Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico Tips:

• Bring cash! I was surprised to see in 2025 how often I needed cash on the island, so be sure to come prepared.

• Bring a water bottle with a filter or only drink bottled water. Though PR is part of the US there is a lot of concerns with drinking water not being safe, so take the extra step to keep yourself healthy.

• Rent a car to explore more—just do not do so from Sixt. Their rental facility is off the airport property with an incredibly slow shuttle, scammy workers, and just overall a very mediocre experience provided.

  • When driving prepare for narrow lanes, merging roads, and tolls—but you can avoid these with your map settings.

San Juan Area

• Ocean Lab Brewing Co: This brewery has two locations, with the main one being right near the airport on the beach. This location is incredible. There is a pool, beach, stage for shows, full restaurant, and incredible oceanfront views. The beer is pretty tasty and they also offer cocktails. Parking here is in a paid lot.

• Pinky’s: A delicious sandwich shop with two locations. Highly recommend!

Old San Juan 

This historic area is full of colorful buildings on hilly roads with touristy, party vibes while still being cute. Do not try to drive around Old San Juan—it is small enough to explore by foot and traffic + parking is not fun.

• Bop around San Sebastián Street: This is a popular area with a ton of bars and restaurants.

  • La Taberna Lupulo: A famed beer bar with 46 taps and a small food menu as well.

  • La Factoria: A famous cocktail bar that is quite popular and has great vibes. The drinks are quite tasty though expensive.

  • La Tortuga Bistro Bar: Another solid option with good food and cocktails.

• Do a walking tour of the historic sites throughout this area. I used the GPS My City app to hit all of the main points.

• San Juan National Historic Site: This includes El Castillo de San Felipe del Morro, Castillo San Cristobal, and technically the city walls themselves. It is $10 to enter without a national park pass.

• Puerta de San Juan: The historic gate to enter the city. Also when you go through the gate there is a little trail along the wall—Paseo del Morro.

• Bar Catedral Rooftop: A cool rooftop bar next to the cathedral (in case those facts were not clear from the name). Great spot for sunset!

• La Ó: A fun spot for appetizers, pasta, pizza, and cocktails.

• I stayed at this Airbnb that was simple but affordable and in a perfect location.

• Cervecería del Callejón: An average brewery with a small tap list.

• Café Cuatro Sombras: A cute coffee shop with a nice little back patio space.

• Museo de las Americas: An art museum that has numerous exhibits, most of which were closed when I visited unfortunately. Entrance is $6 and there are some neat, informative things to check out.

• The Mezzanine: A rooftop bar with tapas, cocktails and wine.

El Yunque + Eastern Puerto Rico

• El Yunque National Forest is the only tropical rainforest in the national park system! With that said, even on a clear day expect some rain because it is a rainforest so be sure to come prepared.

  • Take a peek at La Coca Waterfall on your drive up from the road on your right.

• Big Loop Trail: This route hits all of the main points in the park—Los Picachos, El Yunque, and Mount Britton. It is 7 miles long with 2,440ft of elevation gain and takes just under 4 hours to complete. The trail is very rocky until the Mount Britton area then it is paved and has a lot more folks on it, as most people only go up to Mount Britton, an old historic tower. The most challenging part was a scramble up to the top of El Yunque, but the views are really great from here—make sure to go all the way up to your right when you finish the climb.

• After your hike head to the town of Fajardo for lunch or dinner!

  • Rustica is a stellar spot with Brooklyn-style pizza and cocktails—all of which is delicious. The vibes are great as well and everything is well-priced.

  • If you are more of a barbeque person, La Estacion is very popular.

• Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve: The La Zanja Trail here is a bit misleading, but I would recommend just checking out Balneario Seven Seas and walking the beach with the mangroves.

Vieques

Vieques is a gorgeous little island off the east coast of the main island. You can easily explore the whole island in a day, but most folks stay a few days to truly relax and unwind. The island has a lot less development than other islands because the Navy previously operated there. There are no stoplights on the island, tiny roads, and extremely laid back chill vibes.

Vieques is reachable via plane or ferry. The ferry is quite easy and cheap, just book your tickets in advance here. The only downside to the ferry is the parking—it is a 10 minute walk away from the port with all of your luggage + the parking is extremely expensive—about 10 times more expensive than the ferry tickets themselves.

You can get by without a car on the island, but if you’re wanting to explore some of the more isolated beaches you’ll want a 4WD high clearance vehicle to navigate the rough roads. I rented a Jeep from Maritza Car Rental which has a convenient shuttle to and from the ferry, but the rental itself was pretty crappy with no functioning AC and a torn up interior.

