{"id":490,"date":"2026-08-10T05:17:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T05:17:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/articles\/southern-weekend-getaways-nashville\/"},"modified":"2026-08-10T05:17:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T05:17:16","slug":"southern-weekend-getaways-nashville","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/articles\/southern-weekend-getaways-nashville\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Southern Weekend Getaways Near Nashville"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Written by: Tyler Himes, Senior Brand Manager &#8211; James B. Beam Distilling Co.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"key-takeaways\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Southern weekend getaways from Nashville under four hours combine historic towns, scenic nature, and bourbon experiences along the I-65 corridor.<\/li>\n<li>Clermont, Kentucky\u2019s James B. Beam Distilling Co. delivers the most complete bourbon stop, with a 75-minute Beam Made Bourbon Tour &amp; Tasting that includes hands-on barrel work.<\/li>\n<li>Franklin, Lynchburg, Mammoth Cave, Bowling Green, Bardstown, Louisville, and Lexington each offer distinct small-town charm, cave systems, or horse-country attractions within a short drive.<\/li>\n<li>Travelers can pair nature stops like Mammoth Cave or Bernheim Forest with bourbon tastings and build two-day itineraries with overnights in Franklin, Bowling Green, or Bardstown.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/james-b-beam-distillery-tour\/book-a-tour#id=beam-made-bourbon-distillery-tour-tasting-clermont\" target=\"_blank\">Reserve your spot on the Beam Made Bourbon Tour &amp; Tasting<\/a> to experience the full story behind the world\u2019s #1 bourbon.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>1. Clermont, KY \u2014 Bourbon Country Escape at James B. Beam Distilling Co.<\/h2>\n<p>James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont, Kentucky offers the most complete Southern experience on this list. The distillery sits just off I-65 and serves as the home of Jim Beam, the world\u2019s #1 bourbon, where eight generations of one family have made whiskey since Jacob Beam sold his first barrel in 1795.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"text-align: center;\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co\/1781203830436-7d752fb1bf89.jpeg\" alt=\"An aerial view of James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont, Kentucky. It's The Home of the World's #1 Bourbon: Jim Beam.\" style=\"max-height: 500px;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption><em>An aerial view of James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont, Kentucky. It&#8217;s The Home of the World&#8217;s #1 Bourbon: Jim Beam.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The flagship Beam Made Bourbon Tour &amp; Tasting runs 75 minutes and walks guests grain to glass through a working distillery. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/about-us\/beam-made-bourbon\" target=\"_blank\">The team still uses the same yeast strain Jim Beam personally safeguarded after Prohibition ended in 1933<\/a>. Guests taste five bourbons at the exact moments that explain them: Jim Beam White, Jim Beam Black, Basil Hayden, Knob Creek, and a rotating surprise. Along the way, they fill a barrel, dump a barrel, and bottle their own Knob Creek on the T-Line, pressing a thumbprint into the wax seal.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"text-align: center;\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co\/1781204036498-f8c16384bf07.jpeg\" alt=\"On the Beam Made Bourbon Tour &amp; Tasting, you can participate in barrel filling and dumping,\" style=\"max-height: 500px;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption><em>On the Beam Made Bourbon Tour &amp; Tasting, you can participate in barrel filling and dumping,<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/about-us\/beam-made-bourbon\" target=\"_blank\">Every tour highlights the 65-foot legacy still, known as \u201cthe Hardest Working Still in America,\u201d and Kentucky\u2019s iron-free, calcium-rich limestone water<\/a>. After exploring how the whiskey is made, guests can shift gears and relax at The Kitchen Table restaurant, which serves Kentucky classics including a sourdough pizza made with the bourbon\u2019s own yeast strain. The American Outpost gift shop keeps rare and distillery-exclusive bottles on the shelf with no lottery or timed drops.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"text-align: center;\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co\/1781203909106-3525ae729c3c.jpeg\" alt=\"The American Outpost inside James B. Beam Distilling Co., stocked with hard-to-find rare bourbons and distillery-exclusive bottles.\" style=\"max-height: 500px;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption><em>The American Outpost inside James B. Beam Distilling Co., stocked with hard-to-find rare bourbons and distillery-exclusive bottles.