Three days is the sweet spot for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail if you base in Bardstown: you unpack once, sleep in the same bed three nights and run a different loop each day. Day one goes northwest to Jim Beam, Bernheim Forest and Four Roses’ warehouses. Day two heads southeast to Maker’s Mark and Limestone Branch in Marion County. Day three stays close, with Preservation’s farm distillery, the Abbey of Gethsemani and Log Still at Dant Crossing. That is six Bourbon Trail distilleries, none more than about 35 minutes from Court Square. Run it Thursday through Saturday so every door is open.
The loop at a glance
| Day | Direction | Distilleries | Also | Driving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Thursday) | Northwest, Clermont | Jim Beam; Four Roses Cox’s Creek | Bernheim Forest | About 35-40 miles |
| 2 (Friday) | Southeast, Marion County | Maker’s Mark; Limestone Branch | Loretto Motherhouse, Lebanon National Cemetery | About 60 miles |
| 3 (Saturday) | Town and south | Preservation; Log Still | Abbey of Gethsemani | Short hops, 25 minutes or less |
Why this order: the Clermont day has the shortest drive and eases you in. Limestone Branch is closed Sunday and Monday, so Marion County goes midweek or Friday. Saturday gives you the evening options in town and, from May to October, a possible concert at Log Still.
Two 2026 notes before you book. Jim Beam paused distilling at its main Clermont plant for the year, and Limestone Branch paused on May 1, 2026. Both kept tours, tastings and shops open, but you won’t see the main stills running. Ask each distillery what your tour will see when you book.
Day 1: Clermont, Bernheim and Four Roses
Morning. Leave Court Square by 8:45 and take KY 245 northwest, 15.5 miles and about 25 minutes, to the James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont. Book the Beam Made Bourbon tour for 9:30 or 10; it runs 75 to 90 minutes and ends with a guided tasting. If it is offered on your date, bottling your own Knob Creek is the souvenir people rave about. See our Jim Beam guide.
Lunch. The Kitchen Table on the Beam campus serves Beam family fare Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. It is the only easy lunch out here, so plan on it and call ahead in case of private events.
Afternoon. Drive a few minutes to Bernheim Forest, next door to Beam. Pay the recommended $15 per car, walk the trail to the Forest Giants and climb onto the Canopy Tree Walk, 75 feet above the forest floor. Two hours here is a proper reset between tastings. Bring water and good shoes.
Late afternoon. Head back toward Bardstown by way of Cox’s Creek and arrive at the Four Roses Warehouse & Bottling Facility by 3 p.m., since it closes at 4. The visitor center, shop and bar are free to walk into; book the bottling experience if you want to see the warehouses and line. Details on our Four Roses Cox’s Creek page. From there it is 12 miles, about 20 minutes, back to Court Square.
Evening. Give your palate a night off at Scout & Scholar Brewing Co. on West Flaget Avenue, open until 9 p.m. Thursdays, where the bourbon brisket tacos are the nod to the theme.
Day 2: Maker’s Mark and Lebanon
Morning. Leave by 8:45 for Loretto, about 21 miles and 35 to 45 minutes of farm roads. Book the first Maker’s Mark Tour of the day (tours start on the half hour and run about 1 hour 15 minutes). Afterward, dip your own bottle in red wax at the gift shop (21+). In fall, hand-dip experiences sell out four to six weeks ahead, according to planners. See our Maker’s Mark guide.
Lunch. Star Hill Provisions on the Maker’s Mark campus.
Early afternoon. If you have an interest in Kentucky’s Catholic heritage, stop at the Loretto Motherhouse, home of the Sisters of Loretto since the order’s founding in 1812. Hours are not posted, so call the Heritage Center at (270) 431-0096 first. Otherwise, go straight on to Lebanon.
Mid-afternoon. Limestone Branch Distillery, about 28 miles from Bardstown, is open Tuesday through Saturday until 5 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, and the story of Steve Beam reviving the 1872 Yellowstone brand is the heart of the tour. Our Limestone Branch page has the details. Afterward, the Lebanon National Cemetery, established from Union burials in 1867, is open until sunset and makes a quiet final stop.
Evening. Drive back (35 to 45 minutes) and book dinner at The Rickhouse, the candlelit bourbon room under Spalding Hall, open until 10 p.m. on Fridays.
Late September note: Lebanon’s Ham Days festival (September 19 to 27 in 2026) fills town. Fun, but add time for traffic.
Day 3: Preservation, Gethsemani and Log Still
Morning. Preservation Distillery + Farm opens at 9:30 a.m. every day, the earliest start in town. The “Welcome to Preservation Farm” tour runs about an hour with three or four spirits, from $24. It is Nelson County’s only 100% pot-distilled producer, and the longhorn cattle that eat the spent grain are a highlight. See our Preservation page.
Late morning. Drive south about 20 minutes to the Abbey of Gethsemani, the Trappist monastery where Thomas Merton lived. The visitor center is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The grounds ask for quiet, and the monks’ bourbon fudge is the best souvenir of the trip. More on our Abbey of Gethsemani page.
Afternoon. Log Still Distillery at Dant Crossing is close by in Gethsemane. The tour is about 40 minutes plus a guided tasting; the last one leaves at 4 p.m., per Log Still’s FAQ. Ask when you book whether food is available on campus that day (eat in Bardstown first if not), and walk the lake path after. See our Log Still guide.
Evening. On a Saturday from May to October, stay for a show at The Amp, Log Still’s 2,300-seat amphitheater, and consider booking a room on campus so nobody drives home. Otherwise, head back to Court Square for dinner at the Old Talbott Tavern, where there is live music Friday and Saturday nights.
Swaps and variations
- Prefer Bardstown’s in-town heavyweights? Replace Preservation on day three with Willett or Bardstown Bourbon Co., or borrow day one from our two-day bourbon itinerary.
- Traveling Sunday to Tuesday? Run day three first on Monday (Preservation and Log Still both open), skip Limestone Branch, and do Clermont on Wednesday.
- Want bigger names? Frankfort’s Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve are about 70 minutes away and deserve their own day.
Book, drive and pace it right
Book everything before you arrive; our booking guide has lead times. Budget about 1.5 hours per distillery. Two tastings a day plus one other activity is the pace that keeps a three-day trip enjoyable.
Above all, sort the driving. These loops cover more than 100 miles of country roads, and every stop pours. Name a designated driver for each day or hire a local driver; our bourbon tours and transportation guide lists the options.
