If you've ever wanted to experience the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, this is your sign to start planning. Zach and I finally made the trip, and over the next two blog posts I'm sharing our exact itinerary, where we stayed, what we ate, and of course every distillery we visited.
This first part covers our road trip from North Georgia to Louisville, plus everything we packed into our first two days before heading to Bardstown.
Day 1: Road Trip to Louisville
We hit the road at 9:00 a.m. with one very important first stop.
Buc-ee's
No road trip is complete without a Buc-ee's stop. We topped off the car, grabbed plenty of snacks for the drive, and charged our EV before continuing north.
Lunch in Nashville
Around lunchtime we made it to The Gulch in Nashville for a little break from driving.
We grabbed lunch at The Pub Nashville, wandered around The Gulch, and spent some time shopping. One of our favorite stops was Rustler Hat Co., where we browsed their custom hats before charging the car one more time.
After a few hours exploring, we hit the road again around 5:30 p.m. for the final stretch to Louisville.
Arriving in Louisville
We checked into the AC Hotel Louisville Downtown around 9:30 p.m., dropped our bags, and immediately headed downstairs to the lobby bar just in time to catch the USA vs. Turkey FIFA World Cup match.
At halftime we decided to walk over to one of Louisville's most popular patios.
The Garage Bar
The Garage Bar quickly became one of our favorite stops of the trip. We ordered pizza, local beers, and watched the rest of the match from their outdoor patio. The atmosphere was exactly what we were looking for after a long day on the road.
After the game, we called it a night and were back at the hotel around midnight.
Day 2: Bourbon, Pizza, and Louisville Favorites
Breakfast at Biscuit Belly
We eased into the morning with breakfast at Biscuit Belly, one of our favorite breakfast spots that now has several Georgia locations as well. It was the perfect fuel before heading to our first distillery.
Buffalo Trace Distillery
From Louisville we drove to Frankfort for our 12:45 p.m. tour at Buffalo Trace Distillery.
If you're visiting Kentucky, this is a must. The tour walks through the history of one of the country's most iconic bourbon distilleries while showing the production process from start to finish.
Of course, no visit is complete without stopping by the gift shop afterward. We were incredibly lucky and managed to purchase a bottle of Blanton's for just $75, which felt like finding buried treasure considering how difficult it can be to find at retail price.
Lunch at Goodwood Brewing
After our tour we grabbed a late lunch at Goodwood Brewing.
The brewery offered a great mix of Kentucky-inspired food, craft beer, and a relaxed atmosphere before heading back into Louisville for another bourbon experience.
Angel's Envy Distillery
Back in Louisville, we walked over to Angel's Envy for our evening distillery tour.
This tour had a completely different feel from Buffalo Trace and focused on the brand's unique finishing process that gives Angel's Envy its signature flavor profile. If you're comparing distillery experiences, we definitely recommend doing both because each offers something unique.
Dinner and Late Night Eats
Before calling it a night, we made two more food stops.
First, we grabbed appetizers at Los Aztecas before finishing the evening with pizza and drinks at The Last Refuge, a cozy neighborhood spot that ended up being a fun late-night stop.
By 10:30 p.m. we were back at the AC Hotel to rest before continuing our Kentucky Bourbon Trail adventure.
Day 3: One Last Louisville Stop
Before leaving Louisville, we enjoyed brunch at Bar Vetti, a restaurant we'd heard great things about and one that absolutely lived up to the hype.
After brunch we checked out of the hotel and began the short drive to Bardstown, Kentucky, where the next chapter of our Bourbon Trail adventure would begin.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where we'll visit Maker's Mark, Heaven Hill, explore historic Bardstown, and share everything you need to know for planning the perfect Bourbon Trail weekend.