Celebrate Labor Day Weekend (or any weekend) in Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown, Kentucky.
Safely experience Kentucky Bourbon Country over the holiday. This 3-night itinerary makes planning your getaway easy.
Make the most of Labor Day weekend—the holiday that kicks-off National Bourbon Heritage month and, for the first time, will coincide with the Kentucky Derby—by packing a whole lot of bourbon-related fun into a three-night getaway, September 4-7, 2020! Loaded with authentic bourbon experiences, Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown are the best answers to the common question of where to stay when exploring Kentucky Bourbon Country. Even during the coronavirus era, you’ll find plenty to do while staying safe.
This flexible itinerary makes planning your getaway easy! Come to Covington first if you’re flying into Kentucky or driving down from points north or east. Make Bardstown your first stop if you’re driving from points south or west. Either way, find fun in Frankfort on Day 2. On Day 3 explore the remaining city. Then loop back home with memories that will last a lifetime…along with a souvenir bottle or more of bourbon that will last as long as you can resist that ultimate pour.
Come to Covington: Day 1 or Day 3
Flying into Kentucky via CVG or driving down from points north or east? Come to Covington first. If your adventure began in Bardstown then Covington is your third overnight destination. Either way, visit Frankfort on Day 2.
At the edge of Bourbon Country at the Ohio River, Northern Kentucky’s Covington celebrates bourbon culture past and present with its unique tour, The B-Line®. “Find Your Sipping Point” and download the free Line Guide.
Make Hotel Covington your bourbon base camp. This modern boutique hotel, located downtown in the former Coppin’s Department Store (circa 1910), is an exceptional ambassador of local style and culture. Check-in officially starts at 3 p.m., but you can stash your bags and grab a coffee at your convenience.
Drive 15 minutes from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), 20 minutes from downtown Covington, or 1 hour from Frankfort to Independence.
Noon
Tour Boone County Distilling Co. in Independence. With the tagline, “Made by Ghosts,” it honors the original whiskey makers.
Drive 15 minutes to Burlington.
1:30 P.M.
Enjoy lunch at Tousey House Tavern in historic Burlington. Dig into Kentucky favorites like fried chicken, hot brown, or goetta. The bar list categorizes spirits by region (e.g., Bardstown, Frankfort, etc.) plus has an impressive vintage bourbon selection.
Drive 22 minutes to Newport.
3 P.M.
Tour New Riff Distilling in Newport, where the aim is to take spirit-making traditions in a new direction without compromising quality and craft.
Stop at The Party Source in Newport for Kentucky Bourbon Country souvenirs including bottles of bourbon, “America’s Native Spirit.”
Drive 6 minutes to Covington.
4 P.M.
Relax at Hotel Covington or explore some local favorite hotspots, including Rich's Proper Food & Drink, Libby's Southern Comfort, Agave & Rye, or Smoke Justis.
6 P.M.
Hail a ride 7 minutes from hotel to restaurant; 3 minutes from restaurant to bar.
Evening Option 1: Enjoy dinner in Newport, KY at Purple Poulet where Kentucky and Creole cuisines fuse into mouthwatering creations and bourbon is a steady ingredient in the kitchen as well as at the bar. Then head to Newport’s Historic East Row District for cocktails at Prohibition Bourbon Bar, home to the world’s largest collection of bourbons and rye whiskies—over 2,000 and counting!
Hail a ride 2 minutes from hotel to restaurant; walk from restaurant to bars.
Evening Option 2: Head to Covington’s MainStrasse Village for dinner at Bouquet Restaurant, an upscale farm-to-table bistro where the menu showcases the season’s best products. Then stroll around the Village for cocktails at Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar, which specializes in bourbon flights; and/or Wiseguy Lounge, a speakeasy-inspired bar “hidden” above a Goodfellas Pizza.
Hail a ride 2-7 minutes back downtown.
