Sorry I know this has nothing to do with trucks but i need help... The wife is back to school in the next few weeks and with farm work pouring on at the inlaws this is the last week we have for vacation!

We were thinking of going to the Jim Beam and Jack Daniels distillerys but that's not going to take 5 days of vacation! We are leaving this friday (15th) and traveling through next wednessday (20th). My thoughts for route were as follows...

Jim Beam south of louisville KY then to nashville (idk what we'll do there??? probably country music hall of fame...)

Nashville to Lynchburg for Jack Daniels and then on to Memphis....

I was hoping anyone who lives in the Memphis, Nashville, or Louisville areas (or has traveled to) could tell us the good hot spots for good music and fun! We like rock, jazz, and country... Live music, good food and good local attractions is what we are looking for! Maybe even a good concert if there is one going on. I am crunched for time at work and won't have much time to plan except make a travel route and plug in addresses along the way. Also we like whiskey (that's right my hot red head of a wife loves whiskey!!!!!!) so any other small distillerys would be good too!

 

The Jim Beam tour is pretty slim. They are building a new visitor's center, but it is a long way from being ready. If you are feeling like an adventure consider completing the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. We completed the 6 distillery tour in two days as part of the Bourbon Trail Passport program in May. We also toured Buffalo Trace on the north side of Frankfort, KY. That is one of the best tours, but they are no longer part of the official trail tour.

Bardstown KY is a nice visit. I am not sure of their entertainment/night life but it is a nice place to walk around and visit some small shops. The Old Talbert Inn and Bourbon bar has a mixed atmosphere. The German restaurant is a must try IMHO. Bardstown hosts the Bourbon Festival in September. I am sure you can find some music venues in both Frankfort and Lexington, KY.

We found some very pleasant surprises at a few of the distilleries along the trail. I hope you will consider becoming a Bourbon Trail survivor like we are! (We are expecting our t-shirts very soon)

I was in Nashville in February. We took in a Grand Ole' Opry show, BB Kings restaurant and the Wildhorse Saloon one night. We found a few other hole-in-the-wall places to browse through as well.

Memphis is always an interesting place to wander around. Beale Street does live up to it's reputation. We were there a few years ago during St. Patrick's Day, it was a Saturday! As you can imagine it was mass chaos just like New Orleans. We avoided Graceland.....

Neely's BBQ, Interstate BBQ and Rendezvous BBQ come to mind for some tasty protein there.

My brunette smokin' hot wife is a card carrying member of the Irish Whiskey Drinking Team and she also completed the Bourbon Trail with me. I have a few more punches on my card to get my Irish Whiskey team card....

 

If you have Netflix, watch all the Man v. Food episodes in that area to find some good food joints.

 

rla2005 I would kiss you if I could! thanks for all the great info... We have grand ol opry tickets for tuesday night so we are going to flip the trip and go to memphis for the weekend and then to nashville for the show tues... Not sure about the KY burbon trail but we'll see if we can fit it in!!!

Thanks guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!

 

If you are limited on time for the Kentucky portion go to Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve ($5 fee) or Maker's Mark. Very good tours. As much as I like Jim Beam products, **** Creek, Devil's cut, Booker's, their tour is a little on the light side.

 

My wife, kids, and I are headed to Bardstown this weekend. There are several distilleries in the area. Jim Beam, which I was planning to visit, Heaven Hill, Makers Mark, and as stated above, there's the Bourbon Trail. I've been to Woodford Reserve and Maker's Mark before. Four Roses I believe is near Versailles, Ky as is Woodford Reserve. I would like to do the Buffalo Trace sometime too.

I like whiskey, but I like the kind you can drink straight. Something that has a good flavor. You will find that in most of the single barrel batches. Four Roses Single Barrel Reserve is very good. So is Elijah Craig, Evan Williams Single Barrel Reserve, Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Reserve, (yes, that's all one name). All of these are top shelf, and a little pricy. In my opinion, they are to be enjoyed over rocks, or just straight out of a shot glass. I would not buy this stuff to make mixes with. Any rot gut will work for that, in my opinion.

