Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids has repeatedly been ranked as ‘Beer City USA’ and with good reason! There is an abundance of fantastic breweries and beer bars sprawling across GR and it’s an overall great city to visit!

Beer City Tips: 

• Check in your beers along your journey to earn free rewards! Grand Rapids has two programs for this:

  • Beer City Brewsader: An app that allows you to earn a super soft t-shirt after visiting 8 local breweries! You can have your shirt mailed to you or pick it up at Founders Brewing.

  • Craft Pass GR: Check in your beers and earn both a cute tote bag after 6 visits and discounts on your future visits to each brewery! Each spot has different rewards. If you decide to pick up your tote at Founders instead of having it shipped you’ll also receive a special treat!

Check out my 2 day itinerary for Grand Rapids Here!

• Grand Rapids gets lake effect snow from nearby Lake Michigan, so be sure to keep that in mind if you’re planning a trip in the winter months!

• There are several companies that offer transportation between breweries if you’re doing a brewery crawl and prefer that route! Once you get to a neighborhood though you can generally walk to several breweries from one spot.

Check out my blog on the best breweries in Grand Rapids here!

Adventures & Ales Top Grand Rapids Recommendations: ​​​

• Speciation Artisan Ales: Seriously some of the best beer I’ve ever had! Speciation specializes in wild beers that are phenomenal, and they also have natural wines and seltzers if that’s more your style. Their staff is super nice and they have a great patio. Definitely go!

• Seven Monks Taproom: A fantastic beer bar with an extensive tap list and can/bottle list. They also have a full food menu and a small patio. We absolutely loved our time at Seven Monks and I highly recommend checking it out! This is their second location, the original is in Traverse City.

• Outside Coffee: A super cute coffee shop that is,—you guessed it!—outside! They’ve got igloos in the winter and frequent live music as well.

• AC Hotel Grand Rapids Downtown: An incredible hotel in the heart of downtown that I highly recommend staying at! The entire hotel is dog friendly and the location can’t be beat—you can walk to a ton of great spots like Hopcat, Grand Rapids Brewing, Founders, Stella’s, Madcap Coffee, The B.O.B., the Grand Rapids Art Museum, and so much more! The lobby of the hotel has plenty of space to lounge or work and its own bar.

• Arvon Brewing Co.: A great brewery specializing in Hazy IPAs and Sours. They have a small but nice taproom and a patio out front.

• Lost Art Brewhouse: Located just across the city line in Walker, but Lost Art is worth the drive! They are making fantastic beers that I highly recommend.

• City Built Brewing: Delicious beers, a Puerto Rican Food menu, and happy hour on both food and drinks.

• Hopcat: A great beer bar with delicious food. I highly recommend the beer cheese, pretzel nugz, crack fries (that are no longer called crack fries), and their hundreds of beers.

• Brewery Vivant: A brewery located in the chapel of an old funeral home specializing in farmhouse-style beers. They’ve also got a farm-scratch food menu and a small patio.

• Mitten Brewing: A brewery with delicious pizzas and solid beers in this baseball themed brewery.

• Grand Rapids Brewing: The city’s oldest brewery has some delicious beers and also a full menu! Located right downtown.

Speciation Artisan Ales

Grand Rapids Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Visit Grand Haven: The beach town right outside of Grand Rapids!

  • Odd Side Ales: A popular brewery in central Grand Haven. You can get food from The Toasted Pickle delivered to you, they’ve got darts and other games, and it’s a large space overall

  • Grand Armory Brewing: In an interesting location with a coffee shop and BBQ restaurant

  • Grand Haven State Park: The beach! Park for free in the street if you can instead of the paid lot. It gets packed on weekends in the summer as a forewarning

• Founders Brewing: A huge space with a ton of beers on tap. They’ve also got a large food menu and outside seating options. As a forewarning they have made some racist and inappropriate actions and comments, so please go support small and local first.

• Explore Wealthy Street: A cute street with lots of restaurants and bars!

  • Speciation Artisan Ales from above is located here

  • Squibb Coffee and Wine Bar: Delicious food and coffee as well as happy hour specials

  • Elk Brewing: This brewery has some yummy beers and some absolutely killer deals! This location has a nice outdoor patio with a fire pit. PB & J’ale’y is my favorite from Elk!

    • They’ve also got a location in Comstock Park that is larger and has a restaurant

• Explore the Westside: A popular neighborhood across the river that is perfect for bar hopping!

  • The Sovengard: A lovely beer garden style restaurant with an adorable interior and killer outdoor space. We absolutely loved this spot and I highly recommend checking it out!

  • New Holland Brewing—The Knickerbocker: The Grand Rapids location for New Holland Brewing is a large restaurant-style space with a variety of beers and a full food menu to select from. They also have a large patio.

  • Jolly Pumpkin Brewing: This popular Michigan brewery has taprooms all around the state. Jolly Pumpkin is known for their funky beers and their delicious pizzas.

City Built Brewing

Other Grand Rapids Things To Do:

• Greyline Brewing: A great brewery off the beaten path in Northwest Grand Rapids.

• Littlebird: A cute little spot for breakfast and brunch in the heart of downtown. Their sandwiches and toasts are delicious!

• Terra: A cute spot for brunch in East Town Grand Rapids. Their food is solid and it’s in a great location.

  • Terra Bagels: Right next door to Terra is their bagel shop with great bagels and breakfast sandwiches.

• Perrin Brewing: An award brewing in Comstock Park with a full food menu. I didn’t have very good service personally, but I did enjoy my beer

• Madcap Coffee: A cute and chill coffee shop with multiple locations around town.

• Stella’s Lounge: A dive bar/restaurant in the heart of downtown with games and a great beer list.

• The Tin Can Bar: A beer bar with all canned beers and lots of games.

• Atwater Brewery: The Grand Rapids outpost of this popular Detroit brewery is right downtown and has a solid tap list!

• Brass Ring Brewing: A brewery in a pub-style setting with UK-style Ales and a nice patio.

• The B.O.B.: The Big Old Building! This is a Grand Rapids landmark. The B.O.B. has all kinds of things inside of it including a brewery and multiple bars and restaurants. The beers from the brewery are not great but it’s an interesting spot to check out. It gets very club-style at night as a forewarning.

• Harmony Brewing Company: We tried to visit but they decided to open late while we were in town (without sharing that information on their website/social media/Google hours).

Detroit, MI

The Motor City has continued to grow as a tourist destination, I’m biased because I grew up in metro-Detroit, but it’s an amazing city!

Motown Tips: 

• Don’t go anytime from November-April. Winters in Michigan are BRUTAL unless you love cold and snow

• Be mindful where you choose to stay, especially if you’re doing Airbnb or some sort of rental. Most of the city is fantastic and has come a long way, other parts still have room to improve.

Adventures & Ales Top Detroit Recommendations: ​​​

• Eastern Market Brewing Co.: A cute little brewery right off of Eastern Market with delicious beers! Specifically their IPAs are amazing.

• 8 Degrees Plato: A fantastic bottle shop and beer bar! They have a great selection of beers both on tap and in cans/bottles and chill vibes.

• Brewery Faisan: A great spot with delicious and unique beers. They are located near Belle Isle and have a nice patio as well.

• Batch Brewing: A great brewery with an extensive tap list and delicious food. If you’re there in the summer get the beer-slushie.

• The Heidelberg Project: A creative twist on art and awareness. Walk through the neighborhood and see old houses and debris turned into works of art.

• Bobcat Bonnie’s: My favorite brunch spot in Detroit! $3 mimosa bar, Bloody Mary bar, and build your own coffee bar. The food is incredibly delicious too!

• Collect Beer Bar: A fun beer bar with 9 rotating taps along with cans and bottles onsite. They also have a rooftop and are dog-friendly.

Detroit Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Eastern Market: Food, flowers, trinkets—what more could you ask for? A giant farmer’s market in the heart of downtown!

• Detroit Institute of Arts: Now I’m not an art person if you haven’t noticed from my lack of art museum recommendations for other cities, but the DIA is amazing. They have an extensive collection of fantastic pieces, highly recommend!

• Belle Isle: A cute little island on the Detroit River. It is basically one large park where you can gaze at Canada and the United States at the same time. You need to have the Michigan Recreation Passport to enter or it is $11 for non-Michigan residents.

• Campus Martius Park: Transformed into a winter wonderland in the colder months and a fake beach escape during the warmer months, full of bars, ice skating (when appropriate), shops, and music.

• Fox Theater: The original of the Fox Theaters around the country, absolutely stunning.

• Greektown: Greek bars, restaurants, casinos. A fun part of town to hop around.

Eastern Market Brewing

Other Detroit Things To Do:​​

• Jolly Pumpkin Brewing Co.: Large beer selection, better pizza selection!

• Nain Rouge Brewery: A solid brewery with a nice patio and tasty brews. Their team is super nice and I love that they are working to increase diversity in the beer industry. Their beer is also exclusively served at Vigilante Kitchen + Bar right next door.

• Condado Tacos: Delicious tacos and margaritas in Midtown, right by Nain Rouge. They have a small patio and beautifully painted interior.

• HopCat: Beer cheese everything. Also 130 beers on tap. Crack fries are real crack [the name has changed but the fries have not]

• Atwater Brewing: One of the biggest breweries in the area—Vanilla Java Porter is my favorite! Also if you have a car while visiting go check out Atwater in the Park, in Grosse Point Park.

• Motor City Brewing Works: A smaller brewery with pizzas, an outdoor space, and a large tap list.

• Motown Museum: Learn about the history of the Detroit music scene in an engaging old recording studio.

• The Belt: An alley full of street art and a couple of fun bars.

