Louisville Historic

March through November, daily; limited dates in the off-season! Impressive Victorian mansions and quirky residents have earned national attention for Old Louisville, where bourbon barons, racetrack royalty, and titans of tobacco settled in the 1800s. This narrated walk comes from books by David Dominé, who often guides groups himself. Tales involve personal experiences and neighborhood gossip. The New York Times recommends this as the first thing to do during a visitor's "36 Hours in Louisville." You'll also learn about A DARK ROOM IN GLITTER BALL CITY, David's next book—out in October 2021! Specializing in "America's Most Haunted Neighborhood," we depart from the corner of Fourth and Ormsby, at the transitional edge of the neighborhood. If you love old architecture and spooky history, this is the tour for you! If you do not like an up-and-coming neighborhood with a diverse racial make up, this tour is not for you! If you can't go 100 minutes without a bathroom, this is not for you!

Get ready to mark this off your bucket-list! Experience Churchill Downs Racetrack, the most well-known racing venue in the world. Kentucky Derby Museum includes daily historic walking tours, two levels of family-friendly interactive permanent & temporary exhibits, “The Greatest Race,” a 360-degree immersive sound and visual experience that’ll get your heart racing and emotions soaring, and a chance to meet the Museum's resident Thoroughbred and companion pony. You will also have access to the Gift Shop, Kentucky fare in the Derby Cafe Express, and much more!

March through November, daily; limited dates in the off-season! Our tours include more than St. James Court. We see twice as much as other neighborhood walking tours, visiting Ormsby Avenue, Park Avenue cottages, Floral Terrace, the Witches' Tree, and Millionaires Row. Bourbon barons, racetrack royalty, and titans of tobacco settled here in the 1800s. Today, impressive Victorian mansions and quirky residents have earned national attention for Old Louisville. Author David Dominé often guides groups himself. The New York Times recommends his tours as a MUST during a visitor's "36 Hours in Louisville." Learn more in A DARK ROOM IN GLITTER BALL CITY, David's next book—out in October 2021! Narrated walks depart from the transitional edge of the neighborhood. If you love old houses, this is the tour for you! If you do not like an up-and-coming neighborhood with a diverse racial make up, please stay home. If you can't go 90 minutes without a bathroom, this is not for you!

The Historic Old Louisville Walking Tour is a guided tour of the largest contiguous collection of Victorian Mansions in the United States! Designed by a prominent local architect and historian, this tour focuses on the history and architecture of this nationally recognized historic preservation district. The tour begins and ends in Central Park's comfortable, temperature-controlled, Frederick Law Olmsted-designed Visitors Center. Every ticket purchase supports the nonprofit Old Louisville Neighborhood Council, which protects this historic district of Victorian mansions and its streetscapes. Thank you for supporting Historic Preservation! Persons under 17 are free when accompanied by family.

Experience a unique sightseeing tour and/or Taste to 03 traditional bourbon distilleries (Kentucky there are more than 20 distilleries). Take the stress out of going on your own by booking a excellent tour. Enjoy the tour and don’t worry about anything. Your visit three iconic distilleries where you can learn about the bourbon production process and taste some special Bourbon (+21 years). We offer you the list of 18 distilleries, you must choose 03 so we depend on the availability of the distilleries. Remember you booking is 03 distilleries (Tour and/or Taste) NOTE: You can add the fourth distillery at your tour. Please send message to the company after your reservation Please note: – Minimum of two people required per tour – We depend on the availability of distillers and vehicle – The tour start time may vary depending on the number of distilleries to visit. – Send us the 3 distilleries you want to visit -The distilleries have different opening hours and days

Explore the spooky streets of Louisville on our ghost tour, led by a knowledgeable and passionate guide. This walking tour takes you through the city’s most haunted spots, where you'll hear eerie tales of ghostly encounters and spectral residents. As you walk through historic locations, you'll uncover the chilling stories that make Louisville one of the most haunted cities east of the Mississippi. Visit famous sites like the Mary M. Miller Riverboat, where lost souls are said to linger, and the 21c Museum and Hotel, which has a mysterious past. Discover the haunted history of the Louisville Slugger Museum and the Frazier History Museum, each with its own ghostly legends. Stand on haunted ground and experiencing the city’s dark history. Whether you're into history, ghosts, or just want a thrilling night out, this tour promises chills, excitement, and a deeper appreciation for Louisville’s haunted heritage.

