There’s a lot that draws people to Louisville, Kentucky for vacation. From experiencing the great outdoors in our state park system, to catching a horse race at Churchill Downs, to exploring our art, museum, and culinary scene— Louisville has something for everyone to enjoy on their travels. But perhaps the biggest draw to Louisville is the famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail®️.
As locals, we’re sharing our tips for the best times of year to experience the trail and what you can do to prepare for your vacation now. To get you in the spirit (see what we did there), we’ve thrown in one of our favorite springtime bourbon recipes too!
What is the Bourbon Trail?
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail®️ was established in 1999 as a way to celebrate Kentucky’s exceptional bourbon distilleries. On the Bourbon Trail, stops offer bourbon flights for you to sample as well as the option to purchase rare bourbon varieties.
The trail has 51 distilleries as of the time of this publication, from the classic Woodford Reserve to the recently opened Garrard County Distilling.
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail stretches a far distance, with up to 70 miles between some distilleries, so planning ahead to hit your favorite spots is a must. Some trail explorers enjoy picking up a Bourbon Trail Passport and Field Guide for $14.00 and collecting stamps from each of the bourbon distilleries you visit.
There aren’t a lot of rules to the trail, except that you are 21+ and you ensure you have safe transport from place to place.
Why Stay in Louisville?
Located at the heart of Kentucky’s bourbon country, Louisville lets you explore the bourbon trail while still having access to all the amenities that come with a proper city.
Besides plenty of bourbon bars and local distilleries, Louisville can be deemed the perfect gateway for the entire Kentucky Bourbon Trail. From the comfort of the Inn at Woodhaven (book here!), most of the most famous distillery tours can be reached within the hour and we are more than happy to give you the inside scoop.
Bourbon Trail Welcome Center
We recommend you start your Bourbon Experience off with a visit to the Bourbon Trail Welcome Center at the Frazier Kentucky History Museum. With plenty of bourbon tastings and exhibits, it’s the perfect place to start if you’re as interested in the history of bourbon as you are in the drinking.
The Louisville Urban Bourbon Trail
Did you know that Louisville has its own, local version of the Bourbon Trail? The Urban Bourbon Trail lets you combine touring distilleries with staying in one of the Bluegrass State’s most charming cities.
In downtown Louisville, you can find Whiskey Row. This street features some of Kentucky’s finest distilleries as well as historic hotel properties with extensive bourbon-inspired menus, all within walking distance. While the participating locations on the urban bourbon trail vary a little in the experience they offer, you can expect to sample plenty of bourbon!
Fun For Everyone
We understand that not everyone in your group will love bourbon as much as you do, or even know how to drink it (but we explain that here!). Another part of Louisville’s appeal is the diversity of activities on tap:
This city is overflowing with famous attractions and hidden gems alike. We dare you to bring a friend who can’t find something they’re excited about in Louisville!
Excellent Culinary Scene
Besides interesting distilleries, Louisville has some really fantastic food and many restaurants offer their own take on bourbon inspired food and cocktails.
On a single stroll, you can discover anything bourbon related ranging from the city’s finest bourbon cocktail to even bourbon infused cuisine! We highly recommend walking in to some local bars and trying one of their many special bourbon cocktails.
One restaurant we love in Louisville is Mesh Restaurant. This restaurant it known for their locally sourced ingredients and cozy, sophisticated ambiance. Their menu features a unique array of food from Kung Pao calamari to stout-braised short ribs.
When it comes to bourbon, Mesh Restaurant features a wide variety of brands for you to try, including the King of Kentucky 15 Year. And if you’ve found that you’ve imbibed a bit too hard on the trail, then hit up Mesh for their signature weekend brunch.
When Should You Do the Bourbon Trail?
We experience all four seasons here in Louisville, which make spring and fall the ideal weather for your next bourbon excursion. Of course, if you dress weather-ready, you’ll enjoy the bourbon trail in any conditions.
With temperatures not too hot and not too cold, Spring bourbon trail tours also wrap in the excitement of horse racing season at Churchill Downs (April through early July). While distillery tours take place indoors, many distilleries offer outdoor patios for you to do your bourbon tasting. In our opinion, there is nothing quite like kicking back outside with an exceptional flight of bourbon while enjoying the fresh spring breeze… and maybe some smoked bbq too.