Southwest Michigan

The area of Southwest Michigan nestled along Lake Michigan near the Indiana border is filled with breweries and chill vibes.

Southwest Michigan Tips: 

• Visit during the summer or fall for the best experience!

• This area of Michigan is made up of a bunch of small towns. Everything is pretty close together, you can get across the whole area in about 20 minutes.

• Lake Michigan stays pretty cold all year long, so don’t expect bath water temperatures like lakes in the south.

• Rip tides are a huge issue on Lake Michigan, if you choose to go out from shore for a swim take precautions!

Adventures & Ales Top Southwest Michigan Recommendations: ​

• Transient Artisan Ales: Transient is located in downtown Bridgman and has incredible beers. No matter the style they do it well!

• Seedz Brewery: A stellar brewery focused on Lagers and Farmhouse Ales in Union Pier. They are dog friendly and have indoor and outdoor seating.

• Watermark Brewing: There are amazing beers at this downtown Stevensville brewery! They have a nice large outdoor space as well with frequent food trucks and friendly staff.

• Haymarket Brewing: The Bridgman location of this Chicago based brewery has a large outdoor space with nature-filled vibes. They have tasty beers and delicious pizzas in a very relaxing environment. Get the elote pizza!

• Stay at this fantastic Airbnb: We had a fantastic stay with a group of 4. This is in Michigan City, Indiana and walkable to the beach!

  • Dune Billies is a great spot for breakfast and lunch a block away!

Warren Dunes State Park

SW Michigan Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Warren Dunes State Park: A sand dune park with a large beach, hiking, and camping options. It is $9 for a day pass.

• Indiana Dunes National Park: This is an interesting National Park just across the Michigan/Indiana border that is along Lake Michigan. It is intermixed with Indiana Dunes State Park so it is a bit spread out.

  • West Beach Dune Succession Trail: An easy 1 mile long trail with 75ft of elevation gain. This trail takes you out to the beach and back to the parking lot through some woods and staircases. Dogs are allowed on this trail.

  • Paul H Douglas Trail: A moderate trail that is 4 miles long with 124ft of elevation gain. It is a bit of a leg-burner in the sand at times and leads out to an isolated beach through dunes and marsh. You can see the Chicago skyline from the beach! Dogs are allowed on this trail.

• Hit the free beaches: There are a bunch of free local beaches with public access. Town Line Beach can be a bit crowded but is nice. Cherry Beach is shaded in the mornings but a lovely spot. The link has a plethora of options along the coast to check out!

• Winery Hop: There are a bunch of wineries in the region! Shady Creek Winery has delicious food and wine and a lovely outdoor space. Located in Michigan City, Indiana.

Transient Artisan Ales

Other Things to Do in Southwest Michigan:​​

• Greenbush Brewing: A brewery and restaurant in downtown Sawyer. The Annex next door has an outdoor patio and small sandwich menu. Solid beers.

• Beer Church Brewing: A brewery in a converted church in downtown New Buffalo. They have phenomenal pizza and a cute patio.

• Burn ‘Em Brewing: This is a solid brewery in Michigan City, Indiana. They have patio seating and a wide variety of beers available.

• Infusco Coffee Roasters: Delicious coffee shop in downtown Sawyer. Grab a coffee and hit the beach!

• Round Barn Estate: A brewery, winery, and distillery. Round Barn has three locations in Southwest Michigan: The Estate, The Brewery, and the Union Pier Taproom. The Estate is the original location that has the round barn, vineyards, and a plethora of outdoor seating. They have a permanent food truck on weekends and you can bring your own food during the week.

Upper Peninsula Michigan

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a gorgeous area between Lake Superior & Lake Michigan with tons of great outdoor adventures!

U.P. Tips: 

• Book your lodging early! There are not a ton of options and they fill up quickly.

• The Michigan Recreation Passport is Michigan’s version of a state park pass. Many of the scenic areas in the U.P. require a recreation passport for entry. The recreation passport cannot be purchased online, they are only available at certain parks.

  • It is $10 for a day pass for non-Michigan residents or $36 for an annual pass, so if you will be in the area for longer than 3 days an annual pass will probably make more sense. Michigan residents can purchase an annual pass for $12 with their license plate registration renewal or $17 any other time.

• There are 3 cities that serve as good bases for exploring:

  • Houghton: This is a larger city on the western side of the Upper Peninsula. The downtown is full of restaurants and shops. Michigan Technological University is also here giving the city college town vibes.

  • Marquette: This is a cute little town with lots of shops, restaurants, breweries, trails and views. It is a great home base for exploring the entirety of the U.P. Marquette is also home to Northern Michigan University.

  • Munising: This little town essentially exists as a gateway to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

• Explore Minnesota’s North Shore along the western edge of Lake Superior while you are in the area—check out my beer and travel guide here.

• On a Michigan road trip? Check out my other guides:

  • Traverse City

  • Leelanau Peninsula

  • Grand Rapids

  • Detroit

  • Southwest Michigan

Adventures & Ales Top Upper Peninsula Recommendations: 

• Kayak Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: The best way to see the Pictured Rocks is from the water! There are several different companies that offer various length kayak tours. The full day kayak tour with Northern Waters Adventures was a lovely journey from Miners Castle Beach to Mosquito Beach. The scenery is stunning! Be prepared that tours will be cancelled due to inclement weather and kayaking on the open water of Lake Superior can be quite difficult.

• Miner’s Castle Trail: A short .6 mile trail that takes about 20 minutes to see two different viewpoints of the Pictured Rocks. The views are beautiful and I would highly recommend a visit!

• The Lake of the Clouds in the Porcupine Mountains: A stunning viewpoint that should not be missed. The walk from the parking lot to the viewpoint at the top is quite short. You will need the Michigan Recreation Passport to enter. The Lake of the Clouds trail is 1.6 miles long with 351ft of elevation gain and takes about 35 minutes to complete. This trail goes straight down to the lake and back up, but there isn’t a great view from the bottom so it wasn’t quite worth it. The view from the top was much better.

• Summit Peak Observation Tower in the Porcupine Mountains: This trail is 1 mile long with 230ft of elevation gain and takes about 30 minutes. This is a popular trail and leads to incredible views of the Porcupine Mountains. You will need the Michigan Recreation Passport to enter.

• Barrel + Beam Brewery: A fantastic brewery in Marquette specializing in Farmhouse and Barrel Aged beers, ciders and meads. They use all Michigan ingredients and make delicious beers!

• Superior Culture: A fun spot for drinks with kombucha, seltzers and beers. They are in a converted house with a cute space and nice backyard area as well. The drinks are delicious and the vibes are great.

• Blackrocks Brewing: A spacious brewery in Marquette with a nice upper deck, back patio and two different indoor spaces. The vibes here are great and they frequently have food trucks. Located just a block away from Superior Culture.

• Hogback Mountain Trail: This trail in the Escanaba River State Forest near Marquette is 3.8 miles long with 565ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete. Almost all of the elevation is in the last half mile which is very steep and involves a short bit of rock climbing. The views from the summit are fantastic. Wetmore Pond is located here as well and the AllTrails route includes a stop here for the viewpoint. For this trail you will want hiking boots due to the roots and rocks and also bug spray. You will need the Michigan Recreation Passport to enter.

• Keweenaw Brewing Company: A brewery in the heart of downtown Houghton with average beers, fun vibes, a back patio, and cheap prices.

• Contrast Coffee: A coffee shop in Marquette with food as well. This is a popular spot so I’d recommend going early.

• Presque Isle Park Loop Trail: Presque Isle is a popular area for picnics, walks and water access. The loop trail is 2.3 miles long, mostly flat, and takes about 1 hour to complete. It is a nice stroll around the isle with small, rocky beaches throughout. Half of the trail runs along the road and beaches and the other half is through the woods. You could make this shorter if desired.

• East Channel Brewing: A brewery in downtown Munising with a small tap list and Cooking Carberry’s pizza onsite. They have a small patio and average beers.

• Falling Rock Café and Bookstore: A cute little bookstore and café in Munising with a breakfast and all day menu. Quite delicious!

Taqhuamenon Falls

Upper Peninsula Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Taqhuamenon Falls: This is a must visit in the Upper Peninsula! I chose to do the Upper and Lower Falls trail which was 10 miles long with 636ft of elevation gain and took about 3.5 hours. Most folks choose to just do the short walk from the parking lot of each waterfall to the viewpoints which is less than a mile for each fall. You can also hike one way and then shuttle back to the other parking lot for $17. At the Lower Falls you can get into the river and swim or frolic as you desire. You will need the Michigan Recreation Passport to enter the parking lot.

  • Taqhuamenon Falls Brewery & Pub shares a parking lot with the Upper Falls trailhead, be sure to pop by for a beer and some food! There is also a gift shop, an ice cream shop and a BBQ restaurant here.

• Boat Cruise to see the Pictured Rocks: There are several different tour companies, I would suggest Pictured Rocks Cruises and the sunset spray tour. Book ahead as they frequently sell out, and be prepared that tours will be cancelled due to inclement weather.

• Palms Book State Park: Home to Kitch-iti-kipi, the “big spring.” This is a popular destination to go out on a raft above the spring where 10,000 gallons of water is coming up through the ground per minute. Touristy but actually quite cool to see. You will need the Michigan Recreation Passport to enter.

• Sugarloaf Mountain Trail: This trail near Marquette is 1.4 miles long with 300ft of elevation gain and takes about 35 minutes to complete with great views of Lake Superior. This is a popular trail because it is pretty short and still leads to a panoramic view. The trailhead parking is a 2 minute drive from Hogback Mountain.

• Munising Falls Trail: This is a popular, short .5 mile long trail with 3 viewing platforms of Munising Falls. You will need a National Park Pass to enter. Located just 5 minutes from downtown Munising.

Kayaking Pictured Rocks

Other things to do in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula: ​​​

• Explore Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin: The Meyers Beach Sea Cave Trail is 4.7 miles long with 270ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes. There is a boardwalk section which then pops out to the rugged lake shore. There are some great views but a majority of the trail is quite boring unfortunately. It is $5 to park here and a National Park Pass does not count.

• Visit Bayfield, Wisconsin: A cute little town centered around exploring the Apostle Islands. Wonderstate Coffee is a great spot for breakfast and coffee!

• Hidden Beach: A literal hidden beach near Marquette! Parking is a bit past where Google says the beach is on the side of the road and then there is a trail through the woods to get to the beach itself.

• Bayshore Park: A nice area on the water near the marina in Munising with beach access, picnic tables, and restrooms.

• Wagner Falls Trail: A small waterfall near Munising that is a quick 2 minute walk from the parking lot. Pretty if you are in the area but do not go out of your way to see it.

• Campfire Coffee: A cute coffee shop in downtown Negaunee with food options as well.

• Digs: A restaurant and bar in downtown Marquette with solid food and drinks. They also have a nice back patio space.

• Ore Dock Brewing Company: A brewery in downtown Marquette with a nice patio, good vibes, average beers, and frequent food trucks. They also make hard seltzers.

• Drifa Brewing Company: A brewery just outside of downtown Marquette across from the lake. They have a nice outdoor space and frequent food trucks + live music. The tap list is small and beers are average.

• ByGeorge Brewing Co: A brewery in downtown Munising with flights, a small patio space, and average beers. Driftwood Deli is connected next door for food.

• Velodrome: A coffee shop with two locations—one in the heart of Ishpeming and another in Marquette. They have a small food menu as well.

• Bike! There are a ton of bike trails in the U.P. to explore.

• Manistique Boardwalk Trail: This 3.1 mile, mostly flat trail takes about 1 hour to walk and has parking lots at both ends of the trail. It is essentially a paved greenway that runs along the northern shore of Lake Michigan with a lighthouse and beach.

• Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery: Wine and beer flights in Manistique right near the boardwalk. They are located on the river which is nice but the beers were mediocre and very overpriced. They also have a location in Petoskey.

• Teal Lake: A pretty lake in Negaunee with beach access and nice views.

• Rustic Grounds Coffee Trailer: A coffee truck in downtown Munising with tasty beverages.

• Bridge View Park: A nice spot for views of the Mackinaw Bridge. There is a picnic area, informational building and restroom. This is the last exit before the bridge. There is a $4 toll to cross the bridge.

• Whitefish Falls Trail: A small, isolated waterfall in the middle of nowhere right off the main road. This trail is a quick 5 minute walk. The AllTrails has you go deeper into the woods for no reason—once you see the waterfall you can turn around. If visiting Kitch-iti-kipi from the Marquette area you will pass right by this so you might as well stop. Otherwise, do not go out of your way to see it as it is quite small.

Traverse City, MI

Traverse City is a stunningly beautiful city nestled on the Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan. It makes for the perfect weekend getaway, no matter what you like to do!

Cherry Capital Tips: 

• There is a little airport here to fly into, or Grand Rapids is a two hour drive and Detroit is four.

• Paddle for Pints is a convenient way to brewery hop, kayak, and see various parts of the city! Be sure to book far in advance!

• While in Northern Michigan, explore the Leelanau Peninsula, the peninsula on the West side of Traverse City. Check out my guide to the area here! Check out my Frankfort recommendations here!

Adventures & Ales Top Traverse City Recommendations: ​​​

• Get out on the water! I’d suggest kayaking, or renting a boat from Aussie Watersports!

• 7 Monks Taproom: A great beer bar with a solid selection of taps along with food and patio seating.

• The Workshop Brewing Co.: The best beer in TC! A large space with a plethora of beers and wines to choose from! They’ve also got a small food menu.

• Jacob’s Farm: A delightful spot for pizza, BBQ, drinks, and live music on a scenic farm.

• Right Brain Brewery: A stupendously large tap list, and be warned—the flights here are massive! Right off Boardman Lake.

• Filling Station Microbrewery: Breakfast pizzas, beermosas, and a large tap list! Also right off Boardman Lake.

• Peace, Love and Little Donuts: Fancy mini donuts! Yum!

• Winery hop: There are 40+ breweries in the TC area to indulge at! They all make their own wine and some have quite the view to soak in.

  • My favorites on the Old Mission Peninsula on the East side of Traverse City are:

    • Bonobo Winery: Delicious wines, lake views, and a small food menu

    • Mari Vineyards: Set in a castle-like setting they’ve got a huge outdoor space with amazing views

    • Bowers Harbor Vineyards: Another great winery, you can wander the vineyards here which is cool. They’ve also got their own hard ciders!

  • For the Leelanau Peninsula side see my guide here!

• The Little Fleet: A food truck park with a bar and outdoor seating. The place to be on on a weekend night!

• Hit the course: Golf is super popular in Northern Michigan so pick a course and make a tee time! I enjoyed our experience at The Old Course at Sugarloaf, it was pretty inexpensive and was nice overall. Their Bloody Mary’s are absolutely superb.

Short’s Brewery

Other Things to do in Traverse City:

• Drive an hour to Short’s Brewery in Bellaire: You’ll hear me preach this over and over—Short’s beer is so good! Soft Parade will forever be one of my favorite beers. They’ve also got fantastic food.

• Rare Bird Brewing Co.: Average beers, yummy food!

• MiddleCoast Brewing Company: Located inside State Street Market which has some food stalls as well! The beers here are pretty average.

• Silver Spruce Brewing: Basic beers in an industrial taproom.

• North Peak Brewing: Average beers and a full food menu.

  • They also own Kilkenny’s next door, an Irish Pub that has North Peak beers available.

Leelanau Peninsula, MI

The Leelanau Peninsula is a gorgeous area of Northern Michigan filled with small towns to explore and surrounded by the gorgeous Lake Michigan!

Leelanau Tips: 

• Visit between May-October unless you are a winter fanatic! Businesses also have limited hours outside of the summer season as a forewarning

• We used Sutton’s Bay as a home base and enjoyed the ability to explore the whole peninsula from here. Sutton’s had the best “downtown” on the peninsula in my opinion as well, with several restaurant options and shops to wander

  • The beach at Sutton’s Bay is not overly impressive though, as a heads up

• Be sure to get into Traverse City while you are in the area! Check out my guide to TC here! Heading a little further south? Check out my Frankfort recommendations here!

Adventures & Ales Top Leelanau Peninsula Recommendations: ​

• Hop Lot Brewing: A cool ‘outdoorsy’ brewery in Sutton’s Bay. They have a plethora of games, a fire pit where you can make s’mores, and frequent live music.

• Mitten Brewing: The ‘Up North’ outpost of the popular Grand Rapids brewery. Snag a flight on a cute Michigan shaped board! They’ve got a small snack menu (the pretzel is MASSIVE as a heads up!) as well as an onsite food truck. Located in downtown Northport.

• Peterson Park: A great spot to hunt for Petoskey stones on the rocky beach or to catch a Lake Michigan sunset!

• Tandem Ciders: An adorable cidery in a converted house. They offer a large variety of delicious ciders on draft and in bottles, as well as a small snack menu.

• Sutton’s Bay Ciders: Soak up amazing views of Lake Michigan from this cidery. They’ve got a meat and cheese board if you’re hungry to accompany your ciders!

Peterson Park

Northern Michigan Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park: A gorgeous park to explore! The entrance fee is $25 if you don’t have a National Park Pass, which gets you access to both entrances (below) for a week.

  • Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive: A 7.5 mile loop drive with scene viewpoints and trails

  • Dune Climb: A must! If you want to go beyond the initial dune you see be prepared that it can be hot and intense! If you want to get down to Lake Michigan over the dunes plan 3-4 hours. It took approximately 45 minutes round trip to get to the top of the fourth dune where you have nice views of Lake Michigan.

  • Glen Haven is a historic little village with a beach that is part of the National Shoreline as well

• Fishtown in Leland: Another historic little village with touristy shops, and you guessed it, fish!

  • Village Cheese Shanty: A cute little rustic sandwich hut

• Explore the Wine Trail! Northern Michigan is full of wineries! Be prepared that Ubers/Lyfts can be hard to get in this area so if you are planning to get “irresponsible” explore the various winery tour options

  • Mawby Vineyards: My favorite winery in the area! They have all sparkling wines which were delicious. Sex (yes that’s actually the name) is their best seller, but everything was fantastic!

    • Big Little Wines is next door on the property and has still wines if that is more your vibe than sparkling

  • 45 North Winery: Solid wines, a pretty view of the vineyard

  • Shady Lane Cellars: A nice outdoor area with glasses, flights, or tastings. This spot is one of the only wineries I’ve seen where you can do a tasting outdoors versus having to stand at the bar inside

Hop Lot Brewing

Other Leelanau Peninsula Things To Do:​​

• Leelanau State Park: I was not super impressed, but the water levels were very high when we visited so there was no “beach” to wander so that could change the experience. The lighthouse is very average as well. If you don’t have a state park pass I would definitely not spend money to enter

• Knot Just A Bar: A bar/restaurant overlooking Lake Michigan in the tiny town of Omena

  • Leelanau Cellars is next door and has FREE wine tastings! They have limited hours though so be sure to plan ahead!

• Lake Ann Brewing: Located in Lake Ann at the bottom of the peninsula, this brewery has lots of outdoor space, frequent live music, beers, ciders, meads, wines, snacks, cabin-y vibes, and lots of board games

Chicago, IL

Chicago is one of the biggest cities in the country and home to several unique neighborhoods. Take your time exploring each one’s character.

The Windy City Tips: 

• Mmmm it’s windy. Really though. The winters can be insanely brutal, pack appropriately.

• Chicago is pretty huge, so be sure to plan ahead so you’re not driving/Lyfting all over the place

Adventures & Ales Top Chicago Recommendations: ​​​

• Phase Three Brewing: A fantastic brewery in an industrial park in Lake Zurich. They have incredible beers of all styles, an outside space and frequent food trucks.

• Maplewood Brewery and Distillery: Absolutely delightful spot with amazing beers and a fun lounge atmosphere.

• Whisk: A fantastic brunch option that is BYOB and cash-only. Get the biscuits and gravy—ya welcome.

• More Brewing: In the ‘burbs of Chicago, this brewery is cranking out fantastic beers of every style.

• Mikerphone Brewing: A fun music themed brewery with incredible beers. Close to O’Hare Airport as well!

• Forbidden Root Brewery: They have their own herbs and fruits they grow and infuse into their beers—get the Strawberry Basil Hefeweizen. Also cheese plates.

• Begyle Brewing: Great beers and a fun atmosphere!

• Dovetail Brewery: A Lager-focused brewery that is right around the corner from Begyle with solid beers. They also have a small food menu and an outdoor bar in the summer months.

• Half Acre Beer: A large taproom both inside and out with a plethora of beer options. They also have a small food menu. Keeping Together, a Mixed Culture project from Averie Swanson is housed here as well with draft and bottle options.

• Local Option: A super fun beer bar with a full food menu and frequent events. Their tap list is killer!

• Beermiscuous: A great beer bar and bottle shop with 16 taps and to-go cans and bottles. They offer single cans which is fantastic to get a variety of things.

• Parlor Pizza: Delicious pizzas and a great tap list.

Phase Three Brewing

Chicago Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• The Bean: Obviously you can’t go to Chicago without a stop at The Bean! Expect hoards of tourists.

• Explore the Lakefront Trail! This 18 mile path runs along Lake Michigan through various parks and attractions.

• The Signature Room at the 96th: The views are stunning but the drinks are pricey, it’s worth checking out!

• Wander Logan Square: Get a bagel sandwich from Brobagel, pop into some shops!

• Take an architecture tour!

• Pequod’s Pizza: Fantastic deep dish (insert drool here)

• Ohio Street Beach: A popular sandy beach on the lake with skyline views downtown. Close to navy Pier.

• Montrose Beach: A popular area for walking, biking, dogs, volleyball, and a beach on Lake Michigan.

The Bean

Other Chicago Things To Do:​​

• Revolution Brewing: One of the most popular breweries in the city. They have a wide array of beers but their Stouts are particularly great.

• Old Irving Brewing: Great beers and a full food menu. More of a restaurant-style set-up than brewery.

• Pilot Project: A brewery incubator housing small, new breweries as they get their start. They have a great patio and a beautiful indoor space. Located in the Logan Square neighborhood.

• Marz Brewing: A cool spot not too far from Midway Airport with solid beers.

• Hubbard’s Cave/Une Année: This unique space started with Une Année producing Belgian beers and then expanded with Hubbard’s Cave specializing in Stouts and IPAs. They have BBQ onsite and a large outdoor space.

• Goose Island: Not my favorite because Anheuser Busch owns them, but they’ve got quite a few unique beers only at their Chicago brewery.

• Stan’s Donuts: I am a sucker for a good doughnut and Stan’s does not disappoint!

• Taste of New York Bagels and Deli: A pretty authentic NYC bagel spot near Wrigleyville.

• Corridor Brewery & Provisions: A restaurant-style brewery with average beers. The tap list is quite small. Located near Wrigleyville in a popular neighborhood.

• District Brew Yards: Around the Bend Beer Co., Bold Dog Beer Co., and Casa Humilde Cerveceria Artesanal all under one roof with food and games

Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

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 Twin Cities 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!

BlackStack Brewing

Minneapolis and St. Paul 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.

Minnehaha Falls

Other things to do in the Twin Cities:​​

• 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.

Minnesota North Shore

The North Shore of Minnesota is a Stunning area along Lake Superior with great hiking and viewpoints!

North Shore Tips: 

• Expect solitude, beautiful views, mediocre food and coffee, and chill vibes.

• The further down the shore you get the more crowded everything is because it is more easily accessible. I loved the Grand Marais area as a jumping off point midway up the shore.

• Everywhere you go in this area is a scenic drive! Highway 61 is the main road running up from Duluth to the Canadian border and is a beautiful road to drive along.

• Although Duluth is a larger city, it is technically part of the North Shore as well. Scroll all the down for my recommendations and thoughts on Duluth.

• On a Minnesota road trip? Check out my Twin Cities guide here!

• Head over to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula while you’re in the area for more spectacular views, cute towns and great hikes. Check out my beer and travel guide for the U.P. here!

Adventures & Ales Top North Shore Recommendations: 

• Mount Josephine Lookout Tower Trail: This trail leads to stunning views of Lake Superior, Isle Royale National Park, Canada, and the Minnesota shore. It is 2.8 miles long with 650ft of elevation gain and takes about an hour and a half to complete. The trail starts very flat and then it gets quite steep as you climb to the summit, but it is worth it for the views.

• Explore Grand Marais: This is a cute little town on the water with a nice downtown.

  • Voyageur Brewing Company: A solid brewery with a full kitchen downstairs and a rooftop deck with nice views. The beer exceeded my expectations but the food was a bit disappointing.

  • Artist’s Point: A little park with a rocky beach that is a great spot to catch the sunset. You can also walk out onto the point and explore that area.

  • World’s Best Donuts: I am not sure about world’s best, but these are some darn tasty donuts. Expect a lineup of folks but it moves quickly.

  • Java Moose: A cute coffee shop with pastries right across from the water.

• Canoe in the Boundary Waters! Most people choose to do an overnight canoe trip, but a day trip works too. You’ll need a permit that whoever you rent a canoe from can help you acquire. This is a must do while in Northern Minnesota.

  • I rented from Ely Outfitting Company in Ely, MN and canoed on Hegman Lake. I was the only person on the lake and it was a wonderful experience. If I were visiting again I would probably rent from an outfitter in Grand Marais and choose a lake off Gunflint Trail because it is closer to the North Shore.

• Middle Falls and High Falls Trail at Pigeon River Provincial Park: This trail is just across the border in Canada, so you will need to have proper identification and an ArriveCAN form completed to access it. The full trail is 5.3 miles long with 738ft of elevation gain and takes about 2.5 hours. The parking lot for the trailhead is the Ontario Visitor Center.

  • You’ll first come to High Falls and then walk through some buggy and muddy woods that are a bit overgrown to Middle Falls and then turn around and come back. I would recommend skipping Middle Falls and only doing High Falls and the Lookout Trail. Middle Falls is just a river view and the trail to get there was not great. Lookout Trail leads to a stunning viewpoint of Isle Royale National Park and the coast.

  • You can also see High Falls from the US side, but if you’re able to I’d recommend the Canadian view, especially for Lookout Trail.

• Oberg Mountain Loop via Superior Hiking Trail: A nice loop with lovely views of Lake Superior, the coast and Oberg Lake. The trail is 2.6 miles long with 500ft of elevation gain and took about an hour and 15 minutes to complete.

• Drive the Gunflint Trail: This scenic road heads west and leads to several trails and lakes. The Moose Viewing Trail is just shy of a mile long to an observation deck where you can frequently see moose.

• Cascade Falls: A quick 1 mile trail right off the main road with 6 waterfalls—the first you’ll come to is the largest. You can also add onto this trail and make a longer hike out of it. This is a nice and easy trail with great waterfall views.

• North Shore Winery: A winery and cidery under the same roof with a few different tasting options as well and cheese and crackers. The property is pretty and they frequently have live music as well. Tasty wine!

High Falls

Minnesota North Shore Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Devil’s Kettle Trail at Judge CR Magney State Park: This is a popular trail so be sure to get an early start to avoid the crowds. It is 2.2 miles long with 400ft of elevation gain, mostly in two large chunks of stairs right before you get to the Devil’s Kettle itself. This is a pretty unique sight to see and a definite must while you are in the area. It is $7 to park in the state park and the trail took 50 minutes to complete.

• Fifth Falls and Superior Hiking Loop at Gooseberry Falls State Park: Upper, Middle and Lower Falls can be reached with just a short walk from the parking area so this area is extremely popular. Once you venture beyond these there are very few people and you can get back to Fifth Falls following along the river with nice views. The overall trail is 3 miles long with 300ft of elevation gain, but you could also just do the first 3 waterfalls if you’d like.

• Palisade Head: A nice viewpoint overlooking the shoreline and Lake Superior. You can also see Shovel Point and Little Palisade from here.

• Brighton Beach: Rocky beach on Lake Superior just north of Duluth. Nice walking trail, picnic tables, benches.

Canoeing in the Boundary Waters

Other Minnesota North Shore Things To Do:​​​

• Pincushion Mountain Overlook Trail: This is a 4.2 mile long trail with 450ft of elevation gain. It is off the Gunflint Trail and takes about an hour and a half to complete. This was a pretty easy stroll through the woods and a bit boring of a trail. The views from the summit are nice but there are other trails with better views and more exciting trails.

• Castle Danger Brewery: A solid brewery in Two Harbors with a great patio space, frequent food trucks and a good variety of beers on tap.

• Stay at Cascade Lodge: Lutsen was a great base point for exploring the North Shore and I enjoyed renting a cabin here. It was well-priced, clean, and convenient. I would very much so NOT advise the restaurant here though.

• Split Rock Lighthouse: A popular destination with a $12 entrance fee to see the lighthouse.

• Hollow Rock: I am quite sure this is private property but there is a cool hollow rock in the water at a campground!

• Black Beach: A rocky beach that is not in fact black. It is a nice little beach but a bit overhyped.

Ursa Minor Brewing

Duluth Things To Do:

• Duluth was not my favorite. I’d recommend skipping it and driving further up the Minnesota North Shore or driving east to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Overall I found the city to have an unappealing mix of overly touristy and trashy. They also have a massive population of unhoused folks.

• There are lots of parks and seating along the waterfront which is nice. The Lakewalk is a paved trail that runs about 7 miles along the waterfront as well. Here you can see the lift bridge and lighthouse as well.

• Carry a rain jacket if you’re visiting in the summer months—there is a constant mix of rain-sun-rain-sun.

• Big Manitou Falls & Manitou Falls Trail at Pattinson State Park: The largest waterfall in Wisconsin! This state park was nearly empty when I visited and I enjoyed the 3.5 mile long trail with 209ft of elevation gain to Little Manitou Falls and Big Manitou Falls. You can also drive and walk just a short distance to either waterfall if that’s more your style. The park is 30 minutes from Duluth and there is an $11 entrance fee.

• Ursa Minor Brewing Company: The best brewery in Duluth, by far. They have great beers, delicious wood fired pizzas and a fantastic patio space.

• Bent Paddle Brewing Co: A solid brewery with a nice taproom and patio. They have a lovely fireplace, games and frequent food trucks.

• Earth Rider Brewery: A brewery in Superior with dive bar vibes. They have a small food menu and a large outdoor space.

• Enger Tower: A tower in a park with views of all of Duluth and Superior.

• Yellow Bike Coffee: A coffee shop with multiple locations in Duluth. The Fitgers location is on the river at the back of the large Fitgers complex. Heads up they do not have food although it is advertised that they do.

• Duluth Coffee Company: A small coffee shop in downtown Duluth with tasty beverages.

• Positively 3rd Street Bakery: A nice little organic bakery.

• Vikre Distillery: A cocktail bar crafting their own liquors.

• Blacklist Brewing Company: A mediocre brewery in the heart of Duluth with a nice, open taproom and a small tap list.

• Hoops Brewing Company: A mediocre brewery inside a hotel in downtown Duluth. They have a large open space with a huge tap list and a small seasonal biergarten in the back.

• Canal Park Brewing Company: A restaurant-style brewery with below average beers + food and terrible service. They have a nice outdoor patio.

Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis is your classic Midwestern city with lots of space, old factories and chill vibes

Indy Tips:

• Overall Indy is pretty small—in a couple of days you can see a lot of the city and accomplish a lot.

• Be sure to sign up for the Indy Craft Pass, a mobile passport that will take you to the best breweries, distilleries, and craft beverage producers in the area. Get a free Indy Craft Pass t-shirt for checking in at eight of participating locations or check in at 35 locations and receive a handmade Indy Craft Pass beer stein.

Adventures & Ales Top Indianapolis Recommendations: 

• Guggman Haus Brewing Co.: The best beer in Indy! Guggman Haus has a cute spot with a cozy indoor taproom and spacious patio. The tap list is IPA heavy and the beers were fantastic. They also have an onsite kitchen, The Cabin Kitchen.

• 18th Street Brewery: A great brewery based in Hammond with a taproom in East Indy. They have a small food menu and cocktails as well. They are mainly focused on IPAs and Stouts.

• Sun King Brewery: A distribution-focused brewery near Fountain Square. Their beers are good overall and their biggest seller is their Cream Ale. Their industrial taproom also has food available via the La Margarita outpost.

• Centerpoint Brewing Company: A solid brewery in the Circle City Industrial Complex. There is also a distillery, bar, fowling, chocolate shop, and other small businesses here.

• Bovaconti Coffee: A cute coffeeshop in Fountain Square with pastries and great drinks.

18th Street Brewery

Indy Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Indy Cultural Trail: A fun greenway that runs throughout Indy! Walk past museums, memorials, the NCAA Hall of Champions, Monument Circle, and so much more! The Canal Walk at White River State Park is also part of this trail along the river. This is the perfect way to start your day.

• Wander the Fountain Square area—this area is really the heart of Indianapolis and full of shops, bars and restaurants.

• Milktooth: A super popular and delicious spot for breakfast, brunch and lunch! I’d recommend arriving before they open to get in line because it gets insanely busy. You can snag a coffee from the coffee bar while you wait.

Cultural Trail

Other Indianapolis Things To Do:​​​

• 450 North Brewing: A hype brewery in the middle of a corn field specializing in Fruited Sours. 450 North is about an hour south of Indy, but worth a visit while you’re in the area. They have a huge tap list and a cool farm set-up. They also have a full food menu and a winery.

• Daredevil Brewing Co.: A fun racing themed brewery in Speedway focused on IPAs and Lagers. They also have pizzas and a nice outdoor space.

• Scarlet Lane Brewing Gastropub: This brewery has four locations across the area. Their Bellefontaine Street is an interesting spot that is quiet. Their tap list is full of very unique beers that were surprisingly delicious.

Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee is a small Midwestern city full of breweries and good vibes

MKE Tips: 

• Milwaukee has a ton of breweries so if you are visiting for a beer trip be sure to plan ahead so you’re not hopping back and forth between neighborhoods.

• Overall the city is pretty small so you could easily get by without a car.

• Summer is the ideal time to visit—the temperatures never get too high, there is relatively low humidity, there are pop-up beer gardens and events and the city is super bike friendly.

• A lot of places have weird hours or are closed during some weekdays, so be sure to triple check opening hours before visiting.

• Planning a Wisconsin road trip? Check out my Madison beer and travel guide here!

• Milwaukee is only 1.5 hours north of Chicago! Check out my Chicago beer and travel guide here!

Adventures & Ales Top Milwaukee Recommendations: 

• Lakefront Brewery: A very popular brewery on the river with waterfront seating and a large taproom. They have a full food menu and the cheese curds are superb. Inside it is a German bier hall style set-up with long tables and high ceilings. They also offer tours.

• Eagle Park Brewing: A fantastic brewery just across the river from Lakefront Brewery. These were the best beers in all of Milwaukee. They have a nice taproom and a small patio space along with a kitchen and distillery.

• Amorphic Beer: A great brewery a bit off the beaten path on the north side of the city. Their beers are fantastic and they have fun flight boards made at the shop next door. The tap list is mostly focused on IPAs but there is a good variety overall.

• Café Benelux: A popular Belgian restaurant known for their Bloody Mary’s and fun rooftop space. They are located directly across from the Public Market and have great food and drinks.

• Kinn Guesthouse Bay View: A unique hotel that is structured as guest rooms with a communal kitchen and living space. The rooms are loft style and similar to individual apartments. It is a super cute space and right in the heart of the Bay View neighborhood.

  • Sorella: An Italian restaurant on the ground level of the hotel. They have a nice outdoor patio, a pretty bar, a solid beer selection along with wines and cocktails, and a full Italian food menu with pizza, pasta and appetizers.

• Colectivo Coffee: A local chain coffeeshop with great coffee and food. The Bay View location is huge and has an adorable outdoor space.

Milwaukee Art Museum

Milwaukee Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Milwaukee Art Museum: A cool art museum in a gorgeous building downtown on the water. It is pretty large with a variety of exhibits so I’d recommend setting aside at least a couple of hours to explore. You have to pay for admission and for parking which I thought was quite silly to charge for both. You can park near Discovery World on the street for free and walk over instead.

• Milwaukee Public Market: Your classic public market with restaurants, shops and bars. Go hungry and eat your way through the different stalls.

• Explore the RiverWalk, a trail meandering alongside the river throughout different neighborhoods of the city.

• Bublr Bikes: The best way to get around town! These rentable shared bikes are docked everywhere throughout the city. Overall they are super easy to use and Milwaukee is very bike friendly.

• Explore the Oak Leaf Trail: This 135 mile trail runs throughout the city and is very nice. In the summer there are pop-up beer gardens along the route.

• South Shore Park: A nice area on Lake Michigan with a beach, marina, terrace, playground and more!

Café Benelux

Other Milwaukee Things To Do:​​​

• Central Waters Brewing Co.: This Amherst, WI based brewery also has a Milwaukee taproom in the old Pabst factory. Dairyland has a kitchen here with delicious burgers, fries and more.

• Third Space Brewing: This brewery has a large taproom and a large outdoor space with a massive tap list. They focus on Hazy IPAs but still have a variety of beers overall. Triciclo Peru is their onsite food truck with empanadas.

• Good City Brewing: A brewery with 4 locations in Wisconsin. They have a full food menu, a wide variety of beers and a rooftop.

• The Explorium Brewpub: A restaurant-style brewery that is downtown just across the river from the Public Market. They have a full food menu and solid beers.

• Anodyne Coffee: A cute little neighborhood spot with coffee in the morning and then pizza and cocktails in the evening.

• City Lights Brewing Co.: A brewery in the old city powerhouse with a small tap list, a unique atmosphere and a large patio.

• MobCraft Beer: A brewery that creates crowdsourced beers in the Walker’s Point neighborhood. They also have a kitchen and specials each weekday.

• Vennture Brew Co: A coffee shop and brewery on the west side of the city. It is a nice open air space that is more coffee focused than beer but a good stop overall.

• Broken Bat Brewery: A baseball themed brewery with games and an indoor wiffleball field. They have a pretty large tap list with average beers.

Madison, WI

Madison is a fun college town with a cute downtown and some superb breweries!

Mad City Tips: 

• Hang out on the water! Madison has several lakes in the city so be sure to spend some time enjoying them.

• Madison is definitely a college town, so prepare for Badger everything! As a Michigan State grad it wasn’t my favorite part of the city, but it is fun to see the culture.

• Madison is quite small, you can accomplish a lot in just a day or two!

• Madison is only 1.5 hours west of Milwaukee, another fun city to explore! Check out my Milwaukee beer and travel guide here.

Adventures & Ales Top Madison Recommendations: 

• New Glarus Brewing: New Glarus is 50 minutes south of Madison but 1000% worth going out of your way to visit. This Wisconsin-only brewery is located on a huge, gorgeous property with a beer garden and views of the surrounding farms. There are only a few beers on tap but it is set up where you either pay for 3 tasters or for a pint, and you keep the glass. Spotted Cow is their most popular beer and a must-try. There is a large gift shop with swag and local cheese/snacks for sale to accompany your beers. The Beer Depot downstairs has to-go beer offerings with a large variety of beers and single bottle options as well. They also offer tours to learn more about their giant facility.

• Memorial Union Terrace: A super cute outdoor restaurant, bar and lounge space on the water on UW’s campus. Grab a local beer and hang out on the water! This is also a popular spot to watch the sunset.

• Young Blood Beer Company: A fantastic brewery downtown near the Capitol building. They have chill vibes, a patio space, a kitchen and delicious beers.

• Stay at Mansion Hill Inn! Madison is full of old mansions that have been converted to bed and breakfast spots and Mansion Hill Inn is fantastic. It is a beautiful old space with modern amenities and attentive staff. Your stay also includes a Madison BCycle pass and there is a docking station at the Inn.

• Working Draft Beer Company: A great brewery in the Marquette neighborhood with an IPA-heavy tap list and a nice taproom. They have a small patio space and fantastic beers.

New Glarus Brewing

Madison Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• The Old Fashioned: A famous restaurant in the heart of downtown with extremely delicious cheese curds that have been rated the best in the state. The bar selection is huge and they have a solid draft list as well.

• Ride around town with a Madison BCycle pass! Madison is super bike friendly and there are BCycle docking stations all over to make things easy!

• Explore State Street: This is the heart of downtown and is a cute, walkable area full of restaurants, shops and bars.

• Explore the Arboretum: A large outdoor space with trails, gardens and events.

Colectivo Coffee

Other Madison Things To Do:​​​

• Colectivo Coffee: A local coffee chain with great coffee and food. They have a few locations in town and have nice outdoor seating options.

• If you are visiting in the summer months be sure to check out Concerts on the Square on Wednesday evenings at the Capitol. This is an incredible event that brings together the city with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, BYOB drinks and food and drink vendors throughout.

• Bascom Hill: A nice viewpoint at the heart of UW’s campus.

• Hop Haus Brewing: A brewery in Fitchburg on the way to Madison from New Glarus. They have a full kitchen and average beers.

Decorah, IA

Decorah, Iowa Is exactly what you picture when you think of small town america—cute + bustling downtown, the nicest people & quirky charm

Decorah Tips: 

• Visit! Decorah is a small town but it has so many great reasons to visit—lots of outdoorsy activities, a great beer scene and a rich culture.

• Decorah has Norwegian roots so you will see fun connections all throughout town!

• Decorah is close to several cities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and more! Add it as a stop to your Midwest road trip.

Adventures & Ales Top Decorah Recommendations: 

• Pulpit Rock Brewing Company: A phenomenal brewery in the heart of downtown Decorah! Pulpit Rock is known for their Sours but every style of beer they make is delicious. They have a small taproom, a nice patio and The Landing Market is a food hall next door owned by the same folks so you can bring your beer over there or your food back to the brewery.

• Toppling Goliath Brewing Company: TG is one of the most highly rated breweries in the country and they are located just 7 minutes from downtown Decorah. They have a restaurant-style set-up with a full food menu and a nice indoor and outdoor space. Their facility is absolutely massive and you can look in on production from large windows in the tap room.

• Magpie Café and Coffeehouse: A super cute spot for breakfast, lunch and coffee on the main strip of downtown. The food and coffee is delicious and the team is incredibly nice. They also have lots of different vegan and vegetarian options.

• Dixie’s Biergarten: Dixie’s is a fun beer bar in the original Toppling Goliath space. They have 31 taps with a great selection of local and non-local craft beers. They also have a fantastic outdoor space with hops and string lights.

• Convergence Cider Works: A fun cidery downtown with their own ciders on tap, a few guest beers and a kitchen. They also have a small back patio and the owners are incredibly nice.

  • The owners also have an Airbnb upstairs that is 2 bedrooms and very cute. This is a great spot to stay while visiting Decorah!

Pulpit Rock Brewing

Decorah Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Trout Run Trail: An 11-mile loop that goes around the city and crosses trout stream 5 times throughout. The trail ranges from easy to challenging thanks to steep switchbacks in certain areas.

  • Rent a bike from Decorah Bicycles to explore all 11 miles! They also have e-bikes to make things a bit easier if you’d like.

  • Check out Dunnings Springs Waterfall right off the trail to see the 200ft waterfall

  • Palisdes Park is in the same area with trails and scenic overlooks

• Chimney Rock Campground & Canoe Rental: Rent a kayak, canoe or tube and float the Upper Iowa River! You can choose your length of float and they will drive you to a launch and you will end at the campground. They are about 25 minutes northwest of Decorah and it is absolutely gorgeous out on the river!

Dunnings Springs Waterfall

Other Decorah Things To Do:​​​

• Luna Valley Farm: On weekends in the summer and fall they host pizza nights on the farm, make a reservation in advance!

• La Rana: A cute bistro that the locals love. They have a solid beer selection, wine, cocktails, and delicious food.

• PIVO Brewery: PIVO is in neighboring Calmar and has a whopping 39 beers on tap. Their tap list spans all varieties of beer. They also have a food menu and a patio space.

• Decorah hosts an annual Nordic Fest and various Nordic dancing events throughout the year that are truly astonishing to witness—if you are lucky enough to be in town during one be sure to check it out!

Columbus, OH

Columbus is a fun city in the center of Ohio—a sentence I never thought I would say!

Cbus Tips: 

• Remember every time you are planning a trip to the Midwest—you will enjoy your time more if you go from May-October. Winter can be brutal!

• There is a thriving beer scene here! Be sure to plan ahead because you’ll want to target your ideal breweries, it would be nearly impossible to hit them all in one trip!

• Snag a Columbus Ale Trail booklet from pretty much any brewery to get stamps for your purchases and earn free swag!

• Ohio State University is located here so be conscious of football/graduation seasons when planning your trip! [Also be sure to yell Go Green for me if you’re there when they play Michigan State!]

• Columbus definitely has some rough areas so be aware and be safe.

Exploring Ohio? Check out my guides to Cincinnati, Dayton and Cleveland!

Adventures & Ales Top Columbus Recommendations: ​

• Hoof Hearted Brewing: A hype brewery mainly known for their IPAs which are super tasty, but everything they make is generally great. They have two locations in the Columbus area:

  • Marengo, Ohio: Their original location is about 30 minutes northeast of Columbus. They have Oak Hill BBQ onsite, an arcade, front and back patios, and overall chill vibes. This is basically in the middle of nowhere but it is a cool spot to check out.

  • Italian Village Neighborhood: Their downtown spot has fun vibes and even a pool that you can pay $10 to hang out at if you’re not a member of the gym it’s connected to.

• Land Grant Brewing Company: Yummy beers, a massive outdoor beer garden space, and tons of TVs. They also have frequent live music and outdoor movies during the summer months! Rayrays Hog Pit lives onsite for your BBQ needs.

• Gemut Biergarten: A great German biergarten with traditional German food (read: great pretzel) and solid beers.

• Lineage Brewing: A very chill spot with a full food menu without exuding ‘restaurant’ vibes. They’ve also got wine and cocktails for your non-beer friends and frequently host events.

• Emmett’s Café: A fantastic neighborhood café in the Brewery District of Columbus. They have fantastic breakfast/brunch/lunch and coffees and a great outdoor patio in the back. Highly recommend!

• North High Brewing: Super delicious beers at this brewery located in the Short North Arts District. You can also brew your own beer here which is a super fun concept! It can get quite loud and crazy on the weekends as a forewarning.

• Henmick Farm & Brewery: A farm-style brewery in Deleware, Ohio just north of Columbus. They have an extremely nice set up both indoors and out and great beers. There is usually a food truck or you can also bring your own food.

• Wolf’s Ridge Brewing: There are two different entrances to Wolf’s Ridge, one for the taproom and one for the restaurant, so decide what kind of mood you are in and go in the correct door! The taproom side has a smaller food menu and you can get beer from both sides of course!

• 2 Tones Brewing: Delicious beers and a super friendly staff. Worth adventuring out of central Columbus for!

• Somewhere in Particular Brewing: A funky brewery with a nice outdoor space and average beers. They’ve also got a full food menu if you’re hungry!

• Zaftig Brewing: This brewery also has two locations—the original is just north of the city and the newer spot is downtown. During my first visit to the original spot the beers were super impressive and the staff was incredibly friendly. During my visit to the downtown location the beers were not good and the service was terrible. Take that as you will!

Pretentious Barrel House

Columbus Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• The Book Loft: A giant bookstore with 32 rooms and a cute garden out front!

  • Stauf’s Coffee Roasters is located right next door with delicious coffees and pastries!

  • These are located in the German Village neighborhood which is cute and has several German bars and restaurants

• Scioto Mile: Several parks along the river downtown. It makes for a lovely walk/run/bike ride!

  • Bicentennial Park: If it is summertime and you’ve got kids with you on your trip this is the perfect park to hang out in with water features for them to play in

• North Market: Classic food hall/farmer’s market combo in the heart of the city

  • Jeni’s Ice Cream is located here and will forever be one of my favorite ice cream spots!

