We are pleased to announce that the Frazier Museum is the home of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center and is now open on historic Whiskey Row! When in Louisville, stop in for help in planning your Bourbon travels, shop for Bourbon-y gifts, take a selfie in the bottle hall, and peruse their amazing Spirit of Kentucky exhibition.
Kentucky Derby Museum is the place where Derby legends, horses and Bourbon come together to create unforgettable experiences. The Derby Café & Bourbon Bar has more than 100 Bourbons on the menu, making it the perfect spot to stop after one of the Museum’s exclusive tours of Churchill Downs. Guests who go on the Bourbon & Bridles Experience learn why Kentucky’s most iconic treasures – Bourbon & Thoroughbreds – make the perfect pair. The Museum is a quick ten-minute drive from Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Did someone say horses? For an extra special adventure, head to the scenic outskirts of Louisville to the Hermitage Farm where you can take a tour of their working horse farm, stroll through their art walk, peruse their culinary garden, enjoy a Bourbon tasting or cocktail class in a horse barn with some equine friends (hide your peppermints!), and dine at the worldclass Barn 8 Restaurant.
Get your belly full and enjoy a well-crafted Bourbon flight at Bourbons Bistro, Louisville’s foremost Bourbon bar, located in the historic Clifton district. With a selection of more than 130 Bourbons, including an exclusive barrel selection program, Bourbons Bistro has a seasonal menu that is Bourbon inspired and locally sourced. Need to take a walk on the sweet side? Indulge in delectable Bourbon truffles and other divine confections at Art Eatables.
Need a place to stay? We have options! When booking at the Marriott Louisville East, ask about the Bourbon suite complete with Bourbon-barrel decor. Enjoy a “Bourbon of the day” and other nightly drink specials at Charr’d Bourbon Kitchen & Lounge. For some downtown options check into the storied Seelbach Hotel, order a famed “Seelbach” cocktail, and ask about Al Capone’s getaway tunnels! Nestled in downtown Louisville on historic West Main Street, along Museum Row, 21c Museum Hotel Louisville is a contemporary art museum, an award-winning 91-room boutique hotel, and home to acclaimed Proof on Main restaurant. If you’re looking for luxurious, southern accommodations a little off the beaten path, make reservations at the Chateau Bourbon B&B for a great night’s sleep and a Bourbon-inspired breakfast. The Butchertown Grocery Bakery is the only bakery in the state that also sells Bourbon! Not only will you enjoy fresh-baked European style breakfast and lunch treats, but you will also be able to purchase unique single barrel selections handpicked by Executive Pastry Chef Amanda Johnson. Just check out their IG page and try not to drool!
ShelbyKY is Your Bourbon Destination. Home to two distilleries — Bulleit Distilling Co. and Jeptha Creed Distillery — and within an hour’s drive of nearly all of the distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, there’s no better place to stay for your Kentucky Bourbon travels. Shelbyville boasts a wide-ranging mix of stunning vacation rentals and luxury bed-and-breakfasts, authentic Southern and international cuisine, and plentiful outdoor adventure–all of which pairs perfectly with a well-crafted pour of Kentucky Bourbon.
When you visit Jeptha Creed Distillery, you feel like family. The Netherys use an heirloom variety of “bloody butcher” corn to make their Bourbon, and raise their own produce they use to infuse their spirits with. After your tour, grab a cocktail and gaze over the rolling hills and rickhouses.
On your way to Bardstown, make a pit stop in Shepherdsville – a perfect and convenient place to go shopping, dine or lay your head after so much Bourbon education. Don’t miss the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest across from the James B.Beam Distilling Co.
With 11 unique distilleries within 16 miles from downtown, it’s no surprise that Bardstown is the Bourbon Capital of the World® and an Official Gateway to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail™. This town is truly passionate about America’s Native Spirit, but it’s also America’s second-oldest city, so history buffs will feel right at home.
Start your experience in Bardstown at another historic distillery rich in family history. Tour the grounds at Willett Distillery and make reservations at The Bar at Willett for an unforgettable cocktail and dining experience (I bet you didn’t know you liked egg salad until you try this!).
Less than 2 miles from the center of enchanting Bardstown on an old tobacco farm you’ll find Preservation Distillery + Farm, a small operating farm and distillery making 100% pot distilled Bourbon and whiskey in 1-3 barrel batches. Longhorn cattle roam the property, and with itty bitty releases of their Olde St Nick, Wattie Boone, Cowboy Little Barrel and Preservation you’re sure to have a worthwhile visit.
Head out to the county for this stunner of a destination, Log Still Distillery. Founded by three members of the Joseph Washington Dant family, these are distillery grounds like you’ve never seen before. Complete with an amphitheatre that draws artists like the Gin Blossoms and Little Big Town, The Legacy a gorgeous wedding and events venue inspired by rickhouses, a full-service farm to table restaurant, working train depot and beautiful onsite lodging, you’ll never want to leave.
(When planning your trip, keep in mind that Bardstown is more rural than Louisville and Lexington, and on-demand ride services may not be available. Click here to see your transportation options in and around Bardstown…planning ahead is key!)
Lebanon is literally the “heart” of Kentucky — it’s the geographic center of the Bluegrass State. There’s a lot of history in this small town with the Civil War Trail and the John Hunt Morgan Trail. Grab a snack downtown and then stop by the beautiful Limestone Branch Distillery, a founding member of the KBT Craft Tour®. 7th generation Beams – Steve & Paul – will let you sample some of their award-winning products including the Yellowstone Bourbon and Minor Case Rye.
You’ve seen how the whiskey is made. You’ve learned how to mix it in a cocktail. But have you ever seen the skilled craftsmen bending the staves to make the barrels, hammering on the rings, and charring the insides with a big burst of flame? Now you can! Book a Kentucky Cooperage Tour at the Independent Stave Company and leave smelling like our favorite perfume – charred oak (close-toed shoes required).
Don’t miss an opportunity to dine on classic Kentucky fare in the Old Talbott Tavern (try the fried green tomatoes), have a nightcap in the “world’s oldest Bourbon bar”, and even spend the night if you feel so inclined. And take a stroll through the past in the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History. Need another unique and storied lodging option? Immerse yourself in Bourbon and American history when you stay at The Samuels House. This 250 year old home to eight generations of the family behind the iconic Maker’s Mark brand is packed with their personal collection of amazing whiskey memorabilia and is just waiting for you.