Louisville, Kentucky’s largest city, is best known as home to the Kentucky Derby at historic Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby Museum offers year-round tours.
History and sports fans can also visit the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory to watch baseball bats being made, or the Muhammad Ali Center downtown. The city anchors the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, with more than two dozen distillery experiences including Evan Williams and Angel’s Envy, and Old Louisville’s Victorian mansions form one of the largest such districts in the country.
The best time to visit is spring, especially around Derby season in late April and early May, or fall from September through October, when temperatures are mild and comfortable for exploring downtown and the bourbon distilleries on foot or by tour.