Travel to Louisville - Any suggestions appreciated!

[tanstaafl2]

May have an opportunity for a trip that will include a brief one day stop in Louisville in January. Could possibly squeeze one distillery tour in for half a day. Anything recommended there or is it practical to try to get to Bardstown or Lawrenceburg and back in half a day and still see anything?

Also would love to know what the good places to do a little liquor shopping are from those in the know. Will be coming up from the south from the Atlanta area. Feel free to PM me if you want to keep your favorite fishing hole under wraps! I won't take back too much I promise!

Is it worth it to try to make the drive up to The Party Source up in Bellevue while in the area? Or can I find most things besides the private barrels in the Louisville area?

[petrel800]

The drive from Louisville to south Cincinnati area isn't a bad one, but will roughly take you an hour and a half. Don't forget Cork n Bottle as well in the Covington, KY area, they typically have some nice barrel selections available.

Edit - Forgot to add, if you happen to come back I75 through Knoxville (obviously I wouldn't recommend that route unless you were coming back from the S. Cincinnati area), McScrooges is always a good place to stop and it's right off the interstate.

Edited December 13, 2012 by petrel800

[fricky]

The Liquor Barn has a great selection of bourbon.

[Kyjd75]

Bardstown is easy to do from Louisville and Liquor World/Toddys is always worth a visit. For bourbon I think they are better than Liquor Barn. Also near Bardstown is new store in newly wet Elizabethtown, Packages and More Liquors, that is making a big effort to be a top bourbon destination. If you are traveling I65 you go right through Elizabethtown, so it would be an easy visit.

[tanstaafl2]

Great suggestions everyone!

Thanks and I will work on a bourbon based itinerary.

[p_elliott]

For food and drinks don't forget Bourbon Bistro in Lville.

[squire]

If i only had one day I'd go to Bardstown, visit the Getz and Heaven Hill, Toddy's and head back.

[tanstaafl2]

More great suggestions. Probably can't do it all on this very brief trip but I plan to do as much as I can so keep 'em coming!

[squire]

Being from Atlanta you'll appreciate this. We were in Bardstown for a few days some years back and decided to drive down to Loreto to visit Maker's Mark. We were a bit pressed for time (last tour was at 3:00) and got to the visitor center with ten minutes to spare only to be told the last tour started about an hour earlier. Eastern time zone you see, so when touring in Central Kentucky be aware of where the time line is.

[TL2000]

I would try to stop in the bourbon bar at the Seelbach Hilton and have a drink. You can generally find bourbon there that you will find few other places. Also a good hotel if you are looking for a place to stay. It is convenient to several good restaurants and the Makers Mark bar/restaurant.

[tanstaafl2]

God thought. Probably won't stay there but may try to have a drink or two at the bar. Perhaps a Seelbach Cocktail will be in order!

But probably a pretty spendy one I imagine.

[tanstaafl2]

Being from Atlanta you'll appreciate this. We were in Bardstown for a few days some years back and decided to drive down to Loreto to visit Maker's Mark. We were a bit pressed for time (last tour was at 3:00) and got to the visitor center with ten minutes to spare only to be told the last tour started about an hour earlier. Eastern time zone you see, so when touring in Central Kentucky be aware of where the time line is.

Good point. Apparently we skirt through the Central Time Zone on the way up through Nashville but enter back into the Eastern Time Zone south of Louisville. Don't get the extra hour I had been hoping for so will have to plan accordingly.

[tanstaafl2]

Still planning on my trip to Louisville with a side trip to TPS in Bellevue, weather permitting. Welcome any thoughts on a nice place to eat near TPS without having to go into Cincy or perhaps something in the Frankfurt area. Hoping to do a tour at Buffalo Trace as part of our trip as well as a stop in Bardstown.

[Ejmharris]

Still planning on my trip to Louisville with a side trip to TPS in Bellevue, weather permitting. Welcome any thoughts on a nice place to eat near TPS without having to go into Cincy or perhaps something in the Frankfurt area. Hoping to do a tour at Buffalo Trace as part of our trip as well as a stop in Bardstown.