10 P.M.
Crave a nightcap? Sip a handcrafted cocktail at The Globe Covington, a mod bar with a funky past.
11 P.M.
Retreat to Hotel Covington and drift into sweet dreams of Kentucky Bourbon.
9 A.M.
Good morning! Enjoy breakfast at Coppin’s at Hotel Covington.
Drive 40 minutes to Sparta
10 A.M.
Tour Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta. The family-run craft distillery boasts 11 generations of distilling experience.
Cheers! You’ve collected at least six stamps along The B-Line. Remember to upload a photo of yourself with your completed guide to collect your free swag.
Drive 45 minutes from Sparta to Frankfort or to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
11 A.M.
Keep exploring Kentucky Bourbon County and drive to Frankfort. Or, if Covington was your last stop on your Come Find Bourbon adventure, head home and start planning a return visit to Covington, Frankfort and Bardstown.
There are more reasons to Come to Covington—including seasonal events and exploring Maysville, home of The Old Pogue Distillery and Kentucky Gateway Museum Center. We’re confident you’ll want to Come Find Bourbon in Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown again and again, sometimes for longer periods of time. That’s fine. We’ll just keep getting better with age.
Find Frankfort: Day 2
Kentucky’s capital city sits on the shores of the Kentucky River between Covington and Bardstown and also midway between Lexington and Louisville. With its natural beauty, social charm, and spirited history, we like to say that Frankfort is “Kentucky Distilled.” Arrive early to enjoy as much as possible.
Breakfast
Dig into a healthy or decadent meal at Rick’s White Light Diner, a Cajun/Creole eatery featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”; Main Street Diner, a family-owned 1950s-style eatery; B’s Bakery, known for from-scratch pastries and quiches; or another open local restaurant.
Morning Activity
Enjoy as much fun as time allows!
- Tour Buffalo Trace, the nation’s longest-running and most award-winning distillery.
- Explore Josephine Sculpture Park, where works by artists from around the world dot rolling hillsides.
- Stroll the Historic Frankfort Walking Tour, a self-guided showcase of 40 distinctive properties.
- Visit Glenns Creek Distilling, a craft distillery that collected wild yeast from the Old Crow Distillery for its OCD #5 Bourbon, plus makes other bourbons, whiskey and rum.
- Tour Liberty Hall Historic Site, a National Historic Landmark with two historic houses and four acres of gardens.
Lunch
Try The Stave, which is known for its upscale Kentucky fare; Sage Garden Café, where fresh is always in season; Riverboat Grill, where eclectic fare is served on the Kentucky River; or any of Frankfort’s local eateries.
Afternoon Activity
Do as much as you can!
- Visit Three Boys Farm Distillery, a craft distillery on a 122-acre farm.
- Ride the nation’s only boat-based bourbon tour with Kentucky River Tours.
- Paddle Elkhorn Creek on a canoe, kayak, raft, or stand-up paddleboard from Canoe Kentucky.
- Pedal ten miles of singletrack mountain biking trails at Capitol View Park.
- Hike or bike nature trails in the 240-acre Cove Spring Park.
- Tap into craft beer at Sig Luscher Brewery, a heritage brewery originally founded in 1866, or sip local wine at Prodigy Vineyards, planted on the Peach Family Farm in 1998.
Dinner
Get dinner at Goodwood Brewing, where bourbon barrels flavor beer and the food menu is eclectic; Bourbon On Main, where burgers are a perennial favorite; or from your pick among local eateries.
Late Night
Savor a nightcap at Capital Cellars, Frankfort’s only combination restaurant, bar, and wine, beer and spirits retailer. Sip local brews at West Sixth Farm Brewery, where brews are made on site using hops and fruit grown on the property. Or tap into the local scene at The Brick Alley, a neighborhood bar with darts, pool tables, karaoke nights, and live music on weekends.
Stay
Settle into The Meeting House bed and breakfast in the heart of the historic district; Home2 Suites by Hilton Frankfort off I-64; Kentucky River Campground and RV Park among the trees; or another of the city’s abundant accommodation options.
