Are you planning upcoming adventures in Louisville, KY? The Galt House Hotel makes a great base for exploring downtown and beyond.
I’m sharing more about what to expect during your stay, along with local attractions to check out during your visit.
This article is written in partnership with The Galt House Hotel, and this article contains affiliate links.
Tour the Deluxe Waterview Suite at The Galt House Hotel
My husband and I enjoyed two nights at The Galt House Hotel in the Deluxe Waterview Suite in the West Tower.
The Deluxe Waterview Suite has two rooms that can accommodate up to four guests.
The living area of the Deluxe Suite has a TV, a couch, and chairs.
The dining area of the suite has a table and chairs.
A mini fridge and a wet bar are in the living area of the suite, and a convenient half bath is next to it.
Our suite had panoramic views of the Ohio River from the balcony and overlooked the outdoor pool.
You can see multiple bridges that cross the Ohio River in the distance, and the rapids of the Falls of the Ohio in the distance.
The bedroom area of the suite had a king-size bed, a TV, and bedside charging stations.
There’s a coffee/tea maker at the desk/work station area of the room, and complimentary WIFI is available for guests.
The bathroom for the bedroom has a large shower and double sinks.
Amenities at The Galt House Hotel
- Outdoor pool open seasonally on the 3rd floor of the West Tower
- Gym
- Spa – additional fee
- On-site restaurants and bars
I recommend checking the time for sunset in advance and watching one from your balcony at Louisville’s only waterfront hotel.
We were fortunate to experience some pretty magical sunsets during our visit.
Is The Galt House Hotel Pet-Friendly?
For an additional fee, you can have up to two dogs, 45 pounds or less per room.
The Galt House Hotel is the largest in Kentucky, consisting of 1,310 guest rooms, including 646 Standard Deluxe Rooms, 593 Suites, and 71 residences.
Several restaurants and bars are on-site at The Galt House Hotel for guests to enjoy. You’ll find everything from breakfast to dinner options, which include quick service, casual sit-down, and more upscale.
- Swizzle
- Walker’s Exchange
- Jockey Silks
- 3rd Floor Skywalk Conservatory
- Thelma’s at the Conservatory
- Down One Bourbon Bar and Restaurant
The Galt House Hotel is a popular destination for gatherings, offering 130,000 square feet of meeting and convention services for up to 4,000 attendees with 53 meeting rooms.
If you’re attending an event at the KFC Yum! Center, you have access to the Skywalk from inside the hotel, where you can stay out of the elements.
Guests will love being walkable to downtown attractions and a short drive from other popular attractions in the area.
Dine With a Scenic View of the River at Swizzle
Swizzle is the perfect spot to enjoy a chic dinner with scenic views of the Ohio River.
Swizzle is Louisville’s only revolving restaurant with retro supper club vibes. The restaurant offers two dining areas with revolving floors that take about an hour for a full 360-degree rotation.
The speeds can be adjusted, and weight can also impact how slowly the floor rotates.
For our cocktails, we ordered the ‘Golden Gimlet” and “Sting Like A Bee.”
The “Golden Gimlet” is made with Bombay Gin, St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur, house-made turmeric syrup, and lime juice.
The “Sting Like a Bee” is made with Old Forester, lemon juice, Mike’s Hot Honey, and ginger puree.
We started with the Prince Edward Island Mussels to share.
The Prince Edward Island Mussels are served with the chef’s choice of broth and a torn baguette. You’ll enjoy using your bread to soak up every ounce of broth.
Swizzlle is known for its Grilled Pork Tomahawk, so of course, we had to try it. It’s served with charred broccolini and a rosemary apricot chutney.
It was such a delicious fusion of flavors.
I also highly recommend the Cast Iron Seared Scallops. They are served with jalapeno cheddar Weisenberger grits, langostino, English peas, Creole white wine butter sauce, and fried onions.
I typically don’t like peas, but I didn’t even mind them because I loved this dish so much.
My husband and I split both dishes for the best of both worlds. I enjoyed the pork chops, but the scallops were my favorite.
We were super full at the end of our meal, but I always like to hear the dessert options “just in case.”
Their 5-Layer Chocolate Cake is very popular, but we opted for an option that sounded a little lighter.
Their Strawberry Tiramisu is made with Limoncello-soaked ladyfingers, whipped mascarpone, strawberry compote, and toasted pistachio.
We also enjoyed the rest of our dessert for breakfast the following day.
I highly recommend making a reservation for Swizzle in advance, especially if you want to be seated in one of the two revolving floor sections.
