Side Trips for the Bonnaroo Bound: Jack Daniels Distillery

At four days, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is entire vacation unto itself. But if you have the time before or after the festival, the southern middle Tennessee area offers a number of interesting side trips and attractions within easy driving distance of Manchester.

If you're a fan of alcoholic beverages and are interested in how they are made, you will definitely want to check out the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg. Located only 20 miles from Bonnaroo, it is a quick and entertaining side trip.

The Jack Daniels Distillery is easily the most well known and largest distillery in the State of Tennessee. Its internationally recognized name has made Lynchburg a popular destination for tourists visiting Tennessee. The guided tour of the Jack Daniels Distillery is free and lasts approximately an hour and a half.

The walking tour begins with a movie that explains some of the history of the Jack Daniels Distillery and of Jack Daniels himself. From there, you will meet up with your tour guide who will take you on a walking tour of the grounds. Here you will get to see every step of distilling process, from making the charcoal that gives Tennessee whiskey its distinctive flavor to the fermentation to the barrel aging, to the bottling.

The tour guides are extremely knowledgeable and engaging, answering questions from the visitors and sharing humorous stories about the exploits of Jack Daniels the man. The tour is kept extremely family friendly and is appropriate for children of all ages. While there is some uphill walking involved, the tour moves slowly enough for all but the most physically limited to participate in.

After the distillery tour is over, be sure to take the short walk to the town square where a number of shops offer Jack Daniels related merchandise. These include shot glasses, home made candies and cakes using Jack Daniels Whiskey as an ingredient, and even hand crafted furniture made from the oak barrels used to age Jack Daniels. Just don't expect to sample the signature product. Moore County is a dry county. With the exception of some small and very expensive souvenir bottles, no alcohol of any sort can be sold in Lynchburg.

If you're in need of a snack at the end of your tour, be sure to stop by the Elk River Coffee Company for a cup of coffee and a sweet treat that will beat any Starbucks creation. If you need more substantive fare, head over to Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House for a family-style country dinner that has won national recognition. Just be sure to call ahead for reservations. Miss Mary Bobo's fills up weeks in advance.

Jack Daniels Distillery
Location:
182 Lynchburg Hwy
Lynchburg, Tn. 37352

Hours of Operation:
9:00AM-4:30PM 7 days a week

Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House
Phone: 931-759-7394

Elk River Coffee Company
Location:
12 Short St
Lynchburg, TN 37352
931-759-5552

Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday: 7am - 9pm
Saturday: 8am - 9pm