Showing posts with label Louisville. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Louisville. Show all posts

Sunday, 10 July 2011

Louisville Zoo, Kentucky

Out of all of the Louisville attractions that are possible to visit during a Kentucky vacation, the Louisville Zoo is one that you won’t want to miss. The zoo in Louisville is located on 100 acres right in the heart of the city and is home to an unusual variety of animals that live in habitats designed to mimic their natural environments. Louisville tourism brochures often list this Kentucky zoo as a favorite vacation destination.Louisville tourism is especially popular in the summer because of the popular non-profit Kentucky zoo. First time visitors to the Kentucky zoo are often amazed at the variety of animals that make the Louisville zoo their home. Over 1,300 animals currently live at the zoo, and more may be on the way.

Some of the most popular exhibits at the Louisville Zoo are the Lorikeet Landing, the Wallaroo Walkabout, and the Gorilla Forest. The Islands is an exhibit for endangered species or threatened animals of Indonesia. Because of the changing status of endangered animals, the animals that live in the exhibit are rotated. Some of the animals that you might see in this mock Indonesian wilderness are Orangutans, Sumatran Tigers, and the exotic Tapir.

Visitors may have to bring out their binoculars in order to spot the gorillas in Gorilla Forest. This four acre exhibit prides itself on attempting to duplicate the natural home of Western Lowland Gorillas and pygmy hippos as much as possible. The animals are free to roam about the lush grassy exhibit as they please. With an exhibit that is so natural, it is possible that the gorillas don’t even realize that they are being watched.

The creators of the Zoo in Louisville felt it was important to let visitors interact with certain animals. The Lorikeet Landing is one exhibit where this is possible. Visitors can feed the rare Australian Lorikeets nectar and learn about the foods that the animals eat from volunteers and zoologists.

Other interesting animals that make their home at the zoo include Siberian Tigers, Hippos, Polar Bears, Antelopes, and Gazelles. The Wooly Monkey exhibit is an all time favorite exhibit of children because of the monkey’s often quirky behavior.

A variety of daily activities educate families on different types of animal species and their habitats as well as endangered species. The daily “Giraffe Feeding” and “Elephant Aerobics” rank among the favorites.

Most Louisville attractions stay open all year-round because of the state’s mild climate, and the Louisville zoo is no exception. The zoo is only closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day and even stays open in the evenings during the summer, when Louisville tourism is at an all time high. You will find that admission prices are extremely affordable. Children under two are admitted for free, and children and adult admission prices are under $11.00.

For more outdoor fun in Louisville, head to EP Tom Sawyer State Park. Here you can take advantage of both indoor and outdoor recreational activities. Have a family picnic, play a game of tennis, or go for a swim in an indoor pool. Kentucky hiking enthusiasts will appreciate the one mile trail that is perfect for people of all ages and fitness levels. There is even a separate dog park with large green spaces for your pet to run around in.

Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom is located just a few miles away from the zoo and is one of the best Louisville attractions to visit on a hot summer day. The amuseument park feature dozens of thrilling rides and seven roller coasters. There are also tame rides that smaller children will enjoy.

If you’re building your itinerary of fun Louisville attractions to visit on your next vacation, be sure to include the zoo in Louisville on your list of things to do. With such a fun variety of Kentucky attractions to choose from, it is no wonder Louisville tourism continues to thrive year after year.
read more...

Kentucky Center for the Arts

Louisville Kentucky is one city that offers a great array of attractions, from the animals at the Louisville Zoo to Six Flags Kentucky rides. If you're looking for some culture and entertainment on your next trip to Louisville, check out the offerings at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts.

The Kentucky Center for the Arts has three different performance stages housed in one modern building in Louisville. A typical night of performances at the Center for the Arts may include the Kentucky Opera, the Louisville Ballet, or the Louisville Orchestra.

Although it is the largest center of its kind in Kentucky, the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts is a very accessible and comfortable space that holds events to welcome the community. In fact, the Kentucky Arts Center provides arts programs to all 120 counties in Louisville and makes it possible for children who wouldn’t normally have access to the arts an opportunity to explore their artistic side.

The Kentucky Arts Center has even teamed up with schools, colleges, and universities to come up with ways to incorporate art into the curriculum. One of their missions is to make art an important part of K-12 education in American schools by exploring the way art influences people in their everyday lives.

One of the best parts about the Kentucky Center for the Arts is the fact that it’s located right in downtown Louisville. Visitors can stay at a downtown Louisville Kentucky bed and breakfast, explore downtown shops and attractions during the day, and walk to a show at the Kentucky Center for the Arts at night. Louisville is also home to the Kentucky Derby. Even if you don’t have tickets to the event, the Kentucky Derby Museum is open all year and is a terrific way to learn about the sport of horse racing.

There are some great dining venues near the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, ranging from exclusive French cuisine to barbeque joints that serve up buckets of hot wings and pints of beer. You won’t have a problem finding a place to eat with over 2,500 restaurants in Louisville.

Besides watching ballet dancers grace the stage in a Louisville Ballet performance, don’t miss the MeX Theater that is more commonly known as the Boyd Martin Experimental Theater. The theater is deceptively simple in nature, consisting of a lone “black box.” Artists who perform in this Kentucky Arts Center theater can use this blank canvas to be as creative as they would like in designing a new set for musicals and plays.

The Robert S. Whitney Hall is a concert hall of a much bigger scale than the MeX Theater. The hall is known for its wonderful acoustics that truly bring every instrumental sound of the Louisville Orchestra to life. Other events that take place in Whitney Hall are the Louisville Ballet and the Kentucky Opera. The hall seats 2,406 people, so getting last minute tickets is a viable option.
read more...

