Louisville

Louisville, Kentucky, on the Ohio River, is the spiritual home of American bourbon whiskey, the Kentucky Derby (the oldest continuously held major horse race in the United States) and the Muhammad Ali Center, a world-class museum honouring the most significant and culturally complex figure in American sports history. It is also a genuinely pleasant and improving city. The Muhammad Ali Center, built on the river in Ali's hometown, is one of America's most thoughtful and beautifully executed museums — covering Ali's boxing career while engaging seriously with his conversion to Islam, his refusal of the Vietnam draft and his global humanitarian work. The Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, where the famous baseball bats have been produced since 1884, offers factory tours watching bats being made. The Frazier History Museum focuses on frontier American history. The Kentucky Derby, held on the first Saturday of May at Churchill Downs, is America's most spectacular horse racing event — the mint juleps, the elaborate hats and the extraordinary atmosphere are as important as the race itself. Churchill Downs offers tours and races on non-Derby days. Bourbon tourism is central to Louisville's appeal: the Bourbon Trail connecting the city's distilleries and the surrounding Bardstown area creates an excellent self-guided tour. NuLu (New Louisville) on East Market Street is the most vibrant neighbourhood for independent restaurants and shops. The Louisville Slugger, the Ali Center and excellent bourbon make it a compelling Midwestern stopover.