McAlpine Locks and Dam

Awesome spot to Get Your Nerd On.
Most Louisvillians know the city owes its early existence to the river and the 24-​foot drop it takes through the falls, which long forced traffic delays along the waterway. But I don’t think many have ever bothered to come see the two massive locks now operating that have made river navigation nearly trivial.
A couple years ago, a state-​of-​the-​art $ 430 million waterfront project was completed here, with a public outdoor viewing area, which remains open during daylight hours much of the year. From the platform, you can watch the locks operate (as long as you happen to be here when a barge goes through), all for the low low price of zero dollars plus the possibility of a sunburn.
Sure, it’s not exactly Thunder Over Louisville, but each of the two 1200-​foot locks has room for a 15-​barge tow, which is the equivalent of 1050 semi trucks. And McAlpine was designated a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Like I said, Nerd Gold.

Pretty spiffy spot to blow off an afternoon, play hooky from work, witness barge traffic, celebrate engineering & progress. You can watch the locks in action as water is pumped in and out of the chambers to raise and lower boats until the gates open and release the boats free. Hike over the bridge to Shippingport Island, catch a view of downtown l’ville. Pretty neat.