Where you stay can make the trip. These are the places we called home along the way.
The stops we made, what we thought, and the places we'd happily visit again.
The breakfast here is fantastic! They had so many options both sweet and savory that were unique and not just your classic diner fare. I went with the Salted Caramel and Banana Waffle, it definitely did not disappoint but the portion was huge so I couldn't finish it. The iced coffees were just OK so I don't think I'd bother ordering that again.
This was truly the only place we ate that I would make it a point to go back to if I am anywhere near there or that I would recommend to anyone who asked.
This one was a recommendation from friends who have family in Cincinnati, they said if we were looking for a good bourbon selection this was the place to go. It definitely didn't disappoint but this place is massive and you could easily get lost in here for a few hours. They have just about anything you could think of- be sure to grab a map from the information desk when you walk in, we promise you'll need it!
Standout brewery for sure! This place had fantastic beer and we all enjoyed everything we tried. The guys even bought a case of their lager to have at the house. They have a great selection from "normal" beers to flavored sours, meads and everything in between. I ended up getting a second flight because there were so many I wanted to try. We've told several people about this place and we've already planned it as a stop on one of our next trips!
This was a really neat spot with a speakeasy feel in the taproom and a unique selection in their bottle shop. The guys snagged some E.H. Taylor Small Batch at a great price (cheaper than it was even at the distillery)! The bartender was very knowledgeable and willing to make great recommendations. We went back multiple nights as this became our hangout since it was walkable from our house and a very relaxing spot. I will say the Old Fashioneds we got on Sunday were better than the ones we got on Tuesday but it was a different bartender.
This was right next door to our house so it made it very convenient, they also had a decent bourbon selection so the guys could do some sipping. After that, the rest was just kind of meh. The food and service were OK but nothing to rave about, they were out of some items we had wanted to try and even though we were there well before closing and they weren't very busy it almost felt like we were an inconvenience because we didn't have a reservation. Would I go back? Sure. Would I tell someone they HAD to stop there? Definitely not.
If you like adventure and are a thrill seeker like myself, this is a must add to your travel list! It's the only fully underground zipline course in the world and it is such a cool experience! If ziplines aren't your thing, they also have an underground ropes course and a tram or walking tour available. Our tour guides were great and really made it a fun experience.
There was nothing particularly bad about this place but, there was nothing particularly great either. It wasn't in our original plans but the place we were going to eat was closed so we ended up going here as it was walkable from our house. We were the only people in there at the time we arrived but they sat us in an area where it almost felt like they forgot we were there at times. There were times where our drinks were empty for good periods of time as it took quite awhile for them to come check if we needed anything. The food was good enough but nothing to write home about. Overall, if it's convenient to where you're at it's a good enough stop but nothing to seek out.
This was a neat stop as we were able to walk around the grounds and enjoy it without having to book a tour. We did end up seeing one of the tour guides in the hallway and he did give us some history and talked with us for awhile. Everyone there was very friendly and we especially enjoyed their cocktail bar. If you want to grab a cocktail to sip while you explore the grounds they'll put it into a plastic cup for you! It was neat to get to see some behind the scenes stuff including their rickhouse!
This place was a little more "fancy" and less of the laid back vibe that we tend to go for but the drinks were great. Mike had a flight and ended up really enjoying their wheated bourbon so he grabbed a bottle to bring home. I had a bourbon cocktail that they put a spoonful of candied bacon on top of so how can you go wrong?!
This was a great spot for breakfast, we actually ended up going there two mornings as it was walkable from our house and we enjoyed it. They have some great options on the menu and it was very affordable.
If you're a baseball fan (or just a sports fan in general) this is a stop to add to your list! While we didn't do the tour due to time it definitely sounded like a great time and everyone there seemed to really enjoy it. We checked out their gift shop and walked along the street to check out the Walk of Fame.
This is one of the harder stops for me to rate because I feel if we had been there at a different time we would have had a different experience. When we were there the taproom was under construction so that resulted in them serving in their gift shop lobby with a bunch of small round standing tables placed throughout the room. We had 3 guys who each wanted flights so being crammed around a tiny table was challenging. This also meant we didn't get the traditional taproom vibe that we enjoy. Their whiskeys are some of Mike's favorites and everything we tried was good, just the overall experience that we had left something to be desired.
