Bardstown First Timer Advice

[cigarnv]

I will be making my first trek to Bardstown in April and would like some advice from the seasoned vets as to how best spend my time. I will have 3 full days..Thursday through Saturday. Other than the Sampler and the pre-Sampler dinner I am wide open as to my time.

What is the most productive way to fill my 3 days to get a real feel of the area and to visit / tour the best of the distillery's? Also, any advice as to purchasing bourbon in the area would be helpful.

Your help is very much appreciated!!

[Gillman]

I suggest a visit to Heaven Hill's visitor center. This is one of the spiritual centers of bourbon in the area as it were.

Second, I'd visit the Oscar Getz museum.

Both of these have historical exhibits and discussions that will situate things in an overall context.

I'd walk around the small town center, to get a feel for it. Go to Toddy's for a great bourbon and rye selection (down from General Nelson towards Talbott's Tavern). Maybe pop into Talbott's one evening for a shot.

There should be time to visit Maker's mark in Loretto, which is well worth it and it is a nice drive, lots of nice countryside to see.

The Civil War museum, where the Sampler used to be held, is well-worth seeing on its own.

That's good for starters and I don't think you'll have time on your hands.

Gary

[pepcycle]

There's lots of Lincoln stuff going on.

200th Celebration of his birthday.

As you may know, Lincoln was born in Kentucky, not far from Bardstown and resided near Knob Creek for a while.

Check out the web.

In addition, there's Bernheim Forest, very near to Beam.

Lots of Civil War stuff to check out, Perryville, Camp Nelson etc.

[camduncan]

Jen and I will also be first-timers this April and will be in town from thursday afternoon until (very) early Tuesday morning.

This is some great advise everyone....thanks.

I don't know if it's achievable or not, but Jen and I had thought to do something like this:

Thusday:

fly into Lousville from New York.

Visit Louisville Slugger Museum and quick lunch in town.

Stop by Beam on the way to Bardstown.

Dinner ??

Friday:

Morning - Quick look around town centre

Rest of Day - Bourbon Trail

Dinner & Gazebo

Saturday:

Morning - Bourbon Trail (if not finished on Friday)

Afternoon - spend some time in town

Evening - Sampler and Gazebo

Sunday & Monday

Tentative ideas: drive to Knob Creek / Dickel / Woodford Reserve. Getz Museum / Bernheim Forest.

Tuesday:

5am depart for Louisville

[Gillman]

Up until Sunday, that sounds fine. When in Louisville, I suggest lunch at Proof. Bourbon Bistro is great but it will take longer to get to there from the Slugger factory/museum, and you have to know of course exactly how to get there. Bourbon Bistro is on Frankfort Road as I recall which is a way out from downtown where the Slugger factory is. I'd eat in L'ville after seeing the Slugger place (Proof is very close) and then leave the city for the I-65 south and just stay on that. Once about 30 miles south, take the Bardstown exit (you will then have 10 miles or so to go to the east) which will pass by Clermont, which is Beam. You can't tour there as far as I know, but it is worth driving in and contemplating the scene from the entry to the complex. From Clermont continue east until you get to the right turn (just past a series of malls) which will take you into Bardstown. If on the road from Clermont you see a large quarry on your left, you've gone too far (although interesting since evidently many of the town buildings were built from that stone 100 years ago and more).

Knob Creek bourbon is made at Clermont. WR is produced at Versailles, KY and that is an excellent idea for a Sunday drive, it will take you maybe 90 minutes each way from Bardstown.

Dickel is at Tullahoma, Tennessee. Further down the I-65 and then some. My suggestion would be to stay in Kentucky (and e.g. see Bernheim Forest on Monday), but Tennessee is doable if you can hack the driving. On Sunday you might consider driving to Frankfort to see the BT complex, or Lawrenceburg. Of course some of these latter in Kentucky can be combined but as in your country, the distances are not minor, and I'd suggest for Sunday to concentrate on either BT, WT and FR in Lawrenceburg or WR in Versailles. Sunday night you can do bar-b-que in Bardstown, say Hog Heaven or the place on Route 31 on the way back to L'ville. I should be there Sunday night, maybe we can join you.