I stayed at this Airbnb which is small but nice, and has a little outdoor area. It is a quick walk to everything in Esperanza which was great! This spot is very affordable, but in general Vieques is a bit pricey, especially in comparison to the rest of Puerto Rico.

• Go on a bioluminescent kayak tour! Vieques is home to the brightest bio bay in the world and this is a very unique experience. I went with The Pirate Bio Bay Tours and didn’t love them, but still enjoyed the experience. I would recommend trying a different company—a friend went with JAK Water Sports and loved it!

• Playa La Chiva in Vieques National Wildlife Refuge: Beautiful isolated beaches with wild horses. Drive towards the end of the park for less seaweed and people.

• Kristy’s on the Caribe: An absolutely delicious spot for breakfast and brunch. The coffee and food is tasty and the chill beach vibes are immaculate.

• Mango Taphouse and Gastropub: A nice little beer bar and restaurant on the cliffside.

• Esperanza Beach and the boardwalk area is super nice.

• Balneario Sun Bay: Another nice beach option with pretty views, fee required to enter.

  • Playa Media Luna is over here too

• Parque de la Ceiba de Vieques Reserva Natural: A historic old, massive tree to stop by.

• Playa Negra: A nice black sand beach that is a 10 min walk from the parking area on road.

• Crab Island Distillery is located on the island and has good reviews, but their hours are limited.

• Duffy’s in Esperanza also looked fun but has limited hours.

• Skip Lazy Jack’s—a chill bar with a food and ocean views, but they were out of more than half the food menu when I visited and the frozen cocktail was not good.

• Skip D’Frozz Coffee: I paid $7 for an iced latte where she took the coffeepot on the counter and poured it into a cup with ice and said bye.

Central Puerto Rico:

• San Cristobal Canyon Trail: This trail is 3.25 miles long and AllTrails claims it was 1,000ft of elevation gain but it certainly did not seem that steep. It takes just over an hour to complete this out and back route from the parking area to the overlook. There area beautiful, sweeping views throughout and the waterfall at the end is gorgeous. It is a very exposed trail so be prepared for sun, and after rain it can be very muddy.

• The Guavate area is best known for being a “pork highway” so there are tons of restaurants on the side of the road in the mountains—though most are only open on the weekends.

  • AlaVera Bar & Kitchen: A tasty restaurant with an expansive mojito selection, pretty views, and incredible mofongo.

• I stayed at this Airbnb which was incredible. The views are stunning and the hot tub on the cliffside is super neat. There needed to be a little bit of upkeep (back door was broken, outdoor fire table was broken) but overall it was a super cool stay. It is listed as a tiny home but it is not at all tiny.

• Mirador La Plata: A cool lookout off the road.

• Casa Mya: A nice café in the small town of Aibonito with fresh, delicious eats.

Ponce area:

• El Salto Collores Waterfall: This is a super cool little waterfall and swimming hole about 30 minutes north of Ponce. It is located on private property so you’ll pay the owner $10 (in cash) for access. This also includes bathrooms and some tables and chairs. The water is super clean and pretty with a ton of fish, and you can climb up to the top for more river access. When I visited I was lucky enough to have it all to myself, but I would imagine it gets rowdy on the weekends in the summer.

• Nispero: A nice wine/cocktail bar with a full food menu as well. Their back patio space is lovely. 

• King’s Cream: A delicious spot for ice cream in the main square—they also have a few other locations on the island!

• Parque de Bombas: A small firefighter museum in the main square with a beautiful building.

• Museo Castillo Serrallés: A historic castle home to the Don Q distillery and Cruceta del Vigia as well. The hours are limited unfortunately but it is worth checking out

• La Guancha Boardwalk: A popular area on the weekends with stalls of food and drinks.

Southwest Puerto Rico:

• Cabo Rojo Lighthouse Trail in Bosque Estatal de Boqueron: This trail is 2.5 miles long and mostly flat. The start is a bit stinky through a marshy area, but then you get out to the rockier lighthouse area. The backside of the trail along the cliffs is quite neat, with a natural bridge and beautiful views, especially at sunset. The rest of the trail is a bit meh, so I would recommend just cutting out and back on the main straightaway. This area is also popular for beachgoers.

• Parque Nacional Balneario Boquerón: A nice chill beach with walking trails and amenities. It is $5 to enter with a vehicle or you can park on road and walk in.

• I stayed at this Airbnb in a shipping container that was incredibly nice. The outside area is incredible and there are thoughtful touches throughout. It is also super cheap! 

Lexington, KY

Lexington is a fun city to explore with numerous breweries and plenty of bourbon!

Lex Tips: 

• Lexington is pretty small but I would definitely recommend having a car as it is a little bit spread out.

