Louisville Tours
Old Louisville Walking Tour Recommended by The New York Times! @ 4th and Ormsby
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LIKELY TO SELL OUT*

Old Louisville Walking Tour Recommended by The New York Times! @ 4th and Ormsby

By Louisville Historic Tours
Recommended by 98% of travelers
98% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
About
Lowest price guarantee

Ages 1-99, max of 20 per group
Duration: 1h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More


  • Certified Guide
What's not included
  • Entry/Admission - Conrad-Caldwell House Museum (Conrad's Castle)
  • Entry/Admission - Louisville
  • Entry/Admission - The Filson Historical Society


Start:
  • West Ormsby Avenue & South 4th Street, W Ormsby Ave & S 4th St, Louisville, KY 40203, USA
    Daytime tours NO LONGER start at Adrienne & Co. donut shop near the corner of Fourth and Oak. Unfortunately, this business has permanently closed its doors due to the current COVID situation. Meet your guide at the brown "Welcome to Old Louisville" sign on the corner. "1300 S. 4th. St." for GPS.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Stroller accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Near public transportation
    • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 246721P1

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
    • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
    • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
    • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
    • FYI The starting point is in a transitional area where you might encounter panhandlers, homeless people, and people who don't look like you.
    • Not recommended for visitors with mobility issues
    • MUST BE ABLE TO WALK 90 MINUTES WITHOUT A BATHROOM BREAK!
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

    • All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 246721P1

    From
    $25.00
    per adult
    Select date and travelers

    Similar experiences

    Itinerary
    • W Ormsby Ave & S 4th St, Louisville, KY 40203, USA
      Daytime tours NO LONGER start at Adrienne & Co. donut shop near the corner of Fourth and Oak. Unfortunately, this business has permanently closed its doors due to the current COVID situation. Meet your guide at the brown "Welcome to Old Louisville" sign on the corner. "1300 S. 4th. St." for GPS.
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    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Louisville Historic Tours
      646
      Louisville, Kentucky
      Joined in April 2014
    • 777alym
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A spooktacular tour
      Quinton was an excellent tour guide, just the perfect blend of humor and history. It felt like we were there with some of the stories she told. I can't recommend this enough, she made sure everyone could hear and felt welcome.
      Written September 30, 2024
    • Tina S
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      GREAT!!
      AWESOME!!!! This is a must!! Angelic was great. She told stories about each home that were detailed with stories and adventures. Nothing scary so don’t let that stop you!! Interesting history of the things that happened back in the 1800’s and early 1900’s.
      Written September 30, 2024
    • brandicW8574IL
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Excellent Tour
      Quinton was an incredible guide! We learned so much and were fascinated with the information given. I will definitely recommend!
      Written September 28, 2024
    • E9675EHmicheller
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fun time
      Our tour guide, Brenda, was very knowledgeable and told us lots of great stories about Old Louisville and its ghosts. We enjoyed the tour greatly.
      Written September 22, 2024
    • P5835UNheatherk
      0 contributions
      3.0 of 5 bubbles
      Need more GORE
      Presenter was very knowledgeable. The houses and neighborhood were historic. Content too rated G. I would have liked more “malicious” stories / actors.
      Written September 22, 2024
    • M7288IKjustinh
      0 contributions
      1.0 of 5 bubbles
      Terrible area very dangerous the neighbors warned us to leave from the apartments close by.
      Owner will attack if you write a negative review call you a liar or racist. Point blank I understand it’s a small business but do not go alone or be prepared for a rough area. Go ahead David get mad it’s true
      Written September 20, 2024
    • Jmaguglia
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Ghost tour
      The old Victorian homes were incredible and the ghost history behind them amazing. Quinton was a great guide and I would recommend this tour to everyone.
      Written September 18, 2024
    • 902taraf
      0 contributions
      1.0 of 5 bubbles
      Old Louisville Ghost Tour
      I have to agree with a post below about the neighborhood. It is an awful part of town. We showed up, nobody was there. Someone from a neighborhood came to us and let us know this was not safe. We tried several times to reach to the tour guide and got no response. So we chalked up 2 Uber rides, plus the tour. This was for the 9:15 tour.
      Written September 16, 2024
    • Marty P
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Old Louisville Reveals Many Of Its Secrets!
      I very much enjoyed this ghost tour. I learned a lot about Old Louisville and all that “hidden history.” The true crime aspect was intriguing as well. Our tour guide was Angelique. She was very knowledgeable and communicative. The tour last an hour and forty minutes. The 9:15 pm tour was ideal for me. So glad I was able to register so late in the day for it. Take plenty of pics along the your. Also, take two to three pics in succession to catch paranormal activity on your camera. The Victorian era architecture was stunning. I would attend this tour again. It was worth my time and money. I recommend it for anyone visiting or locals as well. We had a few locals in our tour group.
      Written September 15, 2024
    • robynbF2194DI
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fun for all
      The guide was amazing and we really enjoyed learning about the ghosts and history of Old Louisville. Fun for adults and kids.
      Written September 15, 2024
    • G8660QRjamesy
      0 contributions
      1.0 of 5 bubbles
      Bad feeling.
      After reading your note about the neighborhood I ate the no refund and didn’t go. I wish that information was available BEFORE the ticket purchase. A bit underhanded if you ask me.
      Written September 15, 2024
    • 1_WorldTravel_1
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Spooky tour with interesting history
      The ghost tour in the Saint James area, was a fabulous way to explore the gorgeous Victorian homes as well as learning about some of the spooky history of some of the homes. Highly recommend to get a tour that starts with daylight- so you can see the architecture of the homes and ending at night. We truly enjoyed the time in Louisville and to see so many gorgeous and interesting homes and suburbs!! Definitely would recommend a weekend stay in Louisville.
      Written September 8, 2024
    • H5422SMmoniqueh
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Highly Recommend
      The tour was just the right amount of time with the right blend of walking and stopping. Our tour guide Angelique was very knowledgable and had many stories to tell about each of the homes we stopped at. She also provided information on many of the houses we passed by.
      Written September 8, 2024
    • V6647YIgregf
      0 contributions
      2.0 of 5 bubbles
      Disappointed
      Wasn’t impressed your guide had a sleeveless shirt on. Wasn’t what it’s described on web site.. Personally I don’t recommen.
      Written September 8, 2024
    • 269heidir
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Informative tour!
      Excellent tour! Our tour guide, Quinton, was amazing, very knowledgeable of the area and a great story teller. We really enjoyed this tour.
      Written September 5, 2024
    See all 646 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles216 reviews
    Excellent
    199
    Very good
    13
    Average
    3
    Poor
    0
    Terrible
    1

