Paddling is one of the most fun activities you can do in Louisville during the warmer seasons, and you should definitely give it a try if you haven't yet this summer! We have some beautiful places to explore, all of which are less than a half hour away from the city. If you don't own a kayak or a canoe, don't worry-- there are plenty of places to rent them in town. Check out the list below to learn more about these 8 perfect places to paddle in Louisville.
The Ohio River waters are often calm and smooth, making it easy to paddle through. The width provides ample space for large groups of paddlers to use. This photo of the Louisville Canoe and Kayak group was taken near the McAlpine locks.
advertisement
There are plenty of amazing places to explore out on the Ohio River. Six Mile Island is an interesting stretch of land to explore, as is Rose Island around Charlestown State Park. Serious paddlers even go as far as Cincinnati along the Ohio River, which takes a three to four day journey.
This beautiful park is filled with still water, perfect for gliding quietly across on your kayak. This large park also has a picnic area and grills where you can enjoy a nice lunch before or after heading out on the water.
Long Run Park is located at 1605 Flat Rock Rd., Louisville, KY 40245.
Paddle over fossil beds covered by the Ohio River waters at this scenic location. There are some fossil beds that can't ordinarily be reached on foot that you can only find by water! Launching your kayak or canoe is easy to do at many points of the park.
Located in the amazing Jefferson Memorial Forest, Tom Wallace Lake is the perfect place to paddle beneath the green trees that tower over each side of the lake. The lake is also regularly stocked with trout, sunfish, and catfish for those who love fishing.
Tom Wallace lake is located at 11311 Mitchell Hill Rd., Fairdale, KY 40118.
Deam Lake is a lovely little spot near Louisville right across the state line in Indiana. It's only a 30 minute drive from the city, and has a swimming beach as well. Deam Lake is great place to paddle, swim, or simply sit and relax.
advertisement
Deam Lake is located at 1217 Deam Lake Rd., Borden, IN 47106.
There's a free launching site in Harrods Creek Park, just a short walk away from the parking lot. For those who don't have a canoe or kayak, but would like to give it a go, you can rent boats from Nachand Canoe & Kayak for $30 and have a couple hours of fun on the water.
Harrods Creek Park is located at 6530 Montero Dr., Prospect, KY 40059.
Nachand Canoe & Kayak is located at 6313 River Rd., Prospect, KY 40059.
Floyds Fork is a 62-mile-long tributary of the Salt River in Southeast Louisville. There's some beautiful Kentucky nature to explore through this waterway, and many access points are provided by the park along the the Fork. Blue Moon Canoe & Kayaks provides rentals from April through October here. For more information on water levels and gauges, click here.
McNeely Lake Park is one of the closest locations that you can paddle in Louisville. It's located only 20 minutes from downtown Louisville and offers a range of activities to enjoy with the family in addition to paddling and fishing. The trails here are just as beautiful to enjoy on foot as the waters are by canoe or kayak.
McNeely Lake Park is located at 10500 Cedar Creek Rd., Louisville, KY 40229.
Have you ever gone paddling in a canoe or kayak, and how was your trip? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook! If you're a fan of the water, check out this article about the best lakes in Kentucky.
When it hits December, temperatures drop and it feels like winter in Kentucky has arrived. If you're already getting cabin fever, then it's about time to dress in layers and head out for some epic winter fun. The colder months aren't all about shoveling snow and staying inside. Just about an hour from Louisville in Paoli, Indiana, there is an incredible ski and snow tube park that is sure to make your winter more exciting. Arctic Blast Tubing at Paoli Peaks is a mountain with epic snow tubing near Louisville that will give you the winter thrill of a lifetime.
advertisement
As you read this, Paoli Peaks is busy making snow in preparation for their upcoming opening day. When you arrive at the mountain it will look like a winter wonderland with piles of soft, fresh snow ready for winter activities.
This popular ski and snow tube destination is only an hour from Louisville, making it perfect for a winter day trip. The property is divided into two sections - the ski/board area and the tubing area - making it a one-stop-shop for snowy fun.
The seamless process means you spend less time figuring out logistics, and more time rushing down the mountain in your spacious tube. This snow sledding near Louisville is the best way to maximize winter in Kentucky.
After you purchase your ticket at the lodge window and get your tube, you can hop on the surface lift to get to the top of the hill. Only one rider is allowed on each tube, but children 6 years of age and younger may link up with an adult. Others may do this at times too, weather and snow conditions permitting.
advertisement
Your epic winter thrill begins as you zip down the snowy lane!
The tubes are large and padded for safety but you'll still feel yourself flying through the air down the snowy mountain. It's winter excitement like no other.