Your options are a plenty near TPS. Hofbrauhaus is about 3 minutes away. There are a couple of chain places across the street (joes crab shack and something else that I forget) that I would stay away from but I don't like chains. Pompillios is a small Italian place that is fantastic (less than 10 minutes away). Across from hofbrauhaus is entertainment district that has several good options as well. I don't remember all of them but you can google Newport on the levee. A little further away in Covington in an area called Mainstrasse There are also good option there, too many to name all but Dee Felice Cafe is my favorite. It is Cajun but has filet that is fantastic. It can be a little pricey but worth it IMHO. If you go to Mainstrasse Olde Kentucky bourbon bar is within walking distance. Let me know when you are around and if I can swing will try to catch up for a drink. If you are in the area and need anything let me know. Enjoy!

Btw, pompillios is where they filmed Rainman. That is not what makes it good though. Your cardiologist won't approve though!

Mike

[Kyjd75]

Dee Felice Cafe is a great place to eat and enjoy. I love the place and always eat there when in the area.

[Vosgar]

Hoping to do a tour at Buffalo Trace as part of our trip

[tanstaafl2]

As a reminder of what's been said here many times, call ahead for a "hard hat" tour and ask for Fred as your guide

Already have the hard hat tour scheduled. I will ask about Fred. Didn't know I could request a specific guide!

[Mikede1285]

Still planning on my trip to Louisville with a side trip to TPS in Bellevue, weather permitting. Welcome any thoughts on a nice place to eat near TPS without having to go into Cincy or perhaps something in the Frankfurt area. Hoping to do a tour at Buffalo Trace as part of our trip as well as a stop in Bardstown.

I would stay away from Hofbrauhaus as well, unless you are looking for overpriced bland food. Pompillios is great, but if you're just there for lunch it is pretty heavy. I've never tried Dee Felice Cafe in Covington but Chez Nora across the street from Dee Felice is great as well.

Also, I don't know if you have ever been to TPS in Bellevue, but it is only a few hundred yards from Cincinnati across the river and wouldn't cause you to waist much time to get there. If your willing to venture over, I would stick to one of the many great places in Over The Rhine on Vine street a couple blocks north of the central business district downtown. Bakersfield, a taco, tequila and whiskey bar, is my favorite but Senate, Mayberry and A Tavola are good as well.

[tanstaafl2]

I would stay away from Hofbrauhaus as well, unless you are looking for overpriced bland food. Pompillios is great, but if you're just there for lunch it is pretty heavy. I've never tried Dee Felice Cafe in Covington but Chez Nora across the street from Dee Felice is great as well.

Also, I don't know if you have ever been to TPS in Bellevue, but it is only a few hundred yards from Cincinnati across the river and wouldn't cause you to waist much time to get there. If your willing to venture over, I would stick to one of the many great places in Over The Rhine on Vine street a couple blocks north of the central business district downtown. Bakersfield, a taco, tequila and whiskey bar, is my favorite but Senate, Mayberry and A Tavola are good as well.

Will keep those in mind. Will be on the road for lunch so was looking for a place for dinner (presuming I can tear myself away from all the "candy" at TPS! Don't expect to arrive in the area until Friday evening so thought it might be best to avoid going into town on a Friday night. Especially since the plan was to head out to Frankfurt or perhaps Louisville to spend the night on Friday. Wanted to be closer to the "action" bright and early Saturday morning!

[p_elliott]

Already have the hard hat tour scheduled. I will ask about Fred. Didn't know I could request a specific guide!

Some years someone will schedule a group tour with with Fred for the bunch of us on SB.com

[tanstaafl2]

Some years someone will schedule a group tour with with Fred for the bunch of us on SB.com

I have made the request for when we are there but they wouldn't guarantee Fred would be available. But if we do something similar as a group in the future I would certainly

consider going again!

[Tony]

Bakersfield sounds cool, my buddy does not like Mexican so I need to work on him though. Although the Hot Dogs at Senate sound great too.

Thanks.

Best regards, Tony