Louisville

One of the oldest and most historic cities west of the Appalachians, Louisville is the crown jewel of Kentucky. The city is perhaps best known as the home to the Kentucky Derby, which takes place each May at Churchill Downs. The lead-up to the annual race involves two weeks of nonstop fun, with dozens of events taking place including Thunder Over Louisville (billed as the largest fireworks display in North America), the Pegasus Parade, the Great Steamboat Race and the Great Balloon Race. The city’s thriving culinary, music and cultural scenes give locals and visitors plenty of things to do in Louisville all year round, and the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, the Gaslight Festival and the Kentucky State Fair are among the other events in Louisville.