This is Louisvilles landmark hotel. LOUISVILLE: Plan your visit to Louisville with our articles about the Best Things to Do in Louisville and Best Places to Eat in Louisville. Travel back in timeto 1783, to the very early days ofLouisville, where you will learn about the early history of bourbon and this area of Kentucky. These regions are broken out by geographic location. On day two, visit the distilleries located south of Louisville: Makers Mark, Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Bardstown Bourbon, and Lux Row. Explore the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour New Riff Distilling 24 Distillery Way Newport, KY 41071 See on Map More Info Second Sight Spirits 301 B Elm Street Ludlow, KY 41016 See on Map More Info The Old Pogue Distillery 715 Germantown Road Maysville, KY 41056 See on Map More Info Boone County Distilling Co. 10601 Toebben Drive Anything you plan or save automagically syncs with the apps, ready for you to hit the road! I give links to each distillery in these daily itineraries. They offer both tours and tastings individually, so if you'd rather skip seeing the still and warehouse, you can just sample their wares-- try the sweet and spicy Wild Turkey Honey Stinger! If you move fast, you have enough time to visit both in the afternoon. Andrew Jackson, Henry Harrison, and King Louis Phillippe have all stayed here. This is more than just a hotel, it is also an art museum. Renting a car gives you the most freedom to explore, but it's not necessary. If you are a bourbon drinker and have a favorite distillery thats on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, make sure you include it on your tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. You can also select Print from your web browsers menu (the web browser menu typically looks like 3 dots in either the horizontal or vertical position). We took the Shaken & Stirred class at Bardstown Bourbon and it was our favorite experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Green River sits out in Owensboro, almost a two-hour drive from Louisville. The original distillery opened on Derby Day in the 1930s, and it recently reopened for tours. This tour does the best job explaining the history of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Yes, May should be a very nice month for the Bourbon Trail. Kentucky Cooperage. Tim and I stayed here on our first visit to Louisville in 2016. If you like the idea of getting out of Louisville for the day, I recommend day #1 plus day #4 (the Best of Bardstown) or day #5 (Makers Mark and the Kentucky Cooperage). Luckily, there's lots to do (and eat) in Kentucky while traveling from distillery to distillery (or rather, from sample of bourbon to sample of bourbon). KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL: Pick out which distilleries to visit in our article Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Any advice you have on this front would be greatly appreciated, since Ive heard mixed answers. However, if you like the idea of getting outside of the city, Bardstown also makes a nice option. It gets to be repetitive. Its centrally located, so you can walk to many of the sights and distilleries on Whiskey Row. However, the spirits are further refined with their patented TerrePURE process. See our privacy policy here. During the aging process, a small percentage of the bourbon evaporates per year, what is referred to as the angels share. If you want to take home this aroma, many gift shops sell bourbon-scented candles. Required fields are marked *. Races at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington take place in October and April, and at Churchill Downs in Louisville in November, May, and June . They also offer seasonal classes and tours, so make sure you check their website to see what they are offering during your visit. All rights reserved. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Earth Trekkers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by advertising & linking to Amazon.com. Many people state that the Buffalo Trace tour is their favorite in Kentucky. If you want to see the entire bourbon distilling process from start to finish, including the making of the barrels and the bottling of the final product, take the Old Forester Discovery Tour. Honestly, the tours do get repetitive, as they all take you through the distillation process. This hotel gets excellent reviews on Booking.com. Angels Envy. and cannot participate in the Passport program. If you want a hotel with an awesome location and one that gets great reviews, the Homewood Suites is one to consider. Explore our guide to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail for suggested routes, cant-miss spots, and other tips for having the best experience in bourbon country. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a collection of eighteen bourbon distilleries located in and around Louisville. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a collection of eighteen whiskey distilleries. The top things to do on an Extraterrestrial Highway road trip, The top things to do on a Blue Ridge Parkway road trip, The top things to do on an I-40 road trip, The Great Northern is a 3,600 mile, cross-country odyssey, A road trip along New York state's Women's Heritage Trail, 9 stops on a Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail road trip, A cross-country road trip to U.S. presidential libraries, A road trip to filming locations featured in 'The Goonies', Pay Tribute and Reflect at These US Monuments and Memorials. This map was created by a user. For more suggestions on how to plan your time, dont miss our Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary planner. For weekends, I would recommend scheduling your tours in advance, any time of the year. A visit to Buffalo Trace is definitely worthwhile when you are in the area, even if it is not officially on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It is not the actual log cabin of Abraham Lincolns birthplace. Even if you dont plan on staying here, a drink in the Lobby Bar is a must-do while in Louisville. Dine on Central American food prepared by the chef who grew up on the Yucatan Peninsula. A memorial now stands at his birthplace. Tonight, sleep in Louisville, Bardstown, or Lexington. Choose the size you would like to print and click OK. After that, select your print quality. Four Roses. Renting a car was cheap, driving between the distilleries was easy (and gorgeous), and we could make our own schedule. UPSCALE: 21c Museum Hotel. To ensure you benefit from our products Contact us for more details. Some have limited to no hours on certain days and hours can change based on the season. Located in Lexington, this bourbon distillery also produces beer. BUDGET: Glo Best Western Lexington. Here are four highly rated hotels in Louisville. Why not? If you plan to take distillery tours, you will need to visit the website anyway, in order to make your reservations. It's not a part of the Kentucky Distillers Association's official Bourbon Trail, but they are, however, open for tours and tastings. We have visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail twice. As one of the largest sellers of bourbon in the world, their tour seems to reflect that in having one of the more interactive tours. It was educational, lots of fun, and a great way to tour another distillery without taking a tour. This cocktail class is only offered once a day, so if you like this idea, plan your other distillery visits around this class. Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. USA TRAVEL INSPIRATION: For more great ideas on where to go in the United States, check out our article Best USA Road Trips, which has 18 sample itineraries for your next big adventure. We opted to take the 30 minute Unlocking the Senses tasting, where we sampled four Bulleit whiskeys. Make the most of your time by including a diverse mix of ones to visit, from big names in the industry, to up-and-coming, smaller-batch operations. Spring is a nice time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations? It is open daily except for major holidays. Old Forester Discovery Tour. Woodford Reserve. Hours vary by day of the week, with more tour times on Fridays and Saturdays. Cameron is a freelance writer and editor working in travel publishing for the past 10 years. Do you have a PDF of the great Article? Artsy, unique, contemporarythis is another top pick in Louisville. Today, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a collection of 18 major bourbon whiskey distilleries (Heritage Distilleries) and 23 smaller and newer microdistilleries (Craft Distilleries) that will give you the ultimate experience of learning all about Kentucky bourbon: its history, technology, craftsmanship, and artistry. Yes! The weather is nice and all of the distilleries should be in operation. Fortunately, the distilleries are getting more creative with their activities, and some are now offering cocktail classes, food pairings, and in-depth behind-the-scenes tours. Once you get to Shepherdsville, visit the Jim Beam Distillery. Next, work off that bourbon tasting with a quick visit to the Louisville Slugger Museum, to see where professional baseball bats are made. Plus, its easy to find. Get suggestions on how to plan your trip, whether you just have a few days, a long weekend, or an entire week. There are six distilleries in Louisville (seven if you count the Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse), five located in and around Lexington, one in Danville, five in and around Bardstown, and one in Owensboro. Your email address will not be published. Check the Churchill Downs website for the race schedule before you go. Here's how. Since it is located off of the Bourbon Trail and does not have the actual log cabin that Abraham Lincoln was born in, this is only worth it if you have an interest in American history or Abraham Lincoln. There's a reason that bourbon is historically produced in Kentucky (even though legally it can come from anywhere in the US): the limestone filtered water and locally-grown grains just plain taste better, and the fact that the region has, for most of history, made most of America's bourbon, means that the people there have a deep passion for it, and they also have old-school, time-tested recipes, too. For more ideas of what to do in Louisville, read our article about the best things to do in Louisville. The 6 Best Distilleries to Visit in Lexington, Kentucky, Your Trip to Lexington: The Complete Guide, The Top 13 Things to Do in Lexington, Kentucky, The Best Day Trips From Lexington, Kentucky, The Spirits Industry Is Broken, But a Sustainable Revolution Is Coming, 12 Best Things to Do for Free in Louisville, Kentucky, The 11 Best Things to Do in Galena, Illinois, The Kentucky Horse Park: A Complete Guide. The blue markers are restaurant recommendations, Buffalo Trace Distillery, and other notable experiences to add into your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary. You can take a tour and get a stamp in your passport at either location. Bourbon tourism is skyrocketing, with nearly 2 million visitors from all 50 states and .