    David G
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2020 • Couples
    The tour was a fun and casual experience. Our tour guide, David, was not only informative, but also passionate about the history and architecture of the city. He even stopped the tour for a few minutes to let my girlfriend take a moment to sit when she wasn't feeling well. It would be great if a longer tour was an option to see more of old Louisville and hear more about the city's history, but as it is, the tour was well worth the money.
    Written October 29, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks for coming! It was a pleasure having you on both tours! Come back soon!
    Written October 29, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Mamiford
    Chicago107 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sep 2020
    David Domine is super knowledgeable and has a flair for detail and storytelling. Makes sense, as he's written books about Louisville and has another coming out soon. Sometimes it takes a person raised elsewhere (in his case, Wisconsin) to approach a town with fresh eyes. He's now been living and breathing and researching the city for over 20 years, and he will energetically geek out with you and your group about everything from architecture to historical, literary, and cultural figures who lived there to property taxes to ghost stories. Do not miss this. Louisville is fortunate to have him as an adopted son.
    Written October 15, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
    Written October 16, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Nukhet S
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Aug 2020
    We had an amazing time with Debra! She walked us through the historic neighborhood and gave us detailed descriptions and stories of the houses and alleys . It was truly magical - we highly recommend it! My husband told me later that day how much we would have missed about the city's history if we had not taken this tour.