The speed of your ride will depend on the softness of the snow, and you can check the current conditions on Paoli's website throughout the season. Soft snow means a slower ride, while colder temps and harder snow means you're in for a speedy trip. You can use the online information to gauge when is the best time for a trip over to Paoli Peaks, depending on how you like your sledding ride.
Paoli Peaks also offers skiing and snowboarding, you'll just have to drive over to the other section of the park to purchase those tickets and hit the slopes.
After a long day of tubing, skiing, snowboarding, or all three, you can eat at one of two restaurants on site, a pizza joint or a snack shop. There are other dining options nearby as well if you're craving something different.
No matter which adventure you choose, a winter day spent at Paoli Peaks is sure to provide a chilly thrill and memories that will last a lifetime.
Snow tubing at Paoli Peaks is the ideal way to spend a winter day! Have you been to this snowy winter wonderland? Share your experience with us in the comments! If you love visiting Paoli Peaks there are all kinds of different passes you can purchase, whether it's a day pass for 24 hours of snow laden fun, or a season pass to get you skiing and tubing all season long. It's a great way to maximize your Kentucky winter fun.
Please keep in mind that at the time of publishing, Paoli Peaks had not yet set the date for their opening day, but it's coming up soon! Be sure to check out their website, linked below, for all of the details and when you can visit!
Paoli Peaks is located at 2798 W. County Road 25 S., Paoli, IN, 47454. For more information, including snow conditions, pricing, and hours, visit their website.
You'll never run out of things to do in Louisville, but there are some things that just cannot be missed. We have such an amazing culture filled with art, beautiful natural scenery, and incredible history, so we've put together a list of must-see things in Louisville that definitely deserve a spot on everyone's bucket list. Whether you've seen them before or haven't gotten around to visiting these awesome places, we think it's important to appreciate the things that make this city so special. Here's a list of 16 things in Louisville that everyone should see before they die:
There's no other way to kick off this list than with Churchill Downs. This iconic racetrack has been around since 1875 and is most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby. It's always surprising to find people around here have NOT visited the Kentucky Derby Museum or toured the grounds, even if you're not a horse racing fan; it's a huge piece of local history and and a significant cultural site! Even if you don't make it to the actual Kentucky Derby, there are several other awesome races that take place throughout the year, as well as special events to enjoy!
Churchill Downs is located at 700 Central Ave, Louisville, KY.
This downtown park is visited by almost 1.5 million people every year, and for good reason - it has some of the best views of the Ohio River and right off of Riverfront Plaza! The 85-acre city park has tons of cool fountains and features to explore and offers a wonderful place to get outside and take a stroll through the city.
Louisville Waterfront Park is located at 401 River Rd, Louisville, KY.
This historic hospital will send shivers up your spine - it's considered one of the most haunted spots in the country! Waverly Hills was opened in 1910 to quarantine tuberculosis patients and, as the highly contagious disease reached epidemic proportions, the hospital was effectively a contained, functioning city (it even had its own zip code!) Waverly Hills closed in 1961 after the discovery of the antibiotic streptomycin, which effectively treated tuberculosis and is still used to this day to treat a number of bacterial infections. The hospital was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Due to the tragic nature and painful deaths suffered by many tuberculosis patients, visitors often report spooky, inexplicable experiences at the old hospital, which has made it a hotspot for ghost enthusiasts to explore. If you are brave, Waverly Hills offers Paranormal Tours after dark starting at $25 per person, and even if you don't see a ghost yourself, they are still pretty creepy!
Waverly Hills Sanatorium is located at 4400 Paralee Dr, Louisville, KY.
This incredible museum and cultural is dedicated Louisville native Muhammad Ali - one of the greatest athletes of our era - and it really is a must-see. Ali was so much more than just a boxer; he was a leader, an activist, and inspired countless people around the world. His life was so much richer than most people realize, and his life and achievements are celebrated here in a way that just might inspire you too.
The Muhammad Ali Center is located at 144 N 6th St, Louisville, KY.
Frederick Law Olmsted was already recognized as one of the champions of landscape architecture and design when Louisville commissioned him to create a park system for the city in 1891. Olmsted has designed some of the most famous natural spaces in the nation, including Central Park in New York City and the U.S. Capitol grounds, but we are lucky enough to have one of only four completed park systems in Olmsted's impressive portfolio. Cherokee Park, Seneca Park, Iroquois Park, Shawnee Park, and Algonquin Park are some of the largest and most popular, but the system includes 18 beautiful parks and 6 parkways around the city!
