Hermitage Farm – an Oldham Farm Tour

The Historic Hermitage Farm in Oldham County, KY

20 minutes from downtown Louisville

A visit to Kentucky means a tour of Hermitage Farm with dinner and bourbon at Barn8 Restaurant

Oldham County, Kentucky is located 20 minutes from downtown Louisville on I-71 and is the Farm Tour Capital of Kentucky with 15 farms offering tours. You will find 15 immersive farm tours come alive April – November and account for 40,000+ visitors to Oldham County. Some farms offer tours throughout the year by request and are weather dependent.

For our  “All Things Kentucky” Tour Package (available Wed. – Sun.), including lunch and bourbon tasting, be sure to check out our Oldham Day Tour or Afternoon Tour Packages under Horse Farm Tours & Packages below! Come enjoy a true Kentucky thoroughbred tour and bourbon experience, complete with farm-to-table lunch or dinner dining year round! Sorry! All tours are SOLD OUT for the week of the 2024 Kentucky Derby!

Hermitage Farm celebrates Kentucky’s unique heritage and the signature industries that make us a place like nowhere else. Experience their renowned thoroughbred horse operations, sustainable, organic farm-to-table restaurant, bourbon bar and mint julep experience, and contemporary art throughout — a 19th-century estate re-imagined through 21st-century eyes.

Groups of 8+, please contact the Oldham Tourism Office for FREE assistance with planning your outing!  

Group Tour Info Request

Hermitage Day Tour Package (Wednesday – Sunday)     Choose:  MORNING  11am – 2:15pm  |  AFTERNOON  1pm – 4pm   Includes garden & sustainability tour among the gardens and greenhouse, horse tour, farm fresh picnic style lunch from Barn8, a Kentucky bourbon tasting, visit the sport horse barn to pet and take photos with the horses. The farm tour continues with the history and legacy of thoroughbreds in Kentucky and specifically at Hermitage.  $79  adults  |  $49  kids 6-12  |   FREE  Kids 5 & under  This Farm Tour is already SOLD OUT for the 2024 Kentucky Derby Week.

Horse Farm Tour Only (Wednesday – Sunday)  Experience a closer look at the inner workings of a fully operational Thoroughbred horse farm! Our tours guide you through Hermitage Farm’s illustrious history in the equine industry. See our historic and competition carriages on display, and meet the highly-trained horses who pull them in competitions around the world. The tour is between 50 and 60 minutes long and involves approximately 0.5 miles of walking.    $25 adult  This Farm Tour is already SOLD OUT for the 2024 Kentucky Derby Week.

ArtWalk Light Experience: Wednesday – Sunday  DUSK – 10pm (regardless of time on ticket).   Walk through the most beautiful and immersive art installation Kentucky has to offer. Each night, after the sun sets, the woods behind Barn8 come alive. Over 1,500 feet of boardwalk weave alongside a creek as intricate projections illuminate the surrounding landscape. Tickets are available online or in-person at Barn8 restaurant.   $10pp

Barn8 Restaurant at Hermitage (Wednesday – Sunday Dinner) is a fresh, modern take on farm-to-table dinner dining. Originally building #8 of Hermitage Farm’s historic horse stables, this innovative and delightful venue treats guests to sumptuous Kentucky flavors, all carefully composed from on-site gardens, greenhouses, as well as their bison farm across the street. This unique southern experience is truly food-forward.

Barn8 Picnic Lunch: Wednesday – Saturday  11am – 3pm pickup. Try a gourmet picnic lunch prepared fresh daily by Barn8 Restaurant using local ingredients! Your lunch will include a sandwich or wrap, one side, one pastry, and your choice of cold bottled beverage. Must be ordered at least 48 hours in advance.  $20 per person.

Bourbon Tasting Experience:   Wednesday – Sunday. Held in the NEW Barn6 Speakeasy, their guided tastings are enjoyable for bourbon connoisseurs and novices alike. Join our delightful bourbon stewards in learning about Kentucky’s rich bourbon heritage, all while enjoying flights of select bourbons, and crafting your own delicious cocktails. Classic Tasting flight consists of recognizable products that feature the best of what Kentucky has to offer, while our Signature Tasting is comprised of unique single barrel selects and private releases chosen by our staff that you won’t taste anywhere else.  $29 Classic & $59 Signature

*While in Oldham County, check out our  Craft Distillery, home of Jefferson’s bourbons.