Louisville Kentucky

Louisville Kentucky is the known around the country as a vibrant city which hosts fun events and attractions all year round. Many people take a Louisville vacation in the spring to watch the Kentucky Derby or the “Run for the Roses.”

Louisville Vacation packages are popular for baseball enthusiasts since Louisville Kentucky is the manufacturing site of the Louisville Slugger, which is the official bat used in Major League Baseball. The Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory is located in the city and allows visitors to follow the history of Major League Baseball and learn why the bat was picked as a favorite among baseball players. After touring the museum, visitors will receive a miniature bat to keep as a souvenir of their Louisville vacation.

History enthusiasts will enjoy seeing the Belle of Louisville, which is the oldest Mississippi River stem wheel steamboat still in operation. A Louisville vacation wouldn’t be complete without a ride on this boat, which is on the list of National Historic Landmarks.

Louisville Kentucky enjoys a unique location on the banks of the Ohio River. Visiting the Louisville waterfront park is a great way to take in the views of the water. There are events and festivals taking place at the waterfront all year long, including ethnic heritage festivals and pre-Kentucky Derby events.

The city is perhaps best known for the famous Kentucky Derby horse races held at Churchill Downs. The racing season in Louisville Kentucky starts at the end of April and runs until early July and the famous Kentucky Derby occurs during the first weekend in May.

The most popular time to purchase Louisville vacation packages is in late April and early May because of all of the pre-derby events going on in the city.

Louisville offers great attractions all year long including famous museums. Science enthusiasts should check out the Louisville Science Center. The “World Around Us” exhibit teaches visitors young and old about the atmosphere, terrasphere, and aquasphere in an interactive exhibit that engages all of the senses. An ancient Egyptian mummy is also on display.

The Louisville Zoo is another attraction that is worth checking at any time of the year. The zoo is home to over 1,300 animals ranging from the largest of gorillas to the tiniest of fish. Animals can enjoy the freedom to roam on acres of habitats that are designed to imitate their natural habitats. Zoo conservation specialists and museum volunteers are available to give talks on the animals and answer any questions that visitors may have. Daily events such as “Elephant Aerobics” provide unique educational experiences that teach visitors about the habits of animals.

If there’s a thrill seeker in your family, head over to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. Among the top thrill rides at the amusement park are the “Chang,” which is a rollercoaster where visitors are required to stand for the duration of the ride and the speedy “Greezed Lightnin.” If thrill rides aren’t your idea of fun, Six Flags at Louisville Kentucky also features several fun filled family events every day, such as parades with amusement park characters and plays. Louisville vacation packages often include a trip to the amusement park, which is certainly one of the most popular activities included in Louisville vacation packages.

With a great variety of attractions on a scenic river front setting, a Louisville vacation will provide a fun filled vacation for the entire family.
read more...

Things to do in Louisville

Louisville is Kentucky's largest city and one of the most popular destinations for tourists arriving in Kentucky. Known as the Gateway to the South or Derby City, there are many attractions in Louisville, not least of which is the Kentucky Derby Festival in May every year, one of the most popular things to do if you arrive at this time. In addition to the Kentucky Derby, however, there are numerous Louisville activities available for the visitor, with a variety of museums, sports and recreational activities, shopping, and historical architecture.

Kentucky Derby Festival

The Kentucky Derby, one of the most famous horse-racing events in the country and the most popular of all the attractions in Louisville, is held on the first Saturday in May, and for the two weeks preceding the event, Louisville is aglow with the Kentucky Derby Festival and all its activities. Thunder Over Louisville, a spectacular fireworks display, and the Great Balloon Race, a hot-air balloon race over the city, are two of the most famous events during the festival. Other popular Louisville activities during the Festival include marathons, parades, a steamboat race, and art shows.

Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby itself is one of the most exciting events of the year, and is one of the oldest horse races in the US. Also called the Run for the Roses in reference to the blanket of roses draped over the winner, attending the Kentucky Derby is one of the most interesting things to do in Louisville. Sip a mint julep and chow down on some burgoo, a popular Kentucky meat stew, while watching the race and listening to the band play "My Old Kentucky Home." One of the other popular attractions in Louisville is the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs

Louisville Slugger Museum

There is a wealth of things to do in Louisville, and for the sports fan, the Louisville Slugger Museum is a must-see. Not only does the museum display the largest baseball bat in the world, but fans of baseball can watch as the factory produces the Louisville Slugger baseball bats, the official bat of Major League baseball.

Louisville Parks

Other interesting Louisville activities include biking, rollerblading, or walking in the extensive Louisville park system. The three largest parks, Cherokee Park, Iroquois Park, and Shawnee Park have a scenic loop that visitors can explore. The Louisville park system is famous for its design, and the aforementioned three main parks join with numerous smaller parks to form an emerald chain, as it's called, in the city.

Old Louisville

Exploring Old Louisville is also one of the most interesting things to do in Louisville; its historical buildings form the third largest National Preservation District in the country. Many Victorian homes, as well as 1800s iron-façade buildings grace the streets, and local bars and restaurants make walking in Old Louisville a relaxing and fun activity. A diverse neighborhood, with residents from different cultures and backgrounds, adds to the charm.

Art Galleries

On Market Street in downtown Louisville, a free gallery hop is offered on the first Friday of every month, and visitors can explore glass studios, art museums, and art galleries for free. If you are visiting Louisville in October, make sure you visit the St. James Court Art Show located in historic Louisville. At this art fair, artisans and artists showcase their work against the background of lovely historical mansions and is just one of the many fun things to do in Louisville throughout the year.
read more...