Heaven Hill is one of the biggest bourbon distilleries, producing Evan Williams and Elijah Craig. We loved everything we tasted on this tour (as did many other people we spoke to who were also touring the trail). Even if there is a sober one among the group, it can be a good idea to arrange a local driver for navigating the winding country roads. Cheers, Julie, We are thinking about making this trip in an RV in early November.. are there nice places to stay and how does the pandemic affect things, Hello Jan. As far as to where to stay with your RV, I am not sure, since we had a car and stayed in hotels. There are five rules that distinguish bourbon from all other whiskeys. Similar to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the Craft Tour takes bourbon touring and tasting to the next level. The list is ever growing. Even if you dont plan on staying here, a drink in the Lobby Bar is a must-do while in Louisville. The blue markers are restaurant recommendations, Buffalo Trace Distillery, and other notable experiences to add into your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary. All content and photography shall not be reproduced without written permission from the Kentucky Distillers Association. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a collection of bourbon whiskey distilleries located in Kentucky. Kentucky's Bourbon Trail now consists of 18 whiskey distilleries. Lunch: Doc Crows Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar or Troll Pub under the Bridge. Hours vary by day of the week, with more tour times on Fridays and Saturdays. Races do not run year-round. This is more than just a hotel, it is also an art museum. Sleep in Louisville. Be sure to click the map to visit www.kybourbontrail.com to plan your trips and get detailed directions to all of the distilleries along the Bourbon Trail! The Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour is a collection of small and/or new (er) distilleries assembled by the Kentucky Distillers' Association. Trail builders, on the other hand prefer to be in the woods in order to use chainsaws to make their trails. For weekends, I would recommend scheduling your tours in advance, any time of the year. George Washington's Distillery and Gristmill. Tonight, sleep in Louisville, Bardstown, or Lexington. Click the star next to the title of the map to add this map to your Google Maps account. TRAVEL INSPIRATION: Here are 30great travel booksand a list of the best travelmovies to feed your wanderlust. Check the Churchill Downs website for the race schedule before you go. A Few Facts about the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Over in Bardstown, there's Willett Distillery. If you have hotel reserved, the staff might be able to make some recommendations for you. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. In order to ensure that you benefit from our products we invite you to contact us for more information. Why not? For more information on these tours and experience, read our article about the distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. On the third day, watch the horse races at Churchill Downs. 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. Also, consider how the map will be folded. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations? The busiest time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is from August through mid-November. It is not the actual log cabin of Abraham Lincolns birthplace. More Information for Your Trip to Louisville. In Louisville, stay downtown at the Brown Hotel, a city landmark full of history and romance. Chuckanut Bay Distillery. UPSCALE: 21c Museum Hotel. A map that folds up for instance, is approximately the same size as an ordinary poster. 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! 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. The historic grounds are beautiful to visit, the history behind Makers Mark is intriguing, and at the end of the tour you get to hand dip a bottle in red wax. But inside are stacks and stacks of bourbon filled barrels, slowly maturing and filling the air with a wonderful aroma. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Evans William Experience in Louisville. In this article, learn how to plan your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary, with suggestions on where to stay and what else to add in as you tour the trail. Green River sits out in Owensboro, almost a two-hour drive from Louisville. To get to Evan Williams and/or to get back to your hotel, consider driving or using Uber (we used Uber while in Louisville and kept our car parked at our hotel). Have a classic, refined dinner at the hotel restaurant, or opt for a more funky choice in town (Latin farm-to-table, asian fusion, or BBQ and oysters). See our privacy policy here. On Google Chrome, go to Bookmarks -> Bookmark This Tab and then this post will be saved in your bookmarks. For information on how to plan your visit, dont miss our Guide to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. There are many advantages to printing a map. 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. If you want a hotel with an awesome location and one that gets great reviews, the Homewood Suites is one to consider. LOUISVILLE: Plan your visit to Louisville with our articles about the Best Things to Do in Louisville and Best Places to Eat in Louisville. Starting off in Louisville, visit the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. Our website uses cookies. For more information about the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, we have two more articles that will help you plan your trip: The Ultimate Guide to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. For pricing for each distillery, take a look at our best distilleries post. BUDGET: Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Louisville. 