Intro | The Distilleries | Where to Eat | Other Attractions
Kentucky Bourbon Marketplace
At the newly opened Kentucky Bourbon Marketplace inside the Mary May House, shelves are filled with tasting glasses, barrel heads and assorted Bourbon items, like artwork, books, candies and boutique varieties. Fans can collect a lot of memorabilia from all the area’s distilleries at this one-stop shop. On the right side of the historic home, which dates back to 1821, a gleaming new bar made from barrel staves and bar tables with barrel bases fill the tasting room. Two private rooms upstairs are available for meetings, and a back patio will be enjoyed as the weather warms in 2014. (110 W. Flaget Ave.; www.kybourbonmarketplace.com)
Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History
Named a 2014 Whiskey Visitor Attraction of the Year by Whiskey Magazine, the Oscar Getz Museum at Spalding Hall contains artifacts that will fascinate any history buff. Nelson County was once the location to as many as 22 distilleries. Antique vintage bottles, moonshine stills, early pot stills, signs and photos of distilling families, many of which date from pre-Colonial times, are all displayed in the museum. (114 N. Fifth St.; www.whiskeymuseum.com)
Bardstown Art Gallery
Inspired by Bourbon and its producers, America’s spirit flows onto the canvasses of Jim Cantrell, who owns Bardstown Art Gallery with wife, Jeanette. A contemporary oil and watercolor painter, Cantrell exhibits 10 original works representing Bourbon through the ages at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Museum. More recently, he exhibited paintings inspired by Bourbon Country at the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art. (214 W. Stephen Foster Ave.; www.bardstownartgallery.com)
My Old Kentucky Home State Park
The home that inspired composer Stephen Foster’s memorable ballad to Kentucky continues to attract visitors with ample entertainment. An ideal stop for families, My Old Kentucky Home State Park preserves many historic buildings on 292 acres of state-owned property. Take a break from Bourbon to participate in activities including golf, camping, picnics and an amphitheater featuring reenactments of the Stephen Foster story. (501 E. Stephen Foster Ave.; search the website parks.ky.gov for further information)
Intro | The Distilleries | Where to Eat | Other Attractions
