THE DRIVEWAYEpisode 01 · Fall 2026The best things to do in Louisville
The best things to do in Louisville mix bourbon-country history with big green space: walk the Big Four Bridge to Indiana, watch bats get made at the Louisville Slugger Museum, explore the Muhammad Ali Center, and spend a day in The Parklands of Floyds Fork, more than 4,000 free acres of trails and creek on the East End.
1. Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
Look for the giant bat at 8th and Main. Guided factory tours last about 30 minutes, you see bats being made on every tour, and everyone leaves with a miniature souvenir bat. Plan about 2 hours. Open Monday–Saturday 9–5 and Sunday 10–4. A city parking garage sits directly behind the building. sluggermuseum.com
“Walk the Big Four Bridge to Indiana at dusk, when the lights come on.”
2. Muhammad Ali Center
A museum and cultural center downtown at 144 N. 6th Street, telling the story of Louisville’s most famous son. Open Wednesday–Sunday 10–5 (last entry 4:15), closed Monday and Tuesday. alicenter.org
3. Waterfront Park & the Big Four Bridge
Open daily 6 a.m.–11 p.m. on the Ohio River. The Big Four Bridge is a pedestrian and bike bridge to Jeffersonville, Indiana, with a light show nightly from dusk to 1 a.m. Leashed dogs are welcome in the park but not on the bridge. The bridge closes during the Thunder Over Louisville air show. ourwaterfront.org
4. Churchill Downs & the Kentucky Derby
Home of the Kentucky Derby, run the first Saturday in May. The 153rd Derby is Saturday, May 1, 2027. kentuckyderby.com Read our Derby weekend car guide.
5. Louisville Zoo
Open daily year-round except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, at 1100 Trevilian Way. Hours are 10–4 through March 19, 2027, then 10–5 from March 20. Look for the petting zoo, carousel and ropes course. louisvillezoo.org
6. The Parklands of Floyds Fork
Four connected parks (Beckley Creek, Pope Lick, Turkey Run and Broad Run) with more than 60 miles of hiking, biking and paddling trails and 19 miles of the Louisville Loop. Free, open every day from dawn to dusk. theparklands.org
7. Cherokee Park
A 389-acre Olmsted-era park in the Highlands with a 2.4-mile scenic loop, rolling hills and picnic spots. Louisville Parks
8. Falls of the Ohio State Park
Just across the river in Clarksville, Indiana, known for fossil beds you can explore when the river is low. fallsoftheohio.org
Common questions
What is Louisville best known for?
The Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, Louisville Slugger bats, Muhammad Ali, and its place at the heart of bourbon country.
What’s free to do in Louisville?
Waterfront Park, the Big Four Bridge, Cherokee Park and The Parklands of Floyds Fork are all free.
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