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. Here's how. KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL: Pick out which distilleries to visit in our article Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It's a National Historic Landmark, but it's also gorgeously maintained, and set in a dreamlike corner of the Bourbon Trail. The 1 hour Discovery Tour ends with a tasting at their bar on the second floor. The Field Guide is your passport to exploring the people and the places behind the Bourbon. We have been twice, the same weekend both times (the weekend before Thanksgiving). For more distillery rules and Kentucky Liquor laws, check out Kentucky Liquor Laws and The Bourbon Trail. Located in Downtown Louisville, the Bourbon District is a walkable urban experience for anyone looking for a taste of Kentucky. This distillery is so new that their bourbon is still aging, although they do have other liquor you can sample when you visit, like rum aged in old bourbon bottles and unfiltered vodka. But many distilleries offer special tours. The Angels Envy tour features a tasting of their Rye whiskey straight from the barrel. If you are still craving more bourbon, this restaurant is famous for their cocktails and bourbon and whiskey flights. It is even rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Jesse James. Some have limited to no hours on certain days and hours can change based on the season. We have visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail twice. Morning: Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Aging must take place in a new, charred oak barrel. Cheers, Julie. Touring the Bourbon Trail gives visitors an up-close look at how bourbon is distilled, the history behind the crafting of bourbon, and the art behind the perfect bourbon tasting. Below is a map of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. In one day, it is possible to do three to four tours and/or tastings. Scheduling a reservation is highly recommended. While in Bardstown, head to the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskeyso you can learn all about the liquid gold you've been knocking back! Wish I had this information prior will save it for next visit. Yes! I give links to each distillery in these daily itineraries. 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. The best time of year for a road trip down the Bourbon Trail: Summer is high season along the trail, so you'll have more crowds to contend with, and hotels will be slightly more expensive. Many people state that the Buffalo Trace tour is their favorite in Kentucky. 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. Each of these bourbon distilleries must be a member of the Kentucky Distillers Association, which requires paying a fee. This hotels onsite restaurant, Proof on Main, is one of Louisvilles best restaurants and bars. You will also notice that on some days I have included more than just distillery tours. Tim and I stayed here on our first visit to Louisville in 2016. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you. 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. Very interested in a 3 day trip. Sleep in Louisville. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail website includes a map of all area distilleries, general exploring tips, and a calendar of upcoming distillery events. One of our favorite parts of the tour was a visit to the rickhouse. This cocktail class is only offered once a day, so if you like this idea, plan your other distillery visits around this class. We offer a real-time comprehensive list of all the distilleries from start up farm distillery to craft distillery to large pre-Prohibition distillery. Download the TN Whiskey Trail brochure in PDF format. Most people stay in Louisville, Lexington, or Bardstown. UPSCALE: 21c Museum Hotel Lexington. Bourbon can be brewed anywhere in the United States, although 95% of bourbon is currently distilled in Kentucky. The tour gives a fabulous insight to the making of bourbon, the property is gorgeous, the history behind Makers Mark is intriguing, and the bourbon is delicious. Abraham Lincoln was born in a one room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky in 1809. The typical size is Letter to North America and DIN A4 for the rest of the world. Finally, day three can be spent in Louisville, visiting Stitzel-Weller, Old Forester, Michters, Rabbit Hole, Angels Envy, and/or Evan Williams. For more great things to do in Louisville, read our post 12 Best Things to do in Louisville. This is Louisvilles landmark hotel. Afternoon: Green River. These regions are broken out by geographic location. They also offer seasonal classes and tours, so make sure you check their website to see what they are offering during your visit. Any advice you have on this front would be greatly appreciated, since Ive heard mixed answers. If you are short on time, or have no desire to visit all eighteen distilleries, here is a short list of the top experiences to have on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The Major Kentucky Distilleries and the Bourbon Brands They Produce, Mapped. Green River is the outlier, located almost two hours west of Louisville, in a small town named Owensboro. 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. Right down the road is the Four Roses Distillery. HISTORIC: Talbott Tavern and Inn. There is also the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour. In this article, we focus on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, not the Craft Tour, although you can add these distilleries into your trip if you like the idea of visiting smaller distilleries. You will drive through scenic bluegrass Kentucky, with horse farms as far as the eye can see. Republishing this articleand/orany of its contents (text, photography, etc. To read about our favorite bourbon distillery, read this post. Your email address will not be published. Take the history and the gorgeous natural settings, and add delicious, often entertaining whiskey tours and tastings, and you'll see why traveling along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is such a special experience. 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. Thank you for explaining that a bourbon trail tour will encompass a history of how the liquor was made. At the end of this article, we list specific hotel and B&B recommendations for Louisville, Bardstown, and Lexington. For more ideas of what to do in Louisville, read our article about the best things to do in Louisville. If you only have one day on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the combination of these three tours hits the most important steps in the distilling process. Is there a fee to visit the distilleries? Grab a bottle or some bourbon balls in the gift shop afterwards! Im looking into doing at least part of the trail myself with some friends when weve all been vaccinated. Kentucky Bourbon Trail: The Complete Guide - TripSavvy And for full details on Bluebird Cafe, read our article How to Visit Bluebird Cafe. This is a beautiful distillery. And many distilleries offer longer, behind the scenes tours for a more detailed look at the distilling process. There is a lot of history here. Visit Your Favorite Distillery. The tour is very well done and you get to see a few things that many tours do not include. In this guide, learn how to plan a trip around the world. Follow day #4 and #5, sleeping in either Bardstown or Louisville. The memorial is free to visit. We recommend staying in Louisville. With the many distilleries within its city limits, Louisville is a good jumping-off point on the trail.