Planning a 4 day trip in a few weeks, need some suggestions!

[copple]

First post but I've been reading and gleaming information from this forum for a while. My wife and I are planning a fun car-trip/bourbon trail in a few weeks, we'll be staying Thursday-Sunday. Most likely driving up from SC Thursday morning so there is a chance we can do one tour that afternoon. Then we'll have all day Friday and Saturday, driving home Sunday.

First question is where is the best place to stay? We were thinking about splitting our hotel stays between Lexington and Bardstown. After doing some more research I'm wondering about staying in Frankfurt too?

I'm thinking about doing 2 tours a day, maybe 3 one day but we don't want to rush and would like time to just enjoy the trips/tours and relax.

Distilleries we'd to visit-

Near Lexington:

Woodford

Buffalo Trace

Wild Turkey

Four Roses

Bardstown:

Barton

Makers Mark

Heaven Hill

Willett

Open to any and all suggestions. Normally stay in Hampton Inn type of hotels.

Thanks!

[Richnimrod]

Staying in Frankfort would make better sense for me. Buffalo Trace is a very nice tour, very historic. The Hard Hat Tour at BT is definitely worth looking into if you can get it scheduled.

If you need to skip one in the eastern portion, I'd skip Woodford, although the horse country around it is gorgeous.

Near Bardstown, the Jim Beam Tour is pretty good, too. Staying in Bardstown I'd recommend the General Nelson Inn (motel). They're always accommodating and have been very nice to many of us.

They're contact info: 502.348.3977, www.generalnelsoninn.com... ask for Craig or Charla. Around B'town it's entirely possible to do three tours in a day, if that doesn't seem rushed to you. Maker's tour is fun, and picturesque; but a fair ride to get to and back.

Hope some of this helps. Have FUN!!!!

[kwshannon]

I've done all of those except for HH, plus Beam.

My top tour suggestion is Maker's & dipping a bottle.

Next level for me has several in no particular order - Beam, BT Hard Hat tour, WT (Jimmy sometimes is in the gift shop signing during the week after 330), Four Roses, HH, and for a smaller scale Willett. Woodford was nice, beautiful grounds, and close to FR, but similar to FR so if you only had time for one, I would do FR and the FR gift shop is fun with up to 10 barrel strength available. Barton was average, nothing special when we toured.

We've stayed at the General Nelson, good location for all of those plus Beam and the FR warehouse & gift shop. Also good homestyle restaurants in the Bardstown area, and good liquor stores.

We also stayed in Lawrenceburg as a central location to BT, FR, Woodford, WT.

We did a day trip into Lexington and toured capital & Clay house. You may not have time for that on this trip.