Road Trip 2014

Typically, I am hesitant to agree to any sort of road trip. Sitting in the car on an empty expressway for fifteen hours sounds like more of a daily commute in Atlanta than an exciting vacation, but this time I agreed. I agreed because the idea of seeing a few distilleries, a couple of great cities, and a giant cave sounded too great to pass up. You can see all the photos of our trip here.

Atlanta, GA -> Jack Daniels Distillery, Lynchburg, TN -> Nashvile, TN -> Mammoth Cave, KY -> Makers Mark Distillery, Loretto, KY -> Chattanooga, TN -> Atlanta, GA

Jack Daniels Distillery offers a free tour or a tasting tour for $12. Even if you dislike whiskey I suggest the tasting tour. It's a great way to sound like an expert next time you're at a networking event and your boss loves whiskey.

It is an hour and a half drive from Jack Daniels Distillery to Nashville, TN. Nashville if famous for great live music and Southern cooking. It is easy to take advantage of both. There is also a "dueling piano" bar with a few very talented musicians. I suggest you stay the night in Nashville because it is the last bit of civilization for the rest of the trip.

The drive from Nashville, TN to Mammoth Cave is pretty barren. My cell phone didn't have service most of the time and even my GPS until got lost. The good news is that Mammoth Cave is beautiful and a guided tour is only about $10. As it turns out, Kentucky has the biggest cave system in the United States.

The last stop before you turn around is Markers Mark Distillery in Loretto, KY. This place is almost impossible to find and there is no direct route. Luckily, the route is mostly back roads with beautiful rolling hills and Kentucky farmland. The tasting tour at Makers Mark is very classy and the gift shop is probably the best I've seen. You can dip your own bottle of Makers Mark in the classic red wax for $20 (whisky included).

The drive back to Atlanta is around seven hours so we decided to spend the night in Chattanooga, TN on the way back. Chattanooga is a great family town, but also has a decent selection of bars and restaurants. There is also some great hiking and camping in the area if you feel so inclined. The drive back to Atlanta from Chattanooga, TN is about an hour and a half.