Go to Louisville for a trip you'll never forget

Louisville is home to many one-of-a-kind original attractions, events, places and people. From Colonel Sanders to Pee Wee Reese to Dianne Sawyer; birthplace of the cheeseburger, the Mint Julep, the Hot Brown, Derby Pie® and more Victorian-style homes in one area than any other city in America … Louisville’s originality is obvious in many ways.

General Information

Location – Louisville is located between St. Louis and Cincinnati on the banks of the scenic 981-mile-long Ohio River. Located at the northern edge of the south and the southern edge of the Midwest, Louisville’s central location puts it within a day’s drive of half the nation’s population. At the intersection of three major interstates, I-64, I-71 and I-65, the city is directly connected to such communities as: Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago, Columbus, Cleveland, Birmingham, Richmond and Norfolk.

Louisville International Airport (SDF) is just 7 miles/10 minutes from downtown. Serviced by 12 carriers the airport offers an average of 100 daily departures with non-stop or direct service to 68 destinations in 28 states plus Mexico, Canada and the District of Columbia. Louisville International Airport is the fifth-busiest air cargo facility in the United States and the tenth busiest in the world.

History – Louisville’s greatest natural resource, the Ohio River, is the reason for the city’s existence. When early settlers began the westward expansion, the Ohio River was the primary water link between the West and Northeast. A series of rapids along the route, however, forced settlers to disembark and portage around the falls. This stopping point became a strategic area for distribution and eventually grew into the city of Louisville, which was named in honor of King Louis XVI of France. Revolutionary War hero George Rogers Clark founded Louisville in 1778. Capt. Meriwether Lewis, leader of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, met Capt. William Clark, brother of Col. George Rogers Clark, and co-commander of the Expedition, in Louisville on October 14, 1803. William Clark and Meriwether Lewis stayed in Louisville and Clarksville, Indiana for 12 days, setting sail with the Corps of Discovery on this epic journey to explore the west on Oct. 26, 1803.

Accommodations – Greater Louisville has more than 100 hotels and 18,000 hotel rooms in the metro area. The majority of rooms are clustered in four convenient locations – downtown, airport area, east end and Southern Indiana. There are 3,700 rooms in the downtown district with 2,300 connected via skywalk to the convention center. From small, quaint bed and breakfast’s to familiar names like Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott and Holiday Inn, to two of the finest historic hotels in America and the only one dedicated to 21st-century contemporary art, the area has something for every taste and budget.

Attractions and Entertainment – Louisville has more than 120 unique attractions, many of them one-of-a-kind, to enjoy year-round including theaters, museums, galleries, music and fun for every age and every interest. Take in one of the area’s historic Bourbon distilleries or take a short drive to enjoy the famous “Bourbon Trail.” Educational tours and museums are around every corner. Discover the history of Louisville’s beginnings on the Ohio River and the Falls of the Ohio to the traditions of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs or the makings of the legendary Louisville Slugger.

Arts – Well-known for affordability, accessibility and its arts community, Louisville is one of only a few cities in the United States with a professional full-time orchestra, opera, ballet, children’s theatre, dinner theatre and Broadway series. Year-round, patrons enjoy performances at the Tony Award-winning Actors Theatre of Louisville and The Kentucky Center, which is also the home of Stage One, a nationally recognized professional theatre for young audiences. Derby Dinner Playhouse, the area’s only year-round professional dinner theatre, presents the best of Broadway musicals and comedies.

For more information on this diverse city, visit www.gotolouisville.com.