Explore vibrant NuLu & historic Butchertown with locally-owned Louisville Food Tours, and taste the flavors of Louisville! Over the course of 3 immersive hours, you'll visit 6 local eateries and enjoy 8 delicious bites that showcase Louisville's culinary heritage. Dishes include biscuits & gravy with roots in the foothills of Appalachia, Kentucky-style fried chicken, a Louisville BBQ dish, bourbon balls, and a Prohibition-era Hot Brown gravy. You'll also enjoy tastings of barrel-aged craft beer and a refreshing alcoholic slushy featuring Kentucky's beloved Ale8 soda. As you wander through the historic streets of two of Louisville's oldest neighborhoods, you’ll uncover the stories behind the city’s rich history, visit a historic home once occupied by Thomas Edison, sample a unique confection inspired by a Victorian actress, and trace the paths of the immigrants who shaped Louisville. This tour typically sells out. Reserve your spot early and come hungry and curious!

Welcome to the Most Haunted Neighborhood in the USA! From the chilling tales of St. James Court to the haunted Witches Tree, this tour will guide you in the footsteps of the past, uncovering the stories and secrets of Old Louisville. Go at your own pace this tour is on our walking tour app, take it anytime. The tour never expires. The tour takes more than one hour without stopping. But feel free to stop in at one of the haunted sites to explore more, if you dare! It's all outside and you'll see the most haunted sites in the most haunted neighborhood. Why choose this tour? Great price for a great experience! See the sites at your own pace. The tour is location aware and plays as you walk. Stop anytime. Continue anytime.

Our smartphone-guided tour brings the facts and stories behind Louisville to life because we've taken the same stops and sights we share with our friends and families when they come to town and created an interactive web-based tour for you! Read the stories behind the city, answer questions to reveal fun facts, and experience what makes this quintessential Southern city incredible! Purchase your tour and then navigate to our website to enter your access code and launch the tour. You can either start immediately or create an account and come back when you are ready to explore. Please note that you and your group read the tour aloud to one another – there is no audio functionality at this time.

Step back in time to the era of hidden speakeasies to enjoy ghostly tales and Louisville's fascinating Prohibition history on this walking food & cocktail tour. On your spirited adventure, you'll savor handcrafted Prohibition-era cocktails paired with delectable small bites. Along the way, you'll unravel the salacious true history of Prohibition including ruthless bootleggers, Whiskey distillers, mobsters, the Louisville origins of the Great Gatsby, and even an axe-wielding temperance supporter – interwoven with chilling ghost stories that have left their mark on the city's checkered past. Our expert guides will transport you to the days of secret bars and underground revelry, where Prohibition couldn't dampen the spirits of Louisville. This immersive experience combines culinary delights and cocktails with spine-tingling ghost stories and a host of colorful characters from Louisville's bootlegging past. You'll leave with a taste of history – and perhaps a shiver down your spine.

Discover Louisville’s stories on a food & history tour through Louisville’s historic Highlands, a neighborhood of tree-lined avenues, opulent Victorian mansions, and quirky charm. This scenic walking tour blends delicious local food with fascinating stories from Louisville’s rich and colorful past. As you explore Louisville’s oldest and most storied streets, you’ll savor dishes inspired by Kentucky’s culinary heritage. Along the way, you'll visit locally owned and beloved spots, including a cozy Irish pub and a farm-to-table restaurant showcasing seasonal produce. You'll enjoy a reimagined Hot Brown in Muhammad Ali’s former boxing gym and sip bourbon in Louisville’s oldest bar. You'll stop at the iconic entrance of Cave Hill Cemetery, the final resting place of Louisville’s legends, and trace the footsteps of the immigrants who shaped the city. All of this unfolds against the stunning backdrop of lush greenery and historic architecture near Cherokee Park.

The Frazier History Museum is the top Kentucky history museum with iconic artifacts for people of all ages. This experience will bring you face to face with the most interesting and influential things in Kentucky's long history and establish what makes Kentucky so cool.

The Old Louisville historic preservation district is home to hundreds of impressive Victorian mansions that trace back to wealthy families in the 1800s. This daytime walking tour includes the same stories featured on our popular evening ghost tours, and is perfect for those who love a combination of ghosts and history. A trained guide will help you uncover the eerie past of the neighborhood while sharing entertaining legends and lore. This tour is entirely outdoors and includes stops outside several points of interest including the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum, the Witches' Tree, Central Park, and the Filson Historical Society.

