Bluegrass, Bourbon and Boondocking
Many people don’t know how interesting Kentucky can be. There are multiple hiking trails, a National Park, hunting and fishing, and of course: Bourbon.
Kentucky Bourbon has been a popular tradition since the 1700s. People like tours; they like seeing how and where their favorite things come from, and that’s how the Bourbon Trail began. Currently, the Bourbon Trail receives about 1 million visitors a year and has over 35 distilleries! The trail officially became a program in 1999, so cheers to over 20 years!
There are tours, tastings, and great views of the rolling hills at each of these distilleries. Kentucky has some great spots for bird watching, deer spotting, and Bourbon sipping. Many of the distilleries have on-site restaurants that serve home-style country meals, BBQ, and even cocktails!
Some of the Distilleries on the Trail include:
- Jim Beam
- Knob Creek
- Makers Mark
- Pappy Van Winkle’s
- Wild Turkey
- Woodford Reserve
- And many more! To purchase Distillery Tour Tickets, CLICK HERE!
You can do your distillery tours solo, as a couple, or even large groups, all are welcome! You must be over 21 years old to attend many, if not all tours, so don’t forget your photo ID. There are many ways to plan your trip using the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Website . Feel free to call them, stop in person at the Welcome Center, or just look at the suggestions on the site and explore on your own. You can choose starting points by location, experiences, and by transportation style. They even have trip planners with premade itineraries! We compiled many suggestions from people who have done the trails before, and there are tons of tips and tricks to give you the best experience possible. Earth Trekkers has some great insight on what they think are the best stops in and around the trails as well!
There are plenty of campsites on the Bourbon Trail, and they are all so beautiful! Many of these campsites are close to hiking, fishing, and boating areas. Reserve your spot ahead of time, especially in the summer and fall, that’s when they are the busiest. Kentucky surprisingly has some of the most beautiful fall foliage around. People come from miles away to view the leaves! Your very own Harvest Hosts have options on the Bourbon Trail, and they include Wineries, Vineyards, Antique Shops, and even some of your favorite distilleries made the list!
Kentucky is more than Bourbon, there are some natural treasures to see! Red River Gorge is smack in the middle of the Bourbon Trail, so step off the path and take a new one to over look the massive and beautiful gorge. Red River Gorge offers camping, hiking, biking, kayaking, and ziplining. It is a great stop for the adventurer in the group.
The biggest draw to Kentucky is Mammoth Caves National Park. This is the site of the world’s longest known cave system. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve. They offer cave tours, camping, boating, horseback riding, stargazing, ziplines, rock climbing, and so much more. Outside of the park are several other cave systems such as Diamond Caverns and Crystal Onyx. You can even book an underground river boating cave tour at Lost River Cave! There is so much to discover!
Kentucky has a deep history with so much to see and do. The bluegrass state is one of a kind, so go experience the southern charm for yourself! Bottoms Up!
About the Author
FMCA is an RV membership club that offers discounts, benefits, classes and more to it’s members. The purpose of FMCA is to organize social activities, exchange RV information, and supply benefits to our RV Family..At FMCA, we educate, equip, and empower RV owners in their journey to creating, experiencing, and benefiting from the outdoor lifestyle they dream of and deserve.
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Red River Gorge is awesome. However, it is not smack in the middle of the Bourbon Trail. Great article with that correction.
Great info on tours.
Greetings, My husband and I traveled running our Tree Planting Co. for many years. Our daughter was born in our 5th wheel camper 35 years ago. Our Work was seasonal. Dec 1 – June 1…when the pine seedlings are dormant. Florida to Maine. My father in law was one of the Astrophysicists for NASA that put the men on the Moon. He gave us some Solar Panels, we have been ‘off the grid’ ever since. We have 6 big panels on our large gambrel roof of our Log Cabin in NC. We were fully charged everywhere. Very Northern Maine is all wilderness…no problem. Our School District had an Auction. We bought a big Activity Bus and remodeled it into a very comfy house. We added a sleeping loft. A set of bunk beds downstairs. Dual gas tanks so we could cover some wilderness.