The Ohio River tumbles southwest from Pittsburgh a few hundred miles, along the borders of several states, before merging with the Mississippi to form the southern tip of Illinois. Somewhere beyond halfway, it bubbles below the Big Four Bridge, a majestic pedestrian and bike trail that connects Louisville, Kentucky with Jeffersonville, Indiana. On a stunningly beautiful Sunday, sauntering across the bridge, I found myself in one of those moments of wonder that I appreciate more with each passing year.

A beautiful ramp circles up to the bridge from Big Four Lawn on the northern edge of Louisville. The power of the river, the magnificence of the bridge, and the energy of the people combined to create one of those days. A worthwhile footnote to the pedestrian bridge is Geraldine’s Kitchen on the Indiana side. It has great diner food but the big hit was our waitress, Courtney, who is off-the-charts engaging and entertaining. Find her!

I made the six hour drive to Louisville from Janesville with a friend. Ok, actually, we stopped for the night in Champaign, Illinois but it wasn’t really necessary. While I would rather be hanging out in Europe or Central America, COVID has a way reprioritizing things so I decided to visit some Midwestern cities that I would not otherwise have seen. And Louisville is totally worth the effort.

We stayed at an Airbnb in NuLu, about one mile east of downtown. This neighborhood of a dozen or so square blocks is so cool that we rarely left. No Churchill Downs. No Louisville Slugger museum. No bourbon tour. Just hanging out at cool bars and restaurants, checking out beautiful murals, and walking around.

NuLu is a funky, colorful collection of shops, cafes, and bars that doesn’t look like much at first but is surprisingly engaging once you start poking around.. La Bodeguita anchors the neighborhood from a big bright yellow renovated building in a central location. This authentic Cuban restaurant has a homey, energetic atmosphere and rich, flavorful food that was a shocking surprise in the Midwest. We enjoyed dinner there the first night and immediately intended to return the next evening. Unfortunately, a lot of other people had the same idea and the reservation quota was already full.

After-dinner drinks and cribbage is ideal at Taj Louisville, one block east of La Bodeguita. This charming bar is hidden in plain sight. A claustrophobically narrow walkway leads to a small courtyard where a U-turn to the left takes you into the bar There’s seating on the sidewalk and in the courtyard, but easily the best place was at the bar chatting with the hometown barkeep. She calmly shared her thoughts about the daily racial tensions and protests in Louisville resulting from the death of Breonna Taylor. She offered a balanced perspective that incorporated the importance of racial equity and the need for thoughtful solutions to deep-seated problems. And I was only slightly distracted by the intoxicating Margarita that she had just made for me.

So, you probably know the story: Breonna Taylor was shot in her apartment by Louisville police on March 13 and daily protests ensued. This may seem like it doesn’t belong in a travel blog, but it was a notable part of the visit. In the NuLu neighborhood, there were several signs and murals, and we found hundreds of boarded up windows and other signs of damage in the central downtown area. It is striking to see the destuction downtown and to imagine the anguish and anger that leads to all this plywood.

Murals are everywhere! The Breonna Taylor tragedy sparked a lot of impromptu graffiti, much of which is well done while a bunch of other colorful, engaging murals adorn the brick facades of buildings around the NuLu neighborhoord. Some seem more like ads than art, but they are all nicely done. The ode to the Mint Julep…

…and Maker’s Mark …

… and the local Goodwood Brewery.

Royals Hot Chicken boasts a, well, royal chicken with a NuLu sign, …

…and the Forecastle Music Festival, grown from a small local event in 2002, now attracts 75,000 attendees each non-COVID year for the three-day event.

The final mural appears on the wall of Agave and Rye Epic Tacos, Tequila and Bourbon Hall. Yes, that’s what it’s called, and it was outstanding. I would call it a casual, hipster, gourmet Mexican place. It was a 10 minute walk from our lodging but technically in the adjacent neighborhood of Phoenix Hill. We hung on the deck, had a few tacos and drinks, and enjoyed the positive energy, like wait staff wearing t-shirts proclaiming, Feed Me Tacos and Tell Me I’m Pretty.”

Our intention, then, was to walk through Beargrass Creek Greenway and Cherokee Park. They sound lovely, but I can’t confirm that because, somehow, we instead ended up wandering through Cave Hill Cemetary, a huge overgrown expanse of people who died as long as 200 years ago. On the map, it looks like a great shortcut, but that hope is dispelled by the unclimbable walls hiding behind the trees.

There are a few coffee shops in the NuLu neighborhood, and Quills is the coolest. Clearly guided by a passion for delivering the best coffee, Quills also has a nice, open, modern feel inside and a more colonial experience on the back patio, where a cribbage tournament could spontaneously erupt.

Louisville is a totally worthwhile destination. I have never heard much about Louisville, outside of my Ironman triathlon friends who participate in Louisville’s version of the event, but I was so impressed by the vibe and appeal of the city. I hope to return, if for no other reason than to eat another meal at La Bodeguita!