Family Fun Guide for Summer
Create memories with a week (or weekend) of Summer fun in Louisville. We’ve pulled together a suggested list of family-friendly attractions and hidden gems around town below that are perfect for exploring.
Great for Teenages & "Tween"-agers 🏎️
Art comes to life before your eyes with glassblowing at Flame Run. You are the artist with the “Design Your Own” experience where trained artists help you create your one-of-a-kind art piece. Become part of the art at 21C Museum Hotel’s falling letter art installation near the elevators. Just hold your arms out to see where the letters land. Before leaving, take a selfie with one of the red penguins that “roam around” the lobby.
For indoor fun and games, check out Activate Games where high-tech games test your physical and code-breaking skills (it’s almost like being a part of the movie TRON). Fulfill the need for speed up to 30 mph with indoor go-karts at Bluegrass Indoor Karting & Events. Wall-to-wall trampolines await at Sky Zone Trampoline Park with a ninja warrior course, slides, dodgeball, foam pit and more. (For the little ones in your group—not to worry. There’s a kid’s court the perfect size for them.) Check out Dave & Buster’s or the Main Event for additional indoor fun. For indoor putting fun, head over to Puttshack for an interactive miniature golf experience like never before with larger-than-life obstacles, lights, and music.
A former limestone quarry underneath parts of Louisville found a new life as the world’s only underground adventure park. The Louisville Mega Cavern is home to a zipline course, tram tour, ropes course, bike tour, and more. Enjoy outdoor thrills and chills at Kentucky Kingdom & Hurricane Bay Amusement Park with over 70 rides and attractions throughout the amusement park and over 25 water slides, plus a wave pool at the water park.
The Younger Crowd 🐻❄️🎨
Picture your family seeing the sights in style. Enjoy a 90-minute guided tour of the city’s hidden gems and famous spots aboard the charming Trolley De ‘Ville. Louisville's Waterfront Park is a perfect playground for kids to run around and explore, including the new PlayPort-- a 3.5 acre space with a distinctive hands-on playground that showcases the areas history and heritage. Be sure to walk across the Big Four Bridge to watch the barges navigate the Ohio River. The Speed Art Museum is the oldest and largest art museum in Kentucky that is home to classical and modern art plus rotating temporary exhibitions. For the budding artist, stop by Art Sparks-- an interactive, hands-on art gallery.
Ready to meet some four-legged friends? Stop by the Louisville Zoo, where you’ll meet include Lee the Polar Bear, Fitz the African Elephant calf, and the newest slower moving residents—the two-toed Sloths Sebastian and Sunni. Across town, goats, donkeys and horses are waiting to say "hi" at Blackacre State Nature Preserve. Just north of Louisville, Huber’s Orchard & Winery Family Farm Park is loaded with outdoor fun with a train, slides, mazes and larger than life animals (don’t worry they won’t bite).
Along the banks of the Ohio River in Southern Indiana, budding geologists will enjoy hiking atop the 390-million-year-old fossil beds at the Falls of the Ohio State Park. As the largest hands-on science center in the state, the Kentucky Science Center encourages all visitors to engage in science in their own way throughout each of the floors.
All Ages ⚽
Get outside and explore Louisville’s green spaces, from scenic trails at Iroquois Park to the sprawling Parklands of Floyds Fork. Just across the river, families can wander the ruins of the 100-year-old Rose Island amusement park, while nearby Bernheim Arboretum and Forest invites visitors to walk among the treetops and meet the towering Forest Giants.
Nature lovers can stop and smell the blooms at the Waterfront Botanical Gardens or visit the tiny residents of Idlewild Butterfly Farm & Insectarium. At Cave Hill Cemetery, a historic garden cemetery and arboretum, follow the colored paths to the final resting places of Muhammad Ali and Colonel Sanders.
Discover hidden gems like the Little Loomhouse, where the “Happy Birthday to You” song was first performed, and look ahead to The Dot Experience opening in 2026 at the American Printing House for the Blind.
Before heading home, check out Louisville’s must-see attractions including the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, Muhammad Ali Center, Kentucky Derby Museum, Frazier History Museum, Belle of Louisville, and Roots 101 African American Museum.
Sports fans can cheer on the Louisville Bats at Louisville Slugger Field or catch soccer action with Louisville City FC and Racing Louisville FC at Lynn Family Stadium. And keep an eye out for colorful murals and sculptures--Alley Gallery has transformed downtown into an outdoor art gallery.
Eats + Sweet Treats 🍔🍦
After exploring all the amazing attractions and parks around town, here are a few suggestions of place where you can all kick back, relax and enjoy.
