Louisville Mega Cavern A tourist attraction today, Louisville’s Mega Cavern has been called the safest place in Kentucky. And it’s not far from the Exposition Center, where the National Farm Machinery Show is conducted each year. About 100 acres in size, the cavern is classified by the city and state as a building. The average temperature inside the cavern is a cool 58 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. Originally a mine, it was founded by Ralph Rogers in the 1930s, and was a working mine until the 1970s. It goes under all 10 lanes of the Watterson Expressway (Interstate 264). For tourists, the cavern offers: •Mega ZIPS – Trained tour guides lead guests on a two-hour adventure into never-before-seen sections of the cavern. •Mega Tram – The tour takes guests on an underground adventure rich in history, geology, mining, recycling and green building technology. •Mega Bikes – Visitors experience a one-of-a-kind underground bike park with more than 320,000 square feet, including more than 45 trails, jump lines, pump tracks, dual slalom, BMX, cross-country and single track. •Electric Bike Tours – These 90-minute guided behind-the-scenes tours include sights of everything offered in the cavern. •Mega Quest – One of only 20 course of its kind in the nation, this is the only fully-underground aerial ropes challenge courses in the world. For more information, visit www.louisvillemegacavern.com Speed Art Museum Looking for something a little more cultural in nature? The Speed Art Museum may be just the ticket. Located at 2035 S. Third Street, the museum was the vision of philanthropist Hattie Bishop Speed, a supporter of all arts, in memory of her husband, James Breckinridge Speed. Established in 1925, the museum first opened its doors on Jan. 15, 1927. Among its collections are art of ancient cultures, African art, native American art, European and American art, contemporary art, photography and much more. One of the newest attractions at the museum is a 142-seat cinema, equipped with state-of-the-art technology. A diverse mix of American independent and international films are screened twice daily, Friday-Sunday. For more information about the Speed, visit www.speedmuseum.org Frazier History Museum Located downtown at 829 W. Main Street, the Frazier History Museum is “where the world meets Kentucky.” Exhibits include Family Gathering: Linda Bruckheimer’s Kentucky; The Great War: Highlights from the Frazier World War I Collection; The Lewis and Clark Experience; The Stewart Historic Miniatures Collection; An Evening with Poe; and more. To learn more about the Frazier History Museum, visit www.fraziermuseum.org Fourth Street Live Louisville’s premier dining and entertainment destination, Fourth Street Live is located in the heart of downtown. It’s a true entertainment destination that features more than a dozen restaurants, bars and nightlife spots just steps apart. Restaurants and bars include Birracibo, Bourbon Raw, Brazeiros Churrascaria Brazilian, Goose Island Beer Bridge, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse, Hard Rock Café, T.G.I. Friday’s, Tavern on Fourth, The Fudgery and The Sports and Social Club. A new addition, in the near future, will be Whiskey Dry by Ed Lee. Nightlife and entertainment venues include Howl at the Moon, Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse, PBR Louisville and The Thirsty Pedaler. For more information about Fourth Street Live, visit www.4thstlive.com Big Four Bridge To get a taste of a place well-used by locals, visit the Big Four Bridge. Formerly a railroad truss bridge across the Ohio River, it is now open for pedestrian and bicycle traffic only and connects Louisville, Ky., with Jeffersonville, Ind. Originally completed in 1895, the bridge takes its name from the defunct Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway – The Big Four Railroad. In February 2011, Kentucky and Indiana announced that the two states, along with the city of Jeffersonville, would allocate $22 million to complete the project, creating the pedestrian link across the river. The Louisville ramp opened in February 2013, and the Jeffersonville ramp opened in May 2014. Waterfront Park on the Kentucky side and Big Four Station on the Indiana side host a variety of festivals and concerts each summer. For more information about the Big Four Bridge, go to www.louisville.com/tags/big-four-bridge And to learn about more to do around the city, visit www.gotolouisville.com |
