Louisville, Kentucky: Not Just For Horse Lovers

Now for those children that love hands on science there is the Louisville Science Center. Located downtown, this museum is a big hit with not only kids but adults as well. There are four separate exhibits: The World We Create, The World within Us, The World Around Us, and for the little ones a special area just for them called Kidszone. There is also a temporary exhibit area that changes every couple of months. You also have the option of purchasing a ticket to the IMAX theatre, which is a wonderful experience. The Science center happens to be about a half a block from the Slugger Museum which allows you to go to one right after the other.

Now all this isn’t to say that the Kentucky Derby can't be fun for the family too. The Derby is always held the first Saturday of the month of May, and the two weeks before the Derby are filled with all kinds of fun activities. To kick off the Derby there is Thunder Over Louisville, which is an all day event on the Ohio River. They have an air show which includes all kinds of military and even some rescue planes. The day ends with an amazing fireworks display that is a huge hit. Another event held the Thursday before the Derby is the Pegasus parade which showcases many businesses, floats, and bands. Mickey Mouse was once the Grand Marshal of the parade. One other event that is a great hit with the kids is the Great Balloon Race! The best part is that the night before the race they have what is called a balloon glow. All the participants place their balloons in their respective spots and inflate their balloons. This is an amazing sight with the dark sky and the glow of the many balloons. Entrance to the glow is free with a Pegasus pin (which can be purchased at any local Kroger’s grocery store) and $6 for parking.

Uh, Who's Driving the Train at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?
Our son usually puts his hands in the air on "thrill rides" (for added effect), but on this day he obviously needed one of his hands to shield his eyes from the bright Florida sun. When I saw the photo, I thought it looked a bit like a student raising his hand to ask a question; perhaps he was asking: "Uh, who's driving?" - photo by Rebecca_01