This Charming Kentucky Town Is Picture Perfect For An Autumn Day Trip
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Rachel Shulhafer
Author
Named the “Most Beautiful Small Town in America” by USA Today, Bardstown, Kentucky has a lot to offer. It’s about 45 minutes from Louisville and just over an hour from Lexington, so it makes a great day trip. There are plenty of things to do in Bardstown year round, but visiting in the fall has a certain charm to it that you don’t experience during other seasons. Check out these great activities to do in Bardstown during a fall day trip.
Since Bardstown is Kentucky’s second-oldest city (settled in 1780), the town is brimming with history. There are nearly 200 places listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the downtown district, and about 100 more in surrounding Nelson County.
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My Old Kentucky Home State Park is home to Federal Hill, the farm where U.S. Senator John Rowan used to live. The iconic Federal Hill Mansion is said to have been part of the inspiration for Stephen Foster, who was a cousin of the Rowans, to compose Kentucky’s state song, "My Old Kentucky Home." The mansion is depicted on the reverse side of the Kentucky state quarter. The park also has an outdoor amphitheater where you can see live musical productions, such as The Stephen Foster Story, which is a retelling of Foster’s life. More information here.
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Bardstown is in the heart of Bourbon Country, and if you’re interested in seeing how America’s native spirit is crafted, travel to one of the several distilleries in the Bardstown area. You can choose from Jim Beam, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, Maker’s Mark, Willett, and Barton 1792.
Bardstown is home to the Old Kentucky Dinner Train. This 37-mile roundtrip journey serves you a gourmet meal on board and is idyllic in fall. You can also visit the Kentucky Railway Museum in nearby New Haven to learn about the historical significance of railways in Kentucky. They also offer train excursions. More information here.
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Bernheim Forest is about 20 minutes away from downtown Bardstown in Clermont, KY. Bernheim is breathtaking in the fall, and has a wide variety of hikes for people of all abilities. Definitely check out the tree canopy walk to you can stroll right into the midst of the fall foliage.
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This old jail is now a bed and breakfast called the Jailer’s Inn, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was actually a jail from 1797 all the up to 1987, and is said to be haunted. More information here.
Take a walk through time as you explore a village of cabins that are up to 200 years old. Check out memorabilia that tells the story of Kentucky’s involvement in the Civil War. More information here.
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After all this activity, you’re probably going to be starving. There are several great restaurants in Bardstown, but check out Mammy’s Kitchen for Southern comfort food, or the historic Old Talbott Tavern. It was built in 1779, and stories say the Tavern hosted the likes of Abraham Lincoln when he was a child, King Louis Phillippe of France during his exile, and Jesse James, who supposedly left bullet holes in one of the bedrooms upstairs that are still visible today.
Mammy's Kitchen is located at 116 W. Stephen Foster Avenue, Bardstown, KY 40004. The Old Talbott Tavern is located at 107 W. Stephen Foster Avenue, Bardstown, KY 40004.
Mammy's Kitchen is located at 116 W. Stephen Foster Avenue, Bardstown, KY 40004. The Old Talbott Tavern is located at 107 W. Stephen Foster Avenue, Bardstown, KY 40004.
With so much to do in Bardstown, all these activities could even be stretched out into multiple days. And while you’re at it, why not go on a fall foliage road trip around the whole state?
What’s your favorite thing to do in Bardstown?
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