Visitor's Center

If you are new in this community or simply plan to travel during the festivities we are glad to welcome you to our city. Louisville's history and culture are celebrated best through the dynamic events of the Kentucky Derby Festival.

Where to stay
Louisville has nearly 17,000 hotel rooms available around the year. However, the Kentucky Derby Festival is one of the busiest time in Louisville. Make your reservations early. Here's a list of links to help you:

Getting to Know Louisville
Louisville's greatest natural resource, the Ohio River , is the reason for the city's existence. When early settlers began the westward expansion, the Ohio River was the primary water link between the West and Northeast. A series of rapids along the route, however, forced settlers to disembark and portage around the falls. This stopping point became a strategic area for distribution and eventually grew into the city of Louisville , which was named in honor of King Louis XVI of France . Revolutionary War hero George Rogers Clark founded Louisville in 1778.

Capt. Meriwether Lewis, leader of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, met Capt. William Clark, brother of Col. George Rogers Clark, and co-commander of the Expedition, in Louisville on October 14, 1803. William Clark and Meriwether Lewis stayed in Louisville and Clarksville, Indiana for 12 days, setting sail with the Corps of Discovery on this epic journey to explore the West on October 26, 1803. Area attractions such as Churchill Downs, the Falls of the Ohio State Park and Locust Grove Historic Home have connections to these historically significant men.

Louisvillians
We're sure you'll find the more than 1 million Louisvillians in the metropolitan area - Jefferson , Oldham and Bullitt counties in Kentucky and Clark , Floyd , Harrison and Scott counties in Southern Indiana -friendly and full of Southern charm.

Where is Louisville?
Louisville is located between St. Louis and Cincinnati on the banks of the scenic 981-mile-long Ohio River. Located at the northern edge of the south and the southern edge of the Midwest , Louisville's central location puts it within a day's drive of half the nation's population. At the intersection of three major interstates, I-64, I-71 and I-65, the city is directly connected to such communities as: Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago, Columbus, Cleveland, Birmingham, Richmond and Norfolk.

Louisville International Airport (SDF) is just 7 miles/10 minutes from downtown. Serviced by a dozen carriers, the airport offers approximately 100 daily departures with non-stop or direct service to 68 destinations in 28 states plus Mexico, Canada and the District of Columbia. Book your flight at www.flylouisville.com.

Getting Around
You'll find that Louisville offers a variety of shopping, dining, attractions and accommodations from downtown to the airport/South, from the East End to Southern Indiana.

Taxi service is available 24 hours a day. For fast, easy transportation in and around the Greater Louisville area, nothing beats the Transit Authority of River City (TARC), offering bus service throughout the day and evening. TARC also operates Louisville's historic Toonerville II and Main Street Trolleys, which provide transportation in the downtown area.

Helpful Information
As you're driving around the city taking in the sights, tune your radio dial to 530 AM for up-to-date traffic reports and visitor information.

Climate
Although Louisville experiences four distinct seasons, summer tends to come quicker while fall lasts longer, and the relatively short winters bring more rain than snow. March is usually the wettest month; October the driest. For average highs, lows and rainfall visit www.weather.com/weather/climatology/monthly/40202.

Free Wi-Fi
Hotspots for free wireless access are available at many businesses and all public libraries throughout Louisville . Several new public locations in downtown include Fourth Street from Fourth Street Live! to Theatre Square, Jefferson Square and all 85 acres of Waterfront Park . St. James Court in Old Louisville and portions of Baxter Avenue from East Breckinridge Street to Highland Avenue are also Wi-Fi ready.

Time Zone - EST
Louisville operates on Eastern Standard Time from the last Sunday in October to the first Sunday in April , and on Eastern Daylight Saving Time the rest of the year.