Meanwhile, Fall bourbon trail visitors will get some exceptional leaf peeping (late October is peak season) or may also be able to time their trip around The Kentucky’s Bourbon Festival which takes place each September in Bardstown, Kentucky. Heads up— this bourbon festival has sold out in the past two years. If you want to go, you’ll need to get your tickets months in advance.
We recommend visiting GoToLouisville.com for bourbon events throughout the year that you may want to plan your trip around.
Preparing for Your Bourbon Trail Experience
If you decide to book a last-minute vacation to Louisville, it’s possible to experience the bourbon trail. But if you plan your trip a few weeks (or months) in advance, you can create a really outstanding experience that is catered to your interests. You can use this Kentucky Bourbon Trail map to help you chart your course.
Find your Key Distilleries
Start by researching and ranking the bourbon distilleries you want to visit. Identify your “must see” spots and take a look at their tour schedules and offerings. Some only tour on certain days of the week. Some require reservations far in advance. And some have incredible add-ons like VIP experiences that get you behind the scenes and with access to some really rare bottles.
Schedule your Visits
Once you know your must-sees, plot out where they are and schedule your reservations. Once those are plotted and planned, you can start to fill in your other times with nearby distilleries that maybe don’t rank as high on your list.
The Best Bourbon Distillery Experiences
At the Inn at Woodhaven, we are true bourbon lovers and when it comes to bourbon tours, we have a few strong opinions and recommendations!
When you visit these distilleries, you will meet the experts behind some of Kentucky’s most famous bourbons. It’s safe to say that you’ll find them more than happy to guide your nose and palate through the subtle nuances and tasting notes that come with sampling a bourbon flight.
Learn more here: Best Bourbon Tours In Louisville
Angel’s Envy Distillery
The first distillery on Louisville’s Whiskey Row, Angel’s Envy, is a popular stop for bourbon lovers. This brand is known for using port wine barrels to give its spirit its signature taste.
A visit here gets you a more intimate bourbon experience than some of the other distilleries on the Trail. Don’t forget to visit their cocktail bar for some truly innovative bourbon-inspired drinks!
Old Forester Distilling Co
The classic Old Forester bourbon wasn’t just the first one to be sold in sealed glass bottles, it’s also the only one that was sold before, during, and after prohibition. As one of the few whiskeys that were qualified as “medicinal,” this brand has been around since before prohibition.
A tour of the distillery lets you see one of their trademark secrets in action; the charring of the bourbon barrels. Old Forester is one of the only distilleries that does it on site and a visit lets you get up close and personal!
Evan Williams Bourbon Experience
As the name suggests, a visit to this distillery can only be described as a complete bourbon experience. As a visitor, you learn about the life of Evan Williams, the first licensed distiller on Whiskey Row.
Their interesting combination of history and bourbon tasting make this a must-stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail!
Louisville KY Bourbon Trail Tours
If you’re not the “planning type”, you’re not alone. Thankfully, BourbonTown Tours is a one-stop service that will give you the VIP experience while relieving you of having to book individual reservations or figure out transportation from place to place.
We highly recommend their comfortable, fun, and entertaining tours as the most worry-free way to experience the bourbon trail here in Louisville.
Where To Stay
We hope that your tour along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, will include a stay with us at the Inn at Woodhaven, located in the center of the action– Louisville, Kentucky.
Our plush Stearns & Foster luxury mattresses, crackling fire places, and private, newly-remodeled bathrooms make the Inn at Woodhaven the perfect place to rest and refresh after a long day on the trail.
You’ll even find fresh baked cookies in the parlor and a hot, tasty breakfast to start you on your way. Find your perfect room and book with us today!
As promised, here’s one of our favorite springtime bourbon cocktails to get you in the vacationing mood…
Springtime Bourbon Drink Recipe from the Inn at Woodhaven
Ingredients:
- 2oz Evan Williams Honey Whiskey
- 3oz cranberry juice
- 1oz lemon-lime soda
Instructions:
Fill a cocktail glass with ice. Pour ingredients over ice and mix with a straw.
