Bus Tour - Kentucky Bourbon Trail & More

The Best of Kentucky  – May 16-21, 2023
Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Corvette Museum, Churchill Downs & More.
Bus Departs Willow St., Lancaster & Harrisburg, PA, or Meet, us on the way.

Spring is a nice time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The weather is pleasant and bourbon is in full production. There’s something for everyone—tours, tastings, big-city nightlife, quaint country towns, and Bourbon-themed restaurants. Bourbon lovers can stop at a few of the distilleries or all 41—there is no wrong way to experience it. Every journey is personalized and requires planning, as some of the distilleries are as far as 70 miles apart.
 
The world got its first taste of the profound history and proud tradition of “America’s Official Native Spirit” when the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) established the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 1999, a road trip-style experience for bourbon lovers to visit the Bluegrass State’s signature distilleries. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail has drawn more than 2.5 million visitors from all 50 states and 25 countries in the last five.

Day 1: Depart Lancaster at approximately 5 A.M. with a Made to order Breakfast as we travel to Newport on the Levee, Kentucky our home for the night is the Aloft hotel 201 East 3^rd Street, Newport, Kentucky, 41071, 859-916-5306.
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/cvgpl-aloft-newport-on-the-levee. Upon checking into our hotel you will have some free time to explore the waterfront, and walk across the Purple People Bridge from Newport, KY to Cincinnati, OH. We will have a Welcome Dinner (included) at the Hofbrauhaus https://www.hofbrauhausnewport.com. The remainder of the evening on your own.
 
Accommodations: Aloft hotel 201 East 3^rd Street, Newport, Kentucky, 41071, 859-916-5306.
Meals: B, D
 
Day 2: Breakfast buffet at the hotel opens, before departing for the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. The National Corvette Museum made international news headlines on February 12, 2014, when a sinkhole collapsed in the Skydome of the Museum in the wee hours of the morning https://www.corvettemuseum.org. You will have a boxed lunch to enjoy as we depart for Jim Beam Distilling Company in Clermont, KY. You will have a 1-1/2 hour guided tour of the bourbon-making process, including the opportunity to dip your own bottle to take along home (additional cost). The journey finishes with a guided, Kentucky-style bourbon tasting in one of our new tasting rooms and a sample signature cocktail at the American Outpost bar https://www.beamdistilling.com. We depart Jim Beam for our home for the next four nights. The Galt House Hotel, 140 North 4^th Street, Louisville, KY 40202, 502-589-5200. The Galt House is where guests come to experience, immerse and delight in Louisville’s winning spirit. No other hotel can grant guests access to the city like we can, from our central location in the heart of the business community, museum district, cultural center, and Urban Bourbon Trail, to our unique waterfront location. Our status as the “official hotel” of all that matters makes us Louisville’s always-iconic hotel and ultimate lifestyle destination, reflective of Louisville’s energy, excitement, and contemporary spirit https://galthouse.com. After checking into our hotel we will have a group reservation at a local hotel (not included). The remainder of the evening on your own.
 
Accommodations: Galt House Hotel, 140 North 4^th Street, Louisville, KY 40202, 502-589-5200.
Meals: B,L
 
Day 3:  Breakfast buffet at the hotel, before departing our hotel with a Step-On-Guide for a 1-1/2 hour guided tour of Louisville. Next on today’s agenda is the Frazier History Museum and a guided tour of the Spirit of Kentucky Exhibit with an upgraded tasting at the end https://www.fraziermuseum.org   https://www.fraziermuseum.org/bourbon-exhibitions-and-programs. We will have a light lunch delivered before walking next door to Art Eatables for a sample of bourbon-infused chocolate. You will hear the history of how chocolate became infused with Kentucky’s chocolates
https://www.arteatables.com. It’s time for another tasting or flight of your choice at Old Forester Distillery https://www.oldforester.com/distillery. Next, it’s time to walk back to the hotel and freshen up for one of our featured destinations on this tour. Churchill Downs IS the Home of the Kentucky Derby, however, there is so much more going on beyond those exciting 2 minutes. Enjoy live Thoroughbred race entertainment year-round, in a first-class, unique and upscale environment. Churchill’s private suite accommodations offer some of the finest amenities in all of professional sports – from breathtaking views of the races to luxury furnishings, exclusive fine dining, and personal wait staff. You will have an unforgettable experience at Churchill Downs https://www.churchilldowns.com.
 
Accommodations: Galt House Hotel, 140 North 4^th Street, Louisville, KY 40202, 502-589-5200.
Meals: B, L, D
  
Day 4: After our breakfast buffet at the hotel we depart for Lux Distillery in Bardstown, KY. You have the choice of a flight or a cocktail for you to enjoy https://luxrowdistillers.com. We have A short drive is Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center in Bardstown, KY. Here you will have a self-guided tour of the Elijah Craig and Larceny galleries, a sample of Kentucky Bourbon, and a Welcome Cocktail. Finishing our visit to Heaven Hill in their gift shop, which happens to be my favorite Bourbon Trail gift shop https://heavenhilldistillery.com. A must-see while traveling the Bourbon Trail is Maker’s Mark Distillery. The campus at Marker’s Mark is breathtaking, with scenery that you don’t want to miss. Your Maker’s Mark Tour will teach you about their history and how their bourbon is made. This tour will take you through the campus and a few of the production buildings. Of course, you’ll finish with a guided tasting. There will be time allotted to purchase a cocktail, walk the campus, and shop in the gift shop https://www.makersmark.com. Departing Maker’s Mark for our hotel to freshen up for tonight’s dinner cruise in the ballroom of the Steamboat Belle of Louisville. This 104-year-old paddle-wheeler will take you back in time. Purely steam-powered and paddlewheel propelled, the Belle is the only reaming authentic steamboat from the great American packet boat era. Sit back and enjoy the show, following dinner https://belleoflouisville.org.
 
Accommodations: Galt House Hotel, 140 North 4^th Street, Louisville, KY 40202, 502-589-5200.
Meals: B, L, D
 
Day 5: Breakfast buffet at the hotel. Let’s change things up and tour the Muhammad Ali Center, the newest addition to the US Civil Rights Trail. We will have a guided tour of Muhammad Ali’s legendary life and the principles that Muhammad Ali embraced throughout his life https://alicenter.org. The remainder of the day is on your own to explore Louisville’s Whiskey Row on Main Street, tour Louisville Slugger, visit 4^th Street Live, Louisville Visitor Center, take a walk on the River Front, or walk across the bridge from Louisville to Indiana. Your options are endless.
 
Accommodations: Galt House Hotel, 140 North 4^th Street, Louisville, KY 40202, 502-589-5200.
Meals: B
 
Day 6: Have your luggage ready for the Baggage Porter before your buffet breakfast. Departing for home with rest stops and meals along the way. Your evening meal will be included in the tour. Arriving back in Lancaster at approximately 8 PM.
 
Meals: B, D
  
Tour Includes:  Round Trip Deluxe Motorcoach Transportation, 1 Night Lodging at the Aloft Hotel, Newport on the Levee, KY, 4 Nights Lodging at the Galt House Including Baggage Handling, Louisville, KY, 1 Made to Order Breakfast, 2 Plated Dinners, 5 Buffet Breakfasts, Self-Guided Tour of the Corvette Museum, Guided Tour & Tasting at Jim Beam Distilling Company, 3 Boxed Lunches, 1-1/2 Hour Step-On-Guided Tour of Louisville, Self-Guided Tour of the Frazier History Museum, Guided Tour of the Spirit of Kentucky Exhibits Including an Upgraded Tasting, Bourbon Infused Chocolate at Art Eatables, Flight or Cocktail at Old Forester Distilling Company, Private Suite at Churchill Downs including your evening meal and ability to watch the horse races from inside our suite, Flight or Cocktail at Lux Row Distillers, Self-Guided Tour of Elijah Craig and Legacy Galleries at Heaven Hill Distillery Including a Welcome Cocktail, Guided Tour of Maker’s Mark Distillery Including a Guided Tasting, Dinner Cruise and Show aboard the Belle of Louisville, Self-Guided Tour of the Muhammad Ali Museum, Free BLT Luggage Tags and Welcome Gift, Water and Snacks on Motorcoach, Experienced and Knowledgeable Tour Representative, and All Taxes.