Old Louisville Walking Tour Recommended by The New York Times! @ 4th and Ormsby Discount Tickets

4.9
★★★★★ ★★★★★
Based on 167 reviews |

Get your discount tickets for the Old Louisville Walking Tour Recommended by The New York Times! @ 4th and Ormsby, save up to 9% !

Overview

Walking tours of "America's Grandest Victorian Neighborhood" year-round 7 days a week! As featured in the HBO Original Murder in Glitterball City! The New York Times recommends our tours as a MUST during a visitor's "36 Hours in Louisville." Our tours include more than St. James Court, unlike other local organizations that have copied us. We visit Ormsby Avenue, Central Park, hidden Floral Terrace, the Witches' Tree, and Millionaires Row, where Bourbon barons, racetrack royalty, and titans of tobacco settled in the 1800s. Today, impressive Victorian mansions and quirky residents have earned national attention for Old Louisville. Our narrated walks depart from the transitional edge of the neighborhood. If you love old houses, this is the tour for you! If you can't go 2 hours without a bathroom, this tour is not for you! If you do not like an up-and-coming, diverse neighborhood, please stay home. Private and group tours available as well.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Daytime tours NO LONGER start at Adrienne & Co. donut shop near the corner of Fourth and Oak. Unfortunately, this business has permanently closed its doors due to the current COVID situation. Meet your guide at the brown "Welcome to Old Louisville" sign on the corner. "1300 S. 4th. St." for GPS.

Language Offered

German-GUIDE

English-GUIDE

Spanish-GUIDE

Itinerary

1. Old Louisville
With more than a thousand structures spread out over 40 square blocks, Old Louisville is one of the largest historic districts in the United States. This is a transitional neighborhood and you should expect to encounter things you would in any larger city. Panhandlers and homeless people, for example, are often found along Fourth Street at the north edge of the neighborhood. This is a walking tour and we do not enter any structures, as most of the houses in Old Louisville are private residences. We do stop in front of the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum, and you can arrange with them to tour the mansion for a fee.
Duration: 15 mins
2. Floral Terrace
Let our friendly guide usher you into Floral Terrace, a hidden gem of a walking court that you probably wouldn't find on your own. This inviting oasis never fails to charm with its Arts and Crafts residences and greenery.
Duration: 5 mins
3. The Witches' Tree
A gnarled tree rose up on the spot where a tree cherished by local witches once stood. When the city chopped down the original tree, townsfolk incurred the wrath of the crones, who sent a tornado to destroy the city in revenge. Visitors often leave offerings on the twisted trunk to make amends.
Duration: 5 mins
4. Central Park
Just like its famous cousin in New York City, Louisville's Central Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. With 14 acres of native tree species and shaded walkways, this four-square-block space counts as the green heart of the neighborhood. It's also where Shakespeare in the Park takes place each summer, since 1961, making it the nation's oldest free outdoor Shakespeare event.
Duration: 5 mins
5. Conrad-Caldwell House Museum (Conrad's Castle)
This is a walking tour and we do not enter any structures, as most of the houses in Old Louisville are private residences. We do stop in front of the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum, and you can arrange with them to tour the mansion for a fee.
Duration: 5 mins
6. St. James Court Fountain
Enjoy the splashing water in the iconic fountain with the statue of Venus Rising from the Sea that has been the symbol of Old Louisville since the 1890s.
Duration: 5 mins
7. Belgravia Court
Enjoy a leisurely stroll among the gas lamps that illuminate this, the first of the Derby City's charming walking courts, 24 hours a day. Since 1891, Belgravia Court has been a favorite destination in Old Louisville.
Duration: 5 mins
8. Bernheim Mansion Bed and Breakfast
At the heart of the old Millionaires Row, the Bernheim Mansion features green men arranged around a triple Roman-arched porch. This is just one of the features that sets this impressive Richardsonian Romanesque mansion apart.
9. The Filson Historical Society
Built in 1905, the Ferguson Mansion once counted as the grandest home in the city. A splendid example of Beaux Arts architecture, it today is headquarters for the Filson Historical Society. Visits can be arranged separately.
Duration: 5 mins

Inclusion

Certified Guide

Exclusion

Private transportation

Cancellation Policy

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

  • 0% refund if cancelled 0+ days before the start date

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

FYI The starting point is in a transitional area where you might encounter panhandlers, homeless people, and people who don't look like you.

MUST BE ABLE TO WALK 90 MINUTES WITHOUT A BATHROOM BREAK!

Not recommended for visitors with mobility issues

Supplied by Louisville Historic Tours

Reviews

4.9

★★★★★ ★★★★★
Based on 167 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

5 stars
159
4 stars
5
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 stars
2

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