The Definitive Bourbon Trail Road Trip (Three Days) In this guide, learn how to plan a trip around the world. Its located right around the corner from 21c Museum Hotel, so you can walk to many sights in downtown Louisville. Similar to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the Craft Tour takes bourbon touring and tasting to the next level. How to Use This Map: Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest. There are some other very cool things to do in this part of Kentucky and I didnt want to leave those out. Are you? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Earth Trekkers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by advertising & linking to Amazon.com. Old Forester is the only bourbon to be continually sold by the same company before, during, and after prohibition. To take a tour at all eighteen distilleries you will need a minimum of five days, but six to seven days is ideal. Spend the day visiting two big names in bourbon and a tour of a cooperage. Thanks! Visit Your Favorite Distillery. Then visit the Town Branch Distillery from Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company, and maybe cut all that booze with a beer or two as well! Where will your trip lead you? If you are really short on time, you can simply visit the gift shop, get your passport stamped, and do a little shopping. This is a great place to start your visit to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
Distillery Directory - Distillery Trail Check out this map of the KY Bourbon Trail. Bourbon has a wonderful aroma and the rickhouse is the best place tosmell it. If you want to stay in a historical, luxurious hotel in Louisville, your hotel search can end right here. Due to vivid -19?
Spend one day visiting the four distilleries near Lexington: Four Roses, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, and Town Branch. Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Is May a good month to do the Bourbon Trail? The Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour is celebrating its 22nd birthday with a new Bourbon Trail Passport & Field Guide for visitors but this year, there's a twist. Kentucky Bourbon Trail Map Rocks Glass WellTold (22,289) $19.95 Bestseller Kentucky Bourbon Distillers Art Print - 11" x 15" +, Kentucky Bourbon Trail Map - Kentucky - Bourbon - Louisville - Bardstown - KY GeographicsArt (739) $69.00 FREE shipping Kentucky Distilleries map MediaevalMapmaker (2,260) $23.95 More colors Old Forester offers a tour with the president of the company (a few times per year). They give a really thorough background on the drink and Louisville's history with it . Also, take some time to enjoy the bucolic setting of this distillery. You also get to see the bottling line in action. Evening: Michters Distillery. Did you know: If you use the Roadtrippers mobile app, your trips will instantly auto-sync over Ready for navigation and good times! And you definitely should try the Bourbon Cream. There are many distilleries you can visit in Kentucky that are not part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Ride sharing services are abundant in the area, and there are many guided tour options as well. Trail builders, on the other hand prefer to be in the woods in order to use chainsaws to make their trails. If you have specific non-KBT distilleries in mind I recommend checking their websites for pricing information. They must be designed to work with a standard printing press. Right down the road is the Four Roses Distillery. They have a good beer selection, excellent pulled pork, tasty baked beans and a variety of BBQ sauces. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. The usual 150-page guide will include maps of the trail, itineraries and cocktail recipes, advice, tasting notes and information on the 19 participating distilleries. BUDGET: Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Louisville. There is also the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour. After touring the three distilleries, you can either return to Louisville or spend the night in Bardstown. Your email address will not be published. In 2016, we were able to show up and do a lot of tastings. And , even then, their maps are already obsolete before they even hit the plotter. Twenty minutes northwest of Woodford Reserve, youll find Buffalo Trace Distillery; 25 minutes southwest is Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, home to the Four Roses and Wild Turkey distilleries. Also, they have a cafe if you're looking for a place to grab food while on the trail. This is a great bit of Texas BBQ in the heart of Kentucky. Since it's the largest maker of Kentucky bourbon, you'll get a different view: that of a larger-scale operation. All content and photography shall not be reproduced without written permission from the Kentucky Distillers Association. However, people under the age of 21 are not permitted to do a tasting (of course!) Morning: Makers Mark. Theres something here for everyone. They give a really thorough background on the drink and Louisville's history with it (and yes, it ends with a tasting).
