This Affordable Louisville Neighborhood Is Home To The Country's Largest Collection Of Victorian Mansions

Louisville, Kentucky, is an underrated city with a surprising amount of colorful lore as host to the world-famous Kentucky Derby, birthplace of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, and proximity to the Bourbon Capital of the World. Louisville has earned quite the culinary reputation dating back to the birth of the Hot Brown in 1926, and continuing today in one of the best foodie cities in the country. While the world has gotten to know one of the friendliest cities as a foodie mecca, visitors may not realize that Louisville is also a design lover's dream with the largest collection of Victorian mansions in the nation.

Located on the southern outskirts of downtown, Old Louisville spans over 40 blocks with approximately 1,400 examples of Victorian architecture. In addition to having the largest number of Victorian mansions in the country, the neighborhood is also the third largest Historic Preservation District in the United States. Of course, it wasn't always called "Old Louisville." Built as the city's first suburb in the 1870s, it was originally named The Southern Extension. 

Can you imagine affording a Victorian mansion? Like the rest of Louisville, homes in this neighborhood consistently sell for below the national average. In the meantime, you can stay at one of several historic inns, like the stunning Dupont Mansion Bed & Breakfast.

Explore Old Louisville on your own, or check in with the Historic Old Louisville Neighborhood and Visitors Center in Central Park and book a guided walking tour. Visit any time to take in the architecture, but consider a trip in tandem with one of the area's signature events. Locals know the first full weekend in October means the St. James Court Art Show, a local fall tradition in the heart of Old Louisville. Beer lovers should visit during the Old Lou Craft Beer Festival, which features several local brewers and raises funds to continue preserving this historic neighborhood. After your fill of all things old, spend some time in NuLu (New Louisville), a buzzing foodie haven of trendy shops and Southern hospitality.

Old Louisville's restaurants have as much character as its well-preserved homes. Legendary dive Dizzy Whizz and its Whizzburger are longtime local favorites. On the finer side of the foodie spectrum, you'll want to plan and reserve your table at James Beard Award winner Edward Lee's place, 610 Magnolia, for a memorable, modern take on Southern fare. You're also just a three-minute drive from Old Louisville to The Brown Hotel, where you can experience Louisville's iconic dish at its namesake location.