When you travel frequently, there is safety in chain restaurants. You generally know what you’re going to get. But where is the fun in that? In general I try to find dining spots that show the character of the community, has a taste of flavor for the area or simply a good old “hole-in-the-wall” dive. It’s these places where you can’t find a log of character and some of the best food.
A lovely Sunday drive to Cincinnati
While the Kentucky Derby Festival has things packed to do every day, some times you have to run a different direction. For those wanting to just do festival events, Sunday holds the Tour de LOU, a set of bike races that run either a 35 mile or 20 mile ride around the streets of Louisville that starts and ends at the Fest-a-Ville at the Waterfront Park as well as a mini-fun run for the kids and a youth concert.
Churchill Downs opens the spring meet with “Downs After Dark”
Churchill Downs kicked off their spring meet Saturday night with a full slate of racing and festivities despite a cold chilly rain and a threat of severe weather. The storms held off and the rains came after several races were complete. The rains kept the expected large crowd down, but it was still a busy and hopping place.
Up! Up and Away… The Great Balloon Race flies early
The 2015 version of the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Great Balloon Race surprised many with a Friday flight due to expected bad weather on Saturday morning, it’s traditional fly date. With winds carrying the balloons into southern Indiana in the middle of rush hour in heavy construction, the race was shortened to allow teams to be able to make it to the Balloon Glow later that evening.
BREAKING NEWS: Great Balloon Race moved to this afternoon!
Because of expected bad weather tomorrow, organizers of the Great Balloon Race have decided to move tomorrow’s race to today at 5:30 pm. The balloons will still take off from Bowman Field. After the race, things will move to the Fairgrounds for the Balloon glow tonight at 9pm.
Preparing for the Kentucky Derby and Festival
When you decide to take a vacation to participate in the Kentucky Derby Festival there is considerable planning involved to make the trip possible. One of the first things is ticket acquisition.
Most of the festival events are free with a $5 Pegasus Pin, but several key events require tickets or you need tickets for preferred seating. Of course the big event is the Kentucky Derby itself. Unless your plans are to party in the infield, you will need to acquire reserved seating at Churchill Downs and they won’t be cheap and they won’t be around for long. Once it sells out, the tickets will only get more expensive on the aftermarket sites. Tickets start becoming rare in February. Since many packages also include Kentucky Oaks tickets as well, even that event sells out quickly. If you want on the Belle of Louisville for the Great Steamboat Race, you need to hop on that early too as well as reserved seating for the Pegasus Parade.
Things to do: Follow the Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Kentucky may be famous for basketball and horses, including the greatest horse race, but it’s also famous for something else… Bourbon. Bourbon is a specific form of Whisky distilled in Kentucky. It is aged in oak barrels which gives the drink it distinct flavor.
Add a horse farm tour to your agenda
If the Kentucky Derby Festival doesn’t keep you busy around Louisville, you can always drive an hour away down I-64 towards Lexington and see where the magic happens.
Central Kentucky, renowned for its rolling hills of Kentucky bluegrass is home to many farms dedicated to our equine friends. Horse farms, from trotters, to show horses to the thoroughbreds that will race on Derby Day dot the landscape.
Let the Festival begin! It’s time for Thunder over Louisville!
Of course some festival events have already been going, but the big kick-off happens today over the Ohio River in downtown Louisville when Thunder over Louisville takes to the air. This year’s theme is a “Boom with a View”.
Derby day comes and my wallet is empty
Our vacation is nearing its end. It’s Derby day. We won’t be among the 164,000 people to pack in to Churchill Downs dressed to the nines with flowing hats and drinking $11 mint juleps. Instead it’s a day to head to Sherry’s brother, Doug’s house for his annual Kentucky Derby party, a tradition he took … Read more