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Welcome to Louisville, Kentucky, aka Derby City or Bourbon City! Spending 48 hours in Louisville is just enough time to experience a taste of what this city has to offer. We have created the perfect itinerary to help you plan the perfect Louisville weekend trip. You’ll get to experience bourbon distilleries, steamboats, and the Ohio River, and of course, horse racing! This multifaceted city is surprisingly packed with stuff to see and do, but it also allows for a slower, more relaxed trip.
48 Hours in the Louisville Itinerary
We assume you landed the day before and will, therefore, spend a full 48 hours in Louisville.
Day 1 – 48 Hours in Louisville
Breakfast- 21C Museum
Head to 21C Museum for one of the most unique breakfasts in Louisville. It is in the dining room of the iconic 21C Museum Hotel. The restaurant is a quirky glimpse into the museum. It is regularly redecorated with its own installations. Naturally, the food is delicious!
If you have a sweet tooth, start with the French Toast Casserole or my personal favorite, a Dutch Pancake. Of course, there are delicious brunch options to try from, too. After breakfast, take a stroll through the museum part of 21C. Then we will be exploring this stretch of downtown, also known as Museum Row.
Louisville Slugger Museum
Walking along West Main Street, you’ll see beautiful, historic buildings. This stretch of downtown is known as Museum Row. It is home to a plethora of excellent museums. Stroll along to whichever pops your fancy, but we recommend the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory.
Louisville sluggers are made right in the slugger factory inside the museum! Take a tour of the factory to see how the bats are made. You can try your hand at the batting cage using bats from famous baseball stars. You’ll also get to take home a mini Louisville Slugger bat as a souvenir. Outside the museum is an impressive 120-foot baseball bat!
Bourbon Testing
Sprinkled between the museums, you’ll find many bourbon distilleries. Of course, you’re likely thinking, “Isn’t it a little early for bourbon?” But you’re in Bourbon City now! Bourbon before lunch is perfectly acceptable. You will need to reserve your distillery tour ahead of time, as they are very popular. Most tours include a tasting as well.
In your 48 hours in Louisville, you’ll see lots of bourbon. Even if you are not a drinker, the behind-the-scenes of how bourbon is made is fascinating. In the West Main Street area, you’ll want to check out Mitcher’s Fort Nelson Micro Distillery or Kentucky Peerless Distilling. If you’re not interested in a distillery tour now (don’t worry, there are more options tomorrow), you can go to the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience.
Mitcher’s Distillery is one of America’s oldest whiskey companies. The Discovery Tour gives an overview of the distilling and barreling process as well as a bourbon tasting. Kentucky Peerless Distilling has been distilling bourbon and rye whiskey since the 1880s. There is a 1-hour behind-the-scenes tour and tasting that is definitely worth doing. Finally, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, while not a distillery, is an experience. The Speakeasy Tasting Experience involves a “time-traveling” situation with an actor and drinks that feel straight out of prohibition.
PRO TIP: The Main Ticket is a single admission ticket that will let you into most of these museums and two bourbon distilleries for a one-time price of around $50. The more museums and distilleries you visit, the more you save! Pick one up here.
Lunch – Food Tour in Nulu
From bourbon tasting off to a food tour in Nulu for your 48 hours in Louisville. Heading straight down West Main Street to East Main Street. We actually took some scooters to make the walk quicker. Nulu is “New Louisville,” which is where we will be spending the afternoon before dinner.
This food tour is a great way to explore the foodie scene of Nulu. From Biscuit Belly (one of our favorites) to Feast BBQ, you really need to try out the amazing, famous food from Louisville. Additionally, NuLu has colorful murals, locally-owned shops, a marketplace, bourbon distilleries, and the best coffee shops in Louisville. Quills and Please & Thank You are the best coffee we had in Louisville. Plus, Please & Thank You has great cookies.
Explore NuLu and Some More Bourbon Tasting
After all that food, we need to walk it off with some exploring before heading to some more bourbon tasting. Here are some of the best places to check out in NuLu:
- Muth’s Candies: This iconic candy shop opened in 1921. Muth’s is known for two of the most famous Louisville confections: Modjeskas and bourbon balls. Modjeskas are a soft caramel with a chewy marshmallow center. The bourbon balls are chocolate bonbons with pecans and bourbon cream inside.
- NuLu Market Place: This indoor market has restaurants, shops, breweries, and bars all surrounding a little courtyard.
- Revelry: This boutique and art gallery sells handcrafted goods by local artists. It’s a good place to look for Louisville or Kentucky-themed souvenirs.
- Hazel & Hunt: This travel-inspired shop is full of beautifully designed products from t-shirts to sweaters. A very cozy place to find Louisville souvenirs.
Bourbon Tasting NuLu
Once you’re done exploring NuLu, you can head over to either Rabbit Hole Distillery or Angel’s Envy to do another distillery tour. At Rabbit Hole Distillery, you’ll learn about how grains are transformed to whiskey, how their philosophy is changing the industry, taste 4-grain Kentucky Straight Bourbon, and end your tour at the Overlook. Angel’s Envy has a different process, with a twice-aged process. A 7-minute walk from Rabbit Hole Distiller, Angel’s Envy also offers a shorter Sensory Tour, which includes bourbon tasting and chocolate.
Dinner
From NuLu, we will head to Whiskey Row for dinner. There are a lot of different restaurants here to eat lots of delicious food. Troll Under the Bridge Pub is a great option for pub food. We really enjoyed Sidebar at Whiskey Row, which is all themed like a court/legal setting. Doc Crow’s Smokehouse has incredible BBQ, which is a must in Louisville. For dessert, head to Ehrler’s Ice Cream for homemade local ice cream.
