Races at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington take place in October and April, and at Churchill Downs in Louisville in November, May, and June . Alternatively, and on a more direct route into Lexington, you can head to Bulleit Distilling Co.'s new state-of-the-art facility in Shelbyville. Anything you plan or save automagically syncs with the apps, ready for you to hit the road! Also in the area is the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln. Bourbon Capital BBQ Challenge. A long weekend is a good amount of time to spend on the Bourbon Trail, but if you plan to combine your trip with other area activities, a week is definitely doable. If you have specific non-KBT distilleries in mind I recommend checking their websites for pricing information. Partners & Sponsors All distilleries are legally limited to how much bourbon you can drink while on a tour. MAMMOTH CAVE: Mammoth Cave is a national park in Kentucky and it makes a great day trip from Louisville and Nashville. One of our favorite parts of the tour was a visit to the rickhouse. Download the TN Whiskey Trail brochure in PDF format. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. If this is part of a bigger road trip through the USA, visit our United States Travel Guide for more inspiration and travel planning tips. Artsy, unique, contemporarythis is another top pick in Louisville. For weekends, I would recommend scheduling your tours in advance, any time of the year. 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. All of these distilleries offer tours and tastings. The Old Nelson County Jail housed prisoners from 1797 until 1987. Some printers from the past might require you to connect to your computer before printing. If you have hotel reserved, the staff might be able to make some recommendations for you. We felt thatit was just enough to give us a taste but not so much that it impaired Tims driving. Partners & Sponsors This ultra-modern distillery is located in Nulu (New Louisville). For more great things to do in Louisville, read our post 12 Best Things to do in Louisville. Once you get to Shepherdsville, visit the Jim Beam Distillery. The brisket is renowned, especially with their Texas hot sauce. Bring your military ID, if you have one. How to Use This Map: Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest. A memorial now stands at his birthplace. The weather is nice and all of the distilleries should be in operation. Unfortunately, we do not have a PDF of this article. About this Kentucky Bourbon Trail Itinerary, For more restaurant recommendations, check out our article, For more ideas of what to do in Louisville, read our article about. Do you need a reservation? If you prefer, you can inquire for a quote with our group of cartographers. Are you? Being on our own, we could choose which distilleries to tour and which ones to just do a tasting. It must be distilled from at least 51% corn. Surprisingly, it is not part of the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Bourbon can be brewed anywhere in the United States, although 95% of bourbon is currently distilled in Kentucky. Traveling directly between Louisville and Lexington (when you arent stopping at distilleries) takes less than an hour, and both cities have convenient airports. We are wine drinkers. Nope. All rights reserved. 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. Children under 21 are welcome on tours, for free or at a discounted cost (and no sampling whiskey for them, of course). Check the hours of operation for each distillery before your visit. 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. Here's how. If you are looking for a large-format map, you should buy an printer that is large-format. BUDGET: Glo Best Western Lexington. 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. There are five rules that distinguish bourbon from all other whiskeys. 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. 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. Map of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Below is a map of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It is a very fun thing to do and it was one of our highlights on our first trip to Kentucky. Also, remember that the quality of maps is unbeatable! Grab a bottle or some bourbon balls in the gift shop afterwards! During the mid-20th century, Four Roses was the top selling bourbon in Japan but it could not be purchased in the US, even though it was being produced in Kentucky. These regions are broken out by geographic location. If you have plans to tour the Kentucky Bourbon Trail between July and early November, make your reservations in advance. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to Your Places, click Maps, and you will see this map on your list. Plus, there is a high concentration of distilleries located right in town, not to mention lots of great restaurants and hotels to choose from. Over in Bardstown, there's Willett Distillery. Nothing can be added to the whiskey other than water. It's a National Historic Landmark, but it's also gorgeously maintained, and set in a dreamlike corner of the Bourbon Trail. However, there is a lot more to do in this part of Kentucky than just tour bourbon distilleries. It is not the actual log cabin of Abraham Lincolns birthplace. Save to your device to access at a later date. This hotels onsite restaurant, Proof on Main, is one of Louisvilles best restaurants and bars. Here's a sample itinerary to follow for your visit. Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays are the days that distilleries are most likely to close their doors to tour groups, but this varies from distillery to distillery. Several distilleries now offer cocktail or mixology classes. This distillery is located in Shively, very close to downtown Louisville. Next up is the Buffalo Trace Distillery. The mash always looks the same but the horse farms have different aspects to showcase at different times of the year. MIDRANGE: Homewood Suites. 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. It smells like you are at a bakery, only they are baking slightly sour bread. Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Bourbon Trail and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour are trademarks of the Kentucky Distillers Association. The busiest time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is from August through mid-November. Pdf Printable Kentucky Bourbon Trail Map - We offer flattened and free TIFF file formats of our maps in CMYK color and high resolution. Printable Bourbon Trail Map - We offer flattened and free TIFF file formats of our maps in CMYK color and high resolution. If you want a hotel with an awesome location and one that gets great reviews, the Homewood Suites is one to consider. Be prepared for an experience for all five senses. and cannot participate in the Passport program. Visit Your Favorite Distillery. Nearest Green Distillery. PRO TRAVEL TIP: When planning your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary, check the distilleries websites for updated hours and tour availability. The Old Talbott Tavern, located in Bardstown, is also a great pick. It is also possible to save the map in a PDF format. They were one of only three bourbon distilleries that were allowed to operate during Prohibition, producing medicinal bourbon. Though, not nearly as polished as distilleries like Maker's Mark, it's a much more personal, intimate and informative experience than what you'll get touring a bigger operation. Its located right around the corner from 21c Museum Hotel, so you can walk to many sights in downtown Louisville. It can be chilly, but most of the time we were indoors, so weather wasnt much of a factor. They also operate a bed and breakfast. The worst time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, according to the guides that we spoke to, is during the summer months. Then head to The Woodford Reserve Distillery. MIDRANGE: Homewood Suites. In this post, we cover everything you need to know to have the best experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. 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. Evans William Experience in Louisville. Trail builders, on the other hand prefer to be in the woods in order to use chainsaws to make their trails. Woodford Reserve. Carry it with you, and allow it to guide you to adventures unknown. Why not? Download the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Distillery Map Download Now Join Our Newsletter Mailing List Fields marked with an * are required First Name * Last Name * Email * If you are a human seeing this field, please leave it empty. In one day, it is possible to do three to four tours and/or tastings. List of Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Best Time to Visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Tips, Tricks, and Advice for Touring the Bourbon Trail, check out our post about the best distilleries. Why not? My father, who is a Bourbon man, will be celebrating his birthday next month and I thought of taking him on a Bourbon tour. Local Chef Ouita Michel is at the forefront of Bourbon Trail gourmet dining, with top-notch restaurants in Midway, Versailles, and Lexington. These last one to two hours and cost more than your typical tour, but you get a hands-on lesson on how to mix a craft cocktail. Jack Frys and the Brown Hotel Lobby Bar are also great options. Take a Mixology Class. This itinerary is organized into seven different daily itineraries. During this one-hour class, we mixed two cocktails: the Kentucky Mule and the Sazerac. If you are looking for a highly rated hotel and dont want to spend a lot of money, this is a great option. To read about all eighteen distilleries, check out our post about the best distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Lunch: Walk, drive or Uber to the Mussel & Burger Bar, another one of our favorite restaurants in Louisville. The typical size is Letter to North America and DIN A4 for the rest of the world. It's one of the biggest in Bardstown, which is certainly worth seeing. They have a good beer selection, excellent pulled pork, tasty baked beans and a variety of BBQ sauces. Their first bottled bourbon dates back to 1870. Note: This post contains affiliate links. Located in Downtown Louisville, the Bourbon District is a walkable urban experience for anyone looking for a taste of Kentucky. Choose the size you would like to print and click OK. After that, select your print quality. This is a great place to start your visit to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. This budget hotel gets good reviews and is conveniently located in Bardstown. Getting to know more about liquor will probably help us know the right pairings to get when we eat at restaurants. After a hearty breakfast of biscuits, its time to hit the trail! LUXURY: The Brown Hotel. During our visit this ranged from $5 to $20 per person depending on the distillery and the type of tour you choose to take. However, the spirits are further refined with their patented TerrePURE process. For the most part, the distilleries are located in and around Louisville, Lexington, and Bardstown. There are four major regions of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Some of them include the distance to view and the subject. Bulleit Distilling Company. Julie Last updated: December 16, 2022 United States 13 Comments. Where will your trip lead you? Our favorite experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail was the cocktail class at Bardstown Bourbon. TRAVEL INSPIRATION: Here are 30great travel booksand a list of the best travelmovies to feed your wanderlust. Chuckanut Bay Distillery. Due to vivid -19? All other times of year, making reservations is advised but might not be absolutely necessary. From beautiful fall foliage, to pumpkin patches and farm cider, this is the best time to experience the Bourbon Trail. This is a great resource for getting an in-depth history of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail as well as additional information to help plan your trip. Makers Mark is a must-visit on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Heaven Hill is one of the biggest bourbon distilleries, producing Evan Williams and Elijah Craig. Did you know: If you use the Roadtrippers mobile app, your trips will instantly auto-sync over Ready for navigation and good times! A map that folds up for instance, is approximately the same size as an ordinary poster. And we highly recommend lunch at the Old Talbott Tavern in Bardstown. We give links to all of the distilleries in our Kentucky Bourbon Trail distillery post. The grand finale of the tour isthe bourbon tasting. Renting a car was cheap, driving between the distilleries was easy (and gorgeous), and we could make our own schedule. 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. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you. But how big should the maps be? But there is more to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail than just distillery tours and bourbon tastings. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 7 Days: This is our day by day itinerary listed above, in the same order, with suggestions on where to stay. How can I safe it to find once again? The bourbon and whiskey at Green River spend less time in the barrel than at most distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Some distilleries are closed on Mondays. And the smell is amazing! Just spent two nights in Bardstown and took the cocktail class which was awesome. To tour the Kentucky Bourbon Trail you have two options: self-drive the bourbon trail or join a tour group. There is even an art museum located inside of the hotel. Sleep in Louisville. This day includes the remaining distilleries in Louisville with the option to add on one or two museums. Are children allowed on the tours? Four Roses distillery was built in 1910 and features Spanish Mission-Style architecture, a rarity in Kentucky. The rickhouse is where the barrels are stored. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a collection of eighteen bourbon distilleries located in and around Louisville. Very interested in a 3 day trip.