Build Your Own Old Fashioned Experience:   Friday – Saturday by Reservation. Learn to craft your very own signature Old Fashioned as our instructors unfold the tasty tale of the drink’s origin. Use ingredients sourced directly from our farm to create your own personal spin on the most iconic bourbon cocktail. This is choose your own adventure scenario — but the ending is always delicious.  $39 adults

In 1936, legendary horse breeder Warner Jones took over Hermitage Farm and started raising winners of the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, Breeder’s Cup, and more than 200 stakes races. We continue to operate boarding facilities and a post-operative recuperation center as well as other services. Owners looking for a controlled environment where their horses can thrive are welcome here. Visitors to Hermitage Farm can see the daily workings of a legendary thoroughbred operation. Schedule a tour to see what makes our farm world-famous.

The Winners’ Circle. Hermitage Farm has produced winners for over 80 years. One of our best-known champions was Dark Star, who defeated Native Dancer in the 1953 Kentucky Derby. We’ve also foaled more recent champions, including Jack Sullivan, C.S. Silk, and the Bob Baffert-trained West Coast.

Carriage Driving at Hermitage Farm. Carriage Driving is one of our passions. A competitive form of harness horse driving, CDE drivers complete three tests of great skill: Dressage, Marathon, and Obstacle Driving. Hermitage Farm co-owner Steve Wilson is a four-time USEF Pair Champion and founded the Kentucky Classic in 2010.

The Kentucky Classic Event. Hermitage Farm hosts one of the premier Combined Driving Event competitions in the US: the three-day Kentucky Classic Combined Driving Eventing Competition and Family Festival, featuring competitors from around the world.

The Greenhouse (up to 56 seated, 200 standing)

Our state of the art Greenhouse could be the perfect venue for your next social reception or company dinner. With two accessible chambers, the Citrus Room and the Living Wall Room, this modern and innovative structure holds the capacity for a dinner of up to 50 seated guests—or as many as 200 guests standing.

The Stud Barn (up to 60 seated, 90 standing)

The newly renovated Stud Barn allows for a more intimate event experience. Complete with an outdoor patio, not only does the Stud Barn house our carriage driving horses, but it also serves as our very own carriage museum. Featuring customized leather tack and a trophy room containing awards and commemorations from Hermitage Farm’s illustrious racing history, this venue provides the ideal setting for events with a uniquely earthy and equestrian atmosphere.

The Main House (up to 200)

The historic Main House, originally built in 1835, serves as a luxurious accommodation for any special occasion. This charming, history-preserving home offers a picturesque backdrop for wedding ceremonies and an intimate interior for receptions or corporate retreats. With lavishly decorated rooms that exhibit an impressive collection of contemporary art, as an event space the Main House offers the perfect blend of historic elegance and modern conveniences–including overnight accommodations for up to 14 guests. For lodgings of a smaller size, we also offer our cozy Smokehouse with accommodations of up to 4 guests, located in the backyard of the Main House.

The Hayloft (up to 175)

Located on the second floor of Barn8 Restaurant, this space features the unique texture of its original, rustic character, and a breathtaking overlook of the surrounding greenery. Including a floor-to-ceiling bourbon barrel rick, radiant globe lights, lush draperies, and some other artistic focal points, not only is the Hayloft a perfect location for weddings and celebrations, but corporate events as well, thanks to our built-in, audio-visual technology. Rental includes tables, chairs, linens, and all serviceware.

The Paddock & Patio (outdoors up to 700)

Located behind the stately Main House, the limestone Patio offers a charming courtyard setting for tented or open-aired gatherings of up to 200 seated or 400 standing guests. For wedding parties looking for a larger venue, our expansive Paddock offers a true farmland experience. Adjacent to the Main House, the Paddock can accommodate 500 seated or 700 standing guests, with the chance to dine amongst pin oak trees, iconic black plank fences, and the lush scenery of the Bluegrass State’s rolling pastures.

Hermitage Farm requires a ticket if not taking a tour or enjoying dinner. Tickets may be purchased online in advance or at the gate. Guests may count the price of General Admission towards any specialty tour ticket price.

Adults: $15    Youth (13-17): $13     Child (6-12): $11, Under 5: Free

Group Tours: Discounted tour pricing is available for motorcoach tours through the Oldham Tourism office. CONTACT US for more information. For more Group Tour ideas, visit our Groups page. For groups of 10+, contact the Oldham KY Tourism office for COMPLIMENTARY ASSISTANCE with your entire group itinerary in Oldham County!