Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Maker's Mark
(
www.makersmark.com
; 3350 Burks Spring Rd; tours $7; 10am-4:30pm
Mon-Sat, 1-4:30pm Sun)
This restored Victorian distillery is like a bourbon theme
park, with an old gristmill and a gift shop where you can seal your own bottle in red
wax.
Willet
( 502-348-0899;
www.kentuckybourbonwhiskey.com
; Loretto Rd, Bardstown; tours
$7)
A craftsman, family-owned distillery making small-batch bourbon in its own
patented style. It's a gorgeous 120-acre property and one of our favorites. Tours
run throughout the day.
Distilleries near Frankfort/Lawrenceburg:
Buffalo Trace
(
www.buffalotrace.com
; 1001 Wilkinson Blvd)
The nation's oldest continu-
ously operating distillery has highly regarded tours and free tastings.
Four Roses
( 502-839-2655;
www.fourrosesbourbon.com
;
1224 Bonds Mills Rd;
9am-4pm Mon-Sat, noon-4pm Sun, closed summer)
One of the most scenic distil-
leries, in a riverside Spanish Mission-style building. Free tastings.
Woodford Reserve
(
www.woodfordreserve.com
;
7855 McCracken Pike; tour per person $7;
10am-5pm)
The historic site along a creek is restored to its 1800s glory; the dis-
tillery still uses old-fashioned copper pots. By far the most scenic of the lot.
Daniel Boone National Forest
Over 700,000 acres of rugged ravines and gravity-defying sandstone arches cover much
of the Appalachian foothills of eastern Kentucky. The main
ranger station
(
859-745-3100;
www.fs.fed.us/r8/boone
;
1700 Bypass Rd)
is in Winchester.
An hour southeast of Lexington is the
Red River Gorge
, whose cliffs and natural
arches make for some of the best rock climbing in the country.
Red River Outdoors
(
859-230-3567;
www.redriveroutdoors.com
; 415 Natural Bridge Rd; full-day guided climb from $115)
tailed route information on its website. Climbers (only) can also pay $2 to camp out be-
7am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat)
in the hamlet of Slade. Bordering Red River Gorge is
Bridge Rd; r $70-150, cottages $100-170)
, notable for its sandstone arch. It's a family-friendly
park, with camping, and some short hiking trails.