• Be aware of events at the University of Kentucky—it is right in the heart of Lexington so basketball/football games and graduation can lead to a packed city and lots of traffic.

• Red River Gorge is just over an hour away from Lexington and a great place for outdoor adventuring—check out my RRG guide here!

• Louisville is also just about an hour from Lex, check out my guide here!

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations:

• Mirror Twin Brewing: A great brewery with a large tap list and Rolling Oven Pizza in-house. Their Hazy IPAs, Fruited Sours and Pastry Stouts are delicious and they also offer cocktails if that is more your style. They are dog-friendly inside and out.

• The Manchester: A fantastic hotel with two restaurants and bars onsite. The entire hotel is insanely gorgeous with keen attention to design details. Their rooftop bar and restaurant Lost Palm is a tropical tiki paradise. Their lobby bar and restaurant Granddam exudes Kentucky charm. They are located in the Distillery District so they are nice and close to everything along with being dog-friendly.

• Ethereal Brewing: A popular brewery with tasty beers and 3 locations in town. Their Manchester location has a large patio and is located directly next to James E. Pepper Distilling Company so I’d recommend setting up a distillery tour and then checking out the brewery after! The Slice House is on the UK campus in a shared space with tasty pizza. The Public House has a full food menu downtown.

• Country Boy Brewing: A great brewery near downtown with a smaller taproom but it still boasts a large tap list with a wide variety of beers. They also have a small patio. They are the oldest brewery in Lexington and are putting out beers that can please everyone no matter your palate. They also do their part to connect back to the community and partner with Earthly Labs to reduce their CO2 impact on the environment.

• West Sixth Brewing: The second oldest brewery in Lexington and the first brewery to can beer in Kentucky! They are now KY’s best selling craft beer, but they intentionally keep their distribution small. Their number one seller is West Sixth IPA and their Oktoberfest is super popular as well. I recommend the different variants of the Snake Eyes Stout. They have four taprooms—Lexington, Louisville, Newport Kentucky near Cincinnati, and the farm near Frankfort.

  • Their Lexington taproom and brewery is an old Rainbow Bread factory with a massive 90,000 square feet footprint. They have several tenants in their space that focus on nonprofits and giving back to the community. One of their tenants is Smithtown Seafood which has plenty of food options to enjoy with your brews, including non-seafood options if that’s more your style!

• Goodwood Brewing and Spirits: A solid brewery with incredibly delicious food, a covered patio, and Happy Hour specials. Their Lexington location is just south of downtown.

• Blue Stallion Brewing Co.: A large German-focused brewery with a massive tap list that has a variety of styles of beer. The taproom has fun games such as darts and pool as well as frequent live music and events. They also do liter specials on beers on different days of the week.

Country Boy Brewing

Other lexington things to do:

• Lussi Brown Coffee Bar: An eclectic coffee and cocktail bar downtown with great coffee.

• Rock House Brewing: This brewery has very interesting vibes in an old warehouse with rustic and homey furniture. The beers were solid!

• Whiskey Bear: A super fun bourbon bar with delicious drinks.

• Pivot Brewing: A brewery and cidery that mostly focuses on their ciders which are quite tasty.

• The Beer Trappe: A beer bar and bottle shop with taps and to-go beers. The selection was a little underwhelming but I am also quite a beer snob, overall it was solid.

  DV8 Kitchen: A breakfast and lunch spot doing good for the community.

Louisville, KY

Louisville is bourbon filled horse-loving city on the river

Derby City Tips: 

• Louisville is full of bourbon and horses—if those are your interests lean into them and hop around to various distilleries and horse museums and races.

• Louisville is a bit of a gritty city—I never felt unsafe but just be aware.

• Add Louisville to your road trip! It’s just over an hour from Lexington and 3 hours from Nashville. Check out my Lexington guide here and my Nashville guide here.

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations: 

• Atrium Brewing: A fantastic brewery specializing in Sours. They have two locations—Logan Street has food from Daryk’s with a nice patio space. Norton Commons works with Noco Delivery for eats. They’ve also got cocktails for your non-beer friends.

• Stay at The Bellwether Hotel: An art-deco hotel that is set up as individual apartments in the Highlands neighborhood. They are dog-friendly with cute touches like a selfie check-in station and a great patio space.

• Butchertown Brewing: A great brewery inside an old mill that is the Mellwood Art Center with a few other businesses. Their tap list is Sour and Stout heavy with some gluten free options.

• Sergio’s World Beers: This beer bar has a great tap list and can/bottle selection. The prices are quite high and they are cash only. They have dive bar vibes and a small food menu.

• Against the Grain: A solid brewery with two locations in town. Their downtown Public House has a nice patio space, a full food menu, and is connected to the baseball field. Their second location Highlands is a bit outside of town.

