Louisville

Louisville (or Loo-a-vul, as the locals say) is handsome, underrated and undeniably cool. Think of it as a hipster with good Southern manners. A fun and artsy town built on bourbon and American sport icons (it's home to the Kentucky Derby, and was the birthplace of Muhammad Ali and the Louisville Slugger baseball bat), it has evolved into one of the South's most foodie-centric cities, a lovely spot to eat and museum-hop between rounds of pursuing North America's best bourbon old-fashioned cocktail.