Derby City Delights: GT vs. Louisville Football Tour in Louisville, KY Sept. 19-22, 2024

Trip Highlights

  • Optional Discounted $199 Hotel Room Block at Home2 Suites by Hilton Downtown NuLu (Includes free Airport Shuttle to/from SDF & Breakfast)

  • Thursday Welcome Dinner Reception at Louisville Slugger Field with special guests, including tickets to the Triple-A Louisville Bats vs. Omaha Storm Chasers game! (5 min walk or Uber from the hotel, stay for the whole game or go explore the nightlife!)

  • Deluxe Transportation for sightseeing on Friday and game day on Saturday! No need to worry about stadium parking 👍

  • Friday: Historic Louisville Bus Tour with an expert certified native guide, featuring Whiskey Row, Louisville’s collection of historic homes, Lincoln Memorial at Waterfront Park, Bourbon History, Derby Time in Louisville, and much more!

  • Experience the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Tour

  • Lunch during the bus tour on your own at your choice of one of the outstanding restaurants in the 4th Street Live Entertainment District!

  • Speakeasy Tasting & Distillery Tour at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience

  • Embark on the Belle of Louisville Riverboat Dinner Cruise featuring panoramic views of the city, music, and dinner!

  • Saturday: Ticket to Saturday’s Official Pregame Party at Churchill Downs on race day!

  • Kentucky Derby Museum & Churchill Downs Racetrack Tour with Mint Julep tasting and Hatitude! (Make your own GT themed derby race hats to wear to the stadium) See below for more details!

  • Sideline Lower Bowl Seats at GT vs. Louisville in the Tech section, or slightly closer to mid-field.

  • Derby Dinner Playhouse Performance of “Jersey Boys” based on availability and game time.

  • Georgia Tech Trivia and Prizes! Socialize after hours with alumni and fans of all ages.

  • Optional Team Buzz Volunteer Service Activity at the Hotel benefiting Ronald McDonald House of Louisville!

Description

***This tour is currently full! We may open a few additional spaces shortly. If you’d like to be notified when this occurs, please click Book Now to join the waitlist.

Experience the ultimate road trip to Louisville, KY for one of the biggest games of the season! Get ready to immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the Derby City, complete with all the best sightseeing, exclusive game tickets, epic parties, deluxe transportation, and the option to stay in our discounted hotel block.

Join us in cheering on the Yellow Jackets as they seek redemption for last year's close game against the Cardinals. This unforgettable 3-night vacation combines the best of Louisville's sightseeing attractions like special experiences at Churchill Downs, Evan Williams Distillery, and the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory with thrilling Yellow Jacket football, surrounded by passionate fans from all corners of the country!

This entire Package is only $799 per person plus hotel. (Kids 12 & under are only $749) Simply check-in at the Hotel by 5pm on Thursday and we’ll take it from there! Spots are selling out fast, reserve yours with just a $50pp deposit today.

Optional Discounted Room Block at Home2 Suites by Hilton Downtown NuLu is for 3 nights, Thursday-Sunday, and is $199 per night and expires August 20, 2024. Room Block Instructions will be emailed when you purchase the Tour Package. See below for more information on hotel. You are welcome to stay at a different hotel and just meet us there for sightseeing.

In fact, if you live near Louisville and simply want to take part in the tours, festivities, and transportation — we’d love to have you join us! You can meet us at the hotel daily to enjoy the whole weekend’s events!

This trip is sponsored by the Georgia Tech Alumni Association. Deadline to Register has been extended to July 26, 2024.

Tailgate at Churchill Downs
Tailgate at Churchill Downs

As if visiting Churchill Downs on race day isn’t exciting enough, imagine tailgating for a Georgia Tech game there with an exclusive party at the Kentucky Derby Museum! You’ll enjoy a private guided walking tour of Churchill Downs, watch the exciting movie “The Greatest Race,” and explore the exhibits of the museum while sipping Mint Julep’s and making your very own Yellow Jacket themed derby hat to wear to the game!

Depending on game time, you will also either enjoy a Backstretch Breakfast and Workout Tour at the Track Kitchen watching the horses and jockeys during the morning workouts as they gallop by at 40 mph, a gourmet lunch buffet at the Kentucky Derby Museum, or experience the live races and party together in the brand new Churchill Downs Sports Book where you’ll be able to watch college football games from around the country with pre-paid downs dollars for betting and food!

How many chances in life will you get to have your photo taken with the Ramblin Wreck at Churchill Downs?

