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

Raise a Glass: The Top Bourbon Festivals in Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown

May 8, 2025
Not only does Kentucky make 95 percent of the world’s bourbon, but the Bluegrass state wholeheartedly celebrates it too, with world-class festivals and events one can find only in a Gateway to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, Kentucky’s Bourbon Heart, and the Bourbon Capital of the World. BOURBON WEEK Kentucky’s annual salute to all things bourbon gets underway with bourbon-related experiences, events, products, and opportunities for some one-on-one time with bourbon’s Master Distillers—all in celebration of the state’s bourbon heritage. Here’s how the Come Find Bourbon destinations are kicking off festivities in 2025: Covington celebrates with a bourbon and baseball mashup: Kicking off on June 12, The B-Line ® teams up with the Florence Y’all’s for a “Bourbon, Baseball, and Big Rewards” promo in honor of National Bourbon Day in Northern Kentucky that lasts through June 30. Join the fun starting with a B-Line promo at the Y’all’s game on June 12, featuring a special B-Line bourbon cocktail at the Thomas More Stadium’s bar, as well as a limited custom-branded bourbon baseball giveaway. Celebrations continue along the B-Line, adding more opportunities to win a Family Four-Pack of Y’alls tickets and a Luxury Table Experience at a future Y’alls home game. Downtown Frankfort Bourbon Week - A Bluegrass Experience , June 13-20: This bourbon-themed week kicks off on Friday, June 13, with music by New Orleans blues band Jackson and the Janks. Sponsored by Bourbon on the Banks and House of Commons: Bourbon Library, events include bourbon tours and activities showcasing the craftsmanship, history, and culture behind America's native spirit; bourbon-inspired goods from local artisans—from handcrafted souvenirs to gourmet treats; a Signature Cocktail Celebration, featuring “The Frankfort,” a custom-crafted drink similar in spirit to the iconic Manhattan, and a cocktail stroll. Bardstown – National Bourbon Week ™, June 9-15: Presented by Buzick Construction, this community-wide celebration of the city and its ties to bourbon’s history, growth, and evolution brings together world-class distilleries, exclusive tastings, unique educational experiences, and Bardstown’s vibrant, historic downtown. Activities include culinary offerings, cocktails, classes, tastings, and special events planned by a number of Bardstown-area distilleries. New this year: The Mash Up, a special evening pairing Bourbon Capital Alliance’s nine partner distilleries with a local culinary partner. “As we kick off the second annual National Bourbon Week™, we’re proud to celebrate not only Nelson County’s deep-rooted bourbon heritage but also the growing economic impact this event brings to our community,” said Stacey Phelps, president of Visit Bardstown . “This weeklong celebration is a true toast to the spirit, craftsmanship, and community that make us so special.” 

Savoring Bourbon: The Best Pairings and Local Culinary Delights

April 24, 2025
Foodies and bourbon enthusiasts seeking elevated dining experiences find their bourbon-infused bliss in Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown. Many restaurants and bars in these bourbon-centric cities showcase unique takes on pairing bourbon with meals, specialize in bourbon-infused menus, and feature dishes that amplify bourbon flavors. Additionally, these three cities offer bourbon experiences that bourbon lovers aren’t likely to find anywhere else. SIGNATURE SPINS In Newport, the team at Purple Poulet Southern Bourbon Bistro , led by Chef Rick Zumwalde, loves a good splash or three of bourbon in dishes like fried chicken and waffles with maple bourbon syrup, “Swanky” Shrimp-n-Grits with bourbon-cream pan gravy, hickory-smoked beef brisket with bourbon-peach jus, a Casino-style market catch with bourbon-bacon-maple broth, and bourbon mashed sweet potatoes. Likewise, the team at Beehive Augusta Tavern shows its unbridled enthusiasm for Kentucky bourbon by incorporating it into multiple dishes: bourbon-braised short ribs, bourbon carbonara, bourbon-glazed bone-in pork chops, bourbon-glazed salmon, a bourbon bordelaise burger, and honey bourbon fried chicken. Even sides like the honey bourbon bacon brussels get a dousing. At the Kitchen & Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Company (BBCo.), Kentucky’s first distillery-based restaurant, Chef Stu Plush likes to bring out bourbon tasting notes through various dishes. For instance, the menu suggests BBCo. Origin Series Bottled-in-Bond or Prohibited Paradise for country ham carbonara and BBCo. Origin Series Rye Whiskey or Feel the Heat for its Southern fried chicken. At HOC (House of Commons): A Bourbon Library in Frankfort, Founder and Proprietor Dave Sandlin brings encyclopedic knowledge to the bourbons he stocks. Additionally, this bourbon barkeep knows how to spin a good yarn. “Everyone has a story to tell, and every bourbon has a story to tell,” said Sandlin. “Our storytelling is the framework around the more than 315 Kentucky whiskeys we have on the shelf, why we have them, why each is special, rare, or different.” Visitors to HOC won’t find food and bourbon pairings (although Sanders is happy to share restaurant recommendations); this bourbon bar is about pairing bourbon to people’s palettes. “People come in and tell us what they like, and we formulate a taste profile for them,” said Sanders.
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