Bluegrass to Pennyroyal (page 2 of 5)

Points 4-6

4. Danville
In Danville, a short jaunt down Rte. 127, you'll find the state's first college, first log post office, and first law school -- hence the sobriquet City of Firsts. West of town Kentucky's bloodiest battle in the entire Civil War unfolded on a hot autumn day in 1862, when thirsty Confederate troops came across Union soldiers who were guarding a nearly dry creek. Cannonfire and screams filled the air as 40,000 men played out a gory battle that, when the smoke cleared, left some 7,500 dead and marked a fatal loss of initiative for the South. A trail winds across the battlefield (now a serene parkland), and a museum showcases rifles, cannons, musket balls, uniforms, canteens, and other Civil War memorabilia.

5. Springfield
The drive rolls west on Rte. 150, past fields of hay and corn and farmhouse gardens overflowing with lilies, and jogs into the handsome village of Springfield. Southwest of Springfield, a scenic detour via Rtes. 152 and 49 passes through picturesque fields to the village of Loretto. Here a cluster of rustic red-shuttered buildings perched along the banks of a stream comprise the family-run Maker's Mark Distillery. For nearly two centuries it has made some of the finest, smoothest bourbon in the world. Inside the stillhouse, where the pungent smell of sour mash fills the air, you can dip your finger into the cypress vat and taste the bubbling brew, then watch as the copper still transforms the mix into bourbon. Local law forbids sampling the finished product, though other tippling opportunities abound at the many inns that line the streets of Bardstown, the next stop on the drive, located in a nearby "wet" county.

6. Bardstown
Visiting Bardstown on a tour of the Western Frontier in 1797, the French king Louis Philippe found a city replete with elegant homes, posh inns, and reputable learning institutions -- a description that still rings true. In 1852, composer Stephen Foster vacationed with his relatives at Federal Hill, a gracious plantation house that inspired him to write the ballad "My Old Kentucky Home." Today visitors are guided by women in hoop skirts who call attention to priceless heirlooms, rare old portraits -- and the patriotism of Foster's uncle. The mansion's ceilings are 13 feet high, its brick walls are 13 inches thick, and each flight of stairs has 13 steps -- all in zealous tribute to the numerical count of America's original states.

Before heading south on Rte. 31E, explore the charming downtown district, where you'll find weathered brick houses on tree-shaded streets, the first cathedral built west of the Alleghenies (it was dedicated in 1819), and the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History.

• • Road Trips

• Blue Ridge Parkway
• Soaring to the crests of the ancient Appalachians, America's longest scenic drive entices travelers with views of misty mountains and verdant valleys that have scarcely changed since the days of Daniel Boone.
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• Skyline Drive
• Weaving through Shenandoah National Park, the Skyline Drive is one of the loveliest roads in America.
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• Lookout Mountain Parkway
• On a clear day you may not be able to see forever, but you can come mighty close from the summit of Lookout Mountain, where panoramic vistas overlook seven states.
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• North Georgia Highroads
• Just a short hop from the gleaming glass towers of Atlanta lies a mountainous getaway little touched by any but nature's hand.
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• James River Plantations
• Some of time's finest treasures can be found along this drive, which starts in the modern city of Richmond, passes centuries-old plantations, then ends in one of the places where America began.
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• More Great Road Trips!
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