When you’re thinking “vacation”, you’re probably not thinking of Louisville, Kentucky. Well, I’m here to change your mind. I’ve been there twice now and I absolutely love it. I’ve traveled all over the US and Europe, from sipping port wine in the Douro Valley of Portugal to touring the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio in London to taking a sightseeing tour in New York City and Louisville is still at the top of my list. Maybe not first place, but there’s definitely more than meets the eye when it comes to Louisville. We had so much fun the first time around that we dragged my family along for our next visit because we knew they’d love it. They didn’t believe us either, but now my family constantly talks about wanting to go back! And if you’re in a historic town like Louisville, you absolutely have to take the Old Louisville Ghost Tour. Louisville was founded in the 1770s so there is definitely a lot of spooky history! We had the best time exploring the neighborhoods, taking photos of the gorgeous mansions, keeping an eye out for ghosts and getting to know some of the other visitors in our tour group.

Obviously, one of the main things to do in Louisville is tour all of the bourbon distilleries. Louisville and the surrounding towns, like Bardstown, are home to the most bourbon distilleries in the world. I highly recommend taking an all day distillery tour and stopping by a handful of them. Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey, Old Forester and Evan Williams are all close to Louisville and are incredibly stunning places to visit. I like to call Buffalo Trace a Disneyland for adults. The grounds of these distilleries are immaculate and are beautiful places to sit and drink bourbon, particularly in the fall. The first time I visited Louisville was in July, and I promised myself that if I ever came back, it would be in the fall. There is so much gorgeous farmland around the city, which makes sense because the Kentucky Derby also takes place there. I just knew it would be colorful and stunning in the fall. All that to say, the second time we visited we went in September and it was everything I hoped it would be. There’s something so magical about sipping bourbon in the fall. I promise you, you’ll walk away from Louisville feeling like you’ve uncovered a secret to American history, and that secret is bourbon.

But just because Louisville is known for bourbon doesn’t mean there aren’t a million other things to do there with your family. The Louisville Mega Cavern is a must along with the Louisville Zoo and the Cave Hill cemetery (Muhammad Ali is buried here)! But one of my favorite things we did on our second visit was the Old Louisville Ghost Tour with Viator. I’ve been on so many ghost tours, in London, England, Savannah, GA, Williamsburg, VA and so many more. It’s always such a great way to learn more about a city. Usually the tour takes place in a well-known area so it’s also the perfect way to get your bearings when you first arrive in a new place. The Louisville ghost tour was even better than I thought it would be though. Our tour guide was incredible and the stories were some of the spookiest ones we’ve heard. We walked past some incredibly gorgeous homes and learned so many things about Louisville and the spirits that haunt the city.

I definitely recommend doing a ghost tour towards the beginning of your trip because it provides a foundation of knowledge regarding the city, the buildings and the neighborhoods. Not to mention, the tour guides are locals so they typically provide a ton of recommendations, from restaurants to hotels to bars to events. Make sure to book a tour that is either at sunset or at night to get the full spooky effect. I’ve taken a few daytime ghost tours and it’s just not the same!

Our tour guide had even lived in one of the houses that was mentioned in one of the ghost stories and had seen a ghost herself! She even contributed to one of the books that was written about the ghosts of Louisville. It even inspired me to take a ghost tour in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia. It’s funny how you never really explore your own city sometimes just because you get caught up in the ups and downs of life!

It was just a fun way to spend the evening before heading off to the bourbon bars downtown. You absolutely have to visit Hell or High Water (a speakeasy-style bar) or Neat Bar if you’re interested in bourbon and cocktails. Or you can just meander around Whiskey Row and pop into a few places, though keep in mind that most of the distilleries close around 5 or 6pm.

I highly recommend the Old Louisville Ghost Tour if you’re visiting Louisville. It was just a great way to feel engaged in the city and to fully understand everything that Louisville had to offer. And if you’re visiting in the fall, you absolutely have to take this tour. There’s nothing that screams fall like a ghost tour. It was a flat walk so nothing too treacherous, and even though we covered quite a bit of ground, it was never too much at once. My parents are in their 60s and they were totally fine. You’ll get to see the Witches’ Tree, Conrad’s Castle and stunning mansions throughout the walk. It was worth every penny and I’d even take the same tour again next time I’m in Louisville.

If you’re interested in taking the same tour, you can find it here! And I’ve included a handful of other recommendations for Louisville below. :)

I hope this helps you with planning your trip to Louisville! You won’t regret it. You should also consider going to Bourbon and Beyond - a 4 day music festival with huge names like Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews Band, Kacey Musgraves and so many others. We went to the festival in 2024 and it was an absolute blast. I’ll never forget it!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to leave any questions or comments below. Happy travels!

<3 Myles Katherine