You wake up on a Thursday afternoon during the summer with nothing to do and with no money. You make it out of bed to see what possibilities you have for the day and to hopefully find some money in your wallet that you could've forgotten about. Fortunately, you're able to find a $20 bill that you've been saving for a rainy day, like today. But what could you possibly do with $20 in the city of Louisville, Kentucky? Well, that's why i'm here! Here's a list of my top five places to visit in Louisville whenever I'm on a tight budget.
1. Waterfront Park
If you're a Louisville native, you know of this park that sits right next to the Ohio River where restaurants such as Tumbleweed and Joe's Crab Shack sit on the shores. There are swings that conquer the majority of the grassland, positioned in a way where you can get the nice breeze as you overlook the river as boats ride through, cars ride on the bridges, and just take in the city life of Louisville. Entering the park is free as well as parking. A nice getaway here is perfect for a beautiful summer day.
2. Bardstown Road
If you love one-of-a-kind food with its own signature flavor, eye-catching styles, great music and bars, and shops that sell anything from a key chain to guitars and speakers, this strip of perfection is where you should be. I refer to this road as the ultimate hangout. I can have as little as $15 when I'm here and still be able to eat a satisfying meal, purchase an item for myself, and make a few friends and pick up on some new trends and styles! Bardstown Road is a long strip where you can spend an entire day and have a blast.
P.S. The best part about this place is that you can people watch for hours and not get bored!
3. 21C
The boutique/art museum/hotel is a wonderful place to look at some exquisite abstract art for free. If you decide to go one day, I recommend that you make it your business to visit the bottom floor where the wall art is fuzzy and sits behind a waterfall that is neon and glows under a background that is printed with psychedelic patterns, shapes and abstraction.
4. Tom Sawyer Park
With acres and acres of beautiful lawns, bike trails, running/walking tracks, swimming pools, playgrounds, barbecue grills, etc, Tom Sawyer Park has been serving the people of Louisville since 1974. The park provides a warm, free and serene environment for lots of safe fun. If you're one of those that just like to chill out and not get active, there are little huts with picnic tables to cater to your type too!
5. Mall St. Matthews
If you're on a tight budget, but still want to look cute and be in the atmosphere of shopping and fashion, Mall St. Matthews is the place to go. Growing up, this mall was the hangout spot for me and many of my peers, since we never had money and not much to buy. But just being in this mall can be really fun for its extensive variety of restaurants in the food court, the surplus stores and shops, and the best part is wide variety of visitors -- which obviously calls for people watching. If you're a chess player, there's a huge chessboard on the floor in the middle of the mall where people can play and watch for free.
Keep in mind that there are many more places in Louisville that you can visit with a tight budget and still have just as much fun! Don't be afraid to get out there and explore the city. We're really nice people, I promise!