Atrium Brewing

touristy things in louisville worth doing:

• Big Four Bridge: A bridge you can walk or bike across the Ohio River into Indiana. It lights up at night which is nice to see. The bridge is not pet friendly unfortunately. The Waterfront Park around the bridge is nice with lots of seating and playgrounds.

• Muhammad Ali Center: A nice museum telling the story of Muhammad Ali’s life, activism and boxing career. It is downtown and a $20 entrance fee.

Mammoth Cave National Park

other louisville things to do:

• Mile Wide Beer Company: A solid brewery with indoor and outdoor seating. They have a game room with pinball and a pizza focused food menu.

• Gravely Brewing Company: Average beers, great vibes. They have a beer garden and various seating options inside, and they are dog-friendly. Gravely’s food menu is focused on melts and apps. Located right around the corner from Mile Wide.

• Venture to Mammoth Cave National Park! It is 1.5 hours south of Louisville (and 1.5 hours north of Nashville). This park is home to the longest cave in the world.

  • The only way to go into the cave is via a tour, so I opted for the Historic Tour. I recommend booking in advance as many tours sell out. This one was 2 hours long, about 2.5 miles and some stairs. It is a smooth walking surface throughout and a only a little bit chillier than the ground level. There were some narrow spots both horizontally and vertically and a couple of cool things to see.

  • Green River Bluff, Echo River Springs, Sinkhole and Heritage Trail: A moderate 4 mile long trail with 564ft of elevation gain that takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes to complete. This trail was pretty boring but the green river is in fact quite green. There is a portion of the trail that is paved and we encountered many deer.

  • Cedar Sink Trail: An easy 1.6 mile trail with 206ft of elevation gain and takes about 35 minutes to complete. I was not impressed with this highly reviewed trail that was basically a walk through the woods with a small hole in the ground.

  • If you are traveling with your dog they have kennels available. You can rent a lock at the lodge check-in desk for $10. They do not take reservations, it is first-come first-serve. Vaccination proof is required.

Nashville, TN

Nashville is a fun city that is home to more than just country music—there are so many neighborhoods to explore!

Music City Tips: 

• Get off of Broadway. Sure, pop into some honky-tonks, see some live music, but then explore the rest of the city!

• The city is pretty spread out so plan ahead to make the most of your time.

• If you don’t have a car, you don’t need a car. Parking is difficult and costly in a lot of neighborhoods so if you can use ride shares and walks that is much more convenient.

• On a road trip? Louisville is 3 hours north of Nashville, check out my guide here + Chattanooga is 2 hours southeast—recommendations here!

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations: 

• Southern Grist Brewing: A stellar brewery absolutely killing the game + they’ve got two taprooms for you to choose from:

  • East Nash Taproom: A restaurant-style brewery with tasty eats and a dog-friendly patio.

  • The Nations Taproom: A smaller taproom with food options from nearby restaurants. Located on the West side of town.

• Barrique Brewing and Blending: Such a great brewery! They specialize in Wild Ales and Lagers and make fantastic beers. Their team is super nice as well and they allow dogs outside. 

• Living Waters Brewing: A great brewery with a Lager and IPA heavy tap list. They also have coffee and a small breakfast menu. It is a cute spot that also has a small dog-friendly patio.

• Bearded Iris Brewing: Great IPAs and two taprooms:

  • Sylvan Supply has Black Dynasty Ramen inside for delicious (though pricey) eats. Their patio here is heated and dog-friendly.

  • Their original taproom is downtown and very dog-friendly with chill vibes.

• Ladybird Taco: A delicious spot for tacos near 12 South. They have an Austin-style taco menu with breakfast tacos, coffee, lunch/dinner tacos, and starters. It is a popular spot so you can also order online to save time!

• Smith & Lentz Brewing: A tasty Lager-forward brewery with a pizza menu. They have a spacious dog-friendly back patio and are located in East Nashville.

• Monday Night Preservation Co.: The Nashville location of Monday Night Brewing is a gorgeous space. It is a converted warehouse that used to be a meat packing facility giving it super unique vibes. The outdoor space is partially covered and huge. They have classic MNB beers, wine and cocktails.

Southern Grist Brewing Company

touristy nashville things worth doing:

• Tootise's: The most popular bar on Broadway, with good reason. Three different floors of live music and bars. The rooftop patio is also fun!

• Explore the 12 South neighborhood: This is a super cute area with plenty of bars, restaurants, stores, and murals to explore!

• Pedal Bar: Soooo touristy. Surprisingly fun. BYOB and ride the city! 

• Acme Feed & Seed: Rooftop bar and restaurant on the end of Broadway near the river!

