Louisville, Kentucky is famous for its bourbon, sluggers, horse races and general gentlemanly fun. And did I mention bourbon?
The city with 26 nearby bars that serve 50-plus varieties of bourbon along its Urban Bourbon Trail-is stocked to the brim with the robust drink, just one of the reasons GQ magazine has called it America’s Manliest Town.
Situated on the Ohio River, Louisville sprung up in the late 1700s and area farmers had a lot of one thing-corn. The bourbon was just a natural result of the crop, as well as Kentucky’s limestone water that’s perfect for bourbon making, explains Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau Marketing Communications Coordinator Jessica Dillree.
Today, that history is celebrated with attractions like The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience.
“It’s actually our first stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail,” says Dillree. “Evan Williams was one of our first distillers.” The distillery just opened to the public in the last year, offering tours, tastings and an altogether immersive experience-a dream come true for the bourbon lover.
For dudes who harbor a secret desire to launch their own distillery, they can take a lesson from Moonshine University -literally. Yep, it’s an entire school devoted to the education of spirits. Visitors can take a five-day course on the ins and outs of running a distillery, or they can participate in a 2-hour enthusiast class on their choice of bourbon, gin, moon- shine and more. The world’s only bourbon historian Michael Veach will even make an appearance to give a lecture on June 19, says Dillree.
New distilleries continue to pop into view in Louisville, like Copper and Kings, a brandy distillery in the Butchertown neighborhood, and this fall a father-son venture called Peerless Distillery will open its doors. Of course, Peerless won’t serve bourbon for another four years be- cause that’s how long it takes to age. Talk about commitment.
Good Grub
Nothing pairs better with bourbon than a good meal-even if that meal happens the morning after. The Brown Hotel offers visitors a swanky staying option as well as delicious food such as The Hot Brown: an open-faced turkey, bacon and tomato sandwich smothered in cheese and Mornay sauce, which has been deemed the world’s best hangover food for decades.
Doc Crow’s is also a local favorite, focusing on traditional southern favorites like smok’n wings, fried green tomatoes and, of course, smoked pulled pork on a variety of its dishes. The restaurant also adds fresh seafood to its offerings, with Chesapeake Bay oysters, shrimp, gumbo and more. Or, for a little more grit, hungry guys can take a seat at The Silver Dollar. It’s the type of honky tonk that plays Johnny Cash on vinyl and serves up chicken-fried steak and hickory-smoked beef brisket.
Get in on the action
No one disputes the fact that the Kentucky Derby is an excellent event, but a visit to Churchill Downs is in fact a lot less expensive during the off season. Dillree says general admission is only $3, with 10-plus races every day during the week. Bet on the ponies, order a mint julep and enjoy. Though we must caution you to check with the wife before putting down those bigger bets- let’s be realistic, you need to be able to come home.
Next, a visit to Louisville is not complete without the Louisville Slugger Museum experience. Baseball enthusiasts of all ages can take the factory tour, where bats have been made since the late 1800s, and even take home their own personalized slugger. Plus, don’t miss the city’s own Louisville Bats playing on the Louisville Slugger Field.
The city is chock full of other museums, including the Muhammad Ali Center. Here, boxing fans can watch Ali float like a butterfly and sting like a bee against every opponent he faced, as well as learn about his personal life and legacy.
Then, there’s Louisville’s Mega Cavern for thrill seekers. The cavern is a marvel itself, spanning 100 acres beneath 10 lanes of the Watterson Expressway and the majority of the Louisville Zoo. But the best part is the zip line. It’s the world’s only fully underground zip line course and it sends adventure seekers swooshing along six different lines, including a dual racing zip. To put a long story short, guys, you’ll love Louisville. Find out more about Louisville at gotolouisville. com.