RecBar | Union Restaurant & GameYard | Troll Pub Under the Bridge |
| Please & Thank You | 80/20 @ Kaelin’s (Birthplace of the Cheeseburger) | Mark’s Feed Store Bar-B-Q |
| Bearno’s Pizza | Bae’s Bakery | Glow Worm Play Café |
| The Old Spaghetti Factory | Hauck's Corner | Schimpff’s Confectionary |
| Louisville Cream | Nord’s Bakery | Homemade Pie & Ice Cream Kitchen |
| Kizito Cookie Factory | Georgia’s Sweet Potato Pie Company | Biscuit Belly |
| Logan Street Market | Breakfast AF | Captain's Quarters |
Louisville has no shortage of events happening all summer long. Check out our calendar of events to see what is going on while you're visiting or sign up for our weekly Top Shelf Tips tip sheet for the "best bets" for weekend fun.
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21c Museum Hotel Louisville is more than just a place to rest your head for the night - it's a 91-room boutique hotel, contemporary art museum, and award-winning restaurant. Our spacious and…
Flame Run hot glass studio & gallery is the region's largest. See blown glass demonstrations, meet glass artists & take glass blowing classes.
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A leading tech-infused concept, Puttshack has reimagined the game of mini golf, pairing it with an upscale food and beverage menu. No need to keep score with paper and pencil, our proprietary…
An all underground Mega Zip lines and adventure tour featuring six underground zip lines, including a fun filled dual racing zip, two awesome challenge bridges that will test your skill, balance, and…
Kentucky Kingdom Theme and Water Park is Kentucky's largest amusement and water park in the heart of Louisville, Kentucky. Spanning 67 acres, it offers family-friendly entertainment with over 70 rides and attractions…
Trolley de 'Ville, “The best first thing to do in Louisville”. We offer fun and informative city tours and other specialty tours in our old-time trolleys. All our vehicles are available to…
The Waterfront isn't just a place, it's an experience. An experience that's different for everyone. We're a peaceful oasis in the heart of the city. We're a natural haven for quiet reflection…
The Big Four® Bridge links Louisville Waterfront Park to Jeffersonville, Indiana over the Ohio River. The Big Four® was built as a railroad bridge in 1895, and decommissioned in the 1960s, when…
Kentucky's oldest and largest art museum invites and inspires diverse audiences to experience the power of creativity through major exhibitions and an encyclopedic permanent collection that spans 6,000 years of human history…
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Blackacre is dedicated to preserving a special piece of Kentucky's natural legacy and early settlement history for visitors of all ages.
Winery, tours & tastings, cheese factory, gift shop, petting zoo & farm market.
The Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center & General George Rogers Clark Home Site highlight the natural & cultural history of the area including 400 million year old fossil beds & Lewis…
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Iroquois Park was planned by Frederick Law Olmsted as a "scenic reservation" of forested hillsides and breathtaking vistas. The park features the WPA-era Iroquois Amphitheater, an open-air theater that accommodates 2,366 people…
The Parklands is a world-class park system in Louisville that includes four major parks (Beckley Creek, Pope Lick, Turkey Run, and Broad Run Parks) linked by a park drive, a first-rate urban…
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Waterfront Botanical Gardens is a stunning setting for every event. From outdoor plazas with sweeping skyline views, to beautifully-designed indoor spaces for year-round comfort, the Gardens' natural beauty and modern amenities will…
Cave Hill has been blessed by a succession of competent and innovative landscape gardeners, and Louisville has been a regional center for monument makers. The result is a rural, garden-style cemetery which…
Three historic board & batten cabins circa 1870-1890. Weaving center, coverlet collection & exhibit of weaving looms, spinning wheels & lessons on or offsite.
Currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2026, this innovative museum will incorporate elements of an attraction, a factory tour, and a center of education. Extending from APH, The Dot Experience's…
Step up to the plate at one of Louisville's most iconic attractions—Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. Located in the heart of downtown on Museum Row, this immersive experience celebrates America's favorite pastime…
Located in the heart of downtown Louisville, Kentucky, the Muhammad Ali Center is a cultural attraction and international education center that is inspired by the ideals of its founder Muhammad Ali. The…
The Frazier History Museum is where the world meets Kentucky. Located on Museum Row in the Bourbon District of downtown Louisville, the Frazier documents and reinterprets stories from history using artifacts, gallery…
Take a step back in time aboard the Belle of Louisville, the last remaining authentic Mississippi River-style steamboat left in the world! Or see the River City onboard the Belle's sister, vessel…
The Roots101: African American Museum will be a museum dedicated to telling the story of the African American journey from Africa to all the ports between!
Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds. Award-winning Louisville Slugger Field, located on the banks of the Ohio River, serves as the Bats' home ballpark. Since it's opening in 2000, the…
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Since 1988 Mark's Feed Store has been delivering on their motto: "Friendly Folks Servin' Famous Bar-B-Q". Offering a cooking style handed down from a 3rd generation master from Eastern Kentucky. Only the…
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Modern ice-cream parlor featuring creative flavors & toppings, plus vegan & seasonal options.
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