Skip to content
NOWCAST WLKY News at Noon
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Coming to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby? Here are some spots to check out

Coming to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby? Here are some spots to check out
So if you are coming to Louisville this weekend for Derby, I have some plans for you. I'm gonna take you around town to show you some of the things that you can do. Let's go. OK, so we made it to our first destination, which is downtown on West Main Street. If you're driving or if you have an Uber, I suggest you tell your Uber to drop you off here because it is *** very walkable area with so many things. To do. Here on Main Street, you can go to the Slugger Museum, the Kentucky Science Center. You can even take distillery tours, and there are *** lot of restaurants to choose from too. So our second neighborhood is New Lou on East Market Street. It's just *** couple of blocks away from downtown, and there's something for everyone in New Lou, especially if you're supporting local, from locally owned restaurants to locally owned boutiques, and even bars if you want. Something slow paced, or if you want something high paced, there's something for you to do there. So our last stop in our last street is Frankfurt Avenue. If you want to feel like you're in *** rom-com for your early morning breakfast or even *** nice Italian dinner, this is the area that you want to go to. They have different locally owned coffee shops and different locally owned restaurants. Another thing they have are boutiques down here. And even secondhand consignment shops. So if you need something last minute for Derby but you don't wanna pay full price but still wanna support local, this is the area to be. And one thing that makes Louisville so beautiful and so unique is that we have so many different neighborhoods and so many different options to choose from. These are just 3 streets that we showed you, so happy Derby and happy hunting.
WLKY logo
Updated: 11:07 AM EDT May 1, 2026
Editorial Standards
Advertisement
Coming to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby? Here are some spots to check out
WLKY logo
Updated: 11:07 AM EDT May 1, 2026
Editorial Standards
If you're coming to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby this weekend, there's much more to explore than just Churchill Downs. The city is full of unique neighborhoods, walkable areas and local restaurants that make it easy to plan a full weekend of things to do.Downtown LouisvilleStart your visit in the heart of downtown Louisville on West Main Street. This area is one of the most walkable parts of the city, making it a great spot to get dropped off at if you're using Uber, Lyft or another rideshare service. Once you're there, you're close to just about everything. You can visit the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, stop by the Kentucky Science Center or simply explore some of the many restaurants that are situated in the area. It's an easy place to spend time hopping around from place to place without needing a car.NuLu/ East Market StreetJust a short walk from downtown, you'll find the East Market Street area, better known as NuLu. It's one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in the city.You'll find a mix of long-time and newer local favorite restaurants, boutique shopping, art galleries and locally owned shops. It's a great place to experience Louisville charm up close and personal, without having to drift too far from downtown.Frankfort AvenueFor a more laid-back, neighborhood feel, make your way over to Frankfort Avenue. This area is known for its charm, which offers a rom-com-like atmosphere for anything from early morning breakfasts to Italian dinners. You'll also find lots of boutique and consignment shops in the area, making it the perfect place to stop by if you're in need of a last-minute outfit for Derby.

If you're coming to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby this weekend, there's much more to explore than just Churchill Downs. The city is full of unique neighborhoods, walkable areas and local restaurants that make it easy to plan a full weekend of things to do.


Advertisement

Downtown Louisville

Start your visit in the heart of downtown Louisville on West Main Street. This area is one of the most walkable parts of the city, making it a great spot to get dropped off at if you're using Uber, Lyft or another rideshare service.

Once you're there, you're close to just about everything. You can visit the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, stop by the Kentucky Science Center or simply explore some of the many restaurants that are situated in the area. It's an easy place to spend time hopping around from place to place without needing a car.

NuLu/ East Market Street

Just a short walk from downtown, you'll find the East Market Street area, better known as NuLu. It's one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in the city.

You'll find a mix of long-time and newer local favorite restaurants, boutique shopping, art galleries and locally owned shops. It's a great place to experience Louisville charm up close and personal, without having to drift too far from downtown.

Frankfort Avenue

For a more laid-back, neighborhood feel, make your way over to Frankfort Avenue. This area is known for its charm, which offers a rom-com-like atmosphere for anything from early morning breakfasts to Italian dinners.

You'll also find lots of boutique and consignment shops in the area, making it the perfect place to stop by if you're in need of a last-minute outfit for Derby.

Weather Information

FEELS LIKE
RADAR TRAFFIC
Sponsored by
X
Make WLKY a preferred source on Google