Kentucky Bourbon Trail Has A New Passport, Field Guide Available For On this tour you visit micro-distilleries, tour historic sights andtowns in Kentucky, and stay in historic bed and breakfast accommodations. Located in Bardstown, the Old Talbott Tavern dates back to the 1700s. 526 Happy Hollow Road, Shepherdsville, KY, US. You know you are at a distillery when you see these prison-style buildings. Tim and I stayed here on our most recent visit to Louisville and we had a very nice experience here. This is the busiest time on the trail and tours can sell out. Printing a map gives you an image that can be used to guide your instructions.
Maps & Downloads - Tennessee Whiskey Trail Official Site However, there are few places to visit out this way, if you are interested. Visit the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail website here. You have the choice to head southeast out of Louisville to explore the Jim Beam facilities.
While you are in the area, consider a tour at Buffalo Trace, adding on a visit to Bulleit in Shelbyville, or lunch or dinner in Lexington. Even if you dont plan on staying here, a drink in the Lobby Bar is a must-do while in Louisville. Optional Detour: Abraham Lincoln Birthplace. Lux Row. Click OK to confirm. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. HISTORIC: Talbott Tavern and Inn. Pick your favorites and group them together to form your itinerary, whether you have 2, 3, or more days. You could easily spend an hour or two here, sampling their beers and boozes and chatting with the owners. Most distilleries give you a few, tiny sips of several of their bourbons, just enough to get a good taste, and not so much that you will walk around schnockered for the rest of the day. This is a beautiful distillery. The tour takes you through the entire distilling process from start to finish, so you'll get to see the still, the warehouse, and the bottling process. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 1 Day: Follow day #1, where you get a great overview of the distilling process and get to visit three distilleries in Louisville. Near the end of this article, I will give you suggestions on how to group these days together in order to have the best experience. Before heading out of Lexington, check out the citys historic Distillery District, home to the recently revived James E. Pepper Distiller (and several other restaurants, bars, and breweries), one of Kentuckys first bourbon brands originally created during the American Revolution. Buffalo Trace is the oldest continuously operating distillery in America. We saw their vans everywhere! Wilderness Trail sits a bit farther away, in Danville. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 6 Days: Follow our itinerary for 5 days and add on day #7 (Bulleit, Buffalo Trace, and Lexington Brewing Company). They like to talk about their mash bill and their yeast strains that they use. Kentucky Bourbon Trail: The Ultimate Guide, Best Distilleries to Visit on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, 12 Best Things to do in Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville Restaurants: Best Eats in Town. Plus, everyone who visits gets a mini souvenir Louisville Slugger for themselves! There are eighteen distilleries on the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Touring the distilleries, learning about the origins of bourbon, and tasting lots and lots of bourbon whiskey is an excellent way to spend a long weekend. Jack Frys and the Brown Hotel Lobby Bar are also great options.