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Tour
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Tour

You don’t have to be a baseball fan to love Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. It’s iconic, linked to legends, and it is one of Louisville’s most famous tourist attractions. The museum has upped its game with an exciting new factory tour experience! The world-renowned tour now begins with a thrilling movie that transports you to the forests and mills where every Louisville Slugger bat begins. After that, walk through the heart of the factory production line and check out never-before-seen steps in the bat-making process including the creation of our fan favorite mini-bats. You’ll receive your very own at the end of the tour!

Belle of Louisville Riverboat Dinner Cruise
Belle of Louisville Riverboat Dinner Cruise

The Belle of Louisville has been cruising along since 1914. She looks good for her age, doesn’t she? A National Historic Landmark and an icon of the Louisville waterfront, the Belle is the only remaining authentic steamboat from the great American packet boat era.

Enjoy a delicious dinner and the chance to explore and enjoy a living, operating museum. Engineers will enjoy the opportunity to watch 19th and 20th century technology working together to operate the Belle! The main features of the Engine Room are the two 450 horsepower single piston engines, which are older than the Belle itself. While it is unknown exactly how old these engines are, we can estimate they are from the 1890s, but possibly older! While visiting the Engine Room, be sure to greet the Belle’s engineers, who are happy to answer questions you may have about the unique machinery at work!

Tour info

Duration
4 days
Group Size
Up to 40
Price starts at
$799

Why take this tour?

Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the highlights of the Derby City, indulge in exhilarating football action, and create memories to last a lifetime. There’s no better way to watch Georgia Tech football than to road trip to the actual game and spend the weekend connecting with other die-hard Ramblin Wrecks! Just ask the folks who joined us in Miami last year, those last couple minutes of the game together were unforgettable.

Churchill Downs Video

Reserve your spot now for the ultimate Louisville experience as spots are going quickly. We look forward to celebrating with you and your family!

This trip is sponsored by the Georgia Tech Alumni Association. A few spots remain. Deadline to Register has been extended to July 26, 2024 or when all spots are filled.

Questions? Contact Fred Carlson CE ‘01, MBA ‘04 at 678-358-5567 or fred.carlson@servacations.com

Included

  • 3 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 3 Dinners depending on Saturday game time

  • All tours, admissions, tickets, and guides are included.

  • All Driver and Tour Guide gratuities are included in the price of your tour. If you receive outstanding service, you are welcome to tip more.

Excluded

  • Hotel is not included in the tour price and needs to be booked separately. Registration link will be sent after booking.

  • Transportation to the Welcome Reception on Thursday night is not included. Louisville Slugger Field is a quick 5 min walk or guests can take a quick taxi/Uber ride.

  • Alcoholic Beverages other than those listed in the itinerary at Churchill Downs or the Evan Williams bourbon tasting are pay as you go, with a cash bar at most venues.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, but just let us know prior to the trip. We will make sure you know the times to arrive for the Thursday dinner and tours every other day. Parking at the hotel is $25 per day.
Yes, simply purchase a discounted child (under 12) package for those people in your party that already have football tickets, and in the “notes to organizer” section of registration let us know that they are actually adults that already have tickets. We’ll miss you in our group block!
If you’re not big on the idea of a true road trip, then hop on a flight to Louisville. (SDF) With a free airport shuttle to the hotel, you can’t beat it. We recommend that you book your flight from 3 months to 30 days out from the trip to get the best rates.
If you are a Jacket flying solo and wish to find a roommate to potentially split the hotel cost, let us know when you purchase your Party Package and we will put you in touch with anyone else having the same desire. We recommend you still reserve a room that can be canceled just in case, and cannot guarantee you will find a roommate.
The airport shuttle runs from 6AM to midnight. Our hotel is arranging a special airport shuttle just for our guests with one of their partner hotel shuttles. You will call when you arrive to the airport and they will direct you on pickup area. For departure, give the front desk attendant at the hotel a heads up on what time you would like to depart the hotel on Sunday.
Questions? Contact Fred Carlson CE ‘01, MBA ‘04 at 678-358-5567 or fred.carlson@servacations.com
If you take a look at hotel prices for the weekend and are shocked to see that average hotel prices are $300+ a night in downtown Louisville it is because this weekend is not only the Georgia Tech game, but also a race weekend, and the biggest annual music festival of the year! Fortunately, SerVacations has negotiated an amazing $199 rate for our room block and looks forward to extending it to you as a guest of our tour!
Home2 Suites is Hilton’s chic new suite style hotel that includes a sitting area with a sofa bed and kitchenette in every room. It includes a delicious hot breakfast and Free WiFi and features a beautiful indoor pool. Home2 Suites is located in the popular NuLu district, home to popular distilleries, restaurants, and bars so plan to get out and explore in your spare time!
Absolutely! The Home2 Suites will do it’s best to offer shoulder dates at the same rate based on availability. Ask for more details when you book your hotel.
At night after sightseeing and the game, you will be in the center of one of Louisville’s most popular neighborhoods called NuLu, home to fun nightlife and famous distilleries like Angel’s Envy and Rabbit Hole Distillery. If you decide to extend your stay further, we encourage you to consider the following attractions that you may also find interesting: - Frazier History Museum - Conrad-Caldwell House Museum - Muhammad Ali Center - My Old Kentucky Home Musical Learn more at www.gotolouisville.com
Game time will dictate the location of your meals that day. If it’s a noon game, you will get to experience the very special backstretch breakfast at Churchill Downs and then eat lunch on your own at the game. If the game time is 3:30 or 8PM you will be eating breakfast at the hotel and then enjoy a deluxe lunch buffet at the Kentucky Derby Museum. If it’s an 8PM game and we can’t do the derby dinner playhouse, you will be given meal vouchers for food & drinks at the game.