Welcome to KMAC Contemporary Art Museum, Louisville's premier downtown arts and culture experience! Get a personalized introduction to Kentucky's bountiful arts scene with this private tour of KMAC. Please meet us at our location in the heart of the Historic Downtown district of Louisville, where a specialized guide will lead you through our exhibitions. We will begin on our first floor, where you can explore our gift shop and art. Discover exclusive fun facts about our featured artists, including names such as Picasso, Simone Leigh, and more! Along with your private tour, enjoy a 25% on drinks from our Barista Bar and a 15% discount in the KMAC Shop. Your tour is flexible according to your needs, as we are available for tours Wednesday-Sunday, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. Following your tour, enjoy the surrounding scenic views, vibrant restaurant scene, and culture in the downtown area. Don't skip this experience to remember during your time in Louisville!

As the sun sets over the Ohio River, the streets of downtown Louisville come alive with stories of the city’s most notorious misfits and moments of mayhem. The Misfits and Mayhem Tour is an evening stroll through the darker, quirkier, and more scandalous side of the River City, offering visitors a glimpse into the eccentric figures, unsolved mysteries, and disasters that have shaped Louisville’s history.

Experience a unique sightseeing tour traditional bourbon distilleries (In Kentucky there are more than 20 distilleries to choose from) and Churchill Down and Take the stress out of going on your own by booking a special tour. Enjoy the tour and don’t worry about anything. Your guide leads you to iconic distilleries where you can learn about the bourbon production process and taste some special Bourbon (+21 years) and you can visit Churchill down. Finally, you have the option to add a third tourist place – cost additional Note: If you wish to add a third tourist place send an email to the tourist operator after making the reservation. Additional Information: – Minimum of two people required per tour. – You can customize your tour considering the initial scope – We depend on the availability of the distilleries, Churchill down – The tour start time may vary depending on the distilleries.

This tour is for those who don't have a lot of time, but still want to learn a lot about Old Louisville. In less than an hour, you'll be guided through St. James Court, Fountain Court, Belgravia Court, and several blocks of the city's old Millionaires Row as you learn about the bourbon barons, racetrack royalty, and the titans of tobacco who settled in this fascinating neighborhood. Some structures you'll admire from the sidewalks include the Samuel Culbertson Mansion, Caldwell's Castle, the Pink Palace, and the elegant William Wathen Residence, but you'll also see the emblematic Fountain at St. James Court and leafy Central Park as well. Old Louisville really is a treasure trove of grand architecture from the late 1800s and very early 1900s, and on this jaunt you'll be treated to stunning examples of Richardsonian Romanesque and Renaissance Revival styles, not to mention many variations on the Italianate, Châteauesque, Queen Anne, Federal, Neo-Georgian, and Arts & Crafts genres.

Eat your way through Louisville’s most iconic flavors with locally-owned Louisville Food Tours! Stroll down Whiskey Row and Museum Row tasting the dishes that define the city such as the famous Hot Brown sandwich, the original Derby Pie, and chocolate bourbon truffles. Along the way, your guide will bring Louisville’s history to life with stories of bourbon barons, baseball legends, and Derby traditions. As you walk past towering cast-iron facades and historic buildings, you’ll trace the city’s evolution from a small river town to a bourbon powerhouse. Stop for a photo with the world’s largest baseball bat at the Louisville Slugger Museum, stand beneath the gleaming gold statue of David in front of a quirky hotel/art museum, and uncover the immigrant influences that shaped Louisville’s food scene. Whether you're sipping a Mint Julep or savoring a sweet Modjeska, this tour is the ultimate way to experience the flavors and history of Derby City—just come hungry and ready to explore!

This is NOT a small bites food tour! Be sure to come hungry. Here's what awaits you: Led by knowledgeable local guides, this leisurely walking tour takes you through charming streets lined with historic buildings, artisan shops, and iconic bourbon landmarks. Along the way, you'll savor carefully curated tastings from some of Bardstown’s best eateries, featuring regional specialties, bourbon-infused treats, and handcrafted delights that showcase Kentucky’s rich food culture. Perfect for bourbon lovers and foodies alike, this immersive experience also includes insider stories about Bardstown’s distilling history, famous figures, and the deep-rooted traditions that make this town the true Bourbon Capital of the World.

Keeping it local for more than 20 years! Unlike large national companies that move into a city and cannibalize mom-and-pop enterprises, Louisville Historic Tours is a local tour operator started and run by locals. Showing off the best of the Derby City since 2004, our curated experiences rely on the talents of passionate individuals who live in and have a vested interest in the neighborhoods they showcase. In addition, our guided treks and experiential tours–all researched and written by Louisville author David Dominé–consistently receive accolades from national and international media sources, including The New York Times. When you sign up for a tour with Louisville Historic Tours, you're taking a tour with a local, and all of your money goes to local businesses and individuals. On average, Louisville Historic Tours pays its guides twice the rate paid by the national tour operators.