Overview
Clarksville is a city in Clark County in Southern Indiana, directly across the Ohio River from Louisville. It is the oldest town in the Indiana Territory with a population of 21,000. The city is served by an overlay complex of two area codes: 812 and 930.
3 things to do · 3 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 4 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Clarksville
Derby Dinner Playhouse
Live theatre with dinner included.
Winner's Circle Race Sports Pub - Clarksville
Live horse racing simulcasts from around the nation. Smoking and non smoking rooms available.
Wooded View Golf Course
18 hole golf course with driving range. Endris Park includes a lodge, playground and walking trails in a wooded area near Silver Creek.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 89°F; winter lows dip to about 28°F. Wettest: May and Apr. (climate data from nearby Louisville)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SDF Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Louisville — 9 mi away (major hub). Directions
- LEX Blue Grass Airport, Lexington — 65 mi away. Directions
From the north or south, the best access to Clarksville is I-65. There are five exits to Clarksville: Exit 0 (northbound only; Jeffersonville's Court Ave will lead westward towards Clarksville's riverfront), Exit 1 (in the northbound lanes, Browns Station Way offers access to Stansifer Ave, while the southbound exit offers access to Stansifer, Court, and US 31), Exit 2 (Eastern Blvd), Exit 4 (Lewis & Clark Pkwy) and Exit 5 (Veterans Pkwy). From New Albany, Spring St. leads to Browns Station Way, which runs through Clarksville. I-265 has no direct access to Clarksville so motorists from the west (I-64) or northeast (IN 62) will need to exit to I-65 SOUTH to reach Clarksville.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Derby Dinner Playhouse, Winner's Circle Race Sports Pub - Clarksville
- Lunch Cheddar's Casual Cafe
- Afternoon Wooded View Golf Course
- Dinner La Loma
- Evening Starbucks
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Understand
Clarksville is located in a subtropical climate. Summers are hot and humid and warm at night. The wettest seasons are spring and summer and the occasional snow takes place in the winter.
Get in
From the north or south, the best access to Clarksville is I-65. There are five exits to Clarksville: Exit 0 (northbound only; Jeffersonville's Court Ave will lead westward towards Clarksville's riverfront), Exit 1 (in the northbound lanes, Browns Station Way offers access to Stansifer Ave, while the southbound exit offers access to Stansifer, Court, and US 31), Exit 2 (Eastern Blvd), Exit 4 (Lewis & Clark Pkwy) and Exit 5 (Veterans Pkwy). From New Albany, Spring St. leads to Browns Station Way, which runs through Clarksville. I-265 has no direct access to Clarksville so motorists from the west (I-64) or northeast (IN 62) will need to exit to I-65 SOUTH to reach Clarksville.
Note, however, that the I-65 bridges are now tolled, with all-electronic tolling (no toll booths). The lowest tolls are available only to drivers with transponders issued by the local tolling authority or the multi-state E-ZPass consortium. The Clark Memorial Bridge that carries US 31 across the river (often called the "Second Street Bridge" from the Louisville street it connects to) remains free, although it can get very congested at rush hours.
Commercial air service is offered at Louisville International Airport, ten miles away. Smaller aircraft use Clark County Airport in Sellersburg, five miles away.
There is no Amtrak service to Clarksville.
Get around
There are three main roadways that serve the town: Lewis & Clark Pkwy (formally IN 131), Eastern Blvd and Veterans Pkwy. Lewis & Clark is the main drag through the town, running southwest to northeast connecting Browns Station Way near New Albany with I-65. Eastern Blvd runs southeast to northwest connecting I-65 in Jeffersonville with Lewis & Clark. The newer Veterans Pkwy (built in 2004) runs along the northern end of town, connecting Greentree Blvd with the north side of Jeffersonville.
Other roadways serve Clarksville. Browns Station Way (formally IN 62) is a limited access highway that cuts through Clarksville, connecting I-65 with the east end of New Albany. Greentree Blvd runs along the east side of Greentree Mall and connects the mall with Veterans Pkwy. Riverside Dr. runs along the Ohio River between Clarksville and Jeffersonville. Stansifer Ave, in the southside of town runs between Jeffersonville's Spring St. and Clarksville's west end.
Louisville's TARC offers bus service along the main roadways and shopping centers.
Do
Falls of the Ohio State Park
Riverside Dr. at floodwall Interpretive Center with walk to Devonian fossil bed along rapids on the Ohio River.
Around 387 million years ago this area was a shallow tropical sea. Living in the waters were countless corals, sponges, mollusks, and now extinct brachiopods and echinoderms. Over time, as these animals died, they became buried in layers and layers of sediment that helped to fossilize them. As the Ice Age glaciers retreated, the numerous fossil beds became visible, seen most heavily in the park location, but throughout the Ohio River Valley.
American history is vast in the park, and is discussed at the visitors center. George Rogers Clark established the first English-speaking settlement in the Northwest Territory in a part of the park, in 1778. Aaron Burr trained military troops in the area for a proposed Mexican invasion. William Clark and Meriweather Lewis set off on their landmark journey from the area.
The Falls consist of a series of rapids which were formed by the water flowing over an island of fossil beds. Now, only a small set of rapids are visible, due to the building of the McAlpine Dam in the 1920s. More than 600 species of fossils are found within the park, including hundreds of brand new species.
Over 270 species of birds (herons, egrets, waterfowl, osprey, falcons and the occasional bald eagle) and 125 species of fish (including the primitive paddlefish, striped bass, sauger, white bass, crappie and catfish) are found in the park.
Events
- Late April Thunder Over Louisville Clarksville and Jeffersonville. The opening ceremonies to Louisville, Kentucky's Kentucky Derby Festival. Thunder Over Louisville is the largest annual fireworks show in the country, and the best viewing is along the Indiana shore of the Ohio River. If you plan to get a good seat, prepare to come the day before and camp. In the afternoon, private and military aircraft provide a magnificent airshow. After sunset, the fireworks begin and last nearly half an hour.
- Early-mid October Harvest Homecoming Festival New Albany. The largest festival in southern Indiana brings participants from miles around. The festivities begin with a Saturday morning parade through the streets of New Albany. THe festival lasts for several weeks, and includes vendor booths downtown and carnival rides.
Buy
Clarksville has long been the leading retail destination for this region of Indiana. New retail stores along Veterans Pkwy have secured that reputation.
- Clark Station Lewis & Clark Pkwy at Eastern Blvd. Includes Kroger, Party City and Feeder Supply.
- Clarksville Commons Lewis & Clark Pkwy at I-65 Stores include Home Depot, GameStop, and Boot Barn.
- Clarksville Towne Centre Lewis & Clark Pkwy at Triangle Dr. Includes Office Depot and Big Lots.
- Greentree Mall Lewis & Clark Pkwy at Greentree Blvd. Over 80 stores including anchors JC Penneyand Dillard's. Smaller specialty stores include Books-A-Million, HOT TOPIC, Spencer's, Rave, Claire's, Bath & Body Works, The Gap and several jewelry stores. DQ and Subway offer food choices.
- River Falls Between Lewis & Clark Pkwy and Bass Pro Dr. Includes Bass Pro Shop, the second largest store in the Bass Pro Shop chain. Islamadora Fish Company on the third level. Center includes Toys R Us, Dick's Sporting Goods, and hhgregg.
- Waterford Park Veterans Pkwy at Bass Pro Dr. Upscale retail center that includes Target, Old Navy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Davis Bridal and Lane Bryant.
- Waterford Park South Veterans Pkwy at Bass Pro Dr. Across the street from Waterford Park. Includes Smith's Furniture, Edible Arrangements, PetSmart and GFS Marketplace.
Eat
American
Eat Cheddar's Casual Cafe
Features a large aquarium.
Mexican
Eat Senior Iguanas
Authentic Mexican restaurant & bar.
Asian
- China Buffet 706 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy
- Kansai Japanese Steakhouse I-65 & Veterans Pkwy
Drink
Drink Starbucks
Two locations. Inside Target and second floor of Bass Pro Shop.
Sleep
- Best Western Green Tree Inn I-65 & Lewis & Clark Pkwy Located on Broadway. Budget motel.
Go next
Fitness Clubs
- Louisville Athletic Club Rivar Falls Center 951 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy near the Bass Pro Shop. 45,000-square-foot fitness center with two racquetball courts.
Nearby
Jeffersonville
City / town · 30 listings · 2 mi away
Louisville
City / town · 146 listings · 3 mi away
New Albany
City / town · 42 listings · 4 mi away
Floyds Knobs
City / town · 3 listings · 6 mi away
Saint Matthews
City / town · 18 listings · 6 mi away
Georgetown
City / town · 3 listings · 11 mi away
Charlestown State Park
Park · 11 mi away
Jeffersontown
City / town · 12 mi away
My experience
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