How Much Does the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Cost to Visit? (Complete Planning Breakdown)
Planning a trip to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail usually starts with one big question: what does it actually cost to visit? If you’ve tried to look this up already, you’ve probably seen wildly different numbers that don’t really explain why the cost varies so much.
The truth is, the bourbon trail cost to visit depends heavily on how you plan your trip, whether you’re driving yourself, booking day tours, visiting for one day, or turning it into a long weekend.
This guide breaks down the real costs of visiting the Bourbon Trail so you can plan with confidence. I’m covering tour prices, transportation options, lodging ranges, and realistic budgets for both DIY trips and guided day tours.
The goal here isn’t to tell you the “cheapest” way to do the Bourbon Trail. It’s to help you understand what you’ll actually spend, where your money goes, and how to build a trip that fits your travel style without surprise costs.
Happy travels to Kentucky!
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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 bus tours. However, you’ll need to pre-arrange your agenda yourself and rent a car. It’s more work but I recommend a DIY approach.
The good news is that I have the perfect itinerary to help you plan a self-guided Bourbon Trail experience. So no need to pay for expensive tours if you’d rather save the money for some special bottles to take home.
If you opt to book with a travel company on a public tour, you’ll be looking at about $150-250 per person per day on a small-group tour. These are typically on a small bus with pre-selected tours each day.
The benefit of a public tour is not having to arrange transportation and distilleries, 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. You also usually can’t choose your distilleries unless you book a private tour, which adds additional costs.
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 up to $40 for a standard tour. The standard bourbon tour usually brings you through production, including fermentation and bottling, and ends with a bourbon tasting. These are guided experiences led by a 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. Some tastings are even free.
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. The low level premium experiences are usually only $10-30 more per person. They are worth the additional cost, especially to break up your days.
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 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.
Some distilleries, too, will offer tastings without a guided tour booked. But it’s entirely dependent on the distillery, so it’s best to create an organized itinerary for your trip.
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, Frankfort, 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.
I’d recommend moving your accommodation with the trail to maximize your time in each of the locations. But you can also choose to stay in one destination and travel to a particular area for the day. Be sure to check out my complete Bourbon Trail guide for more details on the best routes and itineraries!
(mini-list) Best Places to Stay on the Bourbon Trail
Louisville: 21c Hotel Louisville
One of my favorite hotel chains, the 21c is part art museum and part modern hotel. The Louisville 21c is located near the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory and is a great location for shopping and dining.
Bardstown: Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast
The Bourbon Manor is a one-of-a-kind bed and breakfast with (as its name implies) a big bourbon flare. What makes the hotel so unique is how it helps you create your bourbon experience from start to finish of your stay. They offer tastings, Bourbon Trail passports available to take on-site, and a bourbon-themed breakfast that guests rave about.
Unique Countryside: Bourbon Barrel Retreats
This new and super unique experience lets you stay in huge barrels near 17 popular distilleries. I’m fairly obsessed with them and I know you will be, too.
>> 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. Rickhouses, 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. Spring and fall are usually high season on the Bourbon Trail, but summer is also pretty busy. If you’re really looking to save money consider visiting in the winter months.
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.
More Bourbon Trail Tips + Recommendations
- Want a complete Bourbon Trail itinerary from a local? I’ve got you covered with this 3-day itinerary that’s perfect for any traveler.
- Be sure to check out my Bourbon Trail map, which includes my favorite tours and lists all the distilleries you can visit, too.
- Don’t miss this guide of my top 10 favorite distilleries to visit to start getting some inspiration.
- Want all my top recommendations of where to stay on the Bourbon Trail? I’ve got all the best places to stay across the entire region.
