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Come Find Bourbon - An authentic bourbon road trip

A 3-Night Itinerary

Come Find Bourbon in Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown.

Pack a whole lot of bourbon-related fun into a three-night getaway! Loaded with authentic bourbon experiences, Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown are great answers to the common question of where to go when exploring Kentucky Bourbon Country.

Bourbon women drinking from glen cairns

Day 1 or 3: Covington

Download a PDF printable version of itinerary here.

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.

 

Come Find Bourbon invites adults age 21+ to delve into Kentucky Bourbon culture in Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown. This itinerary is a suggestion of how to pack a whole lot of bourbon-related fun into a three-night stay. Of course you may want to swap around certain activities; feel free to contact us for alternate suggestions. Note that some distillery tours and restaurants require advance reservations. It’s best to make hotel and car rental plans ahead of time, too. Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown are not responsible for flight delays, sold-out tours, booked-up hotels, road construction, thunderstorms, lost cell phones, help finding rare bottles of bourbon, or the long list of foibles, mishaps, and disasters that everyone hopes to avoid. We do offer solid, well-researched advice and lots of world-class, authentic Kentucky Bourbon experiences. Cheers!

Come Find Bourbon supports responsible bourbon enjoyment. Must be 21 to participate and always enjoy your bourbon like a true Kentuckian, responsibly.