• Union Station Hotel: This is a gorgeous hotel in an old train station. Even if you don’t stay here it is worth wandering into their lobby that is stunning and home to a bar.

12 South Neighborhood

other nashville ideas:

• The Pharmacy: A tasty spot for burgers and beer in East Nashville.

• Fait la Force Brewing: A solid brewery specializing in European style beers and eats. Their dog-friendly patio has skyline views.

• Waymore’s Guesthouse and Casual Club: A nice hotel in East Nashville that is art deco themed and very trendy. Their rooftop bar is coming soon and their lobby bar has delicious cocktails. I would have enjoyed a fridge and microwave in my room.

• Bongo Java East: A good spot for coffee, breakfast, lunch, board games and beer in the 5 points neighborhood.

• Marble Fox Brewing Company: A cute spot with solid beers. They are located downtown in The Gulch and the tap list is IPA heavy.

• Five Points Alley Shops: A nice little array of shops and small businesses.

• Pinewood Social​: A fun spot for upscale bowling with a bar and restaurant.

• Fat Bottom Brewery: Average brewery with a large taproom with great outdoor space.

Knoxville, TN

Knoxville is a fun city with plenty of good spots to eat and drink and frequent festivals, markets, and outdoor concerts to keep you entertained!

Knox Tips: 

• The city is pretty small so you don’t need a car to get around to the different neighborhoods.

• Old City is a great hub of activity in Knoxville but be sure to explore the other neighborhoods as well!

• Knoxville is home to the University of Tennessee so be sure to take that into account for game days and events!

• Add Knox to your road trip! Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are just an hour away and Asheville is two hours! Check out my guide to the Gatlinburg area here and my guide to Asheville here!

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations: ​

• Xul Brewing Company: A fantastic brewery with a wide array of beers on tap. Their Sours are my favorite! They have two locations—downtown and Hardin Valley. At the downtown location Abridged Burgers food truck is onsite for eats. They have a nice dog-friendly patio space outside and multiple seating options and TVs inside.

• Stay at The Tennessean Hotel: This luxurious hotel is located in the heart of everything. It is steps away from Old Town and has great Sunsphere views. There are a plethora of amenities here including black car service, golf carts, e-bikes, concierge service, and more! The rooms are spacious, clean and dog-friendly.

  • Their restaurant The Drawing Room is housed on the second floor and specializes in Smoked Old Fashions alongside farm-to-table eats. Their cocktails are superb.

• Pretentious Beer Co: Great beers and cool glasses as they are also a glass company. Hongs Kitchen is inside for eats and they also have a great back patio space that is dog-friendly and heated.  

• A Dopo Pizza: Extraordinarily good pizza, staff that goes out of their way to be incredibly nice, local taps, wine carafes and gelato all in a cute open-concept setting.

• Albright Grove Brewing Company: A good brewery with an interesting mix of styles available. They are dog-friendly inside and out.

• Schulz Brau Brewing: German-style beer garden with classic German brews following the Reinheitsgebot purity laws. They’ve got fire pits, frequent live music, and snacks!

• Crafty Bastard Brewing: This brewery has three locations—downtown, West Knox, and South Knox. They always have a very unique tap list. The vibes are good and dogs are allowed inside.

• Merchants of Beer: A beer bar and bottle shop in an old diner space. They have a great outdoor space and dive bar vibes inside. They are super dog-friendly inside and out.

• Bearden Beer Market: A beer garden/bottle shop combo with a mix of local and afar taps. Frequent food trucks and dog friendly.

• Abridged Beer Company: Tasty beers and a wide variety of colorful sours. They’ve got a great outdoor space and delicious food. Located in the Bearden neighborhood west of downtown.

Xul Brewing Company

touristy things in knoxville worth doing:

• Market Square: The hub of downtown with several bars, restaurants, and shops.

• World’s Fair Park: Be sure to see the Sunsphere and if you’re lucky there might be live music at the amphitheater!

• Ijams Nature Center: A great spot to get outdoors! There are many different trail options here, many of which are on the easier side for family outings.

  • The River Trail Loop takes about 30 minutes and is just 1 mile long with 114ft of elevation gain. It leads to a boardwalk on the river and part of the trail is a paved greenway.

  • Mead’s Quarry is a cool section across the road from the visitor’s center. The Rock Bridge Trail via Imerys Trail is 1.1 miles long, mostly flat, and takes about 25 minutes to complete.

Ijams Nature Center

Other knoxville things to do:

• Alliance Brewing: Solid beers at this ‘active lifestyle’ brewery with outdoor seating.

• Balter Beerworks: A brewpub with solid food and beers and a super friendly staff!

