We all know Derby City is No. 1 in our hearts — but a little external validation never hurts.

Louisville and its local businesses scored 50+ accolades in 2024, culminating in being named the No. 11 best city in the US in a survey by Clever. Let's take a look back at some of LOU's top marks from the year that was.

Louisville the destination

"The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2024" by Travel and Leisure — This unranked list included Louisville alongside places like Las Vegas, Paris, and Bangkok in the "Big City Thrills" category.
"10 Destinations to Elevate Black Culture Year-Round" by Points Guy — Fixtures like the Civil Rights Trail, the Footsteps of Greatness Tour, and the Muhammad Ali Museum landed Derby City on this list.

Louisville's neighborhoods

"The 16 Most Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods in the U.S." by TravelMag — Butchertown made it onto this list for its happening nightlife, Waterfront Park, Lynn Family Stadium, and, of course, the food.
"The Best Food Neighborhoods In The USA" by AFAR — NuLu landed a spot on this list thanks to some heavy hitters like La Bodeguita Mima, MeeshMeesh, and Nami, especially since you can easily find breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the same stretch.

Louisville the foodie town

"Best New Restaurants of 2024" by Yelp — MeeshMeesh ranked No. 3 on this list, just behind restaurants in New York and Nashville (we see you, NASHtoday). It wasn't MeeshMeesh's only win this year, either. The Levantine restaurant also placed No. 2 on Yelp's "Best New Restaurants in the South" list last year.

Of course, Louisville has always been this good — just look at all the accolades it received back in 2023.