Minneapolis and St. Paul are really cool cities full of great breweries & Beautiful NaturE.

Twin Cities Tips:

Definitely plan several days to explore—Minneapolis has several distinct neighborhoods to adventure around and then St. Paul is about 20 minutes east with its own downtown to meander.
Visit between May-October unless you love brutal cold and heavy snow!
Planning a Minnesota road trip? Check out my North Shore beer and travel guide here!

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations:

BlackStack Brewing: Killer beers and the nicest people! This is definitely the best brewery in the Twin Cities and a must visit. Located between Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Chain of Lakes: Rent a bike and take a journey around the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway to see Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isles, and Cedar Lake!
- Nice Ride is the name of the city’s public bike share system, they are super convenient and reasonably priced!
Barrel Theory Beer Company: A fantastic brewery in downtown St. Paul making killer beers. The space is small but the vibes are great.
Fair State Brewing Coop: This employee-owned brewery has fantastic beers, particularly their Lagers. They also have pretzels from the bakery next door and a beer garden in the back.
Modist Brewing: This brewery has delicious beers and great vibes. They are located in downtown Minneapolis.
Falling Knife Brewing Company: A fantastic brewery with an IPA-heavy tap list, a small patio and good vibes. Don’t let their industrial strip mall location fool you!
Boom Island Park: Great views of the Minneapolis skyline, especially at sunset!
Fulton Beer: A cool spot to sit outside and enjoy your drink taking in the sights and sounds of the city.
Rise Bagel Co.: I’m a sucker for a good bagel and Rise does not disappoint!
Stay at Hyatt Centric Downtown Minneapolis: This beautiful hotel is right in the heart of the city! Their restaurant is Six 15 and they have great breakfast, dinner and drink options including six local craft beers on tap. They are also dog friendly!

The Classic Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting:

Minnehaha Falls: A nice waterfall and park. It’s not exactly “hiking” it’s more like urban-hiking, but still nice to get into nature. They have a brewery pop-up here sometimes as well.
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden: Home to the famous Spoonbridge and Cherry Sculpture, this is a cool place to meander around and check out some art.
Bell Museum: An awesome museum in St. Paul focused on natural history with a planetarium. Highly recommend!
The Endless Bridge at Guthrie Theater: Touristy, but it’s free so why not? Go to the Guthrie Theater, go up, go outside, take in the views. It is just a quick stop while you’re exploring.
The Bakken Museum: A museum of innovation right off the Chain of Lakes. This is more kid focused than adult, but it is in a cool historic building.

Other ideas:

Dangerous Man Brewing: Solid beer and friendly staff! A bit off the beaten path but worth it.
Waldmann Brewery: A German brewery in St. Paul with restaurant vibes in a converted old house. They have a nice front patio space and good beers and food.
Bad Weather Brewing Company: Solid beers at this popular brewery in St. Paul. Located right next to Waldmann.
Day Block Brewing: Good beer, good food, friendly staff!
Utepils Brewing: Solid beers and you can sit by the river to drink it! Not the best view, but still enjoyable.
Surly Brewing Co.: A massive brewery in Minneapolis. There is a huge outdoor space, an extensive tap list, and food as well.
Dual Citizen Brewing Co.: Good beers, chill warehouse-y vibes.
Inbound BrewCo: Military themed brewery with solid pours.
Pyres Brewing: A nice outdoor patio not far from the river. Large menu of beer & food!
Urban Growler Brewing: All female-owned brewery and restaurant! They are not too far from BlackStack between Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Sociable Cider Werks: Good ciders and usually a food truck onsite as well.
Indeed Brewing Company: Right around the corner from Able, this place has a cool outdoor patio and solid beers.
Bauhaus Brew Labs: A trendy brewery with a large outdoor space and games.
Glam Doll Donuts: Super delicious! Fancy donuts and yummy coffee.
The Freehouse: Restaurant-style brewery with average beers in downtown Minneapolis. Great brunch!
56 Brewing: A solid brewery with a nice outdoor patio and frequent food trucks.
Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative: Just a 5 minute walk from 56 Brewing, this coop has unique beer styles and lots of games.
Clockwerks Brewing: A pretty mediocre brewery in the heart of downtown.

The Best US Cities for Beer Vacations:

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond has a ton of breweries and some that are truly fantastic. Scott’s Addition itself is jam packed with breweries but the rest of RVA has some great beers to offer as well. Highlights here include Triple Crossing, The Veil, The Answer and Tabol for breweries and Mekong for a great beer bar. Check out my Richmond beer and travel guide here.

Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville has long been deemed one of the best beer cities in the country, so it is no surprise that I would agree. This picturesque city is home to some huge breweries like Sierra Nevada, Highland, and New Belgium, but also more localized spots like Burial, Dssolvr, Zillicoah, and New Origin. Don’t miss The Whale for a great beer bar! Check out my Asheville beer and travel guide here.

Denver, Colorado

Of course Denver is on the list. With superb breweries like Cerebral, Bierstadt, Our Mutual Friend, and TRVE it’s hard to beat the brew scene here. Pair that with everything else the city has to offer and the surrounding scenery and you’re absolutely in for a good time. Check out my Colorado beer and travel guide here.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

As a Michigander this addition should be no surprise, but it’s not just me and my home state biases—Grand Rapids is constantly in the running for any “beer city” competition. Don’t miss Speciation Artisan Ales, Arvon, and City Built for breweries and for Seven Monks for a beer bar. The city is exploding with breweries to explore. Check out my Grand Rapids beer and travel guide here.

New York City, New York

I’m sure most “normal people” wouldn’t think of New York as a hub for craft beer, but the city that never sleeps is indeed a great spot for craft beer lovers. The beer bar scene here tends to shine brightest with spots like Torst, Beer Street, and Proletariat, while breweries such as Other Half, Fifth Hammer, and Evil Twin absolutely crush it. Check out my NYC beer and travel guide here.

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago has a wide array of breweries throughout their many neighborhoods and suburbs. Heavy hitters include Maplewood, More, Mikerphone and Revolution, plus don’t miss Phase Three in the northern suburb of Lake Zurich. Check out my Chicago beer and travel guide here.

The Twin Cities, Minnesota

The Twin Cities are exploding with breweries! Highlights include BlackStack, Barrel Theory, Fair State, Modist, and Falling Knife. The beer scene here tends to be somewhat IPA heavy, but the beers are superb and there are plenty of spots to explore. Check out my Minneapolis and St. Paul beer and travel guide here.

Portland, Maine

We all know New England is chock full of great breweries and particularly Hazy IPAs, but Portland’s beer scene is unmatched. With OG spots like Allagash, Maine Beer Company, and Oxbow alongside newer (and hazier) breweries like Mast Landing, Belleflower, and Bissell Brothers, you can find an absolutely superb beer of any style. Don’t miss the killer beer bar Novare Res Bier Cafe as well! Check out my Portland beer and travel guide here.

Los Angeles, California

LA might not seem like a great beer city at first glance but this sprawling metro is home to some of the country’s best breweries. LA’s southern neighbor San Diego gets all of the praise for craft beer, but LA’s scene is far superior. Monkish, Bottle Logic, Green Cheek, Homage, and Highland Park all call LA home, along with a ton of other great spots. Windsor Home Brew is a fantastic beer bar and bottle shop that is not to be missed either. Check out my LA beer and travel guide here.

Portland, Oregon

Portland’s beer scene has been exploding for decades. The city is overflowing with breweries and it seems a new one opens almost weekly at this point. There are some solid spots in PDX, and topping the list are Great Notion, Cascade, Ruse, and Wayfinder. Check out my Portland beer and travel guide here.

Charlotte, NC

I wouldn’t live in Charlotte if I didn’t think the beer scene here was superb! There are a ton of breweries in the city, but Resident Culture, Burial, HopFly, and Fonta Flora top the list. CLT is also home to some fantastic beer bars—Salud and Pop The Top should not be missed. Check out my Charlotte guide here.

Tampa, Florida

Tampa absolutely crushes the dark beer game. There are a lot of breweries that make great other styles of beer, but if your a Stout person Tampa is for you! Brewery highlights include Angry Chair, BarrieHaus, Woven Water, and Magnanimous. Check out my Tampa beer and travel guide here. Neighboring St. Pete is also full of great spots!

Notable Mentions:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—Check out my Philly beer and travel guide here! I am excited to be back in May 2024!

Burlington, Vermont—This is the one beer city that I believe will be stupendous that I have not yet visited, but I do think it is probably one of the best cities for a beer vacation. My plans to visit have been foiled numerous times now, but I will finally be there in June 2024!

The Best Cities Abroad for Beer Vacations:

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne is a gorgeous city with a booming beer scene, especially for Oceania. Stomping Ground, Fixation, Mood Dog, and Mountain Goat are the best of the best here, but there are a ton of spots to visit. Check out my Melbourne beer and travel guide here.

Munich, Germany

Is it possible to think of “beer cities” and not think of Germany? Munich is home to some classic gems like Augustiner Keller, Lowenbrau, Hofbrauhaus, and Paulaner. Pair a cold mug from any of their breweries with a pretzel or sausage and it’s impossible to have a bad time. Check out my Munich beer and travel guide here.

Brussels, Belgium

Another classic beer city! Personally I think the not-so-classic Belgian beers here outperform the dubbels and tripels. Cantillon is obviously the top choice here, but Moeder Lambic and Delirium should not be missed either! Check out my Belgium beer and travel guide here.

Wellington, New Zealand

My beer expectations for New Zealand were low, but the country as a whole is making some killer beers. Wellington in particular has a stand out beer scene. It is home to Garage Project, the country’s best brewery hands down, but Parrotdog is also a must-visit. Check out my North Island beer and travel guide here.