Bardstown, KY: your ultimate trip through the Bourbon Capital of America
Bardstown, KY: your ultimate trip through the Bourbon Capital of America
Share:
Vintage stores, retro eateries, vibrant festivals and world-class whiskey await visitors to this charming, laid-back corner of Kentucky. If you’re hot on your capitals you’ll know that along with being crammed with vintage stores, retro restaurants and charming hotels, Bardstown, a laid-back town in the state of Kentucky, is also the Bourbon Capital of America.
![[Pick up a unique souvenir in one of the many thrift shops and independent boutiques of Main Street]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/05/12/Main-street2B3PMKR.jpg)
It’s here that you’ll find 11 distilleries within 16 miles, where you can sip on amber-hued blends in tastings rooms, chilled bars or at one of Bardtown’s legendary festivals (over 40 are held here each year). As for what else you could get up to here? Let’s dig into the specifics….
![[Make a visit to the Welcome Centre in Downtown before exploring the city’s many fun and fascinating museums]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/12/11/190611_Bardstown-Downtown-Edits_001-%281%29.jpg)
Your perfect blend? It’s right here in Bardstown. There are said to be millions of barrels of bourbon aging in Kentucky warehouses at any given time: it’s the limestone-infused waters of the region that gives liquor here its distinctive taste. But to really appreciate it, head to Bardstown, where you’ll find dozens of distilleries and tasting rooms – many of which are on the famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail – within a short taxi ride of each other. From big names like Jim Beam, to local favourites Bardstown Bourbon Company and the award-winning Heaven Hill, you’re sure to find the perfect bottle to enjoy on your trip – and to bring home.
Take a stroll down Main Street. Beyond the bourbon, there’s so much to do in Bardstown, and the postcard-pretty Main Street is the epicentre of lots of the fun. It’s here that you can rummage through racks of vintage clothes, from leather jackets to lace dresses, pick up cowboy boots and ceramics, and pop into dozens of independent stores, selling crafts, cards and jewellery.