• House Mountain State Park: Great hikes close to the city!

• Next Level Brewing Company: This brewery has a wide variety of beers on tap. They are dog-friendly inside and out and have frequent food trucks. They are located just up the block from Xul and Crafty Bastard.

• Ebony and Ivory Brewing: A solid brewery that is dog-friendly and working to improve the beer industry. They’re the second Black-owned brewery in the state and are located right down the block from Elst Brewing.

• Elst Brewing Company: This brewery is dog-friendly with a food truck out back focused on burgers. They have a nice back patio space and chill vibes.

• Old City Market: If you happen to be in town on the second Sunday of the month or fourth Thursday of the month be sure to wander through this market in Old City! It features local artists and makers selling a variety of goods.

• Printshop Beer Co: Classic brewery vibes with a good variety of beer. Located in South Knoxville near Alliance Brewing.

• Last Days of Autumn Brewing: Average beers, a bit off the beaten path and known for their eats. They are opening St. Lucille’s Cajun Kitchen next to Crafty Bastard soon!

• Downtown Grill and Brewery: Average brewery with outdoor seating and a full food menu. Located in the heart of Gay Street.

Chattanooga, TN

Chattanooga is a nice little city surrounded by nature

Chatt Tips: 

• Get outside! Be sure to take advantage of all of the nature activities in and around Chattanooga.

• Expect a lot of paid parking—even in brewery parking lots.

• On a road trip? Nashville and Knoxville are each about 2 hours away—check out my Nashville guide here and Knoxville guide here!

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations: 

• Oddstory Brewing: The best brewery in town, by far. Oddstory has two locations—their original taproom that has a full food menu and dog-friendly patio and The Greenhouse that has a beautiful space, taco truck out back, and is dog-friendly inside. They have great specials and they also have cocktails and wine.

• Pax Breu Ruim: A great beer bar that has a legit selection available. They are dog-friendly inside and located right near the original Oddstory taproom.

• Mean Mug Coffeehouse: A great coffee shop with locations downtown and on the Northshore. They have coffee, breakfast, lunch and chill vibes. I was very impressed with my massive biscuit sandwich that was only $6.

• Timberroot Rustic Retreat: I booked a cabin through them on Airbnb and enjoyed my stay. It was a cute and cozy cabin with a hot tub and communal fire pit. It was only 10 minutes to downtown by still surrounded by nature—though there is some street noise.

The Greenhouse by Oddstory Brewing

touristy things to do in chattanooga that are worth it:

• Cloudland Canyon State Park: This is a great park just across the border in Georgia. It is about 30 minutes from downtown Chattanooga and worth exploring! There is a $5 entrance fee to the park. They also have camping, yurts, and cabins here.

  • I chose to combine the Cloudland Canyon West Rim Loop and Cherokee and Hemlock Falls Trail which was 5.5 miles long with 1,180ft of elevation gain and took just under 3 hours. The Rim Loop was pretty boring—there were a couple of viewpoints but they were not as nice as the viewpoint at the parking lot. The waterfall trail was nice with two large falls, but be aware there are a lot of stairs on this trail. It also connects to the Sittons Gulch Trail.

• Ruby Falls: An underground waterfall tour that it lit up. It is touristy but cool.

• Walk the Market Street Bridge: This pedestrian friendly bridge connects downtown and the Northshore. Coolidge Park on the Northshore is a nice spot for bridge views. Grab a coffee from Provisions at The Edwin Hotel right before the bridge for your walk!

• Sculpture Fields at Montague Park: A 33 acre park with sculptures to wander around outside. It is free and a nice activity.

Ruby Falls

other things to do in chattanooga:

• Wanderlinger Brewing Company: An average brewery with a solid food menu including build your own grilled cheese. Their parking lot requires payment.

• Hutton and Smith Brewing Company: A brewery with a very unique tap list just down the block from Oddstory’s Greenhouse. Dog-friendly and nice folks.

• Cherry Street Brewing: An average brewery with a wide variety of beers. They have a food menu and two different taproom spaces—the left side is more of a restaurant and the right side is a casual taproom. Cherry Street is located on the Northshore across the river from downtown. They also have two locations in Georgia.

• Rock City Gardens: An “enchanted trail” where you walk through rock formations. It is touristy and a bit odd. You can see 7 states from the midway viewpoint which is neat. Dog-friendly.

• Tailgate Brewery: An average brewery with locations across Tennessee. I had really bad service at this brewery and would recommend exploring the other spots in Chattanooga ahead of this one. They have a dog-friendly back patio and pizza menu with sports bar vibes. Their parking lot is paid.

Savannah, GA

Savannah is a gorgeous, quintessentially Southern city that is super fun to visit!

