Visiting Kentucky and the Bourbon Trail had never been on my radar up until this past year! It was in the height of the pandemic that we knew we wanted to escape to somewhere unique. Given my husband is an avid whiskey/bourbon lover, I thought this would be the perfect getaway. I knew Kentucky was beautiful, but I got to see the state’s true splendor on this trip and I can’t wait to head back! Visiting in the fall is the perfect time of year because the weather is temperate. You’ll get access to Kentucky’s beautiful fall foliage.

Day #1

Breakfast at Jailer’s Inn:

After our 6 hour drive from Atlanta, we arrived at the Jailer’s Inn Bed and Breakfast around 11PM. Jailer’s Inn, an aptly named converted local prison, is a once in a lifetime place to stay at! We stayed in the jail cell room and loved the mini tour they offered us as well. The best part about Jailer’s Inn is the amazing homemade breakfast they serve each and every morning. Homemade french toast, fresh fruit, hash-brown casserole and many more delicious items are available for free to round out your stay. Jailer’s Inn is very reasonably priced as a great spot to stay along the Bourbon Trail.

Cost: $148.77 (prices have increased since visit)

Bardstown Distillery:

Our first stop on the Bourbon Trail was a relatively unknown distillery I had never heard of before, but quickly fell in love by the end of our time there. Bardstown Distillery had a fantastic tasting along with a tour that was very informative around the distillation process, where we tried bourbon at all different steps of the process. This distillery is only 5 years young, yet they are now the 7th largest bourbon producer! Bardstown Distillery offers cocktail classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays in their beautifully renovated space. They also have an excellent bourbon slushy was perfect at the end of the tour to enjoy! An important tip –  they are closed on Mondays/Tuesdays for tours, so plan accordingly.

Time of tour: 10AM

Cost: $34.98 (prices have increased since visit)

Lux Row Distillery:

Our second stop of the day was just down the road at Lux Row. Lux Row was a much smaller campus, but I loved seeing their roots with both the original distillery buildings and more modern facilities on site. I loved that Lux Row’s tour included a lot of visuals of where they source their grains. The best part of Lux Row’s tasting was that each type of bourbon was matched with a chocolate to accompany the flavors, all of which were unique and delicious!

Time of Tour: 12:00PM

Cost: $28.60 (prices have increased since visit)

Heaven Hill Distillery:

Our last stop for Day 1 was at Heaven Hill. Heaven Hill’s tasting was good, but not necessarily memorable with a short time frame of 30 minutes. Heaven Hill’s bourbon didn’t taste bad, but if I were to cut one tasting from my list it likely would have been this distillery. I’m curious to know if their tour/tasting experience will be different after the additional construction they are doing is complete!

Time of Tour: 1:15PM

Cost: $34.66 (prices have increased since visit)

Dinner at Havana Rumba & Tapas Bar:

After our last tour of the day we head up to Louisville! We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn by the airport and relaxed a little bit before dinner with some family friends who took us to the Highlands area of town for dinner. We ate at Havana Rumba & Tapas Bar which has excellent margaritas, empanadas and entrees for your perusal and selection!

Cost: Free (our sweet family friends paid for our dinner!)

Day #2:

Louisville Slugger Museum:

At dinner the previous night, we discovered that our family friend had recently taken a new job at the Louisville Slugger Museum and invited us to come for a tour before our next stop. I grew up playing softball, so touring this museum was a fantastic experience! We spent about an hour in the museum reading about the history of the Louisville Slugger, baseball bat production and even getting to hold bats from our favorite MLB players both past and present.

Cost: Free (our sweet family friend gave us tickets – but normally it is $18 for adults and $11 for kids)

Stitzel Weller Distillery:

After the Louisville Slugger Museum, we moved on to our next distillery right outside the city, Stitzler Weller – this one turned out to be my favorite for the entire trip! The Stitzler Weller tour was very informative, taking us all over the grounds of this historic distillery. The Stitzler Weller distillery was the first to open after prohibition and it has flourished ever since.  Stitzler Weller‘s famous Blade and Bow bourbon is key to their brand and we got a chance to enjoy it on our tasting as well!

Cost: $58.30 (prices have increased since visit)

Toast on Market for Lunch:

We next went to grab lunch in the city before our next tasting. At Toast on Market, we started off with a delicious clam chowder as an appetizer. The Toast on Market  cali sandwich was a delicious companion to that soup – I highly recommend as a distillery break if you are in the area

Cost: $52.99

Bulleit Distillery:

About 40 minutes east of Louisville, we went to our last distillery of the trip. Bulleit Distillery was different from the rest of the locations in that this isn’t their main hub where the barrels are located; instead, it serves only as a tasting room and bar site. I did love this tasting experience because it utilized all of your senses and pairs other senses such as smell to compliment the whiskey. We also enjoyed having a Bulleit Distillery mixed drink on the patio after our tasting, with the bar offering delicious fall-themed cocktails!

