The Best Small Town In Kentucky For A 3-Day Weekend

Kentucky has many beautiful places to visit, but few are as memorable as Bardstown. This town lies at the heart of the Bourbon Trail, a network of connected distilleries that produce whiskey aged in bourbon barrels. Kentucky is famous for this style of whiskey. But that's not the only thing one can find in Bardstown. There's also a majestic mansion named after Kentucky's anthem, a forest filled with giants, some of the best Civil War museums in the U.S., and a large number of Bourbon distilleries and family-owned restaurants.

There's plenty to do and see here for a three-day weekend. This guide shows what makes Bardstown stand out.

Distilleries, shops, and restaurants

Bardstown is known as the Bourbon Capital of the World due to its 11 distilleries located within a 16-mile radius of the town. For those who would like to sample this drink or tour the distillery facilities, there are various options available, both old and new.

One of the most popular distilleries is the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience. Founded in 1935, this company produces some of the world's most renowned bourbon brands, including Evan Williams, Larceny, and Elijah Craig. You can learn about bourbon's history at this distillery and create your own customized bottle with the You Do Bourbon experience.

For a smaller, more historic setting, consider Chicken Cock Whisky Circa 1856. James A. Miller founded this distillery in 1856. His whiskey was especially prized during prohibition, when it became the house whiskey of the Cotton Club speakeasy in Harlem. You can try this whiskey along with other cocktails.

For a local souvenir, the Blind Pig Bourbon Market is a reliable stop. It sells locally made bourbon bottles, gifts, and bar items to make your own bar back home. For a break from bourbon, the Tropes Romance Bookshop offers a light, book-focused stop.

The Old Talbott Tavern is a dependable choice for a meal. First built in 1779, it's the oldest bourbon bar in the world, serving lunch and dinner with Kentucky mainstays like hot browns and pot roasts.

Historic attractions

Bardstown is one of the oldest towns in Kentucky, first settled in 1780 and established in 1788. It played a significant role both as an antebellum Mid-South town and during the Civil War. In fact, Bardstown is home to one of the most beautiful plantations in America, located at 1818 Federal Hill, now known as the My Old Kentucky Home State Park, after Stephen Foster's famous song. The song’s history is complex, with varying interpretations.

This 1,300-acre plantation is Kentucky's first state park and offers a variety of experiences, including tours of the mansion, a golf course, a country club, and culinary tours throughout the year, featuring Mint Juleps, lemonade, and culinary biscuits, among other fun activities.

Federal Hill isn't the only mansion in Bardstown. The other is called Wickland and served as the home of two Kentucky governors and one Louisiana governor. It's a three-story structure, built in 1815 in the Georgian style, and is one of the best examples of that style in Kentucky. Visitors can tour the mansion on select days throughout the year, with hours that vary by season.

Bardstown also preserves an important part of the Western Theatre of the Civil War, as showcased at the Western Theatre at the Civil War Museum and the Women's Civil War Museum. These museums have the most extensive collection of Western Theatre artifacts and offer a detailed look at the role women played during the conflict.

You can also learn about Bardstown’s bourbon heritage at the Oscar Getz Museum of Bourbon History, and explore regional railway history at the Kentucky Railway Museum in nearby New Haven.

Outdoors

Bardstown offers two main outdoor areas worth visiting. One is the Tannery Hill Trail, which is located right by the My Old Kentucky Home Country Club. It goes for one mile into a wetland and around a bluff overlooking a valley below, before descending down to a creek. The climb can be steep and often wet, so sturdy shoes help.

The best outdoor destination is the Bernheim Forest and Arboretum, located in nearby Clermont. It’s a more than 16,000-acre forest with all manner of beautiful sites. For example, there's the Canopy Tree Walk, which is 75 feet above the forest floor, a 17-acre natural playground called the Playcosystem, a peaceful sensory garden, and the Forest Giants. Danish artist Thomas Dambo designed these giants out of recycled materials and hid them around the forest for children and adults to discover and take fun photos.

Accommodations

Bardstown offers a variety of charming accommodations to suit all budgets. Right next to the Old Talbott Tavern is the Talbott Inn. Although not as historic as the tavern, it was built in 1913 and retains many of the tavern's charms.

For a unique spot to stay, try the Jailer's Inn Bed & Breakfast. This spot was originally the Old Nelson County Jail, with the front jail building constructed in 1819 and a back jail added in 1874, which has been redecorated into a bed and breakfast featuring Victorian-era decorations. The inn now serves far better meals than the jail once did.

There are plenty of other bed and breakfasts in town you can rent out for the weekend from the Bardstown Bourbon BnB and the Bardstown Bungalow.

The Weekend at a Glance

Bardstown has enough activities to keep anyone busy for a 3-day weekend. Those interested in bourbon can visit distilleries like Chicken Cock or Heaven Hill or learn about its history at the Oscar Getz Museum. Hikers can discover giants at the Bernheim Forest or go strolling through the grounds of the My Old Kentucky Home State Park. Historic stays like the Talbott Inn and the Jailer's Inn make a weekend in Bardstown feel polished and comfortable.