Bourbon comes from Bardstown: Day 3 or Day 1
Bourbon traditions run deep in Bardstown, the state’s second-oldest city. Our tagline “Bourbon comes from Bardstown” is no mere boast: the sheer volume of bourbon made, aged, and shipped out of Bardstown is unrivaled: 2.8 million barrels of bourbon are aging in Nelson County—that’s more than a third of the world’s aging bourbon! Begin your visit ASAP.
Breakfast
Treat yourself to a pastry at Fresh, a doughnut at Hadorn’s Bakery, a plate-sized bourbon-bon pancake at Mammy’s Kitchen, or a dish from any of our restaurant options.
Morning Activity
Try one—or more, if there’s time!
- Tour Barton 1792 Distillery, the oldest fully-operating distillery in Bardstown.
- Visit the recently renovated Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center, home of the nation’s largest family-owned spirits producer.
- Explore My Old Kentucky Home State Park, the place that inspired Stephen Collins Foster’s famous song, “My Old Kentucky Home, Good-Night!”
- Hike or bike the trails at Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest.
- Ride a horse-drawn carriage through the back streets of Bardstown with Around The Town Carriage.
- Visit McIntyre’s Winery & Berries, where country wine is made from the fruit grown on site.
Lunch
Dig into hearty fare at Old Talbott Tavern, one of the nation’s oldest bars, or Kurtz Restaurant, which first opened in 1937. Or try a contemporary creation and innovative cocktail at new culinary hotspot The Bar at Willett.
Afternoon Activity
Try as many adventures as you can!
- Tour Preservation Distillery and Farm, the region’s first and only 100-percent pot-distilled producer.
- Visit the beautiful grounds of Lux Row Distillers, one of Kentucky’s newest distilleries.
- Walk historic downtown Bardstown, “The Most Beautiful Small Town in America,” on a self-guided historic walking tour with 48 points of interest. Bonus: Most of the downtown shops, bars, and restaurants are reopened, many with outdoor displays or seating.
- Tour Willett Distillery, an independent, family-owned producer that is both historic (circa 1936) and new (renovated in 2004).
- Enjoy the “From Distillate to Barrel” tour at Bardstown Bourbon Company, a one-hour immersive experience that starts with a taste of bottled bourbon and ends with sip of bourbon straight from the barrel.
Dinner
Dine at The Kitchen & Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Company, known for its craft cocktails and scratch cooking; The Rickhouse Restaurant & Lounge, known for its steaks, 11-cheese macaroni, and selection of more than 130 bourbons; Café Primo, home of some of downtown Bardstown’s best pizza—don’t miss the chance to eat out back on the two-level patio/deck!; or another scrumptious restaurant.
Late Night
Slip into The Blind Pig Bourbon Speakeasy for a nightcap. Just like during the 1920s Prohibition, you’ll need a code to enter (but it’s easy to find near the front door).
Stay
Bask in luxury at the grand Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast, tuck into the stylish Talbott Inn in a renovated historic building, sleep under the stars at My Old Kentucky Home Campground, or take your pick among Bardstown’s many accommodation options.
Travel safe. Stay informed about coronavirus precautions and updates in Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown.
Hours of operation and offerings change rapidly these days, so confirm details and options before you arrive. During the coronavirus pandemic, when visiting public places please wear a mask, keep your hands clean, and stand far enough away from other people that you’ll need to raise your bourbon glass in a toast rather than clink glasses.
Explore ComeFindBourbon.com and find more trip ideas at meetNKY, Visit Frankfort, and Visit Bardstown.
Come Find Bourbon supports responsible bourbon enjoyment. Must be 21 to participate and always enjoy your bourbon like a true Kentuckian, responsibly. Come Find Bourbon is a marketing partnership between meetNKY, Visit Frankfort, and Visit Bardstown.