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The distillery holds a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/place\/James+B.+Beam+Distilling+Co.\/@37.931145,-85.6549989,17z\/data=!4m10!1m2!2m1!1sbeam+distillery+google!3m6!1s0x886901aff214fe0f:0x6344565b40dec517!8m2!3d37.931145!4d-85.652424!15sChZiZWFtIGRpc3RpbGxlcnkgZ29vZ2xlIgOIAQGSAQpkaXN0aWxsZXJ54AEA!16s%2Fg%2F11rrzll3q?entry=ttu\" target=\"_blank\">4.7-star rating from more than 1,400 guest reviews<\/a>. Tours cost $30 plus tax and fees, and active military visit free with valid ID.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/james-b-beam-distillery-tour\/book-a-tour#id=beam-made-bourbon-distillery-tour-tasting-clermont\" target=\"_blank\">Reserve your Beam Made Bourbon Tour &amp; Tasting<\/a> to experience the full Clermont campus in a single visit.<\/p>\n<h2>2. Franklin, TN \u2014 Small-Town Warm-Up Just South of Nashville<\/h2>\n<p>Franklin offers the quickest escape from Nashville, only 30 minutes south on I-65. Its downtown square features antebellum architecture, independent boutiques, and farm-to-table restaurants. The Carter House and Carnton historic sites can fill a full afternoon with Civil War history. Franklin works well as a Friday-evening warm-up before a longer drive north into Kentucky the next morning.<\/p>\n<h2>3. Lynchburg, TN \u2014 Quiet Southern Overnight with Whiskey History<\/h2>\n<p>Lynchburg sits about 90 minutes southeast of Nashville and draws visitors to the Jack Daniel Distillery. The town square features old-fashioned general stores and barrel-house restaurants. The pace stays slow and the scenery reflects classic Tennessee hill country, which suits couples who want a quiet, story-rich overnight.<\/p>\n<h2>4. Mammoth Cave, KY \u2014 Caves and Trails Within Two Hours of Nashville<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wavynashville.com\/nashville-to-kentucky\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noindex nofollow\">Mammoth Cave National Park lies roughly 90 to 100 miles from Nashville and sits under two hours away via I-65 North<\/a>. The world\u2019s longest known cave system offers ranger-led tours that range from easy walks to strenuous crawls. Surface trails wind through old-growth forest and past Green River overlooks. This nature reset pairs naturally with a bourbon stop in Clermont on the same I-65 corridor during the drive home.<\/p>\n<h2>5. Bowling Green, KY \u2014 Easy First Night on a Kentucky Loop<\/h2>\n<p>Bowling Green sits just over the Kentucky state line, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelmath.com\/driving-time\/from\/Nashville,+TN\/to\/Bowling+Green,+KY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noindex nofollow\">approximately 1 hour 10 minutes<\/a> from Nashville on I-65. The National Corvette Museum anchors the visit with eight galleries of American automotive history. Downtown restaurants and bars have grown steadily, giving the city a relaxed, walkable core. Bowling Green works well as a first overnight on a two-day loop that continues north to Clermont and Bardstown the following day.<\/p>\n<h2>6. Bardstown, KY \u2014 Three-Day Bourbon Weekend from Nashville<\/h2>\n<p>Bardstown embraces its title as the Bourbon Capital of the World. The town square is walkable and lined with restaurants, distillery tasting rooms, and the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History. Heaven Hill\u2019s Bourbon Heritage Center sits a short drive away and pairs naturally with a Clermont visit. James B. Beam Distilling Co. lies directly on the route between Louisville and Bardstown, so many travelers stop there before continuing into town.<\/p>\n<h2>7. Louisville, KY \u2014 City Weekend with Bourbon, Sports, and Food<\/h2>\n<p>Louisville sits <a href=\"https:\/\/halfwaypointusa.com\/halfway-point\/louisville-ky-to-nashville-tn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noindex nofollow\">approximately 2 hours 45 minutes, or 175 miles,<\/a> up I-65 North and anchors the northern end of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. NuLu\u2019s restaurant row, the Louisville Slugger Museum, and Churchill Downs provide a full weekend of activity. Bourbon travelers often use Louisville as a base for day trips. The distillery in Clermont sits only 30 minutes south, so visitors can easily add James B. Beam Distilling Co. to a Louisville itinerary.<\/p>\n<h2>8. Lexington, KY \u2014 Horse Country and Bourbon Within a Long Weekend<\/h2>\n<p>Lexington lies <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelmath.com\/distance\/from\/Nashville,+TN\/to\/Lexington,+KY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noindex nofollow\">217 miles<\/a> from Nashville and is reachable in roughly 3.5 to 4 hours via I-65 North and I-75 North. The Horse Capital of the World offers working thoroughbred farm tours, Keeneland Racecourse, and a compact, walkable downtown. Lexington fits a three-day itinerary that features horse country on day one, a Clermont bourbon stop on day two, and the return drive home on day three.