In Louisville, Try the Bourbon and Zip Line (Not at Once)

Skip to story A thoroughbred horse competing in the derby can go from 0 to 40 mph in just 3 strides.

“LOO-uh-vuhl,” Kentucky’s biggest city, supplies one-third of the world’s bourbon—and barrels of whiskey outnumber people in the state. All that liquid gold gets put to good use every May in mint juleps, the signature cocktail of the Kentucky Derby. This year is the 141st running of Louisville’s incredibly profitable horse race; in 2014 the Derby raked in $186.6 million in wagers. Impressive, but still just a drop in the tumbler compared to Kentucky’s booming bourbon industry, which grossed $3 billion last year, up 67 percent since 2012—or about 937.5 million mint juleps, by our calculation.

90 percent of U.S. disco balls are made in Louisville // “Happy Birthday to You” was created by sisters mildred and patty hill in Louisville in the 19th century // The city of Louisville has more than 120 parks // Kentucky Derby attendance is typically 2 times higher than at a Super Bowl Thomas Porostocky