Heritage and Hospitality: Exploring Frankfort’s Bourbon Roots with the Family

May 7, 2025

Kentucky’s Capital City is a magnet for families offering historical attractions, including the Kentucky State Capitol and Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, outdoor favorites like the please-do-touch Josephine Sculpture Park and Leslie Morris Park on Fort Hill, featuring paved walking trails and picnic areas, and downtown shops, including Completely Kentucky and Poor Richard’s Books.

 

Frankfort also has a number of bourbon-related experiences, making it a family-friendly destination for aficionados of America’s Only Native Spirit.



BOURBON TOURS

 

Begin at Buffalo Trace Distillery with the Trace Tour. Open to all ages, this accessible, guided tour covers the history and science of bourbon. Families amble along the path of rolling bourbon barrels, exploring the grounds, and the barrels quietly aging in the warehouses.

 

On Buffalo Trace’s Blanton Arboretum and Botanical Gardens Tour and Tasting (recommended for those 12 and older), families can enjoy the Bird Sanctuary and seasonal plantings splashing color throughout. Wear comfy shoes because this tour includes stairs and lots of walking.

 

Buffalo Trace is also easy on the budget; all tours are complimentary plus include a tasting of some of the distillery’s award-winning products.

 

Not only is Whiskey Thief kid-friendly, but this distillery is pet-friendly, too, with dogs and cats on the team. Picturesque in its working farm setting, fields for roaming, and areas for picnicking, Kentucky’s first and only thieve-your-own bourbon experience offers Uncut and Unfiltered. This tour is separately priced for those ages 21 and over, which includes a tasting, and for those under 21 (also non-drinkers and DDs), with no tasting.


BOURBON ON THE MENU

 

Frankfort’s dining landscape bustles with restaurants appealing to all, from coffeehouses and cafés to diners and delis to bakeries and more—including family-friendly restaurants with bourbon-inspired dishes, like the Brown Barrel/Blind Harry’s. A casual atmosphere enlivened with framed pictures of thoroughbred horses, its menu features a build-your-own-burger bar and a bar pouring all brands of Kentucky bourbon.

 

Although Locals Food Hub & Pizza Pub doesn’t include bourbon options on its menu, it smacks of kid appeal, with dishes like the meaty Carnivore pizza, cheese bread, Ben's Beer Cheese & Pretzels, plus Natalie's Strawberry Lemonade, kombucha, and chocolate milk—and cheesecake for dessert.



BOURBON-ADJACENT FAMILY FUN

 

Other ways for families to tap into Frankfort’s rich bourbon history include the Rebecca Ruth Candy and Factory Tour. Learn how a school teacher’s life intersected with the world of bourbon and resulted in the most delicious chocolate-enrobed candy morsel: Kentucky’s famous Bourbon Ball. Tours include a free chocolate sample.

 

At the Capital City Museum, families can see movie memorabilia, including a poster of “Pirates of the Caribbean,” play in a 1950s retrofitted kitchen, and take a journey through Frankfort’s long history of tradition and innovation in bourbon making.

 

Pick up a brochure from the Visitor Center (outside in the brochure rack during closed hours) for the self-guided Historic Frankfort Walking Tour to 40 downtown landmarks. Or follow along the Frankfort Public Art Walk (self-guided virtual and phone tours available) to see murals, sculptures, and architecture—all within a few blocks in the downtown area. This being Frankfort, chances are good that you’ll run into some bourbon history along the way.

 

Board the free Frankfort Trolley (April-October), a narrated ride on a 45-minute loop traveling from the Visitor Center in the historic downtown to the Kentucky Capitol and Buffalo Trace.

 

Frankfort makes it easy for families to discover its rich bourbon heritage. Plan your visit today and make unforgettable memories in the heart of Kentucky’s bourbon country.

Come Find Bourbon

Breaking Barriers: Women Leading the Bourbon Industry in Bardstown

May 22, 2025
In 1818, Catherine Spears Carpenter Frye made bourbon history as the first person to write down the recipe for sour mash. A century later, Margie Samuels made her own historic contribution when, in the 1950s, she created the most iconic whiskey packaging in the industry with Maker’s Mark’s hand-dipped red wax seal. In 2016, Joyce and Autumn Netherly made headlines as Kentucky’s only mother/daughter bourbon distillery owners. As far back as the early 1800s, Kentucky women have been leaving their mark on the bourbon landscape. “The bourbon industry isn’t just for the boys,” said Stacy Prichard, vice president of distillery relations at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival , held every September on the grounds of Spalding Hall in Bardstown. “There are a lot of women in bourbon—many with chemical and engineering degrees. There are lots of women in leadership roles. Pretty much anything women want to do, they’re doing it.” 

Sip and Stroll: Combining Bourbon Tasting with Outdoor Adventure in Northern Kentucky

May 14, 2025
Bourbon and chocolate. Bourbon and bacon. Bourbon and the Great Outdoors. Bourbon is the ultimate pairing partner. And in Northern Kentucky , bourbon sipping and strolling, tasting and touring go hand in hand—especially when the neighborhoods explored are architectural beauties with lots of character and independently owned shops and restaurants, like in Covington and Newport, or countryside charmers surrounded by gorgeous scenery, like Florence. Whether walking, shuttling, or ridesharing, these communities seamlessly blend bourbon adventuring and outdoor fun while also supporting safe and responsible exploration. COVINGTON: A WALKABLE BOURBON HUB Bourbon Experience: Stroll MainStrasse Village, a German-inspired, pedestrian-friendly, National Register of Historic Places neighborhood. Pop into Stoney’s Etc. toy shop, Hail Records & Oddities, and other unique shops, or take a snap of the Goose Girl Fountain, and relax at Goebel Park with its historic glockenspiel clock tower. Pop into B-Line ® stop, the Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar , and let the staff guide you to your perfect cocktail, mixed with one of a selection of more than 800 bourbons. Sip inside or enjoy on the patio. Alternatively, ride-share to Ludlow to experience one of NKY’s most original distilleries, Second Sight Spirits , with its Las Vegas show-inspired Swami still, crystal balls, and tours that include a tasting of the distillery’s Oak Eye Kentucky Bourbon, fine rums, moonshine, and fan-favorite hazelnut liqueur. Outdoor Adventure: Walk the Roebling Suspension Bridge for sweeping views of the Ohio River unwinding between Cincinnati’s stunning skyline and Northern Kentucky’s church-steepled landscape. At night, when illuminated, the experience is magical. Play a round of disc golf at Devou Park, a 700-acre playground with one of the most photogenic views in the region at its iconic city overlook. Follow the outdoor art on foot with walking tours in Covington’s Central Business District with its mid-1800s architecture to see murals, mosaics, statues, and sculptures, including Clive the Alien, a 50-foot green space invader hanging out—or over—the Midtown Parking Garage and keeping a watchful eye on the earthlings below. 
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