Kentucky bourbon and caves

Route description

Louisville has several distilleries downtown along Whiskey Row, as well as Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum. US-31E then leads southeast through rolling farmland to Bardstown, the self-declared bourbon capital of the world. Many well-known distilleries lie within a short drive, and My Old Kentucky Home State Park is on the edge of town.

From Bardstown, the Bluegrass Parkway heads east to Lexington, the heart of horse country, where roads wind between white and black board fences and stone walls. You can visit the Kentucky Horse Park, watch morning workouts at Keeneland race course in season, or tour a horse farm. More distilleries are found around Frankfort and Versailles.

From Lexington, head back west to I-65 and south to Cave City, the gateway to Mammoth Cave National Park. More than 400 miles of passages have been mapped, making it the longest known cave system in the world, and ranger-led tours range from short walks to long crawls. Book tours ahead in summer, and bring a jacket, as the cave is cool year-round.

Book distillery tours ahead, as popular ones sell out, and plan who will drive after tastings. Spring and fall are the best seasons, with horse racing at Keeneland in April and October. Campgrounds are available in Mammoth Cave National Park and near Bardstown.