Art, music and horse-racing

If the need for a change of location has you pulling out your dusty, poorly folded road maps to search for a new place to explore, then a road trip to Louisville, Ky., can provide a stimulating alternative to the familiarity of Bloomington. Barely an hour and a half away, Louisville is home to hundreds of attractions as well as a wide range of theatrical performances. \nSix Flags Kentucky Kingdom is a theme and water park rolled into one and includes seven world-class roller coasters, including its new unveiled coaster for 2003, "Greezed Lightnin'." Open daily all summer through August 13, the park provides a fun day trip with lots of rides, activities and fun for any combination of people.\nBeyond just visiting all the animals at the Louisville Zoo, every Saturday night in July the Louisville Orchestra will be performing "Roarchestra" at the zoo. After visiting the animals during the day, anyone can enjoy music under the stars at dusk. Tickets are only $15 for adults and $8 for children and can be purchased from any Ticketmaster location. For more information on the "Roarchestra" series, visit louisvilleorchestra.org. \nFor cultural satisfaction in Louisville, there are hundreds of museums and art galleries to visit. \nThe Speed Museum, Kentucky's oldest and largest museum, currently is highlighting the exhibit "The Light Within" through the end of June. The exhibit features a huge collection of contemporary glass artwork by a variety of artists. Additionally, the museum's permanent collection includes more than 8,000 pieces ranging from Egyptian to contemporary American art. With free admission and hundreds of collections to walk through, the Speed museum provides plenty of interesting artwork and interactive exhibits for a day visit.\nAt the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs, the famous Kentucky Derby race, known as the most famous two minutes in sports, is celebrated through pictures, movies and hands-on activities. Pictures of Funny Cide, the 2003 winner of the race are highlighted in the museum, and guests can even take backside tours of the stable area and infield. With admission at only five dollars per person, the museum is a fun stop for any sports fan.\nAt the Louisville Slugger Museum, sports fans also can experience firsthand how the official bats of Major League Baseball are made and take tours through the museum, while learning about the changes that have occurred in baseball since the 1900s. With admission at barely six dollars, the museum provides an interesting afternoon for any baseball fan. \nBeyond interactive museums and popular sports to learn about, Louisville is also home to many theatrical performances each week in a variety of venues. Though many performances might be costly for prime seats, the Kentucky Shakespeare Revival offers free performances of popular plays by William Shakespeare, with "Much Ado About Nothing" currently showing through June. All performances begin at 8 p.m. at the C. Douglas Ramey Amphitheater. \nFor a multi-faceted city that cannot be fully experienced in a day, Louisville nevertheless can satisfy any musical, sporting or cultural desire for almost any type of person. And with all of these activities only a tank of gas away, Louisville is definitely an affordable road trip .