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The Ohio River Valley: The Ultimate Sports Road Trip
- Rachel Huie
- 7 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
From baseball to the Stanley Cup and from the Triple Crown to soccer, it's the time of year that has just about every sports fan glued to their TV. But what you might not know is that all these sports and more can be experienced along one of America's most scenic routes: the Ohio River. Stretching from Pennsylvania to Illinois, the Ohio alternates between big cities and small towns, with a history ranging from pre-colonial settlements to westward expansion. Along the way, it passes through the home of the country's oldest continuously run sporting event, the place where professional baseball got its start, the filming site of a beloved sports movie, and a city that takes its fandom so far that newborn babies are swaddled in rally towels.
The itinerary below sticks pretty closely to the river's route and covers a span of seven days, with a few optional add-ons along the way. Although this is the most scenic route, it's far from the quickest, largely opting for winding country roads instead of interstates. As ever, the river is your oyster, and there are plenty of opportunities to mix and match or stick entirely to the interstate, if you'd like to minimize your time on the road and maximize your time in the towns.
Day 1: St. Louis
For this trip, the Gateway to the West will be the gateway to the east. Located near the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, St. Louis is known for its brewing industry, culinary creations, and longstanding role in westward migration. After checking in to your hotel, if you time your visit right, you can catch a Blues or Cardinals game before starting your sports-themed journey. During the offseason, you can still explore St. Louis sports history at the Cardinals Hall of Fame or the St. Louis Walk of Fame, which celebrates more than 100 famous St. Louisans, including over 25 athletes. End the evening at Union Station, the one-time largest train terminal in the world, now an entertainment complex featuring restaurants, rides, and light shows.
Day 2: Evansville and Louisville (323 miles)
Get an early start the next morning for your 2.5-hour drive to Evansville's Bosse Field. Home to sports teams past and present, Bosse Field is perhaps best known as the filming site for "A League of Their Own," and you'll be able to see signage from the movie on a guided or self-guided tour. After lunch downtown, head back to the road and continue your journey east to Louisville. Combining a vibrant cultural scene and storied sports history with laid-back easygoingness, Louisville is also well-known for its accommodations, including the riverfront Galt House (official hotel of the Kentucky Derby), the Seelbach Hilton (inspiration for "The Great Gatsby"), and the Brown Hotel (birthplace of the Hot Brown sandwich).
Travel Tip:
I-64 is the quickest route to Evansville. If you want to experience driving the whole length of the Ohio, head just over two hours south from St. Louis to the Mississippi-Ohio confluence at Cairo, IL. From there, it will take just over three hours to follow the river to Evansville via U.S. 60. Should you choose to take this path, I'd recommend overnighting in Evansville and saving the three-hour drive to Louisville for the next morning.
Day 3: Louisville
The day begins with a short drive to the outskirts of Louisville, where you'll find Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby. The onsite museum offers a variety of racetrack tours to fit different interest levels and budgets; if you opt for the general admission experience, you have a better chance of seeing horses workout the earlier you go. After the tour, you'll have time to explore the interactive exhibits back inside at your own pace.
After lunch at the Derby Cafe, head to the Louisville Slugger Museum, where you can watch baseball bats being made during a brief factory tour. All visitors receive a complimentary mini bat, but if you'd like to take it a step further, you can have your name engraved on your very own full-sized Louisville Slugger at the gift shop.
Generally, it takes a little over an hour to experience the Louisville Slugger Museum. If you have time after, I recommend walking across the street to the Frazier History Museum. Also home to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Welcome Center, the Frazier Museum is filled with interactive exhibits covering all aspects of local culture, from sports and movies to history and industry. Alternately, spend an hour or two at the Muhammed Ali Center, which features three floors' worth of exhibits dedicated to the boxing great's life and legacy.
Travel Tip:
If you want the full Kentucky equestrian experience, drive 1.5 hours south to Lexington, where you'll find Keeneland racetrack and the Kentucky Horse Park, home to the International Museum of the Horse and retired racing legends.
Day 4: Cincinnati (111 miles)
The next morning's drive along U.S. 42 will take you right beside the Ohio River as it meanders its way into Cincinnati. Once the largest port west of the Alleghenies, the Queen City has long been a melting pot known for its architecture and culinary history — and for being the hometown of the first professional baseball team. After arriving in Cincinnati, head to the Great American Ball Park to learn more about the original Red Stockings and the storied teams that followed, before joining a walking tour that explores the stadium from top to bottom (literally). If you happen to be in town on a Saturday morning, the Hall of Fame also offers a walking tour of downtown Cincinnati, viewed through the lens of the infamous 1919 World Series — perhaps better known as the "Black Sox Scandal."
With five colleges, three major league teams, and three minor league teams, there's almost always something going on in Cincinnati. If you can't snag tickets to a game, consider joining the festivities at The Banks, an entertainment district that stretches from the Great American Ball Park to Paycor Stadium and turns into one giant block party on gamedays.
Day 5: Travel Day (367 miles)
After four early mornings, today's your day to sleep in! Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, then hit the road for a full day of driving through the most scenic parts of the Ohio Valley, where the plains of the Midwest give way to the foothills of the Alleghenies. If you follow the river exactly, it will take a little more than seven hours to get from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh, with the town of Marietta being the midway point. A college town with a rich history, Marietta is a great place to stretch your legs and grab a bite to eat before continuing on the final push to Pittsburgh.
Day 6: Pittsburgh
Two hundred years ago, Pittsburgh was the port of departure for pioneers heading west on the Ohio River; today, it is a city known for its industry, educational institutes, and fierce loyalty to its black-and-gold-bedecked sports teams. With three major league teams within three miles, there's a stadium for just about any type of sports fan — and they all offer tours. Whether you choose to spend the morning learning about city and team history at PNC Park, standing on the sidelines at Acrisure Stadium, or getting a Penguins'-eye view of PPG Paints Arena from the team bench, you're sure to come away with an appreciation for the sense of community and pride that sports bring to the city.
After lunch, head to the Heinz History Center, where you'll find the story of western Pennsylvania spread across six interactive floors — and even in the stairwell. As a "museum within a museum," the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum highlights champions known and unknown; from Major League Baseball to marbles, if it's been played in Pittsburgh, it has an exhibit here. If you're up for a workout of your own, climb the SmartSteps to all six floors to receive your very own Heinz pickle pin!
Day 7: Depart for home or depart for Philadelphia (304 miles)
Your Ohio journey ends where the river begins, but if you still have one more road trip left in you, consider making the 4.5-hour drive to Philadelphia. One of only a few cities that can claim five major league teams, Philadelphia is perhaps best known for its passionate and sometimes-notorious fanbase that loves nothing more than rallying around an underdog. And, of course, no visit is complete without a stop by the Philadelphia Museum of Art's steps, popularly known as the "Rocky Steps" after one of the greatest underdog stories of them all.
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