24 Hours in Frankfort

Visited October 2024

I love adventures, so when my husband asked if I wanted to join him on a quick business trip to Kentucky, I said YES! During the last several years, I have been traveling with him on business trips, our “bleisure” trips. My daughter shared this portmanteau in 2019 while working in the travel and tourism industry. Bleisure is a portmanteau of the words “business” and “leisure” and combines work and leisure activities on a trip.

Frankfort is the capital of Kentucky, with a population of just under 30,000. It is positioned between Lousiville and Lexington on the shores of the Kentucky River. It was my first visit to Frankfort, and what a gem this town is. Southern charm and hospitality are at their best.

We stayed at the St Clair Hotel in the historic downtown area. This boutique short-term rental concept hotel and the Howser Tavern and Speakeasy have recently been brought back to life, adding to the culture and history of downtown Frankfort. Downtown, you’ll find red brick streets, with a few buildings over 150 years old, filled with modern boutique shops, restaurants, and galleries.

Our morning started with delightful coffee and Pastries from Engine House Coffee, across the street from The St Clair Hotel. It was a problematic deciding which to choose, considering B's Bakery was around the corner, and a short drive away was Andy's Artisian Bread or Poppys Bakery. Which all have outstanding reviews.

Somehow, I talked my husband into walking to our next destination. A lovely trail along the Kentucky River brought us to Buffalo Trace Distillery, the oldest operating distillery in America, which has been making bourbon for over 200 years.

When we talk about Kentucky, we have to talk about bourbon. I was shocked that 95% of the world's bourbon is made in Kentucky. Another fun fact is that there are more bourbon barrels than people In Kentucky. Five distilleries in Frankfort are found on the Bourbon Trail. All are close to one another and offer unique bourbon experiences.

Buffalo Trace offers complimentary tours and tastings; reservations are recommended. It is family-friendly, has a playground for the littles, lunch options, and a terrific gift shop you will want to check out.

Luckily, on our walk, I spotted the Locals Food Hub and Pizza Pub, a perfect place to stop for lunch on our way back to the hotel. They source locally, nutrient-rich foods directly from the farmers to their local community, including farm-fresh veggies, pasture-raised meats, and hand-crafted products.

Everything on their menu sounded delicious. We chose one of the wood-fired pizzas with a crust made from sour dough, and it definitely landed in my top three all-time pizza favorites. Local beers, wine, filtered water and health drinks were also available.

My day has been full of eating and walking, and now it was time for shopping, and I love a good bookstore.

Poor Richards Books was an amazing experience. It is home to thousands of books and is across from the Old Capital Building downtown. Two floors of new and used books.

At the Kentucky Flower Market, you'll find local growers and local flowers in one shop. The selection is beautiful and the prices are great. They are a member of rooted farmers growing together. Unfortunately I couldn't fit the plants in my suitcase. Although I did spend some time in a few boutiques and luckily I had enough room in my suitcase.

We enjoyed dinner at Serafini, an Italian restaurant near the hotel. It was a lovely restaurant with delicious food. Ending our night at the Speakeasy located in the lower level of the St Clair Hotel.

My 24 hours in Frankfort was a delightful experience. Hopefully we will have the opportunity to visit again and I would revisit everything I shared, and add a few things to my itinerary:

Burial Site of Daniel Boone

Add another Bourbon Experience

Tour the Kentucky State Capital and Old State Capital

Frankfort Public Art Tour

My favorite thing about our visit to Frankfort was the Southern Hospitality. Each person we met in any store, restaurant, or a stranger on the street was full of kindness, compassion and filled with unspeakable joy.