Louisville Experiences

The Kentucky Derby, is a top rank, Grade I stakes race for 3 year old Thoroughbred horses. The race distance is one and one-quarter miles long, and it is run on the dirt racetrack at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. 20 horses compete in the Kentucky Derby, which is a larger field size than most horse races; where on average 8 horses race against one another.

The 20 horses racing in the Kentucky Derby must first travel along the Road to the Kentucky Derby, which is a series of 35 races taking place at tracks across the country and the world. Points are awarded to the top 4 horses that finish in each of those 35 races, and the 20 horses with the most points earn a spot in the starting gate in the Kentucky Derby race. The Kentucky Derby winning purse is $2 million. The Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May every year, and typically draws a crowd of 155,000 people. It is the longest continually held sporting event in America, and it is one of the most prestigious horse races in the world. 

Experience the other side of Locust Grove as you accompany the Croghan family’s enslaved laundress and enslaved distillery assistant throughout the house and outbuildings as they go about their daily routines. This tour will immerse you in the year 1816 as you witness the sights, smells, and sounds of a 19th century farm all while learning about lives and stories of the enslaved individuals at Locust Grove. The program will cover the realities and truths of enslaved life in 19th century Kentucky. Unfolding the Story takes place inside on two floors of the historic house and outside in and around the historic outbuildings.

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is all about celebrating the extraordinary role of Louisville Slugger in baseball’s past, present and future. They are here to delight guests and create joyful, lifetime memories. Baseball connects generations, they see it every day. Since the sport is such a big part of American history and culture, even visitors who don’t consider themselves big fans find something here that resonates with them. Maybe it’s the fun stories and fascinating machinery in the factory, or the hands on exhibits, or one of the special exhibitions that broaden the interpretation of baseball.

The history of the company sets them apart. They started making baseball bats in 1884, and have been doing factory tours for so long they are not even sure when they started! The LSMF celebrates the here and now too. Today’s sluggers know they’re teaming up not only with heritage but also with cutting-edge, current day research and technology. They haven’t been making bats this long without some serious innovations that keep them at the top of the game.