Bardstown is less than an hour south of Louisville and is a small town rich with history. It’s the perfect destination for a day trip.
Put the Bardstown Arts and Crafts Fair from Oct 11-12 on your calendar. Visitbardstown.com and bardstownmainstreet.com/arts-and-crafts-fair/ for more information.
The heart of Bardstown is its Downtown District, a 26-block area listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with over 279 historic structures now housing boutique shopping, quaint restaurants and inns, art galleries and, of course, bourbon tastings. Anchored in a central roundabout by the beautiful County Courthouse, the historic district has been artfully restored and maintained and is a vibrant destination.
Talbott Tavern, a tavern, restaurant and inn, has been in operation since the late 1700s. In fact, it is the oldest coaching inn west of the Alleghenies, and the taproom is known as the oldest bourbon bar in the world. The inn features six guest rooms, each named after a historical figure who visited the inn (Abraham Lincoln, Washington Irving, Daniel Boone, and more). Host to many famous and infamous guests over the centuries, the inn still has original murals painted on the upstairs walls by French King Louis Philippe during his stay. Outlaw Jesse James was also known to frequent Talbott Tavern when he wanted to “lay low.” His pistol is on exhibit, and if you look closely at the upstairs North wall, you will still see bullet holes. talbotttavern.com
The nearby Jailer’s Inn Bed & Breakfast was built in 1797 and housed prisoners for 200 years. The inn has nine guest rooms, including one that actually resembles a jail cell with two original bunk beds. jailersinn.com
Around the corner, you will want to stop at Hurst Discount Drugs, serving Bardstown for more than 100 years. The modern pharmacy pays homage to its history by maintaining an old-fashioned soda fountain counter that serves breakfast, lunch, soft drinks, and ice cream treats. hurstdrugrx.com
Story and photos by Patti Hartog
P.S. Here are more things to see and do while in Bardstown.
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