Gary

[cowdery]

Cam,

A bit overly ambitious, perhaps. Dickel, for example, is about four hours drive each way, and if you do go there you might as well see Jack Daniel's too, since they are just minutes apart. But, really, you don't want to go there, as you basically will spend a whole day driving.

Knob Creek is a place, but not a distillery. There's really nothing much to see there. Knob Creek bourbon is made at Beam.

The Bourbon Trail itself will mean a lot of driving, but that's a matter of priorities. In Bardstown proper all you have is the Heaven Hill visitors center, which is great but not a distillery. The closest place where you can actually go into the distillery is Maker's Mark, which is about 30 minutes on the road each way.

Beam is more like Heaven Hill, a very worthwhile experience but you don't get to see the inside of the distillery.

If you do want to go over to the Lexington area, about an hour from Bardstown by car, you can see Woodford, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses and Wild Turkey in that area without too much additional driving, but you don't really want to be making that one hour drive back and forth to Bardstown several times if you can avoid it, so maybe plan on getting up early Friday or Monday morning to spend the whole day around Lexington, then save Maker's for Saturday morning. (But check to see who is open when.)

Beam is only about 20 minutes from Bardstown and is a much easier drive than the one to Loretto (Maker's) which is very twisty-turny. Bernheim Forest and Beam are basically at the same place so it makes sense to visit them at the same time.

In most cases where you do have to drive someplace, you will have a choice between taking a highway and taking back roads. The highway is faster but much less scenic, and vice-versa for the back roads. I frequently take Bardstown Road from Louisville to Bardstown, rather than I-65, because it's a more pleasant drive, but that route doesn't take you past Jim Beam.

I don't know if you have ever been to the USA before or what your interests are besides bourbon, but Bardstown and the immediate area around it has a lot of sites that are very interesting in terms of early American history. Nobody has mentioned My Old Kentucky Home, which is Bardstown's primary non-bourbon tourist attraction. It is what it is and a lot of people think it's hokey, but it's a good chance to see a grand home of that region from the mid-19th century, if you are interested in that sort of thing.

Just a couple of thoughts to consider.

[Gillman]

Chuck's made a good point about there being a lot to do and see in Bardstown. There is so much that some of us have never seen WR or the distilleries in Lawrenceburg (I included despite some 15 trips to Bardstown in the last few years). There is just so much to see in and around Bardstown even over 3-4 days - especially for a first-timer. However, I have seen Buffalo Trace and that is an amazing place. Still, Frankfort, KY is kind of fiddly to get into, with lots of traffic lights from the highway on an uninteresting strip until you get (as I recall) to the left turn to take you out to BT. (Frankfort itself I found uninspiring but maybe I didn't see the interesting parts).

You must be prepared in other words for lots of driving once you are any reasonable distance out of Bardstown. Whereas if you stay in its precincts, you will get to know it well. I can understand though coming so far that you'd want to see a distillery or two outside the general Bardstown area, and if you do this, I'd suggest heading either for Versailles, Frankfort or Lawrenceburg, maybe combining a couple of these, but check the distances and kinds of road so you'll know the driving involved.

Gary

[cowdery]

Gary,

It's easy to miss the really nice and interesting parts of Frankfort, but they are there. You are right about the way it is set up, which is a function of the very challenging topography. Unless you know where the old part of Frankfort is you won't stumble onto it, but I can direct you if you ever are so inclined.

And you (and everybody) really must see Woodford. It's really something special for a whole bunch of reasons.

[Barrel_Proof]

Cam: Since you and Jen will be hanging with SB.com members, who know the Bluegrass well, I recommend not planning every minute. You'll need to fit in a drink (or three) at my place, for example! Bardstown and environs are best enjoyed at a relaxed, unhurried pace. You'll enjoy the visit even more if accompanied by your forum pals, who will be more that eager to act as tour guides. My suggestion: plan one or two things each day, be ready to cancel any and all plans (save the Sampler itself and Gazebo gatherings each evening) and go with the flow. You two will have a blast. We are all looking forward to seeing you both. --Cliff

[cowdery]

Actually, Cliff's advice is the best so far.

