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Last month, my boyfriend and I decided to take a last minute trip to get out of Ohio. We are only about three hours from a couple cities that I’ve never gone to (tbh or cared to go to), but I wanted to switch it up, explore a new place so we drove to Louisville! And turns out there is a lot more to do than I would have thought. 

My Louisville Guide

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SLEEP

21c Museum Hotel: contemporary art museum, boutique hotel and a restaurant all in one. The gallery is free + open 24 hours a day, to hotel guest and the public. So even if you don’t stay here, it is a fun place to check out.
Also, they are a dog-friendly hotel!! I obviously brought Penelope (my bulldog) with me.

EAT

So we didn’t get to go to all of these places, but our bartender gave us a good list of the best spots in town.

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Morning Treats:

• Hi-Five Doughnuts: build your own creation or go with one of their staples, inside has a playful vibe 
• Please and Thank You: trendy small-batch bakery + coffee house, 

Lunch & Dinner:

• Proof On Main: restaurant/bar inside 21c Museum Hotel
• Mussels and Burger Bar: right across the street from the hotel, gourmet twist on classic bar favorites 
• Harvest: locally grown, farm-to-table restaurant 
• Butchertown Grocery: inside a 19th-century brick building, they also have an intimate lounge upstairs
• Mayan Cafe: farm-to-table, authentic Mayan resturant
  
• Royals Hot Chicken: Nashville style hot chicken

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DRINK

• Proof On Main: inside 21c museum hotel, funky decor + super good drinks
• Mr. Lee’s Lounge: a Chicago inspired cocktail bar with an old school Japanese bar vibe
• Meta: I really wish we were able to go to this one, the bartender described it as a place with “wild cocktails”
• Lola: above Butchertown Grocery, you can get the same food menu, but different drinks upstairs at Lola
• Garage Bar: hip bar in an old garage, with a large patio area
  

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DISCOVER

We were a bit limited on what we could do since there was a tornado warning (lol – not ideal, but we made the most of it!!). Luckily the hotel had a restaurant, a bar, art gallery/museum, a (small) gym with a sauna and steam room, so we had more than enough things to keep us entertained.

The hotel was on Museum Row, so some of the touristy stuff was nearby, like the Slugger Museum + Factory, Kentucky Science Center, Muhammad Ali Center, etc. If you are a bourbon fan, you should also check out the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The closet ones to downtown are Angel’s Envy, Old Forester, Evans Williams and a little further out is Bulleit.

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We spent Sunday walking around NuLu, which is a hip, little neighborhood in East Market District. It’s filled with unique art spaces, local restaurants, wall art and specialty stores. It turned out to be a super cute area and my favorite part of the trip. 

I am so happy we ended up going on this last minute, mini road trip. It made me more curious about the other cities near Columbus. I’m going to try to visit a few more, just to switch things up and get out of Columbus. Let me know if you have any recs for other cities or what you would add to this Louisville guide!

Outfit deets:
Green romper – Abercrombie & Fitch (I’m selling on Poshmark here!)
Black open-toe booties – Forever 21
White top – Bershka
Mom jeans – Abercrombie & Fitch (similar pair here)