Hermitage Farm is known for raising thoroughbred horses, but it is also quite the tourist destination. Apart from producing winners of the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, and Breeder’s Cup, they offer tours that walk you through the sport’s history and give you a close look at some future champions. A getaway there offers everything from thoroughbred tours, farm-to-table cuisine, bourbon tastings, an outdoor art walk, and more. Located just 20 minutes outside of downtown Louisville, it is the perfect addition to any visit to the area.
We recently had the opportunity to visit for an overnight getaway, and we had such a great time! We made sure to check out a variety of what Hermitage Farm has to offer including a stay at the main house, a tour, bourbon tasting in the barn, and dinner at their on-site restaurant.
Hermitage Farm Getaway
Accommodations
Hermitage Farm offers a variety of options for a unique stay, all while surrounded by contemporary artwork and classic period details from the 1800s. The Main House and adjacent Smokehouse are available for overnight stays year-round. We ended up staying in the Main House during our visit which has 5 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, 2 half bathrooms, and can sleep up to 14 guests. I can definitely see why this place is the perfect space for large family gatherings, bridal parties, and more. It was really convenient to be so close for our tour, tasting, and dinner at the Barn8 Restaurant!
Thoroughbred Tour
The first thing we did after getting all checked in was the Hermitage Horse Tour, and it did not disappoint! We got to experience a closer look at the inner workings of their fully operational thoroughbred horse farm, see some of the horses, learn about the history, and even see some historic and competition carriages. They even have a carriage on-site that was used in the movie Gone with the Wind.
Whiskey Tasting
Next up on our itinerary was the Bourbon Tasting Experience. We got to learn about Kentucky’s rich bourbon heritage while enjoying flights of specially selected bourbons in Hermitage Farm’s Barn6 Speakeasy. There were even horses in there with us, and we were able to pet them and feed them peppermints, which definitely made this my favorite part!
Dinner at Barn8 Restaurant
We finished our busy day with dinner at Hermitage Farm’s on-site restaurant. Barn8 Restaurant offers a menu full of seasonal selections created from produce grown on the farm, as well as other locally sourced and farm-raised products. They offer a variety of cocktails, beer, wine snd bourbon, of course. Our favorite cocktails were the Spill the Beans and the Ants on a Log. For appetizers, our waitress recommended the Cast Iron Cornbread and the Grilled Carrots, which were fantastic! I could almost eat those carrots as my meal-they were that good. For dinner, we had the Frondosa Farms Mushroom Stroganoff and the Groce Family Farm Pork Chop. I loved how everything is farm-to-table here!
Overall, we had a great getaway to Hermitage Farm! For more information on booking your own, visit: https://www.hermitagefarm.com/
It was great spending time with you and Austin today in the Short North tour. Appreciated your insight
Amazing photos! It’s impossible not to want to visit this place, especially if you can’t live without horses. I marked this place, thanks for sharing!