<\/p>\n<h2>Romantic Escapes from Nashville Featuring Clermont<\/h2>\n<p>Couples planning a southern weekend getaway near Nashville often choose a two-night combination that highlights both small-town charm and bourbon country. One strong route starts in Franklin on Friday evening, then continues north to Clermont on Saturday for the Beam Made Bourbon Tour &amp; Tasting, dinner at The Kitchen Table, and an overnight in Louisville. Sunday morning allows a leisurely drive home via I-65. For couples who want an even more intimate moment, the Maturation Matters warehouse experience at Beam lets guests thief whiskey straight from the barrel and adds a private touch to the Saturday visit.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/james-b-beam-distillery-tour\/book-a-tour#id=beam-made-bourbon-distillery-tour-tasting-clermont\" target=\"_blank\">Book your tour now<\/a> to add this bourbon experience to your romantic weekend itinerary.<\/p>\n<h2>Nature Stops and Scenic Trails Near Clermont<\/h2>\n<p>The I-65 corridor north of Nashville passes through some of the South\u2019s most accessible natural scenery. Mammoth Cave National Park\u2019s surface trails and Green River overlooks sit under two hours from Nashville. Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest borders the James B. Beam Distilling Co. campus in Clermont, so guests can walk the arboretum\u2019s trails before or after a tour. This combination links old-growth forest with hands-on bourbon storytelling in a single afternoon.<\/p>\n<h2>Two 48-Hour Itineraries from Nashville<\/h2>\n<p>Two sample 48-hour itineraries show how different travelers can shape a weekend around Clermont. The romantic version focuses on slower pacing and intimate meals, while the group version maximizes distillery time and shared experiences.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Romantic Getaway \u2014 Nashville to Clermont and Back<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Friday evening:<\/strong> Dinner in Franklin, Tennessee, then overnight in Bowling Green, Kentucky.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Saturday morning:<\/strong> Drive north on I-65 to Clermont and arrive at James B. Beam Distilling Co. by 10 a.m.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Saturday midday:<\/strong> Beam Made Bourbon Tour &amp; Tasting, then bottle your own Knob Creek on the T-Line.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Saturday afternoon:<\/strong> Lunch at The Kitchen Table and time to browse the American Outpost for distillery-exclusive bottles.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Saturday evening:<\/strong> Continue to Bardstown for dinner and an overnight stay.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sunday:<\/strong> Enjoy a morning walk in Bardstown, then drive south on I-65 back to Nashville, which takes about 2 hours 45 minutes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Group Getaway \u2014 Nashville Bourbon Loop<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Friday evening:<\/strong> Depart Nashville and overnight in Bowling Green, Kentucky.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Saturday morning:<\/strong> Drive to Clermont for a Beam Made Bourbon Tour &amp; Tasting for the group, with up to 24 guests per tour.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Saturday midday:<\/strong> Have lunch at The Kitchen Table and consider adding the Maturation Matters warehouse experience.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Saturday afternoon:<\/strong> Drive to Bardstown and visit Heaven Hill\u2019s Bourbon Heritage Center.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Saturday evening:<\/strong> Stay overnight in Bardstown after dinner in town.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sunday morning:<\/strong> Drive south on I-65 back to Nashville.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<h3>How far is James B. Beam Distilling Co. from Nashville, and what is the best route?<\/h3>\n<p>James B. Beam Distilling Co. is located at 568 Happy Hollow Rd., Clermont, KY 40110. The most direct route from Nashville follows I-65 North the entire way. Clermont sits about 30 minutes south of Louisville, so travelers can combine the distillery with a Louisville overnight or continue south to Bardstown after the tour. The drive stays straightforward with no toll roads on the main corridor.<\/p>\n<h3>How far in advance should I book a Beam distillery tour?<\/h3>\n<p>Advance booking works best, especially for weekend visits and high-demand periods such as Derby season, SEC football weekends in September and October, and the summer months. Tours depart promptly and guests cannot join a tour already in progress, so plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled time. The flagship Beam Made Bourbon Tour &amp; Tasting can be booked directly at beamdistilling.com. Groups should book even earlier, because each tour caps at 24 guests per session.