By Rachel Nix, Building Kentucky
Travel expert Samantha Brown is known for seeking out lesser-known gems on her PBS TV show “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love” – and she found plenty to love about Kentucky.
For more than 20 years, Brown has traveled the world in search of new and exciting experiences. The award-winning host won an Emmy for Outstanding Travel/Adventure Program and an Emmy for Outstanding Host for the show in 2019.
Where did Samantha Brown go in Kentucky?
Here’s a recap of the spots featured on Brown’s latest trip to Louisville and Bourbon Country for the new episode, which aired in January 2022.
Buffalo Trace Distillery
Located in Frankfort, Buffalo Trace Distillery is the oldest continuously operating distillery in the country. The legendary distillery is where Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, E. H. Taylor, Jr., Van Winkle, George T. Staff, Blanton’s, and W.L. Weller bourbons are made, among other well-known brands. Several tour options are available to the public to explore how bourbon is made through behind-the-scene experiences.
Learn more about tours and more at Buffalo Trace Distillery: https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/.
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest
In 1929, Isaac W. Bernheim bought and endowed the land that would become Bernheim Forest. This stunning 16,000+ acres of land in Clermont, Kentucky is filled with natural spaces to explore infused with art. A popular newer attraction came in 2019 when Danish artist Thomas Dambo constructed three giant sculptures using recycled wood from the region known as the Forest Giants.
Learn more about visiting Bernheim Forest including how to see the Forest Giants: https://bernheim.org/.
Stoneware & Co.
In Louisville, Stoneware & Co. offers an immersive art experience for lovers of pottery. This stoneware factory, which was the first of its kind in Louisville more than 200 years ago, offers factory tours and paint your own pottery options.
Learn more about tours of Stoneware & Co.: https://www.stonewareandco.com.
Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm
Kentucky has long been known for its horse racing industry and the Kentucky Derby – but where do racehorses go when they’re finished racing? Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky was founded in 2003 to create a safe and welcoming space for rescued and retired horses.
Learn more about tours of Old Friends and Derby, Preakness and Breeders’ Cup-winning racehorses currently living there: https://www.oldfriendsequine.org/.
Bardstown Bourbon Company
One of the newest stops on her tour of Kentucky was Bardstown Bourbon Company, a distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. The distillery produces bourbon, whiskey and rye with a more modern take on the distillery tour experience.
Learn more about tours and tastings at Bardstown Bourbon Company: https://www.bardstownbourbon.com/.
The Muhammad Ali Center
Louisville-born Muhammad Ali is one of the best-known Kentuckians. The “greatest of all time” boxer’s life is honored at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky. This interactive museum celebrates Ali’s boxing career and his humanitarian efforts.
Learn more about tours of the Muhammad Ali Center and its exhibits: https://alicenter.org/.
How to watch the episode
Find it on your local PBS station, visit PBS.org or watch “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love” for a visit to Louisville and Bourbon Country, Kentucky below.
