What is the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®?

Kentucky River Tours • 29 February 2024

Bourbon and horse racing are how Kentucky is best known to the rest of the country. Both have a deep-rooted connection to the land and everyday life in Kentucky. Travelers and Kentuckians alike have heard of the “bourbon trail,” but most don’t realize it’s an official trail for bourbon lovers to visit the state’s signature distilleries.

Bourbon distillery with rows of bourbon barrels near Frankfort, KY

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) established the bourbon trail in 1999 and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® as a road trip experience. You can enjoy a few stops along the tour throughout the weekend or follow the trail, hitting all 46 stops back to back to back. It’s up to you — that’s part of the beauty of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®! The trail is meant to be an experience of your own making.

Stops on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®

There are 46 distilleries along the bourbon trail, and there’s no right way to experience them! Visit by tour region: Bluegrass, Central, Northern, and Western; or visit through Kentucky’s official gateway cities: Lexington, Louisville, Bardstown, and Northern Kentucky.

Our KY Riverboat Tours

If you’re looking for a boat tour experience, Kentucky River Tours is your ideal bourbon trail experience. Beyond transporting you to different stops along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, our tour guides will help you see the Kentucky River in a new way. Learn about how the river influenced the bourbon industry while enjoying a calming river cruise and maybe even some bourbon. Our riverboat tours feature different distilleries and highlight unique parts of the Kentucky River and Kentucky’s bourbon history.

Visit our tours page to learn more!

What is the Best Bourbon Tour in Kentucky?

Not to toot our own horn, but we are the nation’s only boat-based bourbon tour! Choose one of our many themed tours, a custom/private tour, or book a field trip for your class. And if you want some local secrets on the best places to visit, eat, drink, or stay after your tour, we’ve got the inside scoop!

While we can’t pick just one favorite of all of our boat tours, here are a few of our most popular tours:

  • Bourbon and Boats: Sip on bourbon while we cruise the Kentucky River. We recommend this tour for visitors of Kentucky because we explore lots of Kentucky and bourbon history while cruising past historical landmarks like the Old Hermitage Distillery.
  • The Old Taylor Tour:  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a consistently popular destination. You’ll tour Buffalo Trace Distillery and learn more about EH Taylor Jr., the “Father of the Modern Bourbon Industry.”

Where to Stay on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®

If you want the bourbon-themed fun to last longer than your Kentucky riverboat tour, stay at our old-fashioned VRBO. Whether it’s date night, family night, or any other kind of night, our bourbon-inspired home is the best place to stay on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®.

Book a Bourbon Tour Today

The team at Kentucky River Tours is all about creating a fun, safe, and memorable experience for travelers and Kentuckians alike. We’re located in Frankfort, Kentucky. Contact us to learn more about the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and book a bourbon boat tour today!

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