Go to a Speakeasy
To round out the first day of your 48 hours in Louisville, we recommend going to a Speakeasy. We enjoyed going to Hell or High Water. Hell or High Water is smaller, so you definitely need a reservation. It has such great vibes and fun cocktails. Other options include Black Rabbit, Pin + Proof, Trial + Error, and Wild Swan.
Day 2 – Day at the Horse Races
Breakfast
There are several good options for breakfast in Louisville before heading up to Churchill Downs. You can go back to NuLu to check out Biscuit Belly’s breakfast (one of our favorites in Charlotte, too)! Otherwise, we recommend going to Morning Fork, Louisville, Good Morning Breakfast & Brunch, or Con Huevos! Definitely need breakfast to enjoy the rest of the day to the fullest.
Churchill Downs Museum
You’ll start your Sunday with a visit to Louisville’s iconic twin steeples at Churchill Downs. Head over to Churchill Downs, and we will get the Churchill Downs Museum first. It is such a well-done museum showcasing the history of Churchill Downs as well as the different horses and riders. The museum also includes a fantastic video of Derby Day, as well as a behind-the-scenes tour of the racetrack.
Lunch
Once you’re done exploring the museum, head over to he museum cafe to get some lunch. They have some good Louisville traditional food options like the Hot Brown, Burgoo, and even pulled pork. They also have the official Derby Pie. You cannot get Derby pie everywhere because it is a trademarked pie. We actually preferred it at Doc’s Smokehouse because we got more pie. Don’t forget to order your Mint Julip here, the classic drink of horse racing, and it comes in a commemorative cup that you can keep.
Churchill Downs Racing
After exploring the museum and having some lunch, it’s time to see the races! Be sure to check the Churchill Downs Racing calendar to make sure there are races on the day you are visiting. During the racing season (April-November), you’ll see races most days of the week. You need to get tickets to enter. On less popular days, we don’t recommend the assigned seats, but it is necessary on popular days. Don’t forget to try a traditional Derby Day Mint Julep while at Churchill Downs!
Churchill Downs During Derby Season
During Derby Season, you have the opportunity to experience many unique and exciting Derby activities. One of the cool ones is Dawn at the Downs, which is when the Jockeys and horses are warming up in the morning. This is a great time to see the horses and if you’re aspiring to make money a great time to determine which horses might win. You do not have to go to the derby to go to the Dawn at the Downs. It runs from 7:30 am to 10 am; you don’t need a ticket.
After enjoying Dawn at the Downs, you can head down to the historic Wagner’s Pharmacy for breakfast and celebrity spotting. A couple of things to note before heading to Louisville for Derby week are that you’ll need tickets well ahead of time for the actual Derby, there are lots of other activities, including other races throughout the week, and you’ll want to get the right Derby Attire. For the dress code, you’ll want to be fabulously over-the-top! Huge hats with floral or pastel cocktail dresses for the ladies and patterned suits in bright colors for the gentlemen. It’s silly and gaudy, but it’s so much fun!
Churchill Downs Rest of Year
For the rest of the year, you’ll want to check the events calendar for the dress code. While you don’t need to follow traditional Derby attire during the off-season, you can absolutely do it anyway! Dress codes also vary based on where you sit and/or want to eat within Churchill Downs. Be sure to check before booking any of the seats or restaurants.
Dinner
For dinner, you might want to consider heading over the river to Indiana to enjoy a sunset view of the Louisville skyline. After spending some time exploring the waterfront park, you can walk over the Ohio River on the Big Four Bridge. Across the river, you can eat at a variety of different places, like Upland Brewery.
If going to Indiana isn’t for you, we recommend going to the Brown Hotel to get an official Hot Brown. Go hungry, and with time, as each Hot Brown takes about 30-45 minutes to make. The Hot Brown was originally created at the Brown Hotel. This hotel is very nice and fun to explore, so even if you’re just stopping by for a drink at the bar.
Extra Time? Check Out These Fun Activities for Your 48 Hours in Louisville
Activities
- KMAC Museum: This museum explores the relationship between art and craft. You’ll find contemporary art exhibits woven from cloth or crafted from clay or blown from glass. Entrance is free to all students and children under 18.
- Muhammad Ali Center: Located about a block off Museum Row, this museum explores the life and legacy of Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali is one of the most famous residents of Louisville. This museum was co-founded by Ali.
- The Frazier Kentucky History Museum: In this museum, you get to dive into local history. Learn about the story of bourbon, the role of Kentucky in the Civil War, and the Lewis & Clark expedition. Definitely pick up your tickets online to skip waiting in line.
- Speed Museum: Named one of the most beautiful museums, this museum is perfect if you’re a lover of modern art. It is also free on Sundays.
- Belle of Louisville: If you’re interested in going on a steamboat cruise up and down the Ohio River, then you’ll love the Belle of Louisville. It is a fully functioning steamboat that lets you enjoy views of Kentucky and Indiana.
Things to Know About Spending 48 Hours in Louisville
How To Get To Louisville?
How To Get Around Louisville?
Where To Stay In Louisville?
We recommend staying in or close to Downtown, Old Louisville, NuLu, or Butchertown. This puts you centrally located, reducing your need for a rental car.
Wrap-Up: 48 Hours In Louisville
Louisville is a city with plenty to do and see. It is a perfect place to visit for a 48-hour vacation. You’ll get to experience everything from the horse races to bourbon, as well as many cool museums. The Louisville Slugger Museum is definitely worth a visit. You really get to see all the things that Louisville is famous for.
