Louisville's Dining Renaissance

The food scene in Kentucky's largest city is driven by bountiful bourbon, local chefs and Southern cuisine.

Take a drive at night down Bardstown Road — historically the cultural vein of Louisville — and you’ll spot one thing immediately: wall-to-wall restaurants and bars. A mile or so north is Frankfort Avenue, another stretch bustling with hungry diners; there’s barbecue, sushi, New American and coal-fired pizza (to name but a few). Then, a few hops west are downtown and the Ohio River, another portal to near-endless great dining and drinking options. These include nationally renowned outposts like 610 Magnolia, run by chef Ed Lee of Netflix’s “Mind of a Chef” fame.

But for a city that recently was voted as the second-best local food scene in the nation by the readers of USA Today, it wasn’t always so.

For many years, Louisville has struggled with the fact that the word “Kentucky” followed right after it. Some people conjure an image of fat-laden fried edibles in the tradition of the Deep South. While that food is certainly offered, a sweeping label is about as fair and accurate as saying that New Orleans is nothing but gumbo, or that Maryland is solely the land of crab cakes. Visit Louisville and you’ll soon see that if offers a delicious and diverse culinary odyssey, something it wasn’t able to do a mere 10 years ago.

So what has been the key to Louisville’s success?

Ready to hit the road in search of some sand? Steer your rental car south from Disneyland toward these three popular beaches.

Huntington Beach: Closest to Disneyland

A mere 21 miles south of the park, the city of Huntington Beach — also known as Surf City USA — makes the perfect place to unwind after a day on your feet. The shoreline stretches for 10 uninterrupted miles, and three of its five beaches have fire rings, including Huntington City Beach between First Street and Beach Boulevard. Remember to pack firewood, marshmallows and blankets.

Maybe you’ll want to join a yoga class on the beach or check out the Surfing Walk of Fame along Main Street, where you’ll see the names of such surf pioneers as Duke Kahanamoku, who helped popularize the sport in the U.S. Look for a statue of him not far from the Huntington Beach Pier entrance along the Pacific Coast Highway. If you time your visit for the end of July, you can catch the U.S. Open of Surfing, said to be the largest surf competition in the world. The weeklong event is free and open to the public.

San Clemente: SoCal’s Ideal Fishing Pier

San Clemente Pier, about 45 minutes south of Disneyland, offers a picturesque view of the seaside town and also brag-worthy ocean fishing. A license isn't required at this public pier, where leopard sharks, barred sand bass and kelp bass are often caught. Find out catch quotas and size rules in advance of fishing.

If you turn up empty-handed after casting a line, the Spanish Village by the Sea — as San Clemente is known — has an abundance of seafood restaurants. Try the Lobster Shack on West Avenida Palizada or Slapfish on West Avenida Vista Hermosa. Before or after grabbing a bite, enjoy the views along the San Clemente Beach Trail, a 2.3 mile-long hiking path that initiates at North Beach and ends at Calafia Beach. 

Carlsbad: Calling All Families and Beginner Surfers

Soak up the sun in Carlsbad, a small city in northern San Diego County that fronts the seashore along the Pacific Coast Highway, just 61 miles south of Disneyland. This kid-friendly destination has everything families big and small need to create a quintessentially Southern California road trip experience. Eight beaches are nearby, including Robert Frazee State Beach near the heart of town. Tamarack State Beach is a perfect spot to introduce the family to surfing  — take a lesson with the seasoned professionals at SoCal Surf Lessons.

Beyond the sand, Carlsbad Village offers blocks and blocks of shopping, casual and fine dining, art galleries and gift shops. The kids might also enjoy kayaking or stand up paddleboarding at Carlsbad Lagoon Recreation Area, where the water is calmer than on the ocean.

Heading north? Check out these four beaches where you can reconnect with nature. 

Manhattan Beach: A Glorious High-end Getaway

Manhattan Beach, just 45 minutes northwest of Disneyland and 5 miles south of Los Angeles International Airport, is where multimillion dollar homes, a seaside bike path and upscale boutiques mingle. People come to carve the world-class waves, play a few rounds of beach volleyball or cycle along that storied bike path. If you come here to indulge yourself, shop along The Strand or spend a night at the posh Shade Hotel in the heart of downtown.

Santa Monica State Beach: For Lovers of City Life

Part of Los Angeles County, Santa Monica is just over an hour northwest of Disneyland, and the city brings together the best of Southern California’s beach lifestyle and then some. Abundant bike paths and pedestrian-friendly areas such as the Third Street Promenade and Palisades Park make it a great place to enjoy a coastal vacation. On a stroll along Santa Monica Pier, you can ride the Pacific Park Ferris Wheel or the West Coaster and take in the fresh salt air at the same time. 

Louisville’s size clearly does not lend itself to compete pound-for-pound with the likes of New York City and Los Angeles. Still, its location at the crossroads of the South and the Midwest certainly lends itself to embracing phenomenal local products and incorporating them into their local food and drink scene. Bourbon is forever enmeshed with the history of this region, as is diversity and a love of independence. For those reasons alone, Louisville is easily one of the best up-and-coming food towns in America.