Bourbon Festival on a Budget

Bourbon Festival on a Budget

The Bourbon Festival in Bardstown, Ky is one of the easiest festivals to enjoy on a budget.   Although it is a small festival, they manage to acquire big name bands for their free concerts each night.  Take the whole family, or go with a group of friends.  Either way, there is something fun for everyone.

The Bourbon Festival occurs each year in September.  Bardstown, Ky is only a few miles from the main interstate, I-65, which runs north and south thru the state of Kentucky.  Bardstown is only a few miles from the largest city in Kentucky, Louisville.

If you arrive in the evening, begin your Bardstown Bourbon Festival adventure, by strolling thru the city streets admiring the festival window displays.  The storefront owners in this small town create an ambiance with their pride of being the Bourbon Capitol of the world.  From jewelry stores to drug stores, they each participate in a competition that seems to be an award worth winning.

However, if you happen to arrive in the morning or afternoon, you can stroll the streets as well, and admire the old town feel of this small city.  The buildings date back to before the Civil War.  There are historical markers pointing out the dates and locations that Confederate and Union armies were in the city.  Keep in mind, Kentucky was a neutral state.

While you are in the area, be sure and visit one or more of the bourbon distilleries. Quick Note:  In order to be a bourbon, a whiskey must have all of the following attributes: 
American made
Barrel must be new, charred and Oak
A minimum of 51% of the mash bill must be made of corn
It must be distilled at or below 160 proof
Entry into the barrel must be 125 proof or lower
Filled in the bottle - Must be 80 proof or higher
Nothing can be added to the bourbon, except Bourbon

The closest 3 distilleries, to Bardstown, Ky are Jim Beam, Heaven Hill and Maker’s Mark.  They all offer a free tour and also free sampling.  Obviously, this is for the adults in your party, but keep in mind the Jim Beam distillery is an excellent site to see, even from a distance.  Take note, while you are there, of the Baptist Church, which appears to be planted just in between two of Jim Beam’s warehouses.  Coincidence? Maybe.

For the kids, while you are at the Bourbon Festival, you will find a dunking booth which is as much fun to watch as it is to participate.  The layout of the festival is wrapped around the city building, with stacks of straw here and there to sit and rest.  Also, free for the kids a football throwing contest and free rock climbing sponsored by the U.S. Army.  And you mustn’t forget to see the World Championship Barrel Competitions on Saturday!

The festival provides free music every night.  Also, free on my trip this year, I received a free can coolie, a free stitched blue horse (representing the BlueGrass state with a story behind it), a free postcard to send to my mother, and a free Bourbon Country coaster. 

Find the cheapest booth for snacks and soda, or bring a picnic for you and the kids and you have yourself one excellent, cheap if not free, vacation.

Blind Hotel Purchasing

If you are looking to get the best deal on a hotel, it is a good idea to go with the blind hotel purchase. This is where you make the purchase, before you see the name of the hotel.

If you read the site just right, you will most likely be able to guess within a couple of hotels which one you are going to end up purchasing.

The best way to do this, go to the web site and check out both the blind hotel purchase page and also the page where you get to see the name of the hotel. Look at the number of stars, the location and the rate of the hotel. If the blind page says it's 50% off at $42 and a 2-1/2 star hotel, go to the brand page and look for a hotel that is priced at $84 and is also a 2-1/2 star hotel.

Simple as that. 8)

May all your travels be, lots of fun and mostly free!

Budget Travel to Charleston, South Carolina

If you are thinking of traveling to Charleston, South Carolina but not quite sure if you can afford it. Consider some of the fun things to do for free. My theory is that you can travel to any city on any budget, if you just set your mind to it.

Check out Budget Travel - Charleston, SC.

How to Travel to the Albuquerque and Santa Fe area on a Budget

Santa Fe is the oldest continually capital city in the United States, while Albuquerque is New Mexico's oldest city.

Planning a trip to Albuquerque? Make sure you stop and see Albuquerque's Old Town, which is the town's oldest neighborhood.

While you are traveling to the Albuquerque and Santa Fe area, you won't want to miss the art shows of Taos Pueblo and some of the other pueblos in the vicinity. The art shows continue year round.

You'll also want to read How to Travel to the Albuquerque and Santa Fe Area on a Budget, for more tips on things that are free to see and do.

May all your travels be, lots of fun and mostly free!

My Gulf Coast Vacation

In order to save money on my flight, I decided to fly into Atlanta. There are also a few things that I want to check out while I am there, like the Underground and Stone Mountain.

Next, I will be driving to Montgomery, which is about 160 miles away. There are a number of free things to see and do in Montgomery, but I also want to see the Hank Williams Sr. Museum. There is something in the city of Montgomery for anyone traveling on any budget.

Then, I will head down to the Gulf shores, I considered at first stopping at Gulf Shores, Alabama, however, I will not have enough time to fit that city into this trip. Perhaps next time.

Instead, I will be staying in Mobile, Alabama. There are a number of things to see and do for free when traveling in Mobile. One of the things I want to see is the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion and also the USS Alabama.

The next day I will take a drive along the coast passing through Gulfport, Mississippi and into Biloxi. There I will check out a couple of casino boats, just for the heck of it. But I also want to see the Biloxi Lighthouse, which offers free admission and a few other free attractions.

I really am looking forward to this trip a lot more than I was the trip to Denver, with no regrets in the change of plans.

May all your travels be...lots of fun, and mostly free!

Budget Travel Fort Worth

I have traveled to the Fort Worth/Dallas area twice in my lifetime. Both trips were around Thanksgiving, and I had a blast both times.

On both trips, I stayed in a hotel in Fort Worth. The hotel was nice, clean and very affordable. I would travel to the city again, if there weren't so many other cities I have left to see. Although, I am sure that I will eventually make it back.

The Grapevine area is really great for shopping. I found some of the best deals of my life on "Black Friday", shopping the day after Thanksgiving.

I remembering visiting the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and seeing a stampede in the Fort Worth Stockyards. I also had my picture taken on a real live bull, on both trips.

There are a number of fun things to see and do when traveling to Fort Worth. Check out How to Visit Fort Worth on a Budget.

More Air Travel Tips

It seems there has been a dramatic hike in air travel. Increases this year are averaging $340 per flight. If you are planning to travel later, rather than sooner, it may be a good idea to hold off on purchasing your ticket. Prices will most likely remain the same, or there is a possibility that tickets for air travel may drop.

However, if you are planning a trip around a major event, then now is the time to buy. The likelihood of prices dropping around a worldwide event, like the wedding of the Prince in England, are very unlikely.

If you have time to travel, consider purchasing a Round The World flight ticket. These give great flexibility, and unlimited flight travel for one low price. That is, as long as you continue to travel in the same direction (east or west).

Continue to wait and look for air travel deals. Sign up for newsletters from numerous travel web sites and airlines. They frequently have flight deals to different destination. You may just get lucky enough to have your city on a flight deal ticket.