Jan. in Louisville (Bardstown, Island: 2009, best hotels, how much)

[Green-bay12]

My husband and I will be coming to Louisville for 4 days in Jan. What is a good area to stay in (we will have a car) and is there any thing special to do in January there? Any help would be appreciated because we have only driven thru Louisville and never stayed there for any amount of time, so I really don't know what to do there in Januuary. THANKS!

[mdawg]

I would recommend downtown if you have a car. I don't know how much you want to spend but The Seelbach, The Brown, The Galt House, 21C, and the Marriott Downtown are all very nice. The Brown is very nice, it has a lot of history in it, and so does the Seelbach. Both are very beautiful, historic hotels. 21C and the Marriott are pretty new. 21C is probably like nothing you have ever seen. Its very modern and you have to check out the bathrooms on the main floor. The Galt House is a very nice hotel, I haven't stayed there but I know a lot of people who when they come to Louisville, they will only stay there. All of these hotels have excellent restaurants. The Oak Room in the Seelbach is the only AAA 5 star restaurant in Kentucky. It is expensive, but worth it IMO. If you are looking for historic, I would go with The Brown, if you want modern, 21C. If a hotel is not a very big deal to you, then the Marriott Downtown is a nice chain hotel. The Seelbach might be good if you are wanting to go to 4th Street Live since it is literally right next to it.

In January you can catch a UofL basketball game, they are playing Villanova on the 11th. Cats is coming to town the 22nd to the 24th at the Kentucky Center. There is usually always something going on in Louisville. 4th Street live is a pretty cool touristy thing. Lots of bars, nightclubs and restaurants. It's most likely going to be kind of chilly in January so that limits the amount of outside activities that are going on, but I'm sure you will find something to do. Other people on here probably know of more things that are going on than I do. Hope y'all have a good visit!

[spence425]

if i'm not mistaken, 21c just won an award.

[johnsonkk]

Originally Posted by mdawg

I would recommend downtown if you have a car. .....

It's most likely going to be kind of chilly in January so that limits the amount of outside activities that are going on, but I'm sure you will find something to do.....

Hope y'all have a good visit!

The OP is from Green Bay so anything we get in January won't be called chilly. Ever see a Packers game? Some don't even wear shirts until it gets below zero . It usually stays above 10 degrees ABOVE zero in January with highs often reaching the 20's and low 30's.

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by spence425

if i'm not mistaken, 21c just won an award.

Not just any award. CondeNast rated it the best in the United States.

2009 Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Travel Awards: The Best Hotels, Resorts, Cities, Islands, Airlines, and more on Concierge.com

Just look at the list and the company there.

This is a seriously huge deal for tourism in Louisville. Also, for all the naysayers against Museum Plaza, this is the kind of national and international buzz that that project could create about Louisville if it was ever finished (by the same developers).

As Mario Lopez recently said, Louisville is the most surprisingly sophisticated city he has ever visited. When you come to Louisville, you do not expect much, and then you are thrown a city with a lot of urbanity, good fun, decent nightlife, friendly people, and great culture. It really is a suprising place for being located in a state like KY.

To the OP, you need to be much much more specfic for me to help you. What is your age range? What is your interests? With the exception of pro sports and super upscale shopping, Louisville has about anything you can imagine in a major to mid major city.

[English Liz]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

It usually stays above 10 degrees ABOVE zero in January with highs often reaching the 20's and low 30's.

When I arrive late February then should I bring my shorts!!! Or my woolly jumpers?

[spence425]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

The OP is from Green Bay so anything we get in January won't be called chilly. Ever see a Packers game? Some don't even wear shirts until it gets below zero . It usually stays above 10 degrees ABOVE zero in January with highs often reaching the 20's and low 30's.

according to city-data.com, the average temperature in january is 32 degrees, with the daily low at 25 and the daily high at about 40.

[Green-bay12]

Thanks for the ideas and help. We know that it will be cold but we are trying to make the best of the time of the year that we will be there. We are both in our 50's and very active and like to "know" a city when we visit there. Do you think it is better if we stay on the outskirts of the city and drive in for the different things to do or stay downtown? I'm am thinking that alot of the normal things won't be happening because it is Jan, but any suggestions? We aren't big sports nuts (well, other than still staying with the Packers....), like to check out interesting things in new places, not that much into museums, but love the history of different citys. Thanks for any extra help you can pass along.

[Christoph006]

If you're interested in history then you can check out the Thomas Edison House in Butchertown if it's open then I'm not too sure, Historic Homes Foundation There's also the Louisville Slugger museum and Kentucky Derby museum. Granted they are museums, but that's the first things to pop in my head as far as city history goes.

[mdawg]

Locust Grove and Farmington are 2 old plantations that are pretty cool. Drive around the Highlands around Bardstown Rd. and go to some of the restaurants and stores. Glassworks downtown is neat, they blow glass in front of you and give tours. Mint Julep Tours gives tours of the Bourbon Trail, Historic Louisville, and Horse Country and is based out of the Galt House. I've heard Louisville Mega Cavern is pretty cool. It is the largest "building" in Kentucky and is located underneath the Louisville Zoo. They give tours of the cavern on a tram pulled by Jeep Wranglers. The Falls of the Ohio State Park across the river in Indiana would be a good thing to check out if it happens to be nice out when you all are here. You can walk down to the river and see all the fossils and they have a pretty cool welcome center. If I think of anything else to to I'll let y'all know.