Every city has one: the vibrant, bustling nightlife district, the party strip, the neighborhood where it’s not uncommon to see a guy walking his dog in a bathrobe at 3:00 in the afternoon with a PBR unapologetically in-hand. Fortunately for us, the Highlands has all of that and more. Running the length of Baxter and Bardstown Roads from Broadway to the Gene Snyder, the Highlands is the place to be for weekend nightlife, and Friday/Saturday nights will definitely deliver fun and frivolity in spades. Between the guy who rolls a giant, inflatable globe through the streets on the daily to the eccentric lifer cashier at the Highland Walgreens (we’re no name-droppers, but you’ll know when you meet him), the cast of characters in this neighborhood will leave you sometimes confused, sometimes entertained, but always with great stories to tell the folks back home. Rife with head shops, hookah bars, and pizza joints, the Highlands definitely boasts a young, Haight-Ashbury vibe, but look further, and you’ll realize its potential knows no demographic. Lush parks and stunning architecture lend an air of old elegance to the residential areas directly bordering the main drag. Mature trees and well-manicured homes belie the pride and affection the residents have for their neighborhood. Best of all, the residential streets are removed enough from the strip to be quiet and peaceful, while still close enough to access the best nightlife in the city - and get home safely.
Perfect For
- Singletons
- Couples with or without kids
- Pets
- LGBT and allies
- Live music enthusiasts
- Social butterflies
- The open-minded
- Nature lovers
- Throwing down on weekends
- Sleeping in on Sundays
Entertainment/Nightlife
- Irish Triangle (Molly Malone’s, O’Shea’s, Falanagan’s)
- Big Bar/Nowhere Bar
- Akiko’s Karaoke
- The Back Door
- Baxter Avenue Theater
- Holy Grale
- The Laughing Derby at Comedy Caravan
- The Bard’s Town
The Trade-off
Traffic is nearly always thick along the main Bardstown Road/Baxter Avenue drag. Weekends and major events bring hordes of tourists and partiers to the area, but be safe, drive sober, and /or Uber it, and you’ll never be bored.
Bonus
The annual Zombie Attack, an event held every September during which thousands of pedestrians dressed as zombies march down Bardstown Road for no other reason than we did it one year and everyone loved it. Seriously, one of the coolest events in the city.
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