Bardstown Day, Lunch Included

James B. Beam, Heaven Hill and Lux Row Bourbon Tour runs through Mint Julep Experiences - Louisville. Rated 5.0 across 26 reviews. Runs 9 hours. From $285.

Overview

This Friday outing from Louisville packs three distillery stops and a local lunch into a single nine-hour day, with Mint Julep Experiences handling the driving. You meet at the Mint Julep Experiences Hub in the Falls City Market at the Omni Hotel in downtown Louisville, and from there an air-conditioned vehicle carries the group between stops. Admission fees at all three distilleries are already built into the ticket.

The route calls at James B. Beam Distilling Co., the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience and Lux Row Distillers, with tours and tastings at each. Heaven Hill stands apart slightly, as the stop there is a Connoisseur tasting rather than a standard tour. Lunch comes from a local favorite on a fixed menu, and bottled water and ice are complimentary on board.

It suits travellers who want a broad taste of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail without planning the logistics themselves. The group is capped at 22 people, so it is a shared day rather than a private outing. Recent guests praised the guides on the bus and at the distilleries for being knowledgeable and friendly.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet in downtown LouisvilleCheck in at the Mint Julep Experiences Hub, 210 W Liberty St, inside the Falls City Market at the Omni Hotel. The tour departs at 08:15.
2. James B. Beam Distilling Co.A 1 hour 30 minute visit with a tour and tastings. Admission ticket included.
3. Heaven Hill Bourbon ExperienceA 1 hour stop centred on a Connoisseur tasting. Admission ticket included.
4. Lux Row DistillersA 1 hour 30 minute visit with a tour and tasting. Admission ticket included.
5. Return to LouisvilleThe day ends back at the original meeting point, nine hours after the 08:15 start. A local lunch with a fixed menu is included at some point in the day.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you plan for a nine-hour day built around three distillery visits.

• Getting there. There is no hotel pickup. Everyone meets at the Mint Julep Experiences Hub in the Falls City Market at the Omni Hotel on West Liberty Street, with an 08:15 departure, so allow time to reach downtown Louisville early.
• Group size. The tour runs with a maximum of 22 travellers. Recent reviewers said they had a great time and spoke highly of their guide.
• Food and drink. Lunch at a local favorite is included, served from a fixed menu rather than open choice. Bottled water and ice are complimentary on the vehicle, and all distillery tastings are covered by the admission fees.
• Pace and access. The day runs nine hours from an 08:15 start, with three stops of one to one and a half hours each. The listing states the tour is not wheelchair accessible, though it says most travellers can participate.
• Guides. A guide accompanies the group on the vehicle, and a guide is listed among the inclusions. Reviewers described the guide on their trips as knowledgeable, friendly and entertaining.
• Gratuities. Tips are not included in the ticket price. Budget for gratuities separately if you plan to leave one.

Common issues. Gratuities are the only listed exclusion, but they are an extra cost on top of the ticket. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, which matters for travellers with limited mobility. It is a shared experience with up to 22 people and a fixed lunch menu, so there is little flexibility in the food or the schedule. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the 08:15 start receive no refund, and changes inside that window are not accepted.

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