Kentucky, Louisville, Eastern Kentucky and Bellarmine in 3 Days: A Bluegrass College Trip
A parent-first plan for seeing the University of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, Bellarmine and the University of Louisville from one hotel in downtown Lexington: official tour sign-ups, visitor parking at every campus, the Kentucky Horse Park and the Louisville Slugger Museum for siblings, and Bluegrass weather by season.
Old Main, University of Kentucky (July 2023). Photo: w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).
Check before you go. Tour times, sign-up rules, parking and seasonal closures change often, sometimes weekly. Every campus section below links to that school's official visit page and shows when we last checked it. Confirm there before you book or drive. College Visit Guides is not affiliated with or endorsed by any college or university. Names are used only to identify them.
The short version
Trip at a glance
Schools
University of Kentucky (Lexington) · Eastern Kentucky University (Richmond) · Bellarmine University (Louisville) · University of Louisville (Belknap Campus)
Days
3: Kentucky on day 1, Eastern Kentucky and the Kentucky Horse Park on day 2, then Bellarmine and Louisville on day 3 before flying home from Louisville. Arrive the day before.
Fly into
Blue Grass Airport (LEX) in Lexington, about 20 minutes and 8 miles from the hotel with no traffic. Fly home from Louisville Muhammad Ali International (SDF), about 10 minutes from UofL.
Best base
Residence Inn by Marriott Lexington City Center on West Main Street: about a 15-minute walk or 3-minute drive to UK's Gatton Student Center.
Car or transit
You'll need a car. Eastern Kentucky is about 37 minutes from the hotel and Bellarmine about 1 hour 29 minutes with no traffic.
Registration
All four schools take visit sign-ups online. UofL and Bellarmine offer Saturday options on select dates.
1. Who this guide is for
This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to see four Division I universities in Kentucky in one trip: Kentucky in the SEC, Louisville in the ACC, Eastern Kentucky in the United Athletic Conference and Bellarmine in the ASUN.
You sleep in downtown Lexington every night, a short walk from UK and an easy drive to Richmond, then finish in Louisville on the way to the airport.
Why this order
Day 1: UK's daily visit pairs a 30-minute information session on admissions, financial aid and housing with a student-led campus tour, about 2 hours in all, and you can add an academic session.
Day 2: Eastern Kentucky is about 37 minutes south in Richmond, with an information session and a walking tour led by a student ambassador. The Kentucky Horse Park is on the drive back north.
Day 3: Bellarmine's info session and walking-and-trolley tour, then UofL's 30-minute presentation and 90-minute walking tour about 9 minutes away, with the Louisville Slugger Museum on the way to the airport.
Each campus parks you somewhere different
Kentucky: Cornerstone Garage (entrances on South Limestone and Upper Street) is $3 an hour, $30 maximum, across the road from the Gatton Student Center; the Gatton Student Center lot off Avenue of Champions is also $3 an hour.
Eastern Kentucky: buy a $5 visitor day permit online for the Powell Visitor Lot, Park Drive visitor spaces or Alumni Coliseum, or pay by ParkMobile in the Whitlock Lot.
Bellarmine: enter on Bellarmine Boulevard and veer right; Admission visitor parking is in front of Centro Hall.
Louisville: parking is free. On weekdays use the North Information Center (1999 S. First St.); on Saturdays use the permit side of the Floyd Street Garage and get a voucher at check-in.
Tour availability varies by season.
Winters are cold but light on snow: January averages about 42°F highs and 25°F lows at Blue Grass Airport, with about 5 inches of snow, and February adds about 4.5 more.
May is the wettest month, with about 5.4 inches of rain, so pack an umbrella for spring tours.
UK is closed Nov. 26–27 for Thanksgiving and Dec. 24 through Jan. 1 for winter break, so plan around those dates.
The Kentucky Horse Park's main season runs through Nov. 8, 2026, and it's closed Tuesdays. From Nov. 13 it opens Friday through Sunday only.
2. The suggested 3-day plan
Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Lexington to Louisville is about 1.5 hours on I-64, so leave extra time on day 3.
Louisville is on Eastern Time and observes Daylight Saving Time, so museum schedules can shift in March and November.
Arrival day: fly into Lexington and check in downtown
Blue Grass Airport (LEX) → Residence Inn by Marriott Lexington City Center (150 W. Main St., Lexington)
Driving (no traffic)
~20 min, 8.1 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Drive
When you book UK's visit, use a personal (not school-issued) email address so UK can reach your student.
Day 1: University of Kentucky
Hotel → UK Gatton Student Center (160 Avenue of Champions)
Driving (no traffic)
~3 min, 0.8 mi
Driving
~15 min walk, 0.7 mi
UK → hotel
Driving (no traffic)
~3 min, 0.9 mi
Driving
~15 min walk
Book a Daily Visit on UK's sign-up page: a 30-minute information session on admissions, financial aid and housing, then a guided campus tour led by a current student. General tours last about 2 hours.
Add an optional academic information session with your student's college; these vary in length, so leave room in the afternoon.
