Louisville flavor, bluegrass roads & horse country
This is leg 2 of 2, the final leg.
Travel leg · Kentucky Bourbon Country
Bardstown to Lexington
Bardstown and Lexington sit about 88 km (55 mi) apart in a straight line, with Lexington to the east. It is leg 2 of 2 on our Kentucky Bourbon Country itinerary, a 5-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 88 km · 55 mi
- Est. road distance
- 106–124 km
- Est. drive time
- 1 h 15 min – 2 h 30 min
- Direction
- Heading east
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Kentucky Bourbon Country itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 106–124 km (66–77 mi) of road and 1 h 15 min – 2 h 30 min behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
You will need a car, or a designated driver, to link the three stops and reach the distilleries and farms outside town. Louisville, Bardstown's center and Lexington's downtown are each walkable once you park.
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends.
When you arrive in Lexington
Spend two days for horse farms, Keeneland and nearby Woodford Reserve and Buffalo Trace.
Keeneland
Historic racetrack; watch morning workouts and eat at the Track Kitchen.
Old Friends Equine
Retirement farm for Thoroughbreds, including famous racehorses; guided tours.
Woodford Reserve Distillery
Stone distillery among horse farms with copper pot stills.
Wallace Station Deli & Bakery
Country store deli on Old Frankfort Pike among horse farms.
Kentucky Horse Park
Working horse farm and museum with the International Museum of the Horse.
Buffalo Trace Distillery
Frankfort distillery with free tours and tastings.
Before you leave Bardstown
Give it a full day with a designated driver: two or three distillery tours and dinner downtown.
On this curated route
Where Bardstown → Lexington sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Lexington to Bardstown is the same 88 km in a straight line, heading west. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Weather at each end
Average daytime highs at both ends stay within 1°C of each other all year, so you can pack the same way for both.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bardstown high | 4° | 7° | 13° | 19° | 24° | 28° | 30° | 30° | 27° | 20° | 13° | 7° |
| Lexington high | 4° | 6° | 12° | 19° | 23° | 27° | 30° | 30° | 27° | 20° | 12° | 6° |
| Bardstown rain | 86 | 96 | 112 | 134 | 138 | 110 | 122 | 88 | 96 | 111 | 98 | 114 |
| Lexington rain | 81 | 93 | 102 | 121 | 129 | 107 | 127 | 88 | 90 | 99 | 87 | 107 |
Temperatures in °C, rain in mm per month. Long-term monthly averages from NASA POWER satellite climatology — a guide to typical conditions, not a forecast. Month headings link to Lexington month guides.
Bardstown to Lexington: questions travelers ask
How far is Bardstown from Lexington?
Bardstown is about 88 km (55 mi) from Lexington in a straight line, with Lexington to the east. By road, we estimate 106–124 km (66–77 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from Bardstown to Lexington?
An estimated 1 h 15 min – 2 h 30 min, assuming 106–124 km of road at average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
Which itineraries include the trip from Bardstown to Lexington?
Our Kentucky Bourbon Country itinerary includes this leg. Kentucky Bourbon Country runs about 5 days across 3 stops, best in Apr – Oct.
Getting to Bardstown
- Louisville to Bardstown 56 km
Guides for both ends
- Bardstown travel guide
- Bardstown weather best time to visit
- Lexington travel guide
- Lexington weather best time to visit
Lexington by month
Plan Bardstown → Lexington with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.