Cost: $39.60 (prices have increased since visit)

Mirror Twin Brewery Co.:

After our final tasting, we drove an hour to Lexington where we were staying for the next two nights with friends. Our friends were still at work when we arrived, so we took some time to check out a local brewery, Mirror Twin. Mirror Twin has a wide variety of beer and cocktails, as well as an indoor and outdoor space you can enjoy depending on the weather! I got a delicious slushee when I was there, but they are constantly updating their menu so there could be new choices available for you to choose from!

Cost: $23.06

Dinner at Jean Farris Winery:

When our friends got off work, we met them at a stunning winery about 25 minutes from downtown. If you’re looking for an upscale dinner or a fantastic menu, Jean Farris Winery is the place to visit. We decided to ball out for this meal since it was a beautiful place and we were celebrating our friend’s new start to her medical career! We split a charcuterie board for the table and ordered some french onion soup on the side to compliment it! For my entree, I ordered a delicious filet mignon with creamy mashed potatoes on the side. Jean Farris also has fantastic wine flights for you to enjoy with your meal and a great whiskey list as well if you are in the mood for more!

Cost: $177.62

Day #3:

Breakfast at Magee’s:

We started off our day with an excellent breakfast at Magee’s. I ordered a chocolate donut and chicken biscuit with house made queso on top. It sounds different, but I promise it was delicious and worth the stop!

Cost: $30.67

Explore Lexington Murals:

After breakfast, we decided to explore downtown Lexington and look for some of their beautiful murals. Spread out all over downtown these murals showcase hard-working local artists. We chose to create our own path and followed streets wherever we saw one in the distance, but if you want more structure click HERE and save the spots on Google Maps for a self-guided tour!

Cost: Free

Raven Run Nature Sanctuary:

Next up on our itinerary, our friend took us out of the city to Raven Run Nature Sanctuary for a hike! We chose to hike the Kentucky River Overlook trail and combine it with Moore’s Homestead (have to visit my husband’s namesake – just kidding). We hiked roughly 3.2 miles total and meandered through the trails for an hour and a half. Raven Run is a great place outside the city to explore!

Cost: Free

Talon Vineyard:

On our way back from Raven Run, we passed by a winery and thought why not enjoy a glass after our hike? Talon Winery was on a beautiful property that hosts events, and we criss-crossed with a wedding that was about to get started. The Talon Winery inside the tasting room is quite small, but there is lots of outdoor seating to take advantage of the right weather. At the time we visited, they were only doing full glasses but the current menu looks to have reverted back to tastings. On weekends you can try 3 wines for $3!

Cost: 25.60

Ethereal Brewery:

Afterwards, we headed back into the city to explore the Pepper Rickhouse and watch some college football. We popped over to Ethereal Brewery and enjoyed some ciders/beers and a snack to get us through the afternoon! This is a great spot with multiple TVs if you are trying to catch multiple events or games.

Cost: $59.82

Dinner at Kentucky Native Cafe:

The friend we were visiting said this was her favorite spot in the city for dinner and she wasn’t lying! Kentucky Native Cafe is incredibly unique because you are dining in what is effectively an enclosed rainforest of beautiful trees and other plants. In the wintertime, the Kentucky Native Cafe also has a beautiful greenhouse you can sit in. Kentucky Native Cafe’s menu changes daily, but we got a burrata to have as an appetizer and a sandwich/soup combo for our meal. Everything we ordered was refreshing and affordable!

Cost: 35.70

Day #4:

Mammoth Cave National Park:

As we headed back towards Georgia, we decided to hit a new national park on the way home! Mammoth Cave National Park was very unique and different to many of the other national parks we visited in that it is mostly underground. We did the historic tour where you have a specified time slot and self guide yourself through two different wings of the cavern system. I loved the placards they had in place to learn about the details of the cave and its history. We spent about an hour underground before leaving. Heads up, Mammoth Cave is different from other national parks where you pay a price per person, not per car.

Cost: $40 (prices have increased since visit. Required advanced reservations.)

 

Our 4 day trip to Kentucky was wonderful and I can confidently say the state is incredibly underrated! There are so many great and amazing things to see and do. Sadly, many of the distilleries weren’t open due to the pandemic. We can’t wait to go back and explore more of what Kentucky’s bourbon ecosystem has to offer!

Budget:

Item	Cost
Total food	511.82
Souvenirs	14.56
Jailers Inn	132.24
Hilton Hotel Louisville	121.55
Gas	75.92
Distillery Tours	149.16
Parking	4.00
Mammoth Cave National Park	36.00
Total	1,045.25