My absolute favorite part of publishing Key Magazine Cincinnati is doing “research” for the weekend getaways!!! Researching for the stories is a blast…. this time… Louisville!
Only an hour and a half away and such an easy drive…there’s a fabulous city packed with history, great food, museums and sites… And bourbon!
First stop was shopping In the hip “NuLu” district with fun little boutiques and a nice variety of restaurants. We headed over a few blocks and checked in at the Homewood Suites Downtown….A relatively new hotel with fabulous rooms in a great location! Easy parking and centrally located for this getaway.
Time to start eating! First stop was Naive.We were fortunate to go there on the day of their brand new menu, and they wowed us with stunning cocktails and bites to eat! Tucked away on an adorable corner of Butchertown, they are cranking out fabulous food in a sleek and stylish decor.
When shopping earlier, we spotted this fabulous looking yellow house that is now Bodeguita de Mima, and is the most wonderful place. Cuban food with live music and impressive surroundings, every course was better than the last. Large portions and so tasty, we cannot wait to go back. We drank. We ate. We had a great time. Now, time for bed.
Thursday was our touring day. We started at the Louisville Slugger Museum, packed full of sports memorabilia and lots of history and facts about teams and players from all over the country. The tour was definitely worth it, and you even get to take a home a mini bat.
Lots to do, so we headed right across the street to the Kentucky Science Center which is an absolute must, especially if you have kids. They will absolutely love it! So many things to see and do to keep them busy for hours.
We spotted the KMAC Museum with an incredible gift shop that was packed full of art, jewelry, and cute gifts. A small art museum above that had two great shows going on.
Now it was time for a bit of bourbon! We headed over to Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. for a tour and tasting. The tour was informative and full of history, and the tasting after was actually a large tasting. I highly recommend.
On to the Frazier History Museum for all things Kentucky! Jam packed with history and details and a must see for sure!
Food. Really, isn’t it all about the food when traveling? There’s this beyond incredible property just outside of town set on the beautiful property called Hermitage Farm, Barn8 Restaurant, owned by the couple who brings us the 21c Museum Hotels. It was Fantastic! The entrance featured huge metal signs, to iving way to the mansion on the property. The “Barn” is an uber sleek, fabulously detailed structure that houses the restaurant and retail shop. Contemporary, farm to table cuisine that was yummy. Every course, every drink. After dinner we went out back to the extensive decking system that wound you around the stunning setting amongst the trees and creek…and after the sunset, an incredible light show. It was hard to describe, but it was similar to “BLINK” here in Cincinnati, set against trees, rocks and water. Literally worth a visit to Louisville for this dining experience alone. OMG. seriously. GO!
After a restful night sleep we headed over to the Muhammad Ali Center and were taken on a private tour of this fabulous museum and cultural center. The history, details, surroundings, experience. The warm fuzzies you get being surrounded by all that is great about Muhammad Ali. Be sure to watch the films showing in the Museum, he was a great man that changed the lives of so many. What a story. What an amazing experience.
Last stop…LouVino! There are two locations in the Louisville area, we over-indulged on so much food for lunch. It was good. Like really good. They were in the process of building a huge patio for more outdoor seating. The place was great!
We dined, we shopped, we watched, we experienced, we drank. A successful weekend getaway for sure! Go To Louisville. It’s close and fun!
– Patty Youkilis
Publisher