It’s easy to see why it’s a very popular restaurant for both hotel guests and visitors.
There’s seating at the bar and additional tables in non-revolving sections of the restaurant, too.
Where is The Galt House Hotel Located?
The Galt House Hotel is located in downtown Louisville at 140 N Fourth Street.
Guests can opt for valet parking available 24/7 or self-park for an additional fee. Their parking garage has in-and-out privileges, which is great for guests exploring.
There’s a two-to-one parking space ratio for every guest room at the hotel, so you’ll find plenty of parking spaces in the garage.
The entrance for the self-park parking garage is on the right side as you enter the complex after passing under the skywalk.
Pro tip- Take a picture of your floor and any signs near your vehicle in the parking garage.
Additional Things to Do in Louisville, KY
There is so much to do during your time in Louisville.
Walkable Attractions from The Galt House Hotel
You can walk to the following attractions from The Galt House Hotel.
Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory – 800 W Main St, Louisville, KY
This museum and factory tour is a MUST for baseball fans of all ages.
Kentucky Science Center – 727 W Main St, Louisville, KY
The Kentucky Science Center is Kentucky’s largest science museum, 50,000 sq. feet of interactive learning for all ages.
Muhammad Ali Center – 144 N 6th St, Louisville, KY
Learn more about Louisville native Muhammad Ali and his life as a professional boxer, philanthropist, and activist.
KMAC Museum – 715 West Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky
KMAC Museum is a contemporary art museum that offers free admission for children and students.
Belle of Louisville – 401 W River Rd, Louisville, KY
Belle of Louisville offers themed cruises on the only remaining authentic steamboat from the great American packet boat era, dating back to 1914.
There are multiple bourbon experiences in the Bourbon District within walking distance of The Galt House Hotel.
Evan Williams Bourbon Experience – 528 W Main St, Louisville, KY
Be on the lookout for historical markers throughout downtown that share more about the area’s bourbon history.
Along the Riverfront
Riverfront Park/ Belvedere is located adjacent to The Galt House Hotel on the 2nd floor of the West Tower.
Be on the lookout for the York statue and the George Rogers Clark statue.
This is a great spot to watch the sunset over the Ohio River.
Louisville Riverwalk is about a 15-minute walk from the hotel.
One of the highlights of Waterfront Park, less than a 30-minute walk from the hotel, is the Lincoln Memorial.
The Big Four Bridge – 101 River Rd, Louisville, KY (30 minute walk, 9 minute bike ride, 8 minute car ride from The Galt House Hotel)
The Big Four Bridge was formerly a railroad truss bridge that connects Louisville, KY, to Jeffersonville, IN.
The 1.9-mile bridge is popular for biking, running, and walking, and takes around 40 minutes to walk across.
Watching the sunset from the Big Four Bridge is also magical, especially with the fireworks in the backdrop.
It’s a little over 4 miles round trip if you walk from the hotel to the pedestrian bridge across to Indiana and back.
We brought our e-scooters from home and took them from the hotel to the Big Four Bridge and back. Louisville also has rental e-scooters downtown from multiple companies.
Louisville Attractions -Worth the Drive
Several attractions in Louisville are worth checking out.
Kentucky Derby Museum & Guided Tour of Churchill Downs – 704 Central Ave, Louisville, KY
Learn more about the history of the Kentucky Derby at the museum and take a guided tour of Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby.
Fun fact: The Galt House Hotel is the official hotel of the Kentucky Derby.
Louisville Food Tours (Multiple locations)
I think that a food tour is the BEST way to learn more about a city. You get a guided tour, local history, and try lots of food and drinks you wouldn’t know about with really cool people.
It’s best to take the food tour on your first day so you can check out all the additional recommendations from your guide.
My husband and I enjoyed the “Secrets of Louisville: Food & History Walking Tour in NuLu,” the “Soho of the Midwest” neighborhood of Louisville.
They offer multiple food tours in Louisville, so the hardest part is deciding which food tour to go on first.
Save on your next Louisville Food Tour with the discount code “adventuremom5” for 5% off future bookings.
Historic Old Louisville Walking Tour
Learn about the local history and incredible architecture in the nation’s largest contiguous Victorian Mansion district.
Cave Hill Cemetery – 701 Baxter Ave, Louisville, KY
Cave Hill Cemetery is a beautiful historic cemetery that dates back to 1848 and offers guided tours for a fee. This cemetery is also the final resting place for both Muhammad Ali and Colonel Sanders.
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