Things to know

Room Types

All rooms include a kitchenette and living room with sofa bed. Our block includes King Studio Suites and 2 Queen Bed Studios. An additional charge of $15 per person per night will be added for the third and fourth guests. Rooms are non-transferable.

All rooms include a kitchenette and living room with sofa bed. Our block includes King Studio Suites and 2 Queen Bed Studios. An additional charge of $15 per person per night will be added for the third and fourth guests. Rooms are non-transferable.

Easy Payment Plan

You will have the option to pay in full or pay a $50pp deposit now to reserve your spot, and then 2 equal payments autopaid in July.

You will have the option to pay in full or pay a $50pp deposit now to reserve your spot, and then 2 equal payments autopaid in July.

Flexible Cancelation Policy

You will be able to cancel by written notice anytime before July 1st and receive a full refund. A few spots remain on this tour! Reserve your spot with a $50 per person deposit as soon as possible.

You will be able to cancel by written notice anytime before July 1st and receive a full refund. A few spots remain on this tour! Reserve your spot with a $50 per person deposit as soon as possible.

All Sales are Final, but Packages are Transferable

All tour package sales are final and non-refundable after June 30th, however if you decide you are not able to attend, you may contact us and transfer the package to a friend anytime before tickets are distributed.

All tour package sales are final and non-refundable after June 30th, however if you decide you are not able to attend, you may contact us and transfer the package to a friend anytime before tickets are distributed.

Health and Accessibility

You must be in good health to participate in this tour as there will be a significant amount of walking on gameday and during sightseeing, and you must be able to get on and off of motorcoaches on your own. We regret that we can not give you individual assistance; in such cases you must be accompanied by a companion who will assist you.

You must be in good health to participate in this tour as there will be a significant amount of walking on gameday and during sightseeing, and you must be able to get on and off of motorcoaches on your own. We regret that we can not give you individual assistance; in such cases you must be accompanied by a companion who will assist you.

Travel Protection

We encourage the optional purchase of a Travel Protection Plan to help protect your investment, your belongings and most importantly you! SerVacations makes Travel Protection easily available. For complete details and to purchase a plan, click the Buy Travel Protection link in the confirmation email after purchasing your package.

We encourage the optional purchase of a Travel Protection Plan to help protect your investment, your belongings and most importantly you! SerVacations makes Travel Protection easily available. For complete details and to purchase a plan, click the Buy Travel Protection link in the confirmation email after purchasing your package.

Itinerary Changes

While we do the very best at making sure all items listed in your itinerary are included, there are times when conditions beyond our control may affect your program/itinerary, including but not limited delays, weather, attraction closure, time constraints, or changes made by your tour leader, tour guide, or the local office.

While we do the very best at making sure all items listed in your itinerary are included, there are times when conditions beyond our control may affect your program/itinerary, including but not limited delays, weather, attraction closure, time constraints, or changes made by your tour leader, tour guide, or the local office.

Hotel Parking

Self Parking is available at the hotel for $18/night.

Self Parking is available at the hotel for $18/night.

Check Availability

From $799

5.0

Why book with us?

  • Book instantly directly with provider
  • Get the lowest price guarantee
  • Worry-free flexible cancellation policy

Human support: 813-498-2229

More Sports Travel Experiences