Old Louisville Walking Tour Recommended by The New York Times! @ 4th and Ormsby in Louisville booking from $25.00

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

Overview

March through November, daily; limited dates in the off-season!

Our tours include more than St. James Court. We see twice as much as other neighborhood walking tours, visiting Ormsby Avenue, Park Avenue cottages, Floral Terrace, the Witches' Tree, and Millionaires Row. Bourbon barons, racetrack royalty, and titans of tobacco settled here in the 1800s. Today, impressive Victorian mansions and quirky residents have earned national attention for Old Louisville.

Author David Dominé often guides groups himself. The New York Times recommends his tours as a MUST during a visitor's "36 Hours in Louisville." Learn more in A DARK ROOM IN GLITTER BALL CITY, David's next book—out in October 2021!

Narrated walks depart from the transitional edge of the neighborhood. If you love old houses, this is the tour for you! If you do not like an up-and-coming neighborhood with a diverse racial make up, please stay home. If you can't go 90 minutes without a bathroom, this is not for you!

City: Louisville

Mon 23 Dec

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $25.00

Make a reservation

Mon 23 Dec

Starting at $25.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Certified Guide

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
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.
Not recommended for visitors with mobility issues
MUST BE ABLE TO WALK 90 MINUTES WITHOUT A BATHROOM BREAK!
Regular temperature checks for staff
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
In keeping with local and CDC guidelines, we are keeping our groups small and encourage the use of masks. This tour is entirely out-of-doors and we maintain proper social distances at all times.

What To Expect

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.

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.

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.

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.

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Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (365)

Jeffrey L

May 2018

One of the most beautiful old neighborhoods I have seen in the United States. The variety of Victorian homes, all over 100 years old, make for an enjoyable outdoor museum. We highly recommend taking one of the walking tours offered by David Domine.

Tobaccopat

Apr 2017

David Domine, author of a dozen books on Old Louisville, was our guide during a one-hour walking tour of part of the area known as Old Louisville. It's 45 square blocks in total, but we only covered about 20% of that area. David pointed out that every home is different and that some of them were built on walking courts, where the homes face each other and a sidewalk, instead of a street. Floral Terrace, built in 1905, is an example of a walking court community. We walked through St. James Park, the heart of the neighborhood, and saw the original site of the Southern Exposition Hall. The tour was very enjoyable and the only thing that would have made it better would have been to tour the interior of at least one of the homes.

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

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