  • Barrel and Bottle is a beer shop—you can get a beer on tap and “sip and stroll” the market with it if you want!

• Short North Arts District: A fun neighborhood downtown with all kinds of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and stores to wander!

• Take a day trip or weekend trip to Hocking Hills! This gorgeous state park is just an hour southeast of Columbus. Check out my recommendations here!

Hoof Hearted Brewing

Other Things To Do in Columbus:​​

• Mission Coffee Co: Cute industrial coffee shop in the Short North Arts District neighborhood

• Endeavor Brewing: I loved the adventure theme at Endeavor but their beers were just average. They had a bunch of board games and they host soccer viewing parties too!

• Seventh Son Brewing: Located just up the street from Hoof Hearted’s downtown location, this brewery has a rooftop bar and frequent food trucks.

• Platform Beer Co: Solid beers, rooftop space, and a little off the beaten path. They’ve got darts and several board games for entertainment. Heads up you have to pay for metered parking here. Unfortunately they sold out to big beer, so support small and local first.

• BrewDog: A Scottish brewery with several outposts in the Columbus area. This brewery has faced a lot of issues with sexism and discrimination, so please support somewhere else first. Prior to all of these issues were surfaced I visited the Franklinton location which is right across the street from Land Grant Brewing. At this location the downstairs had more of a restaurant vibe with a full food menu and upstairs was a rooftop bar. The Doghouse, BrewDog’s craft beer hotel is also located in Columbus.

• There are a TON of other breweries in the area if you have a longer trip—over 45! Check out the map here.

Cleveland, OH

Cleveland gets a bad rap because well…it’s Cleveland. They have a ton of breweries and an overall fun vibe, check it out!

Forest City Tips: 

• Fun fact, Cleveland’s nickname is The Forest City! There is a bunch of nature surrounding the city, so be sure to venture out into it!

• Per all of my Midwest USA tips—I would recommend visiting May-October for the most joyful experience because winter is real and not fun when you’re walking around a new city!

• You can see Cleveland in a weekend, you don’t need to plan for much longer of a trip.

• Snag a Cleveland Brewery Passport and mail it in for prizes!

Adventures & Ales Top Cleveland Recommendations: ​

• Masthead Brewing Co: The best beer I had in Cleveland! The atmosphere is fun, they’ve got a pizza kitchen, long tables to share, friendly staff, and fantastic brews!

• Butcher and the Brewer: Located on the super cute 4th Street that is full of bars and restaurants, this brewery and restaurant combo has a fire Albino Stout that is worth a try and a fun outdoor patio to hang out on.

• Town Hall: A craft beer bar and restaurant combo with fantastic brunch and cheap Happy Hour specials. Located in the heart of the Ohio City neighborhood. Check out their back patio if the weather is nice!

• Bookhouse Brewing: Actually like a house full of books! This place is super cute and has fantastic beers. They’ve got a small snack food list, frequent food trucks, and lots of board games if you’d rather play something than read a book!

• Terrestrial Brewing: Located across the highway from Edgewater Park with a view of Lake Erie. Delicious beers and the most dogs I’ve ever seen at a brewery (insert heart eyes emoji here!)

• Noble Beast Brewing Co: Their taproom is combined with the brewing space which I love! Really good beers and fun vibes

• Collision Bend Brewing: Located right on the river, this brewery has a full food menu, a killer Happy Hour, and lots of outdoor seating

Butcher and the Brewer

Cleveland Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Brewnuts: This ever-popular donut and beer bar combo is worth the hype. Delicious donuts? Check. Fantastic tap list? Check. Do it up!

• West Side Market: Cleveland’s large city market with food stalls in a historic building

  • Market Square Park is directly across the street and home to open air markets and frequent events

• Great Lakes Brewing: Also right across from the West Side Market, this big name brewery lets you choose between outdoor seating, indoor-upstairs restaurant-style seating, or the indoor-downstairs pub-style atmosphere. Check out the mural on the back wall for a solid photo opp!

• Edgewater Park: A great place to hang out on the lake or catch a sunset!

• Rocky River Reservation: A nature park with trails and picnic areas. Heads up I’ve read some sketchy things about this park so be cautious.

• Fat Head’s Brewing: The local’s favorite! Fat Head’s has won a plethora of awards for their beers. They have two locations in Cleveland that each have different beers on tap. The newer location in Middlebury Heights is conveniently located near the airport if you’re flying in/out of the city and has fun beer garden vibes inside, along with a full food menu.

• Cuyahoga Valley National Park: This National Park is located 30 minutes south of Cleveland.

  • Brandywine Falls: This is the main attraction of the park. There is a short .3 mile/10 minute long boardwalk trail to see the falls or a 1.4 mile/35 minute loop trail along the creek. Parking is limited, but since it is so quick you can normally get a spot.

  • Ledges Trail: This is an easy 2.3 mile long trail with 203ft of elevation gain that takes about an hour to complete. There are some neat rock formations and slot canyons, but otherwise it is a bit boring.

Market Garden Brewery

Other Cleveland Things To Do:​​

• Saucy Brew Works: Restaurant style brewery with delicious pizzas and skee ball!

• Market Garden Brewery: Located directly next to West End Market, this brewery has a full food menu and cute outdoor patio with a fire pit.

• Forest City Brewing: A vintage-style brewery with a large outdoor space, games, and a snack menu.

• Wander the Flats East Bank area: A very walkable area on the river with lots of bars and restaurants, though a bit touristy

  • Thirsty Dog Brewing is here. They have indoor and outdoor seating and cute dog bone flights, though the beers weren’t super impressive

• Moe’s Tavern Brewing: A very interesting little space with tasty bar food and pub vibes

• Platform Beer Co.: They sold out to Anheuser-Busch which was quite disappointing, but when I visited their were still independently owned and had solid beers

On an Ohio kick? Check out my Columbus recs here!

Dayton, OH

Dayton is your classic Small Midwestern City with a few good spots to explore!

Dayton Tips: 

• Dayton is pretty small so I would recommend just a day or two to explore.

• I would recommend trying to stay closer to the university area or downtown! The outskirts of Dayton are not always super safe, so the closer to downtown the better.

• On a road trip through Ohio? Check out my guides to Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, and Hocking Hills!

Adventures & Ales Top Dayton Recommendations:

• The Barrel House: A fantastic beer bar with a killer tap list and phenomenal selection of cans and bottles for on-site consumption or to-go. If you can only go to one place in Dayton this is the number one spot! Highly recommend.

• Branch and Bone Artisanal Ales: A nice little spot with tasty beers and friendly staff members. They have a small dog-friendly patio as well.

• Nowhere in Particular Cabinet of Curiosities: A very funky brewery with some delicious beers and some average beers. Overall I would recommend checking it out. They are dog-friendly inside and out!

The Barrel House

Other things to do in Dayton:

• Warped Wing Brewing Company: A solid brewery in a converted warehouse with a massive tap list. They have a kitchen as well with tasty food! There is no outdoor seating option here so dogs are not welcome.

• Toxic Brew Company: A solid brewery right downtown with a wide range of brews.

• Ghostlight Coffee: A great coffee shop with two locations in town.

St. Louis, MO

ST. LOuis Is a Gritty Midwestern City with unique neighborhoods and a plethora of breweries!

STL Tips: 

• The area is spread out into very different neighborhoods, so be sure to plan ahead as the main attractions can be quite spaced out.

• St. Louis is SUCH a Lager town. Their breweries have not bought into the “hype beers” as a lot of the country is—don’t expect Juicy IPAs, Pastry Stouts, and Fruited Sours at each spot, expect more of your classic styles.

• Overall St. Louis is full of Midwestern vibes—it is gritty and full of old factories. I personally love that type of place as I am from Michigan which is much of the same, but don’t expect a Southern Belle city.

Adventures & Ales Top St. Louis Recommendations: ​​​

• Check out my blog with The Best Breweries in St. Louis!

• Narrow Gauge Brewing Company: Phenomenal beers of all styles—IPAs, Stouts, Foeder-Aged, the list goes on. They’ve also got some of the nicest staff around! This is an absolute must visit.

  • They are located a bit off the beaten path in Florissant, Missouri. It’s only 12 minutes from the airport so if you are flying in/out definitely hit them up while you are on your way to/from the airport. If you are not flying it is still worth the drive out to visit them!

  • They have an interesting set up with Cugino’s, an Italian restaurant, where they essentially share the space. I would not recommend the pizza, but the other food seems to be popular!

• Side Project Brewing: One of the top breweries in the entire country! When I visited they were unfortunately still doing to-go only because of COVID, but even my short experience picking up my to-go bottles was great! Their staff is super nice and the beers are absolutely incredible.

  • Their tasting room is just down the street from the brewery, The Side Project Cellar. They are also working on an expansion across the street from their original brewery that is rumored to bring more seats, pizza, and more parking.

• Perennial Artisan Ales: Another must visit that is highly regarded in the craft beer scene! Perennial is located in an old warehouse and is honestly a bit smaller than I expected for how much they distribute. Their beers are delicious, specifically their Sours and Stouts—Abraxas is my top recommendation!

• Bluewood Brewing: Really good beers, a unique patio space, and chill atmosphere. Mac’s Local Eats is located inside Bluewood and has some of the top burgers in the city so definitely grab a burger with your beers!

Urban Chestnut Midtown

• Wellspent Brewing Company: A small but fantastic brewery in the Midtown area of STL. Their taproom has classy style and they’ve got a cute little outdoor space as well. Great beers, although the tap list was a little short. Highly recommend the Stouts in particular!

