OT: Kentucky & the Bourbon trail

[HuskyNan]

My son and I want to take a trip to Kentucky. We only want to take a long weekend, say Thursday night to Sunday. Part of our trip is to hit the bourbon trail but we also want to tour the area in the northern part of the state, say the triangle from Cincinnati to Louisville to Lexington. Any thoughts or suggestions on where to go, what to see or do?

Our family loves to travel but my oldest son and I, especially, get itchy feet if we stay in one place too long and except for a couple short visits to family, I’ve been stuck in Orlando for over 2 years now. My last vacation was with my son to New Orleans. We‘ll head to a place we’ve never been and sort of meander around. That’s OK for a city but we’re looking in a larger area unless Louisville or Lexington is so fantabulous we should just go there?

 

[nomdoux]

Spent some time in Lexington. Rec’s:

Marriott City Center hotel
Dudley’s (on Short)
Distilled (on Jefferson)
Justin’s House of Bourbon (for whatever you don’t get @ distillery visits)

 

[Husky fanatic]

Bardstown. See My Old Kentucky Home and multiple Bourbon distilleries in the area. Versailles and the Keenland Race track. Lexington and Rupp Arena. Down to Bowling Green for the Corvette museum. My wife and I go every year. Her roots are in Kentucky and we spend about two days just doing Ancestry research.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I used to go to those areas for work (I audited my company's movie theatres, and we had theatres in all 3 cities). While I didn't get to tour around (sadly), I will say that the Lexington area was beautiful. One of my times in Louisville I took the round-about route to the most distant theatre and got to see a bit of the downtown. I wasn't impressed, but this was probably over 20 years ago.

I personally enjoyed the Cinci area, but can't recommend anything. There was a very notable BBQ Rib place that we (coworkers and my wife on a casual visit) enjoyed, famous if it is still there, perhaps someone knows of it.

 

[pinotbear]

I grew up in Louisville, and just drove through literally 12 days ago.
If you want to really see "horse country", drive I-75 south from Cincy to the Kentucky Horse Park, just north of Lexington. It's good.
Then, take US 60 from Lexington, through Versailles, Frankfort, Shelbyville then Simpsonville. Lots of classic horse farms in that stretch, some of which may offer public tours.

 

[Bigboote]

If you’re into beer too, Oldenberg Brewery in Ft Mitchell, just across the river from Cincinatti is woth a stop. I only passed through Lexington, but loved it.

 

[Monte]

Racing is presently going on at Churchill Downs in Louisville.....and, the University of Louisville is right across the street from the track.

 

[KY Card Fan]

Here are a few suggestions from a life-long Kentuckian:

• Glad you're doing the bourbon trail. You'll experience some of the "horse country" while doing that. I would suggest a tour of a horse farm. Three favorites are Jonabell in Lexington, Three Chimneys in Versailles and Claiborne in Paris. The Claiborne tour includes a visit to Secretariat's grave - he was the G.O.A.T.
• Midway is a town in the "horse country" with an interesting downtown that's easy walking. Wallace Station in Midway is a great place for an outdoor lunch if the weather is favorable.
• In Louisville, take a tour of Churchill Downs. Try to get Barry Northern as your guide.
• West Main Street in downtown Louisville is home to the KFC Yum Center. It is also home to the Hillerich & Bradsby factory and museum, where Louisville Slugger baseball bats have been made since 1884. H&B offers a nice tour.
• Also downtown is the Muhammad Ali Center. Well worth a visit.
• The Belle of Louisville, built in 1914, is one of the few authentic steamboats left in America. It cruises upriver from the downtown wharf and provides a relaxing option.
• Waterfront Botanical Gardens in Louisville is relatively new and is not yet complete. It's a good spot for a walk on a nice day.
• Cave Hill Cemetery a couple miles east of downtown is another great place for a walk. It is beautifully landscaped, there are lots of birds, and you can visit the graves of Muhammad Ali, Colonel Sanders of KFC fame, and the two sisters who wrote the "Happy Birthday" song.
• Louisville is deservedly known as a "foodie" city. There are lots of great independent restaurants. I have too many favorites to list here but would be glad to offer an opinion based on the cuisine that interests you.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

biggest one in the world. must see Kentucky travelry.

they don't call it "mammoth' for nuthin.

 

[Drumguy]

biggest one in the world. must see Kentucky travelry.

they don't call it "mammoth' for nuthin.

2nd on the caves - It's worth the drive.

 

[HuskyNan]

2nd on the caves - It's worth the drive.

Too far south, though. My son is driving down from Michigan so we’re trying to stay in the northern part of the state

 

[Drumguy]

Too far south, though. My son is driving down from Michigan so we’re trying to stay in the northern part of the state

Gotcha. I visited the cave when I was in Nashville for a conference. It was an hour and a half ride from Nashville iirc.

I may be doing a similar trip - one of our summer vacation choices is driving our RV camper from CT out to NM and back to hit some national parks but we were thinking of heading south to hit the Bourbon trail along the way. I've drvien thorugh the state a couple of times and the area is beautiful. I'm not a big bourbon fan but if we can fit it in we'll do it.

 

[HuskyNan]

Gotcha. I visited the cave when I was in Nashville for a conference. It was an hour and a half ride from Nashville iirc.

I may be doing a similar trip - one of our summer vacation choices is driving our RV camper from CT out to NM and back to hit some national parks but we were thinking of heading south to hit the Bourbon trail along the way. I've drvien thorugh the state a couple of times and the area is beautiful. I'm not a big bourbon fan but if we can fit it in we'll do it.

I’m a wine drinker but I’d like to try a mint julep In Kentucky and my son likes Manhattans. Half the fun of traveling is seeing, doing, and drinking new things