Impression of casual tourists (Louisville, Frankfort: best neighborhood, hotel, house)

[ServoMiff]

Signage in Louisville is awful - there's really no bones about it. Construction crews anywhere else would have temp orange signs to label underpasses and directions, and the design of some of the interstate interchanges was idiotic. Examples:

1) Breckinridge Ln exit Eastbound on I-264. The only signage that shows that two lanes are exit only is AFTER THE EXIT BEGINS.

2) Cloverleafs (cloverleaves?) in MANY sections of the city are terribly outdated and cause major traffic backups. Take the Snyder at the I-64 interchange North/Eastbound and the same on I-64 in both directions. There are many more examples of road design gone cheap.

Signage downtown to get to the proper freeways are incredibly lacking. Yes, some exist but only in certain spots.

Louisville can be confusing to tourists because it has a lot of oddities that I haven't noticed living elsewhere for the last 18 years - roads that change names 3 times in a 3 mile span (Hubbards/Browns/McMahon), lanes that end without much warning, lanes that become turn only lanes with limited warning (Hikes/Huntsinger/Taylorsville).

Traveling with Google Maps or Waze is almost a requirement in Louisville. I grew up here and delivered pizza for 4 years in the East End, and I still need help getting around certain parts of the city.

[Crazee Cat Lady]

You do see a lot of construction in Louisville. I grew up there for the most part so I know where all the "bigger" things are from that. I hope they get the overlook in Iroquois fixed - I use to love to go there when I was younger! But that's been awhile! I get floored from time to time, that certain things aren't there anymore though...Growing up,I loved going to the Showcase Cinema's on Bardstown Road and afterwards we would usually stop across the road at Kingfish to grab a bite to eat, I was thrown back to find that was gone!)

But that said, like several posted earlier - just use your GPS - if you don't have one in your vehicle, your cell phone has one built into it (worse case scenario you might have to go download a free app.) We have used it in cities that we haven't been to before, and it is a breeze - it even takes you pass construction zones that would impede your progress!

I can understand why your friends don't think the Malls were impressive, I don't think any Mall is impressive, I really don't like Malls...I did when I was younger ofcourse, and had my first few jobs in Malls (lol, maybe that is why I don't like them)....they are kind of bland, and if you have seen one Mall you have seen them all...more or less...it's like the same experience no matter what city you are in....at least that has been my experience. It lacks the local shopping experience in general. I prefer more unique locally owned stores...and you usually don't find them in Malls, so maybe that is it. If I need something from say Macy's, I would just as soon order it online and have it delivered to my door, than to actually go there. But I think the Highlands would be sort of unique (at least for most cities). Eok, may I ask where they were from?

[Nomomo07]

I'm looking forward to my first visit to Louisville on June 25th to watch FC Cincinnati play Louisville City FC. My uninformed opinion of Louisville (much culled from my father, who was born there and lived in the city until around 1986) is that it is very similar to Cincinnati, albeit with a stronger southern influence as well as being about half the size in terms of metro area. I've been playing on Google Maps and I've noticed a large amount of historic architecture that strongly resembles many Cincinnati neighborhoods. I'm excited to check it out and I'm looking forward to Louisville's storied reputation for hospitality. I'll only really have the morning to explore, but perhaps some natives on here could give me a couple of tips on free or cheap entertainment. Parks to explore, good breweries, interesting areas to stroll. I keep hearing about Bardstown in the Highlands area, so that is on the list. Any thoughts?

[censusdata]

The eastern half of Louisville is more Midwestern, Catholic, and German / Irish heritage and feels a lot like Cincinnati. The accents are quite similar too. The Western half of Louisville is more working class Southern. The architecture in Louisville has much more Southern influence than Cincy. Cincy has urban neighborhoods with most shops and restaurants in town centers while Louisville's urban shopping areas are strung out for miles along old turnpikes with no "town center".

Louisville City plays at Slugger Field, which is in the improving eastern part of downtown. The most gentrified part of urban Louisville is just east of there along Baxter Ave/ Bardstown Rd and also out Frankfort Ave, in between is an area of parks, forest, and a large cemetery. South of downtown towards U of L is Old Louisville, which is where the city's elite lived in the 1900s time frame, it's home to thousands of Victorian mansions.

For great parks near the stadium I'd say Waterfront Park and the Big 4 pedestrian bridge, Cherokee Park is a great urban park in the Highlands. There are tons of local restaurants in that area. Louisville's museums are affordable, Muhammad Ali Center, the Slugger Museum, and Frazier History Museum are the largest and all in are in downtown.

[Crazee Cat Lady]

Originally Posted by eok

They're doing their part to keep Louisville weird.

lol

Reminds me of...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQQ0BhTLsWc

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

Louisville is currently considered one of the coolest up and coming trendy cities in the nation along with Pittsburgh, Nashville and Oklahoma City. Its quite popular with the Milenials and is known thru out the nation as what is called using current now-a-days terminology as a "foodie" city along with some pretty good bars and clubs. It's becoming more and more destination city rather than passing thru or a stop over when travelling from one city on the way to another. From what I'm hearing Louisville is sort of become the Austin of the Ohio River Valley. There's been quite a few write ups in out of town newspapers about Louisville the past few years. It's only matter of time until Louisville gets an NBA team and some other pro sports teams.

[Mr. In-Between]

Originally Posted by Curious Kev

I work for a property manage group based out Chicago. I currently live in the Nulu area but I've lived in Indy and Columbus. I must say it amazes me how folks from Louisville feel their city offers so much more unique and special that no other city offers. Locals keep mentioning the Highlands and other areas in Louisville that you can't find in indy. I have to strongly disagree. The Geist area in indy and the old meridian hills area are just as nice if not nicer depending on who you ask but indy is surrounded with places like Zionsville,Carmel,Fishers,Avon,Brownsburg,Plainfie ld,Greenwood and Mccordsville are all nice. Downtown Indy monuments are second only to D.C. INDY soldiers&sailor monument downtown is very nice. You can't find anything like that downtown Louisville. All I'm saying is it's clear the locals from each city will defend their hometown but to say one city is better than the nexts sound like a personal preference more than anything. I liked Louisville only cause it was different in it's own right but not because it had so much more to offer than indy or Columbus. Indy has decided to go after corporate America and professional sports. Louisville is more southern charm and hometown feel. So their entirely two different cities on two different roads to success. What works for indy won't work for Louisville and vise versa. Indy does extremely well with larger conventions and corporate attractions. Louisville had its own charms that works for them but it's like Louisville wants to have it both ways. You wanna be looked at as a city but still hold on to your unique charm but indy had hit it hard on impressing large companies to relocate downtown Indy like my company did from Chicago. I liked the feel both cities give in their own way but Louisville isn't light years ahead of Indy like some of you are suggesting

Kind of the way I see it. Aside from that horse race, I can't think of anything Louisville does that some other city doesn't do better. Maybe the food, but I don't eat out that much, so it doesn't mean a lot to me.

They say it's a charmig city, and I guess I can see some of that. But for me, it takes a lot of charm to make up for the sucky eduication system, 3rd-world infrastructure, lousy traffic, crony politics, and just-plain-boringness. And while I do love the genuine charm of a Southern city, I feel that a lot more strongly in cities like Atlanta, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.

It's not like I hate the place, but there isn't too much about it that I'll miss. It's just a town.

Edit: And for those complaining about the signage, I completely agree. I don't know what i is aboiut Kentucky in general, but why do so many towns and cities not put up street signs? It seems the bigger the street, the more likely it is to not have signs telling people the name of it. It's like they just assume that everyone who lives here grow up here, and if you didn't know the name of the street you wouldn't be on it in the first place. Drives me nuts sometimes.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by Mr. In-Between

Kind of the way I see it. Aside from that horse race, I can't think of anything Louisville does that some other city doesn't do better. Maybe the food, but I don't eat out that much, so it doesn't mean a lot to me.

They say it's a charmig city, and I guess I can see some of that. But for me, it takes a lot of charm to make up for the sucky eduication system, 3rd-world infrastructure, lousy traffic, crony politics, and just-plain-boringness. And while I do love the genuine charm of a Southern city, I feel that a lot more strongly in cities like Atlanta, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.

It's not like I hate the place, but there isn't too much about it that I'll miss. It's just a town.

Edit: And for those complaining about the signage, I completely agree. I don't know what i is aboiut Kentucky in general, but why do so many towns and cities not put up street signs? It seems the bigger the street, the more likely it is to not have signs telling people the name of it. It's like they just assume that everyone who lives here grow up here, and if you didn't know the name of the street you wouldn't be on it in the first place. Drives me nuts sometimes.

Louisville looks and feels and has art and architecture superior to that in Indy. Louisville also has excellent schools, particularly private. Louisville and Columbus are identical except Columbus has nicer sprawlburbs.

If Louisville is boring then Indy is a major yawn.

Louisville, advantages are art, architecture, local food. And most of all, festivals. Unless you delve into this Louisville subculture, I completely agree Louisville offers nothing more than Indy.

[ServoMiff]

Originally Posted by Peter1948

Louisville looks and feels and has art and architecture superior to that in Indy. Louisville also has excellent schools, particularly private. Louisville and Columbus are identical except Columbus has nicer sprawlburbs.

If Louisville is boring then Indy is a major yawn.

Louisville, advantages are art, architecture, local food. And most of all, festivals. Unless you delve into this Louisville subculture, I completely agree Louisville offers nothing more than Indy.

Columbus' downtown SEEMS cleaner than Louisville. Wife and I visited there while following the Louisville Bats last year and quite enjoyed our trip. Not sure if I know enough about Columbus to comment more than that at this point.

Indy is catching up to Louisville with its Theater Square district and improving Broad Ripple area, but it still is boring. I lived there 8 years and just went back this month. It's improved as most cities have during the improving national economy. I'd still choose Louisville, but housing is more prevalent there and it's now less expensive than Louisville.

If you're really into festivals (I despise them - the only thing I'd like about them is if I were a rental property owner near waterfront and Nulu) then yeah Louisville has tons of them. But, I instead enjoy basic things like up-to-date infrastructure over a few overly expensive places to drink booze and listen to nostalgic tunes. I also like a more diverse economic job base. Millennials might be okay here for the first few years, but where are the middle management and higher paying jobs that aren't in boring industries like healthcare and fast food?

To that end, it seems like Indy and Columbus are MUCH farther ahead in infrastructure updating than Louisville. The state has been working on the I-465 NE side at I-69 for years and it's getting near being in good shape. The East End bridge thing was great for some Indiana commuters, but I've yet to see stats that show where it's significantly lowered the burden on the downtown bridges. In fact the 2nd street bridge is in gridlock 24/7 now it seems.

The point that I'm trying to make is that the subculture only means something to a limited number of people. So, it's not something that is the winning card in most cases when all else is equal.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

As a once-in-a-while casual tourist passing thru Louisville, are there any good restaraunts in Louisville where home made biscuits and red eye gravy are on the breakfast menu?