This ENORMOUS underground cave was once a limestone mine, but these days, it's open to the public for tours. The old mine was reinforced and repurposed so that businesses could use the space for secure storage, and the renovations made actually classify it as the largest structure in the entire state! Most people don't realize just how immense this cavern system is - it's over 4 million square feet and sits beneath a large portion of the city. You can take Jeep tours of the space, but some of the coolest features are the underground bike park (the nation's first and only) and underground zipline (the largest fully underground zipline in the world!)
The entrance to the Louisville Mega Cavern is located at 1841 Taylor Ave, Louisville, KY.
This super cool interactive museum is one of the best in the state! If you went to school here, you've likely visited the Kentucky Science Center on a field trip - more students come here than anywhere else in the state! Even if you have been here before, there's no excuse not to come back; the museum has rotating exhibits, so there is always something new to learn about and explore!
advertisement
The Kentucky Science Center is located at 727 W Main St, Louisville, KY.
This itty-bitty little house in Butchertown was home to famous American inventor Thomas Edison, who is widely celebrated for his research and development of electrically-powered inventions, including some of the world's first incandescent light bulbs. His work influenced tons of things we totally take for granted today, including mass communication technology, motion picture cameras, the mass production of goods, and, of course, indoor lighting. His house, which was built in 1850s, is now a museum featuring tons of amazing historical items invented by Edison and tours cost only $5 per person.
The Thomas Edison House is located at 729 East Washington St., Louisville, KY.
Aside from the Kentucky Derby, our state is famous for its bourbon. For those looking to see (and taste) some of the cities finest creations, the Urban Bourbon Trail is a great way to experience the best-of-the-best. You can pick up an Urban Bourbon Trail Passport at the Visitor's Center or any of the 20 restaurants, bars, and hotels included on the trail... although we suggest holding off on trying to hit them all in one day...
advertisement
The Urban Bourbon Trail leads all over downtown Louisville. Check out the Bourbon Country website for more details, and here's the map to get you started!
A show at this stunningly beautiful historic theater in downtown Louisville is seriously unlike anything you've ever seen before! The ornately decorated interior is absolutely incredible and hard to tear your eyes away from, which makes even the best shows even more wonderful! The theater was built in 1928 and seats 2,700, serving as an excellent smaller venue for internationally famous musicians, as well as host for live theater performances and popular movies.
The Louisville Palace is located at 625 S. 4th St., Louisville, KY.
This is one cemetery that is anything but creepy - it's a historic landmark! The Victorian-era Cave Hill Cemetery was constructed in 1848 is the largest in the state. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Today, you can visit the cemetery and arboretum and pay your respects to the past, or just appreciate the incredible architecture. Plus you can visit both Colonel Sanders' AND Muhammad Ali's gravesites!
Cave Hill Cemetery is located at 701 Baxter Ave, Louisville, KY.
This famous "Museum Row" history center is an affiliate of the Smithsonian and holds some incredible artifacts stretching back through the last 1,000 years of Kentucky history, but also features items of national and international significance, including rifles that belongs to both George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt and belongings owned by Buffalo Bill and Jesse James.
The Frazier History Museum is located at 829 W Main St, Louisville, KY.
The Speed Art Museum is widely recognized as one of the largest, best, and most comprehensive collections of artwork in the state. Incredible works from around the world are displayed here, including ancient artifacts, classical masterpieces, and unique contemporary pieces. The Speed also has an awesome interactive family center, hosts amazing concerts, and is home to one of the city's most popular creative events - Art After Dark!
The Speed Art Museum is located at 2035 S 3rd St, Louisville, KY.
Take a trip back in time on this amazing historic steamboat! The Belle of Louisville operates out of the downtown wharf and offers rides down the Ohio River for quick trips, dinner cruises, and special events. The beautiful steamboat was constructed in 1914 and was originally named "Idlewild," but we like the new name better (mostly because it has our name in it!)
The Belle of Louisville is moored downtown and accessible at 401 W River Rd, Louisville, KY.
We couldn't possibly end this list with anything OTHER than the Louisville Slugger Museum! The iconic 120-foot-tall bat marks the location of this famous downtown attraction (it's the largest baseball bat in the entire world), and a tour of the Louisville Slugger Factory will take you deep into the history of America's favorite sport! Despite being the headquarters of one of the most recognizable names in baseball, Louisville doesn't have a professional MLB team... but that doesn't stop us from loving the game, especially because we have influenced some of the most famous players in history.
The Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is located at 800 W Main St, Louisville, KY.
There's so much to do in Louisville, and these are just a handful of the highlights. So many of these spots have ever-changing displays, activities, and experiences, so even if you have visited before, there's no excuse not to return to learn something new!
