THE DRAW The 134th Kentucky Derby takes place May 3 in Louisville, and while you're probably not interested in the stodgy Churchill Downs grandstand, the infield will quell your thirst for adventure: This debauched mud pit, full of fruit hurlers and flashers, inspired Hunter S. Thompson's first foray into gonzo prose (tickets, $40; kentuckyderby.com).

THE DRINK While worthy single-barrel bourbons like Elmer T. Lee's are all the rage with booze aficionados, we have a soft spot for Maker's Mark, the bourbon that first slaked our thirst when we were 21-ish. The reason is simple: Because Maker's uses wheat instead of the traditional rye, it has a softer, sweeter taste.

THE RECOVERY Sleep and drink at the Old Talbott Tavern, 20 miles from Maker's Bardstown distillery (from $78; talbotts.com).