The best road trip stops on the Pittsburgh to Louisville drive are Columbus, Cincinnati and Big Bone Lick State Park. The distance from Pittsburgh to Louisville by car is 390 miles, with a 6h driving time.
Planning a Pittsburgh to Louisville road trip itinerary
The Pittsburgh to Louisville drive takes you from a massively underrated city in western Pennsylvania to the heart of Kentucky.
5 great Pittsburgh experiences worth booking
- 🏙️ Take an incredibly well-reviewed private Pittsburgh highlights tour.
- 🍽️ Go on a downtown food tour, with 6 fantastic food and drink stops.
- 👻 Hear spooky tales in the evening on a Pittsburgh ghost tour.
- 🥃 Discover Pittsburgh’s whiskey-soaked history – with two cocktails thrown in.
- 🛴 Visit Pittsburgh’s top photo stops – on a fun-packed Segway tour.
Pittsburgh is surprisingly beautiful – take a ride up the Duquesne Incline for the best views out over the city, Point State Park and Fort Pitt. After that, check out the Warhol Museum, National Aviary or the Nationality Rooms in the gigantic Cathedral of Learning.
Pittsburgh experiences include guided whiskey-themed walks and craft beer sampling on a multi-brewery tour.
For Pittsburgh hotels with great reviews, try the Italian villa-style Priory Hotel or the often good value Drury Plaza Hotel Pittsburgh Downtown.
Good Louisville experiences include Old Louisville ghost tours, the Kentucky Derby Museum and a tasting tour of multiple bourbon distilleries. The food and history tours are also worth checking out.
For Louisville attractions, try the Frazier Kentucky History Museum, Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory Tour, Muhammad Ali Center and Kentucky Science Center.
5 great Louisville experiences to book
- 🏛️ See handsome mansions and learn Louisville history – on an Old Louisville walking tour.
- 🏇 Visit the Kentucky Derby Museum – with a guided Churchill Downs track visit.
- 🍗 Taste fried chicken, BBQ and more – on a guided NuLu food tour.
- 🥃 Take a Kentucky bourbon tour – with tastings at three distilleries.
- 👻 Hear spooky tales of old Louisville – on a hugely popular ghost tour.
Pittsburgh to Louisville distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Pittsburgh to Louisville is 390 miles. You can expect a driving time of around six hours. The quickest route is along I-70 and I-71.
The best stops on the Pittsburgh to Louisville drive are Columbus, Cincinnati and Big Bone Lick State Park.
Pittsburgh to Louisville road trip stops: Columbus
Columbus is the capital of Ohio, and has a series of worthy attractions. None are top tier must-sees, but several are pretty darned good.
In Columbus, a three day attractions pass covers most of the top sights. These include the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and the National Veterans Memorial and Museum. For other Columbus experiences, try scavenger hunts, a town tour aboard the Trolley Pub and the Legoland Discovery Center.
Best attractions between Pittsburgh and Louisville: Cincinnati
Cincinnati has a surprising wealth of historic attractions, such as the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Harriet Beecher Stowe House and William Howard Taft National Historic Site. For something a little quirky, try the American Sign Museum.
Top Cincinnati activities include underground tours – some with beer tasting – and food tours by streetcar. You can also try baseball history tours, indoor skydiving and guided ghost walks.
Five great things to do in Cincinnati
- 🕳️ Take an underground tour – and discover the secrets beneath the city streets.
- 👻 Hear dark tales – on an after-dark ghost tour.
- 🚋 Enjoy a streetcar food tour – with tastings at several restaurants and Findlay Market.
- 🍺 Learn how Cincinnati was built on beer – during a historic walking tour.
- 🏰 Discover Cincinnati’s hidden brewery caverns – with beer-tasting included.
Pittsburgh to Louisville drive: Big Bone Lick State Historic Site
Big Bone Lick State Historic Site offers short hiking trails and picnic tables, but the bison herd tends to be the big attraction here.
Bison haven’t lived in Kentucky since the 1800s, but the herd at Big Bone Lick harks back to the Ice Age. It’s a link to the historic site’s other key difference – several fossils have been found in paleontological digs here. The Diomara Pit recreates what has been found and the Visitor Center tells the story.
More Kentucky travel
Other Kentucky travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Road trips from Louisville: The best stops on the Louisville to Cincinnati drive, Louisville to Indianapolis drive and Louisville to Nashville drive.
- Getting to Lexington: The best stops on the Louisville to Lexington drive.
- Visiting Mary Todd Lincoln House and Ashland: The Henry Clay Estate in Lexington, Kentucky.
- What to expect on a visit to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.
- Exploring the Camp Nelson National Monument near Lexington, Kentucky.