<\/p>\n<h3>What are the age requirements for distillery tours and tastings?<\/h3>\n<p>All bourbon tastings at James B. Beam Distilling Co. are for guests 21 and older with a valid government-issued ID, which aligns with responsible enjoyment standards. Families are welcome on the grounds, and children may accompany adults on select tours, but the bourbon tastings themselves remain strictly 21+. Active military visit free with a valid military ID, and veterans receive a discounted rate. Please enjoy responsibly.<\/p>\n<h3>Is there food available at James B. Beam Distilling Co.?<\/h3>\n<p>The Kitchen Table operates as a full-service restaurant and cocktail bar on the distillery campus, open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The menu features Kentucky-inspired dishes such as fried chicken, smoked brisket, sandwiches, and a signature sourdough pizza made with the same yeast strain used in the bourbon, baked in a wood-fired Italian pizza oven. Cocktails highlight the family\u2019s whiskey portfolio. The restaurant works well for a casual walk-in lunch after a tour or a private dinner reservation. A monthly Supper Club offers a paired four-course menu for a more elevated evening.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"text-align: center;\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co\/1781204227835-4ec869111b96.jpeg\" alt=\"The Kitchen Table Restaurant's outside patio at night, inside James B. Beam Distilling Co.\" style=\"max-height: 500px;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption><em>The Kitchen Table Restaurant&#8217;s outside patio at night, inside James B. Beam Distilling Co.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>What makes James B. Beam Distilling Co. different from other distillery stops on a Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary?<\/h3>\n<p>Several details set Beam apart from other distillery stops. It serves as the home of the entire Small Batch Collection, including Knob Creek, Basil Hayden, Booker\u2019s, and Baker\u2019s, alongside Jim Beam, Little Book, and Hardin\u2019s Creek, so guests connect favorite bottles to the specific distillery and family behind them. The tour stays hands-on by design, with guests filling a barrel, dumping a barrel, and bottling their own Knob Creek with a thumbprint wax seal instead of watching from behind glass. Seventh-generation master distiller Fred Noe and eighth-generation Freddie Noe are on site many days, signing bottles and hosting Whiskey Wednesday tastings. The American Outpost gift shop also keeps rare and distillery-exclusive bottles available on the shelf without lotteries or timed drops, so any guest can walk in and find something special.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"text-align: center;\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co\/1781204090427-996e188580f7.jpeg\" alt=\"Freddie Noe (8th generation) and Fred Noe (7th generation), master distillers of James B. Beam Distilling Co.\" style=\"max-height: 500px;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption><em>Freddie Noe (8th generation) and Fred Noe (7th generation), master distillers of James B. Beam Distilling Co.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Plan Your Southern Weekend Getaway<\/h2>\n<p>The I-65 corridor from Nashville into Kentucky delivers one of the South\u2019s great weekend drives, with small towns, cave systems, horse farms, and bourbon heritage all within three hours of Music City. Among all the stops on this list, James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont offers the most complete bourbon story, with 230 years of family history, the world\u2019s #1 bourbon, five tastings woven into a 75-minute hands-on tour, and a full-service restaurant to close the day. Come as friends, leave as family.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/james-b-beam-distillery-tour\/book-a-tour#id=beam-made-bourbon-distillery-tour-tasting-clermont\" target=\"_blank\">Reserve your Beam Made Bourbon Tour &amp; Tasting<\/a> and start planning your southern weekend getaway today.<\/p>\n<hr data-disclaimer-divider=\"true\">\n<div data-disclaimer-footer=\"true\">\n<p data-disclaimer-id=\"28\" data-disclaimer-type=\"fixed\">This article is promotional content of James B. Beam Distilling Co. Please practice responsible drinking.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Explore top southern weekend getaways near Nashville. James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont, KY is a must-stop bourbon experience. Plan your trip!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":489,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=490"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/490\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/489"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beamdistilling.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}