Louisville is home to the third most Victorian Mansions in the United States. Old Louisville is an historic preservation district south of the city where stately mansions stand as they once did in the late 1800’s. You'll see examples of everything from Arts & Craft styling to the elegant Victorian as you visit a variety of Old Louisville homes. Prepare to be enchanted by the high ceilings, fabulous chandeliers, and woodwork by magnificent craftsmen. Many have been turned into Bed and Breakfasts, some house businesses, and others are still single family homes. You'll walk the lovely St. James Court area as well as Central Park, which was home to the DuPonts of Delaware fame and designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Visit an 1894 mansion and enjoy being treated to homemade bourbon balls. And no trip to Louisville would be complete without a tour of Churchill Downs, the “Home of the Kentucky Derby”. At the recently renovated Kentucky Derby Museum you will experience all the sights and sounds of the Kentucky Derby as you watch the award-winning, high-definition film “The Greatest Race” shown on a 360º screen. On the outside track tour, you will hear the facts and folklore that make the Kentucky Derby the greatest two minutes in sports.
Located south of Louisville is the historic city of Bardstown, Kentucky, the site of My Old Kentucky Home State Park which honors the home that was the symbol of Stephen Foster's most endearing song. The home, completed in 1818, rests on a sloping 285 acres deeded to the Commonwealth in 1922. It was in 1852 that Stephen Foster visited his cousins, the Rowans, and was said to be inspired to write the ballad "My Old Kentucky Home." The home's decor, including rare and beautiful furnishings, is much as it was when Foster was a guest here. Authenticity to the smallest detail is maintained wherever possible. Guides in antebellum costumes lead tours through the home, extending gracious hospitality reminiscent of the leisurely South. From there you’ll travel to Kurtz Restaurant, a family restaurant which has been serving Southern style cooking since 1937 and has been praised in Southern Living Magazine. There you’ll enjoy a scrumptious lunch of homemade soup with assorted sandwich & salad plate, beverage and dessert. After your appetite’s been sated it’s on to the latest addition to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail: the Heaven Hill Distilleries Bourbon Heritage Center. Among rickhouses where the world’s second-largest supply of Bourbon peacefully ages, the Bourbon Heritage Center offers visitors a chance to explore through interactive exhibits the birth of Bourbon, the role of whiskey-making pioneers such as Evan Williams and the Rev. Elijah Craig, and the process by which some of the world’s most acclaimed Bourbons are produced. At the Bourbon Heritage Center, you can enjoy the “Portrait of Heaven Hill” movie, visit a working Rickhouse, and learn about the romance and lore of Bourbon. Our Bourbon Hosts will lead you on a guided tasting of our fine Bourbons, and you can create your own personalized bottle to take home as a keepsake. Come taste Bourbon’s Heritage!
Horses, history and hospitality are showcased for your complete enjoyment when you visit some of the most incredible and lovely scenery in America! The beauty of the land comes alive with the sounds of horses neighing in the lush Bluegrass Country side, hundreds of miles of rolling hills outlined with white or black plank fences and the excitement of champion horses racing to the finish line. You’ll visit the Kentucky Horse Park, the only facility of its type in the nation, bringing the history of equine breeds from around the world to the famous Bluegrass Region. Experience the behind-the-scenes sights and sounds of this real 1032 acre working horse farm as you investigate the grounds. Horses, history and hospitality are showcased for your complete enjoyment when you visit some of the most incredible and lovely scenery in America! The beauty of the land comes alive with the sounds of horses neighing in the lush Bluegrass Country side, hundreds of miles of rolling hills outlined with white or black plank fences and the excitement of champion horses racing to the finish line. You’ll visit the Kentucky Horse Park, the only facility of its type in the nation, bringing the history of equine breeds from around the world to the famous Bluegrass Region. Experience the behind-the-scenes sights and sounds of this real 1032 acre working horse farm as you investigate the grounds.
