Bourbon City’s Fascinating History Comes to Life

Louisville, KY (July 29, 2024) – The Louisville Downtown Partnership (LDP) is launching the first-of-its-kind self-guided audio walking tour series. The Downtown Louisville Easy App Walking Tour Series is designed to immerse locals and visitors alike in the rich history, culture, and architecture of our vibrant city.

With each tour, individuals will discover, or rediscover, the heart of Louisville through a guided narration that illuminates the stories behind iconic landmarks, hidden gems, and historical sites. Louisville’s Downtown is chock full of still-standing historic buildings and other structures that play vital roles in Louisville’s architectural, industrial, and cultural legacy.

The inaugural series of the Downtown Louisville Walking Tours include historic West Main Street, Civil Rights Markers, and Whiskey Row. Each tour is voiced by Louisvillians including University of Louisville Archivist Tom Owen; author and daughter of Muhammad Ali, Rasheda Ali; and LDP’s executive director Rebecca Fleischaker.

“We are thrilled to unveil these new audio walking tours, offering an additional way for people to engage with Downtown and enlighten themselves about the story of our city,” said Rebecca Fleischaker, executive director of LDP. “Whether you're a first-time visitor or a longtime resident, these self-guided tours provide a personalized and educational experience that celebrates the unique character and heritage of our Downtown.”

Informational cards about the tours will be available at Louisville Tourism’s downtown Visitor Information Center at Fourth and Jefferson.

“Louisville’s walkability is on full display as guests enjoy this new audio tour series featuring many of the unique attractions that can only be found in Bourbon City,” said Cleo Battle, Louisville Tourism President & CEO. “We know these self-guided tours will tell Louisville’s authentic story, showcasing why Travel + Leisure named us one of the ’50 Best Places to Travel to in 2024.”

Each tour is 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how long individuals want to stop and look around. Directions are provided within the audio tour.

Each tour is accessible via any podcast platform, found under LDP’s Spotify, or can be streamed directly from the Louisville Downtown Partnership website. The tours are free, and digital maps of each tour can be downloaded or printed here.

To help with trip planning, guests can download a copy of Louisville Tourism’s annual Visitor Guide to see the city's top attractions, bourbon distilleries, hotels and neighborhoods.