Louisville to Cleveland road trip: Drive time, distance & best stops
The best road trip stops on the Louisville to Cleveland drive are Cincinnati, Columbus and Mansfield. The distance from Louisville to Cleveland by car is 348 miles, with a 5h21m driving time.
Planning a Louisville to Cleveland road trip itinerary
A Louisville to Cleveland road trip takes you from the biggest city in Kentucky to the shores of Lake Erie in Ohio. There is plenty to do on the way, and while this guide picks out the best three stops, you can break the journey down into chunks for more options. For that extra detail, check out the guides to the Louisville to Cincinnati drive, the Cincinnati to Columbus drive and the Columbus to Cleveland drive.
Things to do in Louisville and Cleveland
Louisville is the biggest city in Kentucky, and has a strong range of attractions to enjoy. The Louisville Mega Cavern has underground zipline tours, the Churchill Downs race track hosts America’s most famous horse race – the Kentucky Derby – and the Louisville Slugger Factory makes the world’s most famous baseball bats. You can take factory tours and there’s a museum attached.
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.
Top Louisville accommodation choices include the history-drenched Brown Hotel and the art-packed 21C Museum Hotel.
Why you should visit the Kentucky Derby Museum
The Kentucky Derby Museum isn’t just about the nation’s top horse race – it’s about the phenomenon that surrounds it. Museum entry tickets include the chance to see the trophies, learn the backstories of famous winners and watch an immersive theater screening. Best of all, they also include a walking tour of the Churchill Downs Racetrack. Find out more here.
David Whitley, author of Best3Stops.
The best attractions in Cleveland include the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame and Cleveland History Center. Alternatively, Cleveland tour options focus on neighbourhood food scenes, the city’s best craft breweries and Downtown’s public art.
Louisville to Cleveland distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Louisville to Cleveland is 348 miles, with a driving time of around five hours and 21 minutes. The quickest route goes straight up the I-71. The best stops to add to a Louisville to Cleveland road trip itinerary are Cincinnati, Columbus and Mansfield in Ohio.
Best stops between Louisville and Cleveland: Cincinnati
Cincinnati is the biggest city in southern Ohio, with a wealth of attractions. Among the more distinctive are the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and 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.
Cincinnati to Cleveland road trip attractions: 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.
Louisville to Cleveland drive: Mansfield, Ohio
There are several attractions in the small Ohio city of Mansfield. These include the Buckeye Imagination Museum, which provides hands-on, play-based learning for kids, and historic Oak Hill Cottage.
The highlight, however, is the Ohio State Reformatory. This former prison offers several guided tours, including one with a Shawshank Redemption theme. The film was shot here. Other tours go into executions and life behind bars.
More Louisville road trips
Atlanta to Louisville | Bowling Green to Louisville | Louisville to Chicago | Louisville to Cincinnati | Columbus to Louisville | Louisville to Dallas | Louisville to Detroit | Evansville to Louisville | Louisville to Gatlinburg | Louisville to Indianapolis | Knoxville to Louisville | Louisville to Lexington KY | Louisville to Memphis | Louisville to Nashville | Pittsburgh to Louisville.
More Cleveland road trips
Cleveland to Atlanta | Cleveland to Baltimore | Cleveland to Buffalo | Cleveland to Chicago | Cincinnati to Cleveland | Columbus to Cleveland | Dallas to Cleveland | Dayton to Cleveland | Cleveland to Detroit | Indianapolis to Cleveland | Cleveland to Nashville | Cleveland to New Orleans | Cleveland to Niagara Falls | Cleveland to Philadelphia | Pittsburgh to Cleveland | St Louis to Cleveland | Toledo to Cleveland.