    Especially during the pandemic times, it is an appropriate activity for Louisville visitors (we had a small group, we were outside all the time and everyone had masks).
    Written August 16, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    We're so glad you enjoyed the time with Debra in Old Louisville! Safe travel travels!
    Written August 17, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    ALB
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2019 • Solo
    My walking tour with owner/operator David was the best thing I did in my short stay in Louisville. David’s tour was fun and friendly, I learned a lot about the history of the city and some funny “insider” stories about some of the beautiful houses in the historic district. I will definitely recommend his tours to friends and plan to do another on my next trip to Louisville.
    Written May 27, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Might
    Indianapolis, IN15 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Definitely the best time to come I have found is during the winter. These houses are just lit up beyond belief. Angelique really took her time to answer any questions but also Made sure to keep the group moving along to keep us warm on the chilly night. Ghost or no ghost this is the tour to go on -it's not spooky at all- until she whips out photos and stories of documented and personal accounts of these haunted mansions These buildings are phenomenal and have so much history behind them. Everything from prohibition, worlds fair, women's suffrage, murders, storms, fires, affairs of the heart and current events as well has made this fishbowl of Old Louisville surely how soap operas got started. Great job folks. I bought Davids book on the area and it's a an easy read as well. Cannot wait to read them all and come back for the architectural day tour when I can walk better. Speaking of which There is some walking but there's also places you can kind of sit down for a little bit. Make sure you go to
    the restroom before or it'll be a long wait. Also trip advisor might say it's full when it's not so try to call the number on their site if you can't get in. And make sure it's the one that is recommended by the New York Times.
    Written November 28, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed your evening haunted history walk with Angelique!
    Written November 29, 2021
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Lindsey J
    Hendersonville, TN20 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sep 2020
    My husband and I really loved this tour! We were visiting Louisville for the weekend and wanted to get a better idea of what the city was like. David was an incredible guide who had so much knowledge of the architecture and history of the 45 blocks of Old Louisville. Because this area isn’t in the main tourist spots, you would never know it’s here - and that’s such a shame because it’s gorgeous and SO charming! You learn so much about the roots of the city, and even get to hear some fun witch and ghost stories. We had a great time and it was our favorite activity we did while there!
    Written September 15, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much! We're glad you enjoyed Old Louisville!
    Written September 16, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Amanda R
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2020 • Couples
    David is an amazing guide. So knowledgeable about the history and architecture of Old Louisville. You don’t want to miss any of his tours! We’re Louisville natives and have even lived in Old Louisville, but learned so many things we didn’t know about the people and buildings. Will walk through it now with new eyes!
    Written June 10, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks so much for joining us in Old Louisville, Amanda! Look forward to seeing you soon.
    Written June 11, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    kysuze
    Louisville, KY2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2019
    David Domine's Architectural tours truly are like a trip back in time. You will feel transported and you will meet virtually all the many people of the past who inhabited these beautiful old houses. You will leave, feeling connected to them and to the neighborhood, which is unique and magical. Then after an Architectural tour, return in the evening for a Ghost tour. The Ghost tours are so much fun, and are a great way to celebrate the month of October especially. David's descriptions will have you seeing the ghosts, and you will never forget them...Suzanne Hurst, Old Louisville resident since 1995.
    Written April 28, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks! Look forward to seeing you soon again in Old Louisville!
    Written April 30, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    suezq1013
    Brooklyn, NY17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2021 • Friends
    David’s tour was an excellent way to spend some time learning about old Louisville. From millionaires row to Belgravia court, david told very entertaining stories that really brought the neighborhood to life! We spent most of our time in the downtown area and this was a lovely change of venue. Also David’s recommendations were on point! After our tour we went to some of the places he recommended and we had a great day!
    Written July 21, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    So glad you enjoyed your time with us! Thanks again for coming to Old Louisville!
    Written July 21, 2021
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Jim J
    Culpeper, VA2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sep 2021 • Couples
    David gave a great tour of Old Louisville and took us to places we wouldn't find on our own. He gave us a lot of interesting and fun history, with some of it reminding us of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil!"

    He showed us examples of the various styles of Victorian-era houses and some background on the people who built them and their contributions to the development of the city. It was fun hearing about the "Witches' Tree" and the tornado that struck the town soon after the tree was cut down to be fashioned into a maypole.

    We didn't know that one name for Louisville was "Glitter Ball City" because the glitter ball originated here and Louisville once built most of them, including the ones, for example, at Studio 54.

    We would have enjoyed spending more time with David and in Louisville. We had our (well-behaved) dog with us and it was nice to be able to have her along on the tour; David was very nice to her.

    In terms of the mechanics of the tour, David texted us instructions on where to park and meet and where to catch up with the group if we were running late, and that made things a lot easier.

    By the way, David Dominé is an established author and has a new book coming out 10/5/2021 based on some of the things that happened in a particular house in Old Louisville: "A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City." We've pre-ordered it in hardcover.

    If you like seeing historic homes, learning history, and a good walk besides, this tour is recommended!
    Written September 12, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks so much for such a thorough and helpful review! It was my pleasure showing you around Old Louisville!
    Written September 13, 2021
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    Old Louisville Walking Tour Recommended by The New York Times! @ 4th and Ormsby provided by Louisville Historic Tours

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