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

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 28 Apr

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $25.00

Make a reservation

Mon 28 Apr

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!

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 (649)

Jardinami

Apr 2020

Both tours are amazing! David Domine our tour guide was so informative and friendly! The daytime tour revealed a plethora of architecture information of this charming neighborhood! The nighttime ghost tour was spine tingling and historical! How wonderful it was to be guided by an author of ghost stories!

Response from Host

Apr 2020

Thank you so much! We look forward to seeing you back in Old Louisville soon!

BeckyE226

Apr 2020

The tours are awesome. There is history around every corner, and the guide knows more of these tidbits than anyone! Info is extremely well-researched and presented in a way that brings the stories to life. You will leave the tour with a new or deepened love of the neighborhood. Ghost tours are very awesome. Creepy, a bit scandalous. Have your camera and your walking shoes ready!

Response from Host

Apr 2020

Thanks for joining us on the evening ghost tour, Becky! See you soon!

lisak1261961

Apr 2020

I have visited many cities and one of my passions are to visit old historic homes/ mansions and take tours of beautiful town squares or neighborhoods. Louisville is blessed to have one of the largest areas of old magnificent mansions from the turn of the century still standing and maintained. It is probably the loveliest neighborhood I have ever visited with green foliage, flowers, dogwood trees, cherry blossoms and each home is so unique. The tour guide is so knowledgeable with the history and very interesting stories about the owners and the period of when the home was built.Some of the stories are quite scandalous and even spooky. I would recommend this tour any time because of the beauty of this area. You will simply be in awe of these beautiful homes . It is like walking back into time or into a history buff's fairy tale. Please take this tour. You will enjoy it immensely with a group of friends or as a couple. You will not be disappointed.

Response from Host

Apr 2020

Thanks for coming to Old Louisville, Lisa! We look forward to seeing you the next time you're here!