Support Us Button Widget
Travel and Outdoors

Louisville named a top 50 travel destination in 2024

Travel + Leisure included Derby City alongside international destinations like Paris and Hawai’i

November 17, 2023 • 
Jeff Milby
Horses racing around a dirt track with crowds of people and two spires in the background.

The 150th Kentucky Derby is part of the reason Louisville made the list.

Photo by Louisville Tourism

Louisville has a lot to offer —ahem — for locals and tourists alike, and the recognition is rolling in like a red carpet.

Travel + Leisure magazine recently included Derby City on its “The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2024" list. That’s after making the New York Times’ list of “52 Places to Go in 2023" — go off, Louisville.

The upcoming 150th Kentucky Derby, recent hotel developments, opening of “Ali” the musical, and the spirits scene were a few of the reasons for Louisville’s inclusion.

Here are a few more reasons we think Louisville is worth a visit:

  • The parks: Louisville has one of only four completed park systems designed by the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted.
  • The landmarks: Churchill Downs is worth seeing, even when it’s not the first Saturday in May.
  • The museums: There’s a lot learn in Derby City — from history, to art andscience.
More from LOUtoday
An aerial shot with the Big Four Bridge in the forefront.
Culture
Just how bad is the traffic in Louisville?
Spoiler alert: Traffic isn’t great. We dove into the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s congestion data so you don’t have to.
October 28, 2025
 · 
Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto
H25-GG-DE-Hero-Purple.png
Small Business
LOUtoday’s 2025 holiday gift guide: 90+ finds for everyone you love
Including gifts for significant others, retirees, holiday parties, young people, and gifts that ship fast.
October 24, 2025
 · 
Emily Shea-Owen
Wood-slated bar with green bar stools and green-tiled floor.
Business
A prestigious award for NuLu’s Hotel Genevieve
The boutique hotel is one of 5,000 hotels in the world to receive a Michelin Key.
October 20, 2025
 · 
Jeff Milby
Cherokee Park Pergola
History
5 Louisville Podcast Episodes for October
If you’re looking for some haunted listening for your fall walks, we’ve got you covered.
October 16, 2025
 · 
Katie Molck
A group of kids playing a game with pumpkins at colorfest at bernheim.
Culture
Mark your calendars for ColorFest at Bernheim Forest
Experience Louisville’s autumn magic at ColorFest, featuring vibrant fall foliage, family-friendly activities, and local food.
October 13, 2025
 · 
Declan Lowthian
A downtown skyline occupies the background, with a forest full of fall-colored trees in the foreground.
Travel and Outdoors
When to expect peak fall foliage in Louisville
November is going to be a colorful month in Derby City, and there are plenty of places to look at the leaves before they fall.
October 7, 2025
 · 
Staff
A Louisille TARC bus on a tree-lined street
Here’s what TARC’s next phase will look like
Big changes are coming to TARC next year.
October 2, 2025
 · 
Declan Lowthian
The river level is low so the riverbed is exposed with green foliage, rocks and sticks. In the distance, you can see a defunct railroad trestle.
Free things to do in Louisville
No cash? No problem. Whether you are spending a day or a lifetime in Louisville, these are some of the best offerings that won’t break the bank.
October 1, 2025
 · 
Declan Lowthian
LOUtoday_pumpkin
Events
Plan Ahead: Don’t miss these events happening in Louisville
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.
September 29, 2025
 · 
Jeff Milby
Historical marker for Louisville Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky, standing under a tree with the cemetery’s gravestones visible in the background. The marker notes the cemetery’s incorporation in 1886 by prominent Black citizens and lists notable individuals buried there, including Dr. Robert B. Scott, Atwood S. Wilson, Sylvester Weaver, and Bessie Allen.
History
Flashback Friday: Louisville Cemetery
Discover the history of Louisville Cemetery — from prominent Black founders to Derby-winning jockey William Walker Sr. — in our latest look at the city’s historical markers.
September 25, 2025
 · 
Morgan O’Neal