This was a stop that we didn't originally have on our must see list but it fit in our schedule so we stopped and boy are we glad we did! It ended up being one of our top experiences from the trip and one that we are always sure to mention when we talk about this trip. We ended up getting there shortly after they opened so we got some time to chat with the bartender before anyone else came in. She was great and made some delicious cocktails! The guy working the gift shop also made it a point to come over and chat with us and also showed us their bottle game where you try to see if you can get a coin to fit perfectly into the opening on the bottom of the bottle. He also gave use some quarters to try out their fortune teller machine which ended up in some discounts, a free t-shirt and a free shot glass!
They also did a special 250th Anniversary Release for the Army and will print a new label with a service members name on it for you if you purchase one so we were able to grab a bottle for a very good friend who is a veteran with his name on it!
We tried a flight and an Old Fashioned here, they were all good but a little pricey. We didn't eat here but the food we saw coming out looked fantastic so it's somewhere I would try. The gift shop was really nice and had a nice variety of stuff available.
This was a really cool stop! We actually scheduled one of their tours and our tour guide (Shout out to Chad!) was awesome! He really made it a fun experience and gave us a lot of insight into the history of Maker's Mark. During the tour, we got to do a tasting which introduced us to some of their products we haven't had and we ended up buying some of those! In their gift shop (even without the tour) you can choose to buy bottles that haven't been waxed topped and dip your own! This made the experience extra special and was a fun touch!
This place was good enough but not a top spot for us. I know, I know- it's hot dogs, how special can they be? Well, I've been to some hot dog spots I'd rave about but this one was just OK. I wouldn't be against stopping there again but I definitely wouldn't seek it out.
This was one of our least favorite stops. We were looking for a casual place to have a drink and were disappointed with this one. We definitely felt out of place as you could tell a difference in the service we got compared to people that the bartender knew. My cocktail was good but the guys did not enjoy the draft beers they got so not sure if it was just the types of beers they ordered or if it was the taps. Overall just not a stop I'd recommend or bother going back to.
I wanted to love this place but even though it wasn't busy we felt like an inconvenience. The breakfast sandwiches and coffees were really good so for that I would go back and give it another shot if we were in the area. The service just felt off, we didn't really feel like they welcomed us and when we put our orders in they didn't seem happy about it. Maybe it was just an off day but it definitely wasn't a great experience.
This is a very pretty location and we do love the bottles we bought there. That's the best I can say from our visit. It wasn't very well marked so we weren't sure where to go in and once we found where to go it felt very formal. I thought they were on the expensive side and didn't actually have prices listed. We found some bottles that we wanted to try and at $106 they were on the higher side of what we typically spend for a bottle. They also had a special "sale" for a Dirty Shirley drink in a commemorative cup but when I finally saw a sign that said they were $24 I opted out.
This was one of our favorite locations. We always say if we ever get back to this area that we would definitely stop here again. The vibe of the place was nice, the Old Fashioned was delicious, we got to keep the glass and it was reasonably priced and they have a beautiful outdoor area to enjoy when the weather is nice.
This stop had our favorite cocktails from the whole trip! There's a reason they were half gone before I remembered to take a picture! They were a little pricey but not the highest we saw and definitely worth every penny! It was also a very nice location and we enjoyed their outdoor area.
While their spirits weren't at the top of our list, the beauty of this location certainly was! We did 2 flights so we could try all of their whiskeys and their vodkas and gin, while none of them were bad, none of them WOW'd us either. I did bring a bottle of their gin home as that was the favorite of everything we tried. How beautiful their grounds are is worth the stop in itself and I highly recommend taking the walking trail around the grounds to see all of it.
This definitely had the most commercial feel of all the places we went and was the least laid-back vibe but it was understandable as they had to be efficient with the number of people there. They do give free tastings so that was a nice touch. They also do daily bottle releases so it's a must stop if you're looking for some bottles you probably won't get to purchase anywhere else. They also had the most reasonable prices for their merch too.
This was definitely a stop worth making! We always watch the Kentucky Derby every year so we knew we wanted to check this place out and are so glad we did. It was fun to see more of the history and to get to actually see Churchill Downs! If you have time while you're in Louisville I definitely recommend checking this out!
A relaxing few days with friends in the Virginia mountains, centered around a beautiful cabin, good company, and a few worthwhile stops along the way.
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