Market Street

One of the things we love about Louisville is that there is significant emphasis on reclaiming older areas of the city, bringing them to life again. 

Little pieces of nature on a busy street.

Market Street is one of the areas in the city in which locals have truly invested in bringing it back to life. We love to walk down the section of it that is always bustling with people exploring the unique boutiques, good coffee, and a cluster of award-winning restaurants. (Louisville is 2nd only to New York City for number of locally-owned and amazing restaurants, so there is no lack of delicious food in our city!) There is a unique sense of community, as many of the people who regularly hang out in this district live in the apartments and condos nearby. 

Looking down Market Street towards downtown Louisville.

There is a large, multi-level antique store located in this area as well called Joe Ley, which is fun to explore as a family. Their inventory is always changing, so you never know what you might find. 

On this adventure, we went in the late afternoon, so we started out with a few of our favorite treats before exploring the shops and art galleries. Louisville Cream ice cream used to be hard to find; they would sell it in local markets, or occasionally set up shop in festivals and other events. However, they recently opened a brick-and-mortar shop on Market St. It's by far our favorite ice cream shop in the city! Trippe greatly enjoy his Banana Pudding ice cream. 

He was convinced we were trying to poison him before he realized it was ice cream...

While there is truly no food I love more than ice cream, I opted for a healthy treat today. I struggle with a few food-related health issues and have recently made some big changes in my diet. One of my new-found loves is The Juicery. They have amazing, superfood juices and smoothies that taste incredible. The best part? You feel even better after you eat it, compared to high-sugar treats that leave you feeling sluggish and miserable. A way better option, right?! 

At The Weekly Juicery

After walking around for a bit and taking in all of the fun culture that this area has to offer, we ran into dinner time. We opted for one of our favorite, lower cost options for dinner: Royals Hot Chicken. If you're a fan of Nashville-style chicken, you will love Royals. Their side and drink options are the perfect compliment to the delicious main course as well. (I opted for the grilled option, which was just as amazing!) 

The outdoor seating area at Royals

We had to rush off to the next thing (birthing class, because we know how to party), but I managed to snap a few quick pictures on the way out. 

My favorite memory from today: Trippe was legitimately posing for pictures today! It was super cute; he's definitely a natural (gets it from his daddy). 

What historic areas in your city have been restored and brought back to life? Give those local businesses some love! Definitely check out Market Street in Louisville if you are local or visiting.