What makes Creekside sights so special is the way history and present come together almost unnoticed while I walk along the old brick houses with my coffee in my hand. Creekside is located in the Louisville Metro Township, nestled in Jefferson County, and was originally a small railway settlement area in the late 19. century for the workers of nearby coal mines. The old railroads, which have become too narrow paths today, tell about a time when the whistling of the locomotives was the daily noise – a sound that I hear today only in the occasional ratter of an old tractor when I walk past the fields that still surround the country that once fed the city.
I must admit, the hype around the hip cafes on Main Street Corner is not quite comprehensible for me, but the small, family-run bakeries that still use the recipe of their great-grandparents are really great and give the place a charm you don't find in every blog. If you are honest, the true heart of Creekside is not the latest art installation, but the friendly pitch of the neighbors that you get when you walk on the pavement – a silent promise that still true community still lives here. And that, my friends, is what I appreciate most at the Creekside sights: the unprecedented feeling of being part of a story that is still written.
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The first stop is Jefferson Memorial Forest, the largest urban forest area east of Louisville – a bit like a mini national park, only that the trails here smell more like “neighbouring jogging path”. I packed my running shoes there on a lukewarm Saturday morning, just to see that parking at the main entrance is almost always a children's game, as long as you don't get to the high season with the families from the suburbs. The hiking trails wind through dense jaws and open meadows, and if you're lucky, you'll catch a deer who's doing a selfie with an unsuspecting walker – no joke that happens here more often than you think.
A short detour to the north leads to Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forestwhere the trees have more personality than some city dwellers. I remember a picnic under an old oak tree that was so knorig that he almost seemed like a natural bow for an improvised yoga studio. The entrance is free, but the café at the entrance requires for a cappuccino almost the same as a small dinner – a small indication that the money is used here for the care of the paths. If you like to ride a bike, try the 12-mile roundabout; that's the only way I didn't ask myself why I didn't just drive home.
If you have enough of green areas, that is Louisville Mega Cavern an underground adventure you should not overlook. The old coal mine was transformed into a huge attraction, and for the first time in my life I experienced a zipline through a dark, damp tunnel system – that's about as if you were squeaking through a huge, cold fridge compartment. Parking is well signposted at the entrance, but on the weekend there can be a small traffic jam, because the families with children want to try out the “climbing wall”. And yes, the light is artificial, but that only makes the experience mystical.
A little culture? The Muhammad Ali Center in downtown Louisville is not only a museum, but a statement. I spent my youth years in the background with a box-out while I was strolling through the interactive exhibits. The entrance is free, but the café serves expensive smoothies that taste more like luxury drinks than something a boxer would drink after a hard workout. Parking is easy to find at the museum as long as you do not come to the “Ali-Tag” event, then the whole becomes a small patience sample.
For those who love city life, Old Louisville Historic District A must. The Victorian houses here have more charm than a whole Netflix-Binge-Marathon. I visited a flea market once on a Sunday morning, where an older gentleman sold me an antique gramophone – a real bargain if you don't know the story of the device. The roads are narrow, so parking is best in the lateral garages that you can easily overlook if you don't pay attention to the narrow entrances.
A short trip over the Ohio River leads to Big Four Bridge, a pedestrian and wheel bridge that is immersed in a colourful light sea at night. I watched a sunset there while I was cycling the bridge with my bike – that was almost too romantic for my taste, but hey, that's what you get here when you have a little time. Parking on the Louisville side is usually easy, while the Indiana side is a bit fuller on the weekend because the college students start their parties there.
Whether you're looking for a forest walk, an underground adventure or a touch of culture – the vicinity of Creekside offers everything the heart of a modern traveler desires. And if you want to pack it all in one day, be warned: The streets can be full, parking sometimes tricky, but that makes the experience only more authentic. So, these are my personal Creekside Attractionsthat you should not miss if you want to experience the real Kentucky off the tourist trails.
At first glance at the small sign at the entrance of the Creekside Library becomes clear why I want to stay here every time a little longer – the building looks like an architect from the 70s tried to build a bookcase.
I have to admit, I don't quite understand the hype about modern libraries, but here the staff is so kind that I feel almost guilty when I only borrow a book and then come back to talk about the latest crime. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem, because the weekly “Literatur-and-Limonade Meeting” will take place and everyone with a stack of books in the trunk.
A short walk leads you to Creeside Community Center, which is more than just a place for yoga classes – here there is the notorious “Karaoke Night”, where I accidentally sang “Sweet Home Alabama” in a Kentuckic accent and applauded the audience (consisting of retired farmers) as if I were a local star. The Center has a small café that is supposed to serve the best coffee in the area; I have experienced the “no-word-more-after-the-last-last-luck-runken-habe” feeling, because the espresso was so strong that I almost lost my glasses.
If you're looking for something green, Creekside Park Your goal. The park is small, but charming, with a playground that makes more squeaking sounds than an old tractor, and a small brook that is actually named after Creekside – yes, that's not an advertising slogan, that's a real brook that goes along here. I once made a picnic that was disturbed by a horde duck who apparently stole the bread for their own dinner parties. Don't worry, this is everyday and the ducks are almost tourist attraction.
A little away from the centre, the Oldham County Heritage Trail by Creekside. I ran the route several times because I thought I could capture the history of the area in a sprint – that didn't work, but I discovered some old stone bridges that look like they had more stories to tell than most guides. The trail markings are sometimes somewhat confusing, so better bring a GPS, otherwise you end up in the neighboring place, where you suddenly stand in a field of corn and ask yourself if you are still in Kentucky.
A hidden gem I barely betray someone is the huge mural on the side of the Creekside Elementary School. The work of art was created by local students and a former art teacher and shows a collage of historical farm houses, modern bicycles and a huge, laughing bear – a symbol of the blend of tradition and youthful swing that makes creekside. I once made a selfie that later landed in school newspaper because the director said it was “a good example of community spirit.”
Every year in October, the little town turns for Creekside Fall Festival. I have been there for the first time in 2018 when a local baker sold his famous “Apple-Cinnamon Donuts” that were so good that I would have spent almost the entire budget for souvenirs. The festival atmosphere is a mix of country music, a rumble and a stand where an older gentleman sells handmade wooden toys – I bought a small wooden horse that is now on my desk and reminds me every day that I don't have to sit in the office.
And because I don't just want to show the obvious, here is a hint for those who want to try a little golf: Oldham County Golf Course is just a few minutes drive from Creekside. I played there once with a friend who claimed he was a “pro”, and after three blows in the water bunker it was clear that he is more of a “pro in the excuse.” Nevertheless, the complex is well maintained and offers a beautiful view over the gentle hills that shape the country here.
So if you think about Kentucky the next time, forget the big cities and see them Creekside Attractions – they are not only a few points on a map, but a collection of small moments that remind you that the real kentucky is in the quiet corners, where people still have a little more time for a smile and a good conversation.
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