This region of Kentucky is probably the most misnamed of the regions. Calling it the Derby Region seriously limits the beauty and wonder that awaits a visitor here. And, after all, the Derby Festival happens once a year, lasts only two weeks, and the actual race itself is just under two minutes.
A rather short length of time by which to label an entire region.
While I won't completely ignore the Derby and Festival, I do want to talk about some of the other wonderful things the region has to offer.
So, we will start with the Derby and Festival. The Festival is held for the two weeks preceding the actual race. There are contests, concerts, specialty meals, and so much more. The culmination of the Festival is the actual running of the race. The race is the first of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Horse Races (generally just called the Triple Crown). Side note: no horse has won all three races since 1978.
As previously mentioned, Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky. His birthplace, Hodgenville, is located in this region of Kentucky. This actual house is enshrined in the Memorial Building on the property. The site recently reopened after undergoing renovations to restore and preserve. Visitors can see the site where the Lincolns got the water they used on a daily basis. As a fun fact (no real purpose), Abraham Lincoln's last living relative passed away in 1985.
The Derby region is also home to several stops on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Bardstown, considered the bourbon capital of the world, is located in this region. Visitors can complete a "passport," which shows they have stopped at all six of the distilleries on the Trail. Doing so will gain the visitor a commemorative t-shirt. Of the six stops, only one has a very small admission fee. The others are free and all six offer tours and tastings.
While in Bardstown, you can visit Federal Hill. The mansion in this state park served as the inspiration for Kentucky's state song, "My Old Kentucky Home." Costumed guides will take you on tours through the house, transporting you back to antebellum South. While there, you can also see "Stephen Foster: The Musical," depicting the life of this amazing composer.
This musical is Kentucky's longest running outdoor drama. Stephen Foster Productions also offers two other shows: Floyd Collins and Footloose. Additionally, the company also has a Live at the Park concert series through the summer.
For the food-minded visitor to Louisville, the Hot Brown is a must-have. Created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, this dish was born out of the need for a new menu item in a hurry. Like it enough to want to re-create it? The Brown Hotel's website offers the recipe!
Sports fans will find fun in Louisville as well. Louisville is the hometown of Muhammad Ali and is the location of the Muhammad Ali Center. The Center strives to move past simply being a museum. Visitors can take a tour through Ali's career and memorabilia. However, the exhibits are designed to relay Ali's story based on the six core values of his life. The hope is that inspiration will come to those who visit and they will strive to live lives of purpose through Ali's example.
Finally, no stop in Louisville would be complete for any baseball fan without a visit to the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory: if for no other reason than to get a picture with a bat that is 120 feet tall. Visitors can also see bats being made, learn the history of the bat and see the evolution of the sport, and follow the walk of fame.
Most of my trips to Louisville have been for conferences, so I have not had much time to visit the city or what it has to offer. I plan to add stops in Louisville to my travels, to get a chance to experience what the city has available to visitors.
Over the next couple of days, I am going to spend time in the Bluegrass Region. This is home to some wonderful people I have met through my bff
bluebelleinbg. I am as excited about writing of this region as I was about my own. I cannot wait to learn more about the region my friends call home!
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