Take your time to tour, dine, shop and stay a while.

It’s an 11-mile ribbon of rural Kentucky road, a section of KY 49, that will only take you about 16 minutes of drive time from Loretto to Lebanon. The latter is near the geographical center of Kentucky – The Heart of Kentucky.

At one end of the trail: World-famous Maker’s Mark, a hot ticket item on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and a world-class distillery tour destination that includes dining and shopping.

In the middle of the trail: Limestone Branch Distillery, home of world-famous Yellowstone bourbon, and one of the top-rated stops on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour.

Just beyond Limestone is the massive home of Pernod Ricard, the world’s second largest wine and spirit company. Under construction now and expected to open in 2024, it’ll be the home of the fast-growing Jefferson’s Bourbon.

At the other end of the Marion County Trail in Lebanon is Kentucky Cooperage, the sprawling plant where the thriving bourbon industry’s barrels are hand built and seared with fire for bourbon aging flavor. Kentucky Cooperage is one of the few places in the nation with official tours where you can see, first hand, where bourbon barrels are made.

Wrapped around Kentucky Cooperage is Lebanon, the home of wonderful dining opportunities that range from home cooked to chef-driven; unique shopping opportunities; nowhere-else-to-be-found murals for your selfies; and overnight accommodations that range from traditional to bed and breakfast to bourbon-themed.