Coming south from Louisville, you can take hwy 245 off I-65 to Bardstown. I don't remember what exit that is, but the Jim Beam place is right on 245 just a few miles off the interstate. If you're looking for nightlife, I can't help you there other than there is a Bluegrass Entertainment and Expo at Bardstown, but I don't know what they have to offer this weekend. We are likely to do the ghost trek Saturday Night, if the kids are up to it.

 

Four Roses was one of the pleasant surprises we found on the Bourbon Trail. I dearly love their Small Batch product. I was already a long time fan of Eagle Rare (Buffalo Trace), **** Creek&Single Barrel reserve/Bookers and now Devil's Cut (Jim Beam) and Makers Mark. I did find Woodford very tasty, but I do prefer it mixed, not so much neat like I do the others mentioned. Barton's 1792 distillery is near Bardstown as well. I hope to hit that next time we venture that way

We were hoping to do the Bourbon Festival in September, but our plans have changed. Oh well, maybe next year!

 

I tease my wife (she like Maker's Mark) that she likes the cheap stuff! And compared to the stuff you and I have mentioned, it is the cheap stuff!

 

Way too funny!!

 

if your in louisville the city (Ky) you should visit the slugger museum and get the tour!

 

Enjoy your trip! About 10-12 years ago took a trip to Nashville and I had a blast. Wild Horse, Nascar Cafe, Hard Rock Cafe. The night life is great there as well. Some of the little bars there are great. Any kind of music you can think of. If I could find a way of making a living in Nashville as a handyman I would have moved there years ago. I wish someone would start using bass kazoo in country music, I'd have er made.

 

Funny!


Thanks guys for all the help! With the short notice I had to bottle 2 batches of beer that were done fermenting, mow the yard, change the oil in the car, find a baby sitter for the dog, and pack for a 5 day trip! There was no time for planning last night...

We are definatly heading for the Burbon Trail... I think Makers Mark, Jim Beam, Four Roses, and one other are on the slate to be stopped at. We have tickets to see a show at the Grand Ol Opry on Tuesday night and then back to Iowa... I'm sure the wife has 5-10 other things she wants to do along the way... In fact a plantation/winery is what she was saying something about last night... IDK... I wasn't quite listening b/c I was too mezmorized by my new shinny toy!


I'll try to slip into the slugger museum and the other suggestions... But we are driving the whole way overnight, and if I know my wife she'll be stopping every 30min with her chipmonk bladder to pee! Think I'll just not let her have any fluids after we get in the car and maybe we'll only have to stop 30 times instead of 60! LOL!

 

I love Memphis. I always stay at the Courtyard on Jefferson Ave. It puts you within walking distance from everything you need. You have to try Rendezvous Charles Vergos in the alley between 2nd and 3rd street. It was a little bit of a wait to get in but they have a good little bar with some great local brews on tap. After we got a seat in the basement (yeah, really) we got some of the best dry ribs I've ever had. It was so good that we took a couple of jars of their seasoning home.

If you have ever done Bourbon Street in the Big Easy or the Duval Crawl in Key West then you'll be right at home on Beale. Party central isn't as big as either of those but I'd say the quality is a little better. Tons of live music, dancing in open parks, drinks allowed on the street, interesting shops and great food. If you have time check out the tourist traps too. There is a lot of Civil War and music history in this town and is worth checking out. Take a walk though Confederate Park and read the plaques. Great view, great history and it's right across the street from the hotel.

I love Memphis. The only problem I have with this town is that every time I go there I have to eventually leave.

 

We might have to wait on Memphis unfortunatly... We're doing the burbon trail sat and sunday and then tourist stuff on monday and tues with some old friends in Nashville followed by grand ol opry on tues night and then we have to start driving home thues night or early wed morning... I think memphis is one stop that will take us more than a couple days... Maybe we'll go back for her spring break! I'm sad we don't have the time to catch it this time around

 

SEXY!!! i wish i had a man cave now, a triple wide man cave for three vehicles as for the wife...after she takes her bathroom break in the house no more liquids....or you could always go the bathroom in the car option so she can do it while she drives