The Deep South is a fascinating corner of the US to explore as part of a small group, and one place that's bound to be on your itinerary is the Jack Daniel's distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. The town might be small, but I think it's well worth stopping off at.

Photo by  Kranar Drogin

You'll more than likely pass through Lynchburg on your way to Nashville from Atlanta, so if the distillery is somewhere you've always wanted to go, make sure it's on the itinerary of the small group tour around America you book.

Below are five of the highlights of booking an excursion around this top attraction.

1. It's informative

I love being taken around places of interest by a tour guide, as I like to come away from an attraction with more knowledge so I can tell my friends and family back home all about it. At the Jack Daniel's distillery, you'll have the benefit of an experienced guide on hand to tell you about the history of the brand.

2. You walk around outdoors

I'm not one for staying in one room while someone talks at me for ages, and the tour around the whiskey hub takes you around different parts of the distillery, as well as outdoors. This means you're not stood still for long periods of time, so you truly feel as though you're seeing a wide range of things.

I'd definitely recommend you wear comfy flat shoes, just so you don't struggle on any uneven terrain that might be around. With the tours lasting for more than an hour, you don't want to have to sit down because your feet ache!

3. You can sample the whiskey

In the past, the tour focused just on the history of the brand and how the drink is made, but it's since been revamped
to allow you to enjoy some samples. This is well worth upgrading to, especially if you're a fan of the beverage and would like to try some of it on the very site which it's made.

One fact I always find surprising is that Moore County, which Lynchburg is part of, has been a dry county since the Prohibition, so you can't actually buy any bottles of the drink while here! This makes sampling the whiskey onsite even more of a good idea!

4. You can pick up souvenirs

While the distillery itself doesn't sell merchandise, you'll find brand-related gifts in the Lynchburg Hardware and General Store in the town centre. This is the place to come to if you have a Jack Daniel's-mad friend or family member who's asked you to pick up a present for them - or you could simply want to buy a souvenir to remind you of your time here.

5. There's plenty of dining options

An integral part of any of my holidays is trying local cuisine, and the food of the Deep South is famous across the States and beyond for being warming and filling. After spending a large proportion of time outside exploring the distillery, you might be glad of the chance to sit down and tuck in.

One of the most famous eateries in Lynchburg is Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House Restaurant, which has been running for 100 years and is where Mr Jack Daniel used to come and eat delicious home-cooked meals.