Savannah Tips: 

• It gets incredibly hot and humid in Savannah, be mindful when planning your trip—I would recommend spring or fall for the best experience, but if you visit in the summer be sure to stay hydrated!

• It’s a pretty small city overall, you can easily do it all in a weekend!

• Savannah is near the ocean, but not on the ocean—this isn’t a beach vacation, which some people misunderstand. You can easily do day trips to the surrounding beaches though!

• Drink on the streets! Savannah allows folks to walk around with beverages so most places offer to-go drinks. Just make sure you have a plastic cup!

• Not just based on the open drink law, but in general Savannah has very similar vibes to New Orleans. If you like Savannah I would recommend NOLA and vice-versa.

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations: ​

• Two Tides Brewing: I LOVE Two Tides. Every beer I have had there has been absolutely incredible, and trust me, I have drank a LOT of their beers. I highly recommend a visit! They are located in a super cute renovated house with a balcony, games, and snacks available.

  • Smol Bar: They also have a tiny taproom on the side of their building with beer, cocktails, and snacks.

• Starland Yard: A food truck park directly next to Two Tides. The food trucks rotate, but Vittoria Pizza and the Yard Bar are always there. The pizza is outrageously delicious and overall it is a cool spot!

• Hop Atomica: A great brewery that offers food as well. They have a nice patio space and make their own liquor for cocktails too! I particularly enjoyed their IPAs.

• Electric Moon: A fun rooftop bar on top of the JW Marriott with a slide and other fun games plus stellar river views. It’s a great place to catch the sunset and I highly recommend the boozy cakepops!

• Service Brewing: A Veteran-owned brewery with tons of games and a fun space

Two Tides Brewing Company

• Stay at The Alida Hotel: The Alida is a luxurious hotel with adorable rooms and thoughtful touches everywhere you turn. They have a gorgeous pool, fire pits, and even a daily wine happy hour that I highly recommend taking advantage of! It is conveniently located in the heart of the city and easily one of the nicest places I’ve had the pleasure of staying at.

  • The Lost Square is their rooftop bar with nice views of Savannah and the river. They also have a small food menu up here if you’re hungry!

  • Rhett is their full-service restaurant located on the ground floor. It is a super cute spot offering brunch, dinner and a bar. The brunch was incredibly delicious! If you’re going for dinner I would recommend a reservation.

• Bull Street Taco: Great tacos, a few local beers on tap, and outside seating options.

• Perc Coffee: A coffee production facility/coffee shop combo. The staff is super nice, coffee is amazing, and breakfast snacks will make you drool! The everything croissant was SO good.

• The Grove: A fun restaurant and rooftop bar near the City Market. The rooftop food menu is slightly smaller than the downstairs menu but it is worth it for the views and vibes.

• Alley Cat: A speakeasy style bar in an actual alley. It is super cute and the drinks are delicious. They also have a small food menu.

• Big Bon Bodega: Bagels and hot or iced coffee in a super cute space with really nice staff! They also have pizza at night.

Electric Moon

touristy things in savannah worth doing:

• Forsyth Park: A gorgeous park in the center of the city, definitely worth walking through at some point during your stay!

• Wander the Squares: Savannah has 22 historic square parks throughout the city that are charming and make for a perfect stroll through the city. Some have fountains, some have statues, some are full of locals picnicking—find your favorite!

• The City Market: This is not exactly a market anymore but more of a street with restaurants and bars. It is a fun spot to hang out and people watch.

  • Georgia Tasting Room is a good spot in the Market with extremely cheap wine tastings and a variety of beers, mixed drinks, and frozen drinks as well!

Tybee Island

other savannah things to do:

• Tacos + Tequila: A fun spot for you guessed it—tacos and tequila! They have a variety of Latin-style food items and the queso is delicious! They also have a nice outdoor space.

• Moon River Brewing: You’re at Moon River for the atmosphere more than for the beer. It is located right in the heart of the Historic District with a huge outdoor patio

• Coastal Empire Beer Co.: Another brewery you can check out, this one has a pretty small beer selection

• Foxy Loxy: A cute cafe with Tex Mex, wine and beer, cheese plates, kolaches, and a nice outdoor space!

  • They also have another location named The Coffee Fox downtown that is strictly coffee and pastries.

• Southbound Brewing: Another solid brewery a little off the beaten path with a warehouse style taproom

• White Whale Craft Ales: A craft beer market and taproom with ten beers on tap

• Starland Strange and Bazaar: An eclectic shop and ice cream parlor directly across the street from Two Tides Brewing.

• Paris Market and Café: An adorable shop and coffee stop!

