Hanna Rose Tumbusch
- Feb 16, 2020

Lexington Bourbon Guide - Where to Stay & What to Do

Whether you've done several bourbon tours before, have only driven through Lexington and dreamt of it, or you've never even heard of it before - this is the ultimate guide from what to do and where to eat to where to stay in this historic, and beautiful city. My family and I spent a quick day and a half in the city, so if you're like me and like to see as much as you can on your weekend trips, you're going to love this guide!

There's nothing I find more stressful, than traveling to a city for the first time and having NO idea where to begin. Make it easy on yourself; use this post as your guide:

We stayed in downtown Lexington in a beautiful, historic Airbnb that sleeps up to ten people - which was perfect for our group of eight. Although we ranged in age from 24-56, I can assure you it was a fun, engaging experience for all. Our location was a short walk from Kentucky Basketball's Rupp Arena, the Lexington Convention Center, Opera House, numerous craft breweries, and upscale restaurants. Also, for horse fanatics, Keeneland and the Horse Park are a short 15 minute drive; there's so much at your disposal! At the end you'll see an entire tour of the unit.

Let's get started!

FRIDAY:

We arrived on a Friday in afternoon, just in time to check into our Airbnb, and headed off to dinner in the city. We had a jam-packed weekend full of fun, so having a chill first night was necessary. Our dinner stop was in the heart of Lexington at AZUR , where I can promise you that you'll have some uniquely prepared dishes by their world-famous chef.

From the woven shrimp to the roasted duck and lobster crêpes, each dish was so unique and tasty. If you're looking to try a new place, or maybe a new dish, I highly recommend adding AZUR to your itinerary. You can checkout their menu here.

Once we got back to our Airbnb, we spent the rest of the night enjoying some Kentucky bourbon, playing What Do You Meme with the family as we prepared for a busy Saturday.

SATURDAY:

Wasting no time, we headed west of downtown at 9:00 am to our first tour at Four Roses. This historic Spanish mission style distillery definitely stands out from the crowd of your typical distillery. During the walking tour, your guide will take you from the distillation process to the tasting room, where you even get to keep your own Four Roses engraved glass!

P.S. I highly recommend booking your tours before you arrive at all of the distilleries, because they fill up really fast - even in the dead of winter.

After Four Roses, our second stop was an 11:00 AM tour at Town Branch, in downtown Lexington. For the non-bourbon lovers reading this post: fear not! You can use your tokens for beer or spirit tastings. So, whether you enjoy bourbon, whiskey, gin, or beer they have you covered here. Town Branch is one of the newer brewery/distilleries in the city, and it is beautiful on the inside.

Concluding our second tour, we stopped back at our Airbnb - a three minute drive from Town Branch - and had lunch before heading to our third stop. The great thing about the Airbnb is it doesn't have just one kitchen, as both levels have full sized kitchens with sleek appliances. It's so convenient for when you're traveling with a big group - there was so much extra room!

Now, to our third tour at 2:20PM with the famous Woodford Reserve, which, if I had to say so myself, was our family's favorite. Checkout the video below for a view inside our tour.

If you're like me and you're afraid of heights, or if you're the opposite and are someone who loves to always seek out a new adventure - our next stop is something you'll want to check off of your bucket list. Just a short drive from Woodford Reserve, you'll find yourself on the outskirts of Louisville where the thrill is about to begin. The Mega Cavern is ranked the number one event by Trip Advisor, is the world's only fully underground zip-line, and makes up over 17 miles of underground passageways beneath Louisville where your adventure takes place. Take a look at our experience underground:

Just when you thought all the fun was over, we topped off the night at Battle Axes where you can do just about anything you want to do, whether that is axe throwing, beer drinking, exploring the event space with an arcade full of classic games like skee-ball, pin ball, and air hockey. Whether you're a first timer, or someone who's an advanced hatchet thrower, it's fun for all!

Checkout a full tour of our Historic Airbnb stay in the heart of Lexington. And, you want to know something really cool? The first owners of the home's horse was one that won the Kentucky Derby. Even after jam-packed day of events, you will feel right at home, because every single bed is a Tempur-pedic and wow were we comfortable! If you love historic homes, you're going to love this stay!