[Gillman]

I drove around Frankfort seemingly endlessly and did not find much interesting but I would love to see its best parts, maybe Chuck we can head out there together in April.

WR is a longstanding ambition to see, maybe this time!

What Cliff said is of course absolutely true, maybe plan two or three things once in Bardstown (e.g., to see Makers and Heaven Hill) and one trip out to see WR or BT, but then see how it goes, the flow is the show!

Gary

[barturtle]

While I agree with Gary that Proof is a nice place to eat, don't think that Bourbon's Bistro is too far away, it's maybe 7 minutes drive if you know the right route, depending on traffic.

Also while Woodford doesn't seem to be on any current KY Bourbon Trail maps, they are listed on the website so it makes sense to do them at the same time as the others. Woodford fits nicely between BT and WT and then continue on to FR. A Bardstown/BT/WR/WT/FR/Bardstown loop is under 3 hours driving, but the biggest part of this is the Bardstown legs, the four distilleries can be reached in under an hour. But add in an hour for each tour (plus waiting time for the hourly tours to start) and time in the gift shop and you're looking at over a 8 hour day. Make sure you leave early and are at the first when they open, as tours stop early in the day at most places.

Example:

BT starts at 9am and runs on the hour. So get on the road a little before 8am and head there. An hour tour plus say 20 minutes in the gift shop(you could spend more time looking at the museum they have in the back, but you ain't got time to spare). time is 10:20. It's 20 minutes to Woodford.

WR tour starts at 11. You've gotten there 20 minutes early. Hit the gift shop now to save time later. IIRC the tour here is an hour also (and $5, everyone else if free!) It's now 12. 30 minutes to WT.

WT tour starts at 12:30 if you are late head on to Four Roses and do there and come back for the last tour at 2:30. If you make it figure an hour for the tour plus 15 minutes in the gift shop (though you could spend hours looking at all the decanters) It's now 1:45. 20 minutes to FR.

FR last tour runs at 3:00. You've got plenty of time assuming you made WT, stop and get something to eat on the road as you pass through Lawrenceburg.

If you missed WT it then becomes: You arrive at FR a little before 1. Use the time to hit the gift shop. Tour runs an hour IIRC so it's 2 when you're done and you have 30 minutes to make to 20 minute drive to WT. At this point I hope you packed a lunch and can eat it while you drive.:grin:

There's a reason I've never done more than 3 distilleries in a day.

[barturtle]

I guess I should add that trying to keep the above schedule is not what I would describe as "fun"

[Gillman]

Certainly I agree with Timothy re: Bourbon Bistro, but if you go map out your route in advance especially if you intend after lunch to go to Bardstown, it's not intuitive in other words..

Gary

[Gillman]

As a non-Kentucky native (and a non-American myself), I will be the first to say that the area can be a little challenging to a first-time visitor. Like most parts of the U.S., everything takes longer to get to than you think, and it is easy to get fed up with driving..

My suggestion is to plan a couple of things at least over three days in Bardstown, of which my choices would be Heaven Hill, Makers Mark, the Getz. You will of course meet other Sb-ers and that may lead to joint visits of various kinds, maybe some further afield.

Some combination of spontaneity and planning should produce the ideal trip but it depends too on your own tastes and inclinations, etc.

Gary

[barturtle]

I agree, Gary even having grown up in Louisville and lived there most of my life, I still think it is one of the most oddly laid out places I have been.

PM me if you think I can help with routing or such. I can't make it for the sampler, but I'll help out anyway I can.

[cowdery]

I drove around Frankfort seemingly endlessly and did not find much interesting but I would love to see its best parts, maybe Chuck we can head out there together in April.

There isn't a lot, but if you start walking at the old state capital building then work your way south and west from there you see the oldest part of the city, both some nice older commercial buildings and some nice historic homes. That's about it.

