Scenic Food & History Walk

Historic Charm Tour: Tastes & Tales in the Victorian Highlands

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Discover Louisville’s Stories on a Scenic Food & History Tour Through Louisville’s Victorian Highlands.

Take a leisurely stroll through the historic Highlands, a neighborhood brimming with tree-lined avenues, Victorian mansions, and quirky charm. This scenic walking tour pairs delicious local food with captivating stories of Louisville’s rich and colorful past.

As you explore Louisville’s oldest and most storied streets, you’ll taste dishes inspired by Kentucky’s culinary heritage at visit locally owned and beloved spots, including a cozy Irish pub and a farm-to-table restaurant showcasing seasonal produce. You’ll also…

  • Try a reimagined Hot Brown in Muhammad Ali’s former boxing gym
  • Taste bourbon in Louisville’s oldest bar
  • Visit the iconic entrance of Cave Hill Cemetery, final resting place of Louisville’s legends
  • Trace the footsteps of the immigrants who shaped the city
  • Admire opulent Victorian homes and historic architecture framed by lush greenery near stunning Cherokee Park

QUICK DETAILS

  • Distance: 1.5 miles, flat
  • Duration: 3 hours
  • Food Stops: 5 stops for local dishes & drinks
  • Capacity: 12 per tour
  • Time: 1:30 PM, Weds-Sundays
  • Accessibility: 21+. Wheelchair friendly.
Historic building in Cherokee Triangle in the fall foliage on a guided Highlands walking tour
Maker's Mark bourbon tasting on Louisville food and history walking tour
Hot Brown Pizza from DiOrios on the Food and Walking Tour in Louisville's Original Highlands neighborhood
Bangers and Mash at Flanagan's Bar in Louisville Kentucky Highlands Food Tour
Entrance to Cave Hill Cemetery in the Highlands Louisville Kentucky
Walking food tour of the Original Highlands Neighborhood, cocktail at Epiphany in Louisville Kentucky
Flanagan's Bar in Louisville Kentucky Highlands Food Tour
Beer cheese on a Louisville walking food tour
Victorian home on the Original Highlands Food Tour in Louisville Kentucky
Walking food tour of the Original Highlands Neighborhood, dessert at Epiphany in Louisville Kentucky

Experience Food, Stories, and History in Louisville’s Most Scenic Neighborhood

Explore the tree-lined streets and historic glamour of Louisville’s Victorian Highlands. This 3-hour guided walking tour blends delicious local food, bourbon, and cocktails with fascinating stories of the city’s past.

What’s Included:

  • 4 Delicious dishes representing Louisville’s heritage
  • Bourbon tasting at the city’s oldest bar
  • 2 Craft Cocktails & 1 Beer showcasing local and regional flavors
  • The unfiltered history (and glamour) of two of Louisville’s most historic neighborhoods
  • Jokes that your guide proof-tested on other people first, probably
  • Personal Audio Headsets so you won’t miss a single detail
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Tour Reviews

See why guests rave about this tour’s delicious food, rich history, and stunning architecture!

RESERVE YOUR SPOT
Wrought iron Fleur de Lis in the Original Highlands neighborhood
Beer cheese on a Louisville walking food tour
Patio at O'Sheas Bar in Louisville Kentucky Highlands Food Tour
Group of food tour guests in front of Highlands architecture
Bangers and Mash at Flanagan's Bar in Louisville Kentucky Highlands Food Tour
Victorian home in Louisville Kentucky on a fall day in the Highlands neighborhood
Walking food tour of the Original Highlands Neighborhood, dessert at Epiphany in Louisville Kentucky
Food tour guests cheers in restaurant in the Highlands
Highlands Food Walking Tour Louisville Kentucky Flanagan's Bar
The historic Original Highlands neighborhood of the Highlands in Louisville, Kentucky
Food tour guests in outdoor patio in the Highlands
Flanagan's Bar in Louisville Kentucky Highlands Food Tour
Group of food tour guests in front of Highlands mural
Victorian home on the Original Highlands Food Tour in Louisville Kentucky

Discover Tree-Lined Avenues, Local Food, and Stories of Louisville’s Past

The Highlands is one of Louisville’s oldest and most vibrant areas. Historic Victorian homes line the streets branching off Bardstown Road, a quirky, bustling thoroughfare filled with vibrant murals, eclectic shops, and trendy local restaurants and bars stretching all the way to Bourbon country.

Where

Meet at 956 Baxter Ave, Louisville, KY 40204

When​

Weds – Sunday, 1:30-4:30 PM
Tour runs March-November

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What to Expect

We’ll be making 5 delicious stops, so come hungry! In addition to food, you can expect…

Beer & Bourbon

You’re in Bourbon City, y’all! (Mocktails are also available.)

Audio Headset​

To help you hear us from a distance so you can enjoy the scenery at your own pace.

Small Group

Our tours max out at 12 people.

Walking

About 1.5 Miles. Wear comfy shoes!

FAQ’s About This Tour

You’ll be eating quite a bit – please arrive hungry! In total, you’ll be eating 5 delicious dishes representing Louisville’s culinary heritage. You will be full by the end of the tour, so plan to skip dinner or eat something light.

In addition to the food, you will be tasting both bourbon and beer.

Yes! Even without drinking, you’ll have a great time, eat plenty of delicious food, have a few mocktails, admire beautiful scenery, and enjoy fascinating stories about Louisville’s history.

This tour ends about a block away from where it begins, and our tour guide will make sure you know exactly where to go to get back to your car.

This tour is offered between March and November, when the trees lining the wide avenues will be full of beautiful foliage.

In our opinion, the neighborhood is most stunning in April and May when spring flowers and trees are in full bloom, showering the streets with pink crab-apple, Southern magnolia and white dogwood blossoms amidst the azaleas and daffodils.

Our second choice is September until mid November, when fall foliage is peaking – the fall colors are STUNNING in this area!

In summer, the neighborhood turns a vibrant green, scented with blooming roses, sweet lilac and oak-leaf hydrangea.

If you’re after more beautiful outdoor scenery, make sure to bookend your tour with a walk through the arboretum at Cave Hill Cemetery, or a nature stroll through the gorgeous trails of Cherokee Park (both under 5 minutes away from the tour’s start and end point).

While our tour passes by Cave Hill Cemetery, stops at the entrance, and will discuss the legacies of these two Kentucky icons, we will not actually be going inside the cemetery to visit the gravesites. The cemetery is one of the largest in the country – visiting each site would take as long as the total amount of walking on the tour!

We do highly encourage all of our guests to plan to take a walk or drive through the cemetery before or after their tour. You can use this map to locate the graves of these 2 legends and many other important figures from Kentucky’s past.

Prohibition Craft Spirits is a new distillery located just down the street from our tour. The distillery is about a 15 minute walk down Baxter Avenue. You can book a Prohibition-themed tour of the distillery and visit the speakeasy. Since this is a newer distillery, there are usually available tour slots even for last-minute bookings.

Both tours share similarities: they explore Louisville’s history through its cuisine, focusing on the unique stories of their respective neighborhoods. Each features historic landmarks, beloved local eateries, and a vibrant atmosphere with colorful murals and diverse, locally owned businesses.

One key difference is the scenery and thematic focus. The Highlands tour offers lush, green scenery with tree-lined streets and stunning Victorian homes, while the NuLu tour highlights a more industrial, urban vibe. Additionally, the Highlands tour places greater emphasis on architecture and the neighborhood’s historic charm.

Another distinction is the audience. The NuLu tour is all-ages and family-friendly, while the Highlands tour is exclusively for guests 21 and older (unless booked as a private tour). For pet lovers, the Highlands tour can also be booked as a private dog-friendly experience.

When it comes to food, the NuLu tour includes more stops for smaller bites, while the Highlands tour features fewer stops with larger portions. Both tours provide a satisfying amount of food, but the Highlands tour also includes more alcoholic beverages, perfect for those wanting to sample Louisville’s drink culture.

There is a paid parking lot behind Epiphany Bar, where your tour will end. There is also ample free start parking in the surrounding neighborhood. We recommend parking on side streets such as Highlands or Morton, and NOT parking on busy Baxter Ave.

Yes! This food tour can be booked as a private, dog-friendly experience. You and your pup will enjoy outdoor patios at each stop, and your furry friend will even get to sample treats from a special doggy menu—because they deserve a food tour too! For more details or to book a dog-friendly tour, please visit this page or get in touch with us.

Have more questions about our tours? Visit our FAQ’s page:

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Premium Bourbon Upgrade

Louisville Food Tours Premium Bourbon Package

Elevate your experience with 3 hard-to-find, top-shelf bourbon pours! You’ll also take home a custom rocks glass, sleek slate coaster, and a set of engraved whiskey stones. The perfect tour enhancement for bourbon enthusiasts and a memorable gift for birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions.

This upgrade package includes:

  • 3 Rare, premium bourbon pours
  • Customized rocks glass
  • Engraved whiskey stones
  • Slate coaster

Learn more about how you can elevate your tour.

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