• Urban Chestnut’s Midtown Biergarten: The Midtown location of UCBC is a cute little biergarten with a classic German style. The Pilsner was my top beer and the pretzels were also quite tasty! Urban Chestnut has two other locations in St. Louis and one in Germany—

  • Urban Chestnut’s Grove Bierhall: The vibes here are definitely classic German bierhall with a small outdoor space. It is a large indoor space and quite popular, so be aware that you may have to wait for a table. They have a slightly different tap list and food menu from their Midtown location.

  • The U.R.B.: The Urban Research Brewery was closed when I visited due to COVID but the idea is this this is where they try out their small batch beers and pizzas. It is located directly across the street from their Grove Bierhall.

• Gezellig Beer Bar: A great beer bar with a variety of local, regional, national, and international beers on tap and to-go. They share a space with Pie Guy Pizza that has delicious pizza available by the pie or slice! I highly recommend getting some ‘za with your beers!

• Rockwell Beer Co.: A super popular brewery with a fantastic patio to hang out on. They’ve got a small food menu and quite a few beers to choose from.

• Heavy Riff Brewing: Delicious beers, a full food menu with mostly BBQ, a large converted patio space, and chill vibes! They are located in the Dogtown neighborhood of STL.

• 2nd Shift Brewing: A large tap list with really good beers! They’ve got a little garden area up front and a spacious taproom to enjoy your beers in. 2nd Shift is located in a pretty industrial area so I would not necessarily recommend walking here like I did.

• Schlafly Brewing is the OG of St. Louis beer so you’ve got to check them out while you’re in town! They’ve got two locations in STL:

  • Schlafly Bottleworks is their large production facility. They are a brewpub with a full food menu. They’ve got a nice outdoor patio as well and are located in Maplewood, right up the road from Side Project.

  • Schlafly Tap Room is their original taproom from when they opened in 1991! They still do some brewing here as well and now have two bars and a full food menu. This location is between downtown and Midtown, right down the road from Wellspent.

Hartford Coffee Company

St. Louis Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Gateway Arch National Park: You of course have to visit the arch on your St. Louis visit! It is housed in a large National Park right on the Mississippi River. You can also go to the top via a tram for a fee.

  • The Old Courthouse is another sight to see in the park and is where the Dred Scott case was held. The Old Cathedral is also located here which is as it sounds, an old church.

• Missouri History Museum: This is a free museum located in Forest Park that has informative and interesting exhibits!

• Tower Grove Park: A nice park with a variety of gazebos to relax under.

  • Hartford Coffee Company: A neighborhood coffee shop near the park with fantastic breakfast options.

  • Tower Grove Creamery: A nice ice cream shop right at the entrance to the park so you can take your scoops and enjoy them in nature.

• Meander through The Grove neighborhood: This is a super cute area mostly along Manchester Avenue that is full of bars, restaurants, and shops.

  • UCBC’s Bierhall, The U.R.B., Pie Guy Pizza, Gezellig Beer Bar, and Rockwell Brewing are all located in this area from my top recommendations list above!

• Soulard Farmer’s Market: A solid farmer’s market with quite a few stalls of goodies to shop from.

  • The Soulard neighborhood in general is a fun spot to hop around. It is an old and gritty area with a plethora of bars and restaurants. I enjoyed Soulard Coffee Garden, a cute little coffeeshop and restaurant with a relaxing garden space.

• Forest Park: A massive park with trails, a boat house, a golf course, a couple of museums, and overall relaxing environment.

• Citygarden: A nice little area in downtown to relax with statues and nature.

• Explore the greenways! STL has a large greenway network that is nicely maintained.

Schlafly Bottleworks

Other St. Louis Things To Do:​​

• 4 Hands Brewing Co.: 4 Hands was continually recommended to me as “the best beer in St. Louis” and a “must visit",” but unfortunately I was very underwhelmed by their beers. I found the selection to be relatively large, but the flavors were not there for me. They have an upstairs in the taproom with games and they have a nice outdoor space across the street from the taproom. They have frequent food pop-ups as well.

• Alpha Brewing: A brewery in southern St. Louis with average beers and a small rotating food menu. They have frequent live music and a plethora of picnic tables to enjoy your patio brews on.

• Earthbound Brewing: Earthbound has a nice patio space, average beers, and is located right up the road from Bluewood Brewing on the bustling Cherokee Street.

• 21st St. Brewers Bar: A basement beer bar with a wide selection of craft beer that is mostly local. They have a nice patio upstairs and are located right next to Charleville Brewing Company!

• Charleville Brewing Company: Another brewery with average beers and a solid patio space. They also have games to play while you sip your brews! On Sundays they host Smash Burger Sundays and Tuesday-Saturday they partner with Hamilton’s next door for food.

• Park Avenue Coffee: A solid coffeeshop in downtown STL with innovative flavors and gooey butter cake!

• City Museum: One of the weirdest places I have ever been. This is essentially a giant playground, so if you have kids it would be a great way to entertain them for hours. It is indoors and outdoors, involves climbing, slides, and exploring. If you don’t have kids some people were enjoying themselves but it just not my type of thing to do. Tickets are $16 for entry.

• Center Ice Brewery: A hockey themed brewery that is a huge St. Louis Blues bar. They have a very small tap list and average beers.

• Rooster: A popular brunch restaurant with a downtown location and a Tower Grove location. Overall I was not too impressed with my food or my Bloody Mary, but others seemed to love it. They did have a few ways to make meals vegetarian or vegan if you have anyone in your group with a specific diet.

• Square One Brewery & Distillery: A restaurant-style brewery with a cute patio, large food menu, and average beers. I found the staff here to be incredibly rude as a heads up.

The Best Breweries in the Midwest

The Midwest is full of great breweries—let’s be real there’s not much to do from November-March when you are snowed in other than brew and drink great beer. As a result there are some stellar spots spanning across these states!

The best breweries in the Midwest, in no particular order:

Phase Three Brewing Company: Lake Zurich, IL

Speciation Artisan Ales: Grand Rapids, MI

Pulpit Rock Brewing Company: Decorah, IA

Lua Brewing: Des Moines, IA

Forager Brewery: Rochester, MN

Side Project Brewing: Maplewood, MO

Jackie O’s Brewery: Athens, OH

New Glarus Brewing Company: New Glarus, WI

BlackStack Brewing: St. Paul, MN

Transient Artisan Ales: Bridgman, MI

Revolution Brewing: Chicago, IL

Drekker Brewing Company: Fargo, ND

Which of these have you been to? What are your favorites? Let me know in the comments! Cheers—Alexis

The Best Cities for Beer Vacations

I have explored the beer scene in a lot of cities both domestically and abroad, and it’s time to share the absolute best places for a craft beer vacation.

To make the list you have to have a high quantity of breweries, but also some fantastic breweries. There are a lot of cities with a ton of breweries that make average to mediocre beer. These cities all have folks absolutely crushing the game.

In no particular order, here are the best cities in the United States and abroad for beer vacations:

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.

What are your favorite cities in the world for beer travel? Let me know in the comments! Cheers—Alexis

A Weekend in Frankfort, Michigan

Frankfort is a cute little city on Lake Michigan known for their sunsets! It is just south of Traverse City and the Leelanau Peninsula and makes for a great weekend getaway.

Want to head a little further north? Check out my guide to Traverse City here and the Leelanau Peninsula here.

• The main attraction for Frankfort is their great beach and famed Lighthouse. Spend some time at the lake soaking in the views. There are lots of benches and some parking but it is easily walkable from downtown as well. The sunset at the beach is fantastic!

• Stormcloud Brewing Company: A great brewery with tasty beers, a full food menu, a nice patio space, and friendly staff. They have two locations—their main pub is right downtown and their newer taproom is just a few minutes away.

• L'Chayim Delicatessen: A delicious spot for bagels and lunch sandwiches with locations in Frankfort, Beulah and Glen Arbor.

• Glen Arbor Wines: A great spot for wine with a nice outdoor space and friendly staff. They also have a small selection of cheeses and things in the fridge.

• Vita Bella: A nice Italian restaurant in downtown Frankfort. Their pizza and pasta is tasty and they’ve also got sandwiches and salads on the menu. The back seating area has a water view.

• Stay at this Airbnb: Which is a nice cozy spot on Little Lake Platte with water access that is wildly cheap.

• Rock's Landing: A nice spot for dinner with good lake views. Reservations recommended.

• Birch & Maple: A solid spot for brunch and dinner downtown. It has a cute interior space.

• The Manitou: A good spot for dinner with a menu that is seafood focused but still has a variety of options.

• Point Betsie Lighthouse: An old historic lighthouse on the beach. It is $5 to enter the lighthouse itself or you can just check out the outside and surrounding beach. The beach is to the left of the lighthouse on an unmarked path. This is a great place to find Petoskey Stones!

• Beulah Beach: A nice small beach on Crystal Lake.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

• Empire Bluff Trail: This trail is 1.7 miles long with 170ft of elevation gain and takes about 50 minutes to complete. It is rated moderate but quite easy and leads to a nice bluff overlooking the lake.

• Dune Climb: A must! If you want to go beyond the initial dune you see be prepared that it can be hot and intense! If you want to get down to Lake Michigan over the dunes plan 3-4 hours. It took approximately 45 minutes round trip to get to the top of the fourth dune where you have nice views of Lake Michigan.

• Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive: This is a 7.8 mile loop drive with overlooks and a few hikes. There is a very steep dune climb you can do here but beware, it’s hard! It costs $3,000 to be rescued and over 100 people have to be saved each year, so make sure you can make it back up before you start your descent!

• Sleeping Bear Point Trail: We did a shorter version than this map just out to the lake and back which was just under a mile and took about 35 minutes trudging through the deep sand.