I also recommend Berry Hill Mansion in Frankfort, which is the house that Old Crow built (i.e., Berry was one of the owners of Old Crow in its heydey as an independent distillery).

[Gillman]

I would have preferred to walk in the city, I found it hard to drive in with one-ways which made it hard to see certain parts. I will return.

Gary

[cowdery]

Louisville and Frankfort, both being old and built at the bend of a river, have no discernible grid. That's what makes them so difficult.

[gr8erdane]

See Cam, in my PM I told you others could give you better ideas on non-bourbon sites to see...

One other thing you might want to think of is that in your trips to the distilleries you'll probably bump into a master distiller or two and I'm sure they'll be more than happy to spend time talking to a visiting Aussie....

[pepcycle]

In Frankfortt.

Take Two Minutes. One for the view and one for the historical significance

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Kentucky/Franklin/Frankfort/Frankfort_Cemetery/Daniel_Boone_gravesite.html

[TNbourbon]

...One other thing you might want to think of is that in your trips to the distilleries you'll probably bump into a master distiller or two and I'm sure they'll be more than happy to spend time talking to a visiting Aussie...

More conveniently, though, Cam, there's generally a very good chance you'll be able to bend an elbow with a distiller or two at the Gazebo during/after the Friday-Saturday events.

[Gillman]

Nice pictures Ed. Wish I had seen that when I was there. I was just in the downtown which seemed (much of it) newly built with a small expressway running across as I recall.

It's always the case, you need someone who knows to show you.

Gary

P.S. There was a good liqour store though on that long road running into town, Red Dot I think it was called, Jeff had recommended it to me.

[boone]

Hi Cameron,

I've put together a map so you will be familiar with the environment around you. You could miss a lot. Just the ride to the General Nelson you need to know what you are passing by.

I'm not trying to sway you to go here or there, just letting you know "what's there" if you choose to tour each site...

The attachment includes a map with directions...

A Arrival at Louisville International Airport...

B Louisville Slugger Museum (800 W Main)

C Liquor Barn :grin: 3420 Fern Valley Road

D Jim Beam (Happy Hollow Road) Bernhiem Forest is across the road from Jim Beam :grin:

E Four Roses (not the distillery...warehouse and dump room) 624 Lotus, Cox's Creek, Ky....tour appointment (502) 543 2264. Most excellent, I've been several times :grin:

F Best Western General Nelson, (Gazebo) 411 W. Stephen Foster Ave. Bardstown Ky.

----------------------------------------

First and most importantly, http://www.bardstowntourism.com/ this has many of the local attractions right in Bardstown. A beautiful old hometown place :grin: :grin: Anyway, I wanted y'all to hear that woman singin' "My Old Kentucky Home" :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:

My Kentucky Home :grin: :grin:

I hope you have the brochure with "The Bourbon Trail" if not here's the link http://www.kentuckybourbontrail.com/#

When I get time I might do another map with other "on the way" stops (non bourbon related) that might interest Jen. Gethsemane (Trappist) http://www.monks.org/hist_gethsemani.html World famous for their cheese, fruit cakes and author Thomas Merton--- The Kentucky railway Museum, http://www.kyrail.org/ those are on the return trip possibly from Heaven Hill, Maker's Mark, taking another route.

Churchill Downs http://www.churchilldowns.com/

Keeneland http://ww2.keeneland.com/default.aspx

Mammoth Cave http://www.mammothcave.com/

Corvette Museum http://www.corvettemuseum.com/

Kentucky Horse Park http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Horse_Park

The Gold Vault, Fort Knox Kentucky, Patton Museum http://www.radclifftourism.org/goldvault.shtml

Lincoln's Birthplace/Boyhood home http://www.nps.gov/abli/

A stone's throw from Louisville is a cool riverboat that I frequent about twice a year. A lot of fun, good food, concerts etc...right across the river from Louisville http://www.harrahs.com/casinos/caesars-indiana/hotel-casino/property-home.shtml

That otta keep ya busy for awhile :grin:

CAMERON.PDF

[camduncan]

Thanks heaps Bettye Jo - I'll be reading/digestion for the rest of the week :cool: