How much does the Bourbon Trail cost to visit?

I love the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. I love it so much that I was married on the Trail (seriously)! And I absolutely love sharing my passion for the Trail with others. As a budget travel hacker, I also love doing travel affordably. That’s why I wanted to help you see the Kentucky Bourbon Trail on a budget. So, how much does the Bourbon Trail really cost to visit and how can you save money on it?

What is the Kentucky Bourbon Trail?

Bourbon’s roots can be traced back to the 1700’s in Bourbon County. Since then Kentucky has been the premier location for distilling bourbon thanks to it’s unique limestone filtered water and perfect weather conditions for aging.

Bourbon can be distilled anywhere in the United States, although 95% of bourbon comes from Kentucky. In 1999, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association officially established the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, an official collection of 18 bourbon distilleries, though there are dozens of distilleries not on the official list (including some of your favorites).

Most distilleries offer public general and specialty tours, bourbon tastings, and combo tour and tasting experiences. Most tours will walk your tour group through the distilling process and share the history of their distillery.

What distilleries are part of the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail?

The Bourbon Trail consists of the official trail but there are many other distilleries that are not associated with the “official trail.” In fact, even some of the most famous Bourbon distillers, like Buffalo Trace, aren’t included on the official website. It’s important to do your research before you visit the trail, especially if you have favorite distilleries that you don’t want to miss.

Distilleries officially listed by the Kentucky Bourbon Trail include Angel’s Envy, Bardstown Bourbon, Bulleit Distilling Company, Evan Williams, Four Roses Bourbon, Green River, formerly O. Z. Tyler, Heaven Hill, Jim Beam, Lux Row, Maker’s Mark, Michter’s Distillery, Old Forester, Rabbit Hole, Stitzel-Weller Distillery, Town Branch, Wild Turkey Bourbon, Wilderness Trail Distillery, and Woodford Reserve.

Cost to visit the Bourbon Trail

A lot of your cost while visiting the Bourbon Trail is largely if you opt for a self-guided tour or go through a tour company. Self-guided tours are far cheaper than guided public tours. However, you’ll need to pre-arrange your agenda yourself and rent a car if you venture outside the Urban Bourbon Trail in Louisville.

If you opt to book with a travel company on a public tour, you’ll be looking at about $150-200 per person per day going to between 3-4 distillery tours and tastings on a small bus.

The benefit of a public tour is not having to arrange transportation or the distilleries yourself, which can book up quickly. However, you’re paying a heavy premium for this, as the DIY method could be half or even a quarter of the price.

How much does a Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour cost?

Standard distillery tours range in price from free (with only a handful now offering this) to $30 for a standard tour. The standard bourbon tour usually brings you through production, including fermentation and bottling, and ends with a bourbon tasting, all led by a distillery tour guide.

You can also opt to do just a tasting at most distilleries. This takes less time and is usually much cheaper, too. Tastings are usually $5-15 and might even include your glass at the end.

Oftentimes bourbon distilleries offer a premium experience, too. These tours might be thieving or blending. You pay a premium price for these experiences with then ranging from $50-500.

For example, Bardstown Bourbon Company’s thieving tour is a great hands on experience to learn about the bourbon making process.

It’s best to do a mix of experiences on the trail. This will let you get something new out of it at every stop since the standard bourbon tour and tasting experiences are so similar. And let’s be honest, there are only so many times you can hear how bourbon is made.

Can’t decide which tours are right for you? Check out my 5 best distillery tour guide!

Can you visit the Bourbon Trail without a tour?

You can visit the gift shop (to buy bourbon!) and main welcome center of pretty much all the distilleries without a scheduled tour. However, outside of a few areas on the grounds, you can’t see much of the production without a tour or tasting scheduled.

Sometimes if you stop by you’ll be greeted with a no-show spot on a tour, which allows you to basically join a tour without a reservation. This is a great way to visit a must-see distillery that perhaps you didn’t get a tour scheduled in advance. You can sometimes still do a tasting without a reservation, too.

Where to stay

The first thing you need to decide when visiting the trail is where to stay. Most of the trail is located in an easy triangle between Bardstown, Frankfurt, and Louisville. Most people opt to stay in Louisville. Bardstown can also be another great option for a portion of the trip since so many distilleries are close to the sweet small town.

I’d recommend moving your accommodation with the trail to maximize your time in each of the locations.

See my complete guide on where to stay for all the details and tips to save!

Best time to visit the Bourbon Trail

You can enjoy the bourbon trail tours and tastings year-round. And there is plenty to entertain yourself throughout the seasons, too. I’ve visited distilleries all seasons and find each offers something unique to visitors.

Most of the tours are indoors, though some of the spaces are not heated or cooled. Rick houses, where bourbon is stored, will have the most temperature fluctuations. All to say it’s important to dress seasonally for the trail.

If you want to save money November-March is the best time to visit. Bourbon tours don’t fill as quickly and hotel rates are super low. Summer is high season with room rates soaring around Memorial Day weekend when it becomes much harder to get your tours booked without them selling out within a day.

Tips for visiting the Trail

To recap, here are some of my top tips for visiting the trail.

• Book your tour as soon as they open. Each distillery operates its own calendar, so it’s important to do your research to get your tour booked before they sell out. Be sure to have a plan ready to go so you can efficiently get around the trail.
• Decide on how you want to visit the trail. Going on guided day trips offers a lot of ease to your visit but you’ll pay a lot more. Consider all your options before committing to one.
• Consider where you want to stay. There are many great options of base locations for visiting the trail. And you might realize it’s best to move around throughout your trip, staying in various towns.
• Get the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Passport. If your goal is to visit more than just one distillery, consider the passport program. Pick up the passport at any distillery and collect a stamp at all the tours or locations you attend. If you collect a stamp from each distillery in the passport, you can redeem it for an official Kentucky Bourbon Trail tasting glass.
• Don’t just stick with the Official Bourbon Trail. There are so many great distilleries that aren’t considered a part of the official trail. And be sure to check out some of the craft distilleries, as they tend to have more hands-on experiences. Check out my 10 favorite distilleries!
• Find other ways to enjoy Kentucky. There’s more to Kentucky than distillery tours and tasting rooms. Learn about the fascinating history of Kentucky, drive through scenic horse country, enjoy the nightlife in downtown Louisville, or visit the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln. With so many great things to do, you’ll have a well-rounded experience visiting Kentucky and all it has to offer.

Explore on. -K