• Peregrin Rooftop Bar: Located inside the Perry Lane Hotel, this rooftop has nice views, small plates, a few beers on tap, full bar, and in the summer frose! You’re paying for the view, so if you’re budget conscious don’t plan to spend a lot of time here.

• Rise Biscuit Co.: A Southern chain offering delicious breakfast biscuits in the heart of downtown.

• Riverside Biergarten: A cute spot along the river for some beers! They have limited hours so be sure to check before heading over.

  • Graffito Pizza is right next door if you’re hungry but I will forewarn that my experience there was not great.

• Urban Poppy: An adorable shop with a variety of flower arrangements and fun accessories.

• Take a day trip to Tybee Island—it wasn’t my favorite beach but if you don’t live close to the ocean you might want to go get your beach fix! Heads up, it can get really crowded and the parking is quite expensive. The tide can come up really high so watch your stuff if you’re in the water!

  • I ate at Fannie’s on the Beach and wasn’t super impressed but they do have a cool balcony upstairs with beach views (open Wednesday-Sunday during the summer only)

Miami, FL

Miami is a beautiful beach city with fun vibes and some great breweries, bars, and restaurants!

Miami Tips: 

• Miami is more than just a party beach, make sure you explore all the city has to offer!

• I would recommend staying on the city side, it is way cheaper, and it is just a quick ride to the beach.

• A lot of businesses add in an 18% tip automatically, so just be sure to double check your bill so you know which spots are including it and which are not.

• If you’re also visiting Fort Lauderdale, or flying in/out of there, there is a train that runs between the two cities. Fort Lauderdale recommendations below!

Adventures & Ales Top Miami Recommendations: 

• Explore the Wynwood Neighborhood!

  • J. Wakefield Brewing: Taproom closed. While they are looking for a new space snag their beer on tap around town.

  • Wynwood Walls: It's hard to miss the amazing artwork that lines the walls of this neighborhood! Wander the streets and check out all of the amazing pieces. There is also a specific area that you can pay to enter and explore, but from my perspective there is plenty of gorgeous free art throughout the area.

  • Traveling with a group? AvantStay has some amazing larger homes for rent! Use my link here to save $250 off your stay!

  • Coyo Taco: A popular taco spot with delicious food!

  • No. 3 Social: A fun rooftop bar and lounge. The views are average, but it is still a nice spot to hang out. They also do a happy hour with great deals!

  • Oasis: A shipping container-style outdoor food hall. It is super cute and a great spot to hang out.

  • The Bagel Club: A great bagel shop with delicious sandwiches and a cute back patio. You can also preorder online.

  • Kush: A restaurant and beer bar with a solid tap list and full food menu.

  • Wynwood Brewing: A fun spot with board games, flights, and an outdoor patio

• Tripping Animals Brewing Co.: A great brewery in Doral with a wide variety of beers. They also have a killer food menu—the mushroom sandwich was phenomenal.

Oasis Wynwood

Miami Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting:

• Miami Beach: While in Miami you’ve got to hit the beach! The sand is white and soft and the water stays pretty warm year round.

• Bike along A1A Beachfront Avenue: It's the perfect way to explore all of the coastline.

• Stroll along Ocean Drive in Miami Beach to check out the art deco buildings!

• Other Miami Beach Ideas:

  • Naked Taco: A boujee taco spot on the main strip of Miami Beach

  • Juice and Java: A health-focused cafe with a very large menu of salads, smoothies and more

  • Cortadito: A coffee shop in the heart of Miami Beach with delicious drinks and fun vibes

  • Joe & The Juice: Absolutely would not recommend. Overpriced, mediocre juices and smoothies with no air conditioning.

• Versailles Cuban Restaurant: Touristy but delicious Cuban food.

Orchestrated Minds Brewing

Head to Fort Lauderdale for some more brewery hopping:

• Orchestrated Minds Brewing: A tiny little spot making delicious beers—especially their Stouts and Barleywines! Their team is also incredibly nice and it is a fun spot to hang out.

  • Vegan Junkie is a delicious vegan junk food truck around the corner!

• Invasive Species Brewing: Another great brewery in Fort Lauderdale with fantastic beers, especially the Sours! They have a nice back patio space and frequent food trucks.

• 3 Sons Brewing: A restaurant-style brewery specializing in Pizzas and Lagers. They are just 6 minutes from the Fort Lauderdale airport, so if you are flying in/out it is a great stop on the way.

• Funky Buddha Brewing: Technically just north of Fort Lauderdale, but one of the largest and oldest breweries in South Florida so it is worth a stop. They have restaurant vibes and a full food menu.

• While you’re in the area check out Hollywood Beach—it is another fantastic beach with beautiful soft, white sand

Bagