A4 FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2012

THE ADVOCATE-MESSENGER STATE WWW.AMNEWS.COM

AP Photo Tamara Sorrell of Austin, Texas, wears her Derby hat last year before the 137th Derby horse race at in Louisville. Although Louisville is best-known for the Derby, visitors in town for this year’s race on May 5 will find plenty of other things to do and see, from museums to historic hotels to trendy restaurants. Attractions galore in Louisville at Derby time

By BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press LOUISVILLE — Shadow- box with a silhouetted Muhammad Ali. Grab a bat and take a few swings in a batting cage at the Louisville Slugger Museum. Dig into a Hot Brown at the place where the savory sandwich was created. Sip Kentucky bourbons at a hotel where Al Capone played blackjack. Louisville is home to plenty of originals that liven up a visit to Kentucky’s largest city, best known for a 2-minute sporting event. It’s the iconic horse track that overshadows every- thing in town on the first Saturday in May. at’s when the is run at Churchill Downs — where mint juleps flow, women sport flowery hats and sleek thoroughbreds AP Photo race for immortality. John Velazquez rides Animal Kingdom to victory during last year’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, Visitors don’t have to be where mint juleps flow, women sport flowery hats and sleek thoroughbreds race for immortality. horse racing buffs to enjoy the charms of this city along the Ohio River. Usually, the city is IF YOU GO adorned in red, pink and LOUISVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM: 704 Central white blossoms as spring- BUREAU: One Riverfront Plaza, 401 W. Main Ave., Louisville; http://www.derbymuseum.org or time thoughts turn from fol- St., Suite 2300, Louisville, Ky.; http://www.go- 502-637-7097. Adults, $14; children 5-12, $6 and lowing NCAA basketball tolouisville.com or 800-626-5646. Louisville 13-18, $11. Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun- brackets to handicapping Visitors Center, 301 S. Fourth St., 502-379-6109. day, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed Derby and Oaks race the Derby. But this year’s : 144 N. Sixth days, open 8 a.m. Sunday after Derby. unseasonably warm weather St., Louisville; http://alicenter.org/site/ or 502- HOTELS: AP Photo Bland McCall of Bennettsville, S.C., poses for a photograph Feb. 19, resulted in a showy but early 584-9254. Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; n Brown Hotel, 335 W. Broadway, 2010, in front of the iconic Louisville Slugger bat at the Louisville Slugger bloom. Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Adults, $9; children 6-12, http://www.brownhotel.com/ Museum & Factory in Louisville. But the spring greenery is $4. n Seelbach Hilton, 500 S. Fourth St., always dazzling in the Blue- LOUISVILLE SLUGGER MUSEUM & FAC- http://www.seelbachhilton.com/ grass state. While in TORY: 800 W. Main St., Louisville; n 21C Museum, 700 W. Main St., in 1991, said the trend to- week, May 1-3 this year, and Louisville, visitors can stroll http://www.sluggermuseum.org/ or 877-775- http://www.21cmuseumhotels.com/louisville/ ward owner-operated includes a sumptuous Ken- along Waterfront Park — the 8443. Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, n LYNN’S PARADISE CAFE: 984 Barret Ave., restaurants has mush- tucky-style breakfast buffet city’s 85-acre front yard. e 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Adults, $11; children 6-12, $6. http://www.lynnsparadisecafe.com/ roomed in Louisville’s many from 7 to 8:30 a.m. in a din- expansive playground near distinctive neighborhoods ing space overlooking the downtown offers panoramic in recent years. finish line. views of downtown and the Visitors can shadowbox, the city celebrates with a feel. e cocktails are made “e restaurant scene, Next door, the world’s Ohio River. punch a speed bag and lean giant fireworks show, a pa- from scratch, with Kentucky I’ve never seen like this in most famous horse race is a “is time of year, into a heavy bag that lets rade, a steamboat race and a limestone water dispensed any city,” she said. “It has daily attraction at the Ken- Louisvillians get so happy,” them