Short on time or visiting on a weekend? UK also offers a self-guided campus tour.
Day 2: Eastern Kentucky, then the Kentucky Horse Park
Hotel → Eastern Kentucky University (Whitlock Building, 216 Park Dr., Richmond)
Driving (no traffic)
~37 min, 26.7 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Drive
EKU → Kentucky Horse Park (4089 Iron Works Pike, Lexington)
Driving (no traffic)
~46 min, 35.6 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Drive
Kentucky Horse Park → hotel
Driving (no traffic)
~19 min, 9.6 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Drive
EKU visits run Monday through Friday and on select Saturdays, and your student can bring up to 2 guests. Each visit is a brief information session and a guided walking tour with a student ambassador.
On Wednesdays, EKU's Maroon Madness visit adds a session about your student's academic program with faculty and staff.
The Kentucky Horse Park is closed Tuesdays in its main season and Monday through Thursday from Nov. 13, so plan this day accordingly. Admission includes the next day free, excluding major events and holidays.
Day 3: Bellarmine, Louisville, then fly home
Hotel → Bellarmine University (Centro Hall, 2001 Newburg Rd., Louisville)
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 29 min, 75.5 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Drive
Bellarmine → University of Louisville (Student Activities Center, Belknap Campus)
Driving (no traffic)
~9 min, 4.1 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Drive
UofL → Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory (800 W. Main St.), optional
Driving (no traffic)
~10 min, 4.0 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Drive
Slugger Museum → Louisville Muhammad Ali International (SDF)
Driving (no traffic)
~14 min, 8.4 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Drive
Bellarmine's visit is an information session with an admission counselor, then a hybrid walking and trolley tour of campus and the surrounding Highlands neighborhood with student guides. Weekday visits depart from Undergraduate Admission in Centro Hall.
UofL's visit is a 30-minute admissions presentation and a 90-minute walking tour. On weekdays, arrive at least 15 minutes early, stop at the North Information Center window, then walk about 4 minutes to the Student Activities Center, Kurz Visit Room W212.
Skipping the museum? UofL is about 10 minutes from SDF with no traffic.
3. Campus by campus
Old Main, University of Kentucky (July 2023). Photo: w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
The Daily Visit starts with a 30-minute information session covering admissions, financial aid and housing, followed by a guided campus tour led by a current UK student. General campus tours last about 2 hours.
You can add an optional academic information session with one of UK's colleges. UK also runs Big Blue Open Houses and offers a self-guided tour.
Visitor parking
Cornerstone Garage (PS #5) has entrances on South Limestone and Upper Street and costs $3 an hour, up to $30 per exit; visitors pay on weekends too. It's across the road from the Gatton Student Center.
The Gatton Student Center lot off Avenue of Champions is $3 an hour; pay at the central meter. Temporary visitor passes: Transportation Services, 859-257-5757.
Getting there
About a 15-minute walk or 3-minute drive from the hotel.
What to know
UK says it's one of only eight U.S. institutions with liberal arts, engineering, professional, agricultural and medical colleges on one contiguous campus, so ask your guide which colleges you'll pass.
Contact
UK Visitor Center: 859-257-3595; ukvc@uky.edu.
Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
Campus visits run Monday through Friday and on select Saturdays, with a brief information session and a guided walking tour with a student ambassador. Your student can bring up to 2 guests.
Wednesday's Maroon Madness adds an academic session and a next-steps seminar. EKU also runs Saturday Spotlight Days and evening Twilight Tours.
Visitor parking
A visitor permit is $5 a day online or at the Parking Office and covers the Powell Visitor Lot, Park Drive visitor spaces or Alumni Coliseum.
The Whitlock Lot is pay-by-ParkMobile at $0.75 for 20 minutes; Admissions is in the Whitlock Building.
Getting there
About 37 minutes from the hotel with no traffic. Lexington is 25 miles north on I-75.
What to know
For lunch in Richmond, EKU suggests Madison Garden, The Paddy Wagon Irish Pub, Babylon Café and Purdy's Coffee Co.
Contact
EKU Admissions, Whitlock Building Room 112, 216 Park Dr., Richmond, KY 40475; call 859-622-2106 or text 859-544-2070.
Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
Visits run Monday through Friday, mornings and afternoons, plus select Saturdays during the school year. Each is an information session with an admission counselor and a hybrid walking and trolley tour of campus and the Highlands neighborhood.
In limited cases Bellarmine can arrange faculty meetings, class shadowing or a Spanish-speaking guide: contact Michelle Johnson, mjohnson2@bellarmine.edu or 502-272-8123.
Visitor parking
Weekday visits depart from Undergraduate Admission in Centro Hall (building #1c). Enter on Bellarmine Boulevard, veer right, and use the Admission visitor parking in front of Centro Hall.
Getting there
About 1 hour 29 minutes from the hotel and 9 minutes from UofL with no traffic.
What to know
The trolley portion of the tour takes you through the Highlands neighborhood around campus.
Contact
Bellarmine Undergraduate Admission, 2001 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40205; 502-272-8131.
Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
The visit is a 30-minute presentation from an admissions representative and a 90-minute walking tour of Belknap Campus with a Campus Visit Guide. Weekday visits begin in the Student Activities Center, Kurz Visit Room W212.
Student guests get a lunch coupon for any on-campus dining location at check-in, and 20% off one item at the UofL Campus Store after the visit.
Visitor parking
Parking is free. Weekdays: park at the North Information Center, arrive at least 15 minutes early and stop at the window for a campus map; it's about a 4-minute walk to the Student Activities Center.
Saturdays: use the permit side of the Floyd Street Garage and take the 3rd-floor walkway to the Student Activities Center; you'll get a parking voucher at check-in.
Getting there
About 9 minutes from Bellarmine and 10 minutes from SDF with no traffic.
What to know
The tour stops include The Ville Grille dining hall. The Speed Art Museum is on Belknap Campus, about a 14-minute walk from the Student Activities Center; it's closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Contact
UofL Admissions, Houchens Building, 2211 S. Brook St. #150, Louisville; 502-852-6531.
Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
Expedia hotel links are affiliate links: if you book through one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Hotel · Our pickMid-range
Residence Inn by Marriott Lexington City Center
150 W. Main St., Lexington, KY
Why here
It's on West Main Street downtown, about a 15-minute walk from UK's Gatton Student Center, 37 minutes from Eastern Kentucky and 20 minutes from Blue Grass Airport with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
Expedia lists free to-go breakfast and a seasonal outdoor pool; valet parking costs extra.
Amenities, parking fees and room types change, so confirm them on the Expedia listing before you book.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
It's about a 1-minute walk from the Residence Inn on West Main Street, about a 16-minute walk from UK's Gatton Student Center and 37 minutes from Eastern Kentucky with no traffic.
Good to know
Expedia notes the hotel's dining venue is closed for renovation from June 1, 2026, to Jan. 1, 2027, and valet parking costs extra.
One hotel in Lexington for every night means no repacking: UK is walkable, Richmond is under 40 minutes away, and you check out on day 3 and finish in Louisville near the airport.
5. Meals between tours
Hours change, so check before you go.
Richmond (EKU)
Eat
Madison Garden
Richmond, KY
EKU's visit page lists it for a wide array of food in a fun environment.
Meet champion horses and explore the International Museum of the Horse. Admission includes the next day free (excluding major events and holidays). Closed Tuesdays in the main season; Friday–Sunday only from Nov. 13.
Reserve timed tickets ahead. Factory tours last about 30 minutes, everyone gets a free mini souvenir bat, and you should allow 2 hours. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas; a city garage is directly behind the building.
Kentucky's oldest and largest art museum, on UofL's Belknap Campus, with the hands-on Art Sparks gallery for all ages. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays; Sundays are pay-what-you-can.
At UK, use Cornerstone Garage or the Gatton Student Center lot ($3 an hour).
At EKU, buy a $5 visitor day permit or pay by ParkMobile in the Whitlock Lot.
At Bellarmine, park in the Admission visitor spaces in front of Centro Hall.
At UofL, parking is free at the North Information Center on weekdays and the Floyd Street Garage on Saturdays.
Flying in and out
Blue Grass Airport (LEX) is about 20 minutes from the hotel with no traffic.
Louisville Muhammad Ali International (SDF) is about 10 minutes from UofL and 13 minutes from Bellarmine with no traffic.
If you'd rather fly in and out of SDF, it's about 1 hour 34 minutes to the Lexington hotel with no traffic.
Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Lexington Blue Grass Airport)
Spring: April averages about 67°F highs and 45°F lows, with about 4.4 inches of rain; May is the wettest month, at about 5.4 inches.
Summer: July averages about 87°F highs and 67°F lows.
Fall: October averages about 69°F highs and 47°F lows; November highs drop to about 56°F.
Winter: January averages about 42°F highs and 25°F lows, with about 5 inches of snow; February averages about 4.5 inches.
Parent checklist
Register for all four visits online: Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, Bellarmine and Louisville.
Use a personal email address for UK's sign-up, not a school-issued one.
Book the Residence Inn Lexington City Center for every night and rent a car at the airport.
Buy EKU's $5 visitor permit online before day 2, and check the Horse Park's open days.
After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.
8. Student-athlete recruiting visits
For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.
Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.
Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.
Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
Division I (University of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, Bellarmine University and University of Louisville): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.
Planning around the season
Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.
Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.
Coming soon
Planning more college trips?
Visit-season reminders and new trip guides from College Visit Guides. Newsletter coming soon.
Sources
All checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.
Expedia listing: Residence Inn by Marriott Lexington City Center (star class, checked 2026-10-27) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Lexington-Hotels-Residence-Inn-By-Marriott-Lexington-City-Center.h36800325.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Lexington-Downtown (star class, checked 2026-10-27) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Lexington-Hotels-Holiday-Inn-Express-Hotel-Suites-Lexington-Downtown.h1172332.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: 21c Museum Hotel Lexington (star class, checked 2026-10-27) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Lexington-Hotels-21c-Museum-Hotel-Lexington.h12243775.Hotel-Information)
