture
oldlouisville.org
Howard Steamboat Museum
Located in mansion built in 1894
Jeffersonville, IN – howardsteamboatmuseum.org
Huber’s Orchard, Winery & Vineyards
Starlight, IN – huberwinery.com
Ironman Louisville triathlon
ironmanlouisville.com
John Hay Center
Washington County, IN, history
Salem, IN – johnhaycenter.org
Joe Huber Family Farm & Restaurant
Taste of the farm
Starlight, IN – joehubers.com
Kentucky Center for
African American Heritage
History, heritage, cultural contributions
kcaah.org
Kentucky Crossroads Harvest Festival
Springfield, KY –
springfieldkychamber.com/harvestfestival.php
Kentucky Derby Festival
Two-week community celebration
kdf.org
Kentucky Derby Museum
At Churchill Downs
derbymuseum.org
Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft
Promotes traditional arts
kentuckyarts.org
Kentucky Railway Museum
22-mile train excursion
New Haven, KY – kyrail.org
Kentucky Science Center
Hands-on science center
kysciencecenter.org
Kentucky State Fair
kystatefair.org
Lanier Mansion
Greek Revival showplace
Madison, IN –
indianamuseum.org/explore/lanier-mansion
Light Up Louisville
Downtown holiday activities
louisvilleky.gov/government/city-events/
light-louisville-40-nights-lights
Lincoln Heritage Trail
Sites connected to U.S. President
kylincolntrail.com
Lincoln Heritage Scenic Highway
Explore Kentucky history
byways.org/explore/byways/2348
Lincoln Homestead State Park
Site of Lincoln’s parents’ marriage
Springfield, KY –
stateparks.com/lincoln_homestead.html
Louisville Bats
Triple A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds
louisville.bats.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t416
Louisville Mega Cavern
100 acres of underground passageways
louisvillemegacavern.com
Louisville Palace
Concert venue opened in 1928
louisvillepalace.com
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
Interactive baseball exhibits
sluggermuseum.com
Louisville Zoo
Home to more than 1,700 animals
louisvillezoo.org
Madison Regatta
Boat race on Ohio River
Madison, IN – madisonregatta.com
Maple Hill Manor
Built in 1851
Springfield, KY – maplehillmanor.com
Marengo Cave
U.S. National Natural Landmark
Marengo, IN – marengocave.com
Mt. Zion Covered Bridge
Built in 1871
Springfield, KY –
www.kentuckytourism.com/ things_to_do/
mt-zion-covered-bridge/4258/
Muhammad Ali Center
International education center
alicenter.org
Museum Row on Main
Nine downtown attractions
museumrowonmain.com
My Old Kentucky Dinner Train
2-hour train excursion
Bardstown, KY – kydinnertrain.com
My Old Kentucky Home State Park
Bardstown, KY –
parks.ky.gov/parks/recreationparks/
old-ky-home/default.aspx
Oscar Getz Museum
Whiskey and Bardstown history
Bardstown, KY – whiskeymuseum.com
Patriots Peace Memorial
Honors fallen servicemen/women
patriotspeacememorial.org
Schimpff’s Confectionery
Look at candy making, packaging, advertising
Jeffersonville, IN – schimpffs.com
Scribner House
Built in 1814
New Albany, IN –
scribnerhouse.org
Squire Boone Caverns & Village
Cavern tours, village crafts
Mauckport, IN – squireboonecaverns.com
Thomas Edison House
Inventions on display
historichomes.org
Thomas Merton Center
Writings of famous monk
mertoncenter.org
Whitehall House & Gardens
Victorian mansion
historichomes.org
Wickland
Home of 3 governors
Bardstown, KY – visitbardstown.com/wickland/
Zachary Taylor National Cemetery
Burial site of 12th U.S. President
cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/zacharytaylor.asp
Add Comment