Louisville, Kentucky (Mar. 2-4, 2018 & Mar. 5-10, 2018)

Between SutureStar workshops, why not venture out and take advantage of some of the pleasures Louisville has to offer? From historical architecture to adventure, from New Southern cooking (and a vibrant music scene) to sports, Louisville is an exciting place for RNFAs to visit.

Named after King Louis XVI of France (for his help in the Revolutionary War), and nestled along the Ohio River, Louisville was a major shipping port in the 1800s and has a rich history.

Waterfront Park

From your room at the Marriott Downtown, it’s a 5-minute Uber ride (or a 20-minute walk) to Waterfront Park, where you can rent a bike and explore one of our nation’s beloved parks. Cross the Big Four bridge, hop on the oldest operating Mississippi-style steamboat in the world, or spend time at the Abraham Lincoln memorial.

The Old Louisville historic district and neighborhood, less than 10 minutes away by car (35 min. by foot), has an unusually high proportion of houses featuring Victorian architecture, and the highest concentration of homes featuring stained glass windows in the U.S.

Just a couple of blocks from the Marriott is the Fourth Street Live! entertainment destination. It features more than a dozen restaurants, bars, and night spots under one roof. There are sports bars with big-screen TVs for enjoying sporting events, nightclubs featuring everything from country music to a dueling piano bar. Want to burn off some energy of your own? There’s also bowling, billiards, ping pong, and classic arcade games.

Louisville Mega Cavern

About 15 minutes from the Marriott by car, 40 minutes by bus, Louisville Mega Cavern is more than 100 acres of exploration, fun, and adventure–all underground, taking up a portion of a former limestone quarry, one of the largest caverns in the U.S. You can experience zip lines, challenge courses, biking, electric bike tours, and much more.

If food is your thing, you’ve come to the right place! Louisville consistently shows up on lists of “top 10 food cities” in the nation and even the world, making this a particularly fun RNFA SutureStar destination.

Hammerheads

Try HammerHeads in Louisville’s “Germantown” neighborhood. From crispy catfish on Texas toast to shrimp and grits, from pulled pork with jalapeno-lime aioli to elk burger with brie cheese, this restaurant puts a different twist on Southern cuisine.

For upscale yet traditional Southern-style comfort food, try the Harvest Restaurant. Locally owned, local cuisine. Buttermilk Fried Chicken, anyone? And Louisville is famous for its native whiskey, bourbon. Many of the city’s bars and restaurants use it in innovative dishes, like mint julep pancakes or bourbon barrel smoked salmon.

Then there’s the Mayan Café, a farm-to-table restaurant. The chef, a Mayan Indian from Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, fuses traditional Mayan flavors and techniques with locally farmed ingredients. Their Mayan Street Food Truck serves up a variety of snacks, tacos and “salbutes,” Mayan puffy tacos. This food truck is the exclusive food partner of Gravely Brewing Co, a brewery and music venue serving up craft beer and craft music. But don’t stop there! There are small and larger craft breweries throughout the city to intrigue RNFA students who like sampling the latest IPA.

Muhammad Ali Center

Two more major attractions are close to the hotel—each about a 15-minute walk. The Muhammad Ali Center is a multicultural center with an award-winning museum dedicated to the life and legacy of Muhammad Ali, plus continually changing exhibitions, performances and community events.

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory

And at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, baseball bats are still crafted with pride, as they have been since 1884; take a 30-minute factory tour and receive a free souvenir mini-bat at the end of the tour!

Call 800-922-7747 for availability and register today! Note: SutureStar Workshops fill up fast (specialty workshops, such as CV and OB, are even more limited).

 

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