feel the power of an Ali balloon race — among the from old-fashioned seltzer blossomed into these in- tucky Derby Museum. said local restaurateur Lynn punch. Other exhibits re- highlights of a festival that bottles. e Oakroom at the credible, cutting-edge, hip Situated just off Gate 1 at Winter. “It’s like everyone trace Ali’s fight against war, also features athletic events, hotel is one of the city’s pre- restaurants in great build- Churchill, the museum is comes out.” segregation and poverty. music and food. mier dining spots. ings that they are renovat- filled with Derby memora- Not far from the park, sev- A short walk away, visitors Restaurants and watering Tradition gives way to ing. e quantity of them is bilia. Interactive displays let eral museums are clustered can see workers crafting bats holes are abundant in town, avant garde at 21c Museum just astonishing. To me, it’s visitors pretend they’re in the within four blocks in the used by big leaguers. e an hour’s drive or so from Hotel. e boutique hotel like a breath of fresh air.” middle of a thoroughbred city’s downtown, which fea- Louisville Slugger Museum distilleries producing world- features contemporary art But Louisville’s most en- race. ey can take a crack at tures an array of restaurants & Factory is a treasure trove famous bourbons. seemingly everywhere. e during landmark is Churchill calling a horse race as track and shops. Among the most of memorabilia that features At the Brown Hotel, one hotel includes the popular Downs, situated south of announcer. popular destinations are the bats used by Babe Ruth, of the city’s landmark places Proof on Main restaurant downtown. e historic track e museum also offers Muhammad Ali Center and Hank Aaron, Ted Williams to stay, visitors can dig into a and bar. underwent a facelift several tours of Churchill. Visitors the Louisville Slugger Mu- and other Hall of Famers. Hot Brown. e local fa- One restaurant that’s be- years ago that refurbished can get a behind-the-scenes seum & Factory. Visitors can pick a bat, vorite, an open-faced turkey come a staple for visitors the six-level clubhouse, glimpse of millionaires’ row, e Ali Center showcases wood or aluminum, and take and bacon sandwich cov- and locals alike is Lynn’s added luxury suites and the jockeys’ quarters, the the boxing career of the for- a crack in the batting cages. ered with Mornay sauce (a Paradise Cafe, where the , spruced up the home of the press box and other areas of mer world heavyweight “We have little kids and creamy cheese sauce), was funky decor and comfort Kentucky Derby. e spring the track’s clubhouse. A barn champion known as “the big kids alike,” said em- first served at the hotel foods are big draws in the racing meet begins April 28, and backside tour lets visi- Louisville Lip,” and high- ployee Tony Fowler. decades ago. Barret Avenue neighbor- a week before the Run for the tors soak in the life of thor- lights his social activism and e springtime pace in At the Seelbach Hilton, hood east of downtown. e Roses. oughbreds between races. humanitarian causes out of town can seem as fast as on another renowned baked macaroni and Visitors can watch Derby Carolyn Hayden of the ring. the track at Churchill Louisville hotel where Al cheese, hot browns, meat contenders go through work- Louisville brought her ex- Ali, who turned 70 in Jan- Downs. e big horse race Capone played blackjack, loaf and omelets are among outs in preparation for the tended family from Califor- uary, grew up in a West End may only last two minutes, there’s an extensive bour- the favorites. You can wash big race, but it requires an nia to visit the museum and neighborhood of Louisville. but the pre-race celebration bon collection, including it down with a bourbon ball early wakeup call. tour the track. e center replays his lasts weeks during the Ken- ultra-premium single-barrel milk shake. Churchill’s Dawn at the “On a pretty day, it’s great most famous bouts and fea- tucky Derby Festival. bourbons, served in a bar Winter, a Louisville native Downs offer runs from Tues- to be outside at the track,” tures plenty of memorabilia. Leading up to the Derby, restored to an early 1900s who opened the restaurant day to ursday of Derby she said.