Family-Friendly Louisville, KY: My Solo Trip With 3 Kids Under 5
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Why Louisville?
I’ll be honest—this trip was a little spontaneous.
My husband had to travel for work, and instead of white-knuckling a week alone at home, I decided to turn lemons into lemonade and take my three kids—then ages 5, 4, and 2—on a road trip to Louisville, KY.
But of course, in true Type B Mom fashion, I went to book the hotel my husband was staying at only to learn it was completely sold out. I took a hard pivot and found a Drury Inn & Suites on the opposite side of town for the rest of us to stay at.
It was:
Drivable from Michigan (~5.5 hrs)
Walkable and stroller-friendly (Although we didn’t end up bringing our stroller. All of my kids were great walkers and it was one less bulky to pack in the car!)
Packed with family-friendly attractions
Full of character without being overwhelming
I didn’t have a full itinerary, just a rough idea of where we’d stay and what we might check out. Here’s what we ended up doing and loving.
Where We Stayed: Family-Friendly Hotel with a Pool
We stayed at Drury Inn & Suites Louisville East with two non-negotiables for this stage of life: free breakfast and an indoor pool.
If you’ve ever traveled with children, you know a hotel pool is pretty much a given. We swam every day of our short trip and it was a good way to burn off that early evening energy before bedtime.
Am I the only one that takes a few extras from breakfast to pack for snacks? I’ve read this is controversial — I’m not talking about taking an entire plate of pancakes. Just a couple apples or yogurts as easy snacks for our adventures.
What We Did in Louisville with Little Kids
Our biggest outdoor outing was a trip to the Bernheim Arboretum. I was there for the giant wooden trolls, my kids were there for the promise of a playground. The Bernheim Arboretum doesn't have an admission fee, but accepts donations and suggests $15 donation per car for non-members. We arrived earlier in the morning while it was still cool and quiet, and we set off on foot to find the three trolls.
The trolls were designed and built by world renowned Danish artist Thomas Dambo in honor of the 90th anniversary of the Bernheim Arboretum. So for the Bernheim Arboretum trolls, Dambo actually used wood from pallets, fallen trees, barrels from the nearby bourbon distilleries, and scraps from the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory to construct these giant trolls.
He created a mom troll named Mama Lumari and two children, Little Ness and Little Alina. So we set out first to see Little Ness, who is looking down at his reflection in Holly Pond. Then it was onwards to see Mama Lumari, who is seated resting in the middle of the woods. And Little Alina is further out and she's forming rocks into the shape of a giant feather.
Little Alina
Little Ness
We took our time and I think that's one of the biggest pieces of advice that I have is to take your time. Take it from someone who used to want to go, go, go and had all of my itineraries planned before I had kids. Plan two to four hours for a 1-2 mile loop with young kids and toddlers. Two to four hours because they will mosey on, they will, and really their moseying is them taking in all of the sensory experiences, which is good for them!
The visitor's center at the Bernheim Arboretum is beautiful. It has a gift shop with all kinds of nature toys, books, alongside handcrafted items. And if you want to skip bringing your own food, there's a cafe called Isaac's Cafe inside the visitor's center. It features fresh salads, soups, kids' meals and desserts, and they utilize as much as possible from their edible garden next door. I actually had a delicious roasted veggie and hummus quesadilla that day. I still remember that quesadilla. So all in all, if you find yourself in the Louisville area, I would highly recommend a visit to the Bernheim Arboretum!
Our 2nd day in Louisville was a rainy one so it was a great opportunity to visit the Kentucky Science Center! My favorite travel hack is checking to see if there’s a science center or museum near our destination and checking the ATSC Passport Program. We’re members of our local science institute and love to take advantage of reciprocal member benefits (including free or discounted admission!) whenever we travel!
We easily spent 3-4 hours here. One of our favorite exhibits was One World by Air Cargo, which was filled with a Boeing airplane simulator. The science and play exhibit on the first floor had water stations, climbing walls. My kids gave the whole thing 5 stars!
My husband’s work expo wasn’t finished until after lunch on our final day in Louisville, so we headed to the zoo early in the morning for one last adventure! I rented a stroller from the zoo so we had a landing place for tired kids and our cooler packed with lunches.
There were many animals here that aren’t at our home zoo in Detroit; my kids favorites were seeing elephants, snow leopards, and Siberian tigers! It was a great way to spend our final day and while we packed our lunches, I was impressed with the number of available food options.
Final Thoughts: Louisville Is a Hidden Gem for Young Families
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly, manageable city to explore with toddlers or preschoolers, Louisville is a gem. The people were kind, the pace was slow, and there was just enough adventure to keep us all curious without burning out.
Whether you’re traveling solo or bringing the whole crew, I hope this post gives you the nudge to go for it!
Want the full episode? 🎧 Listen to Episode 18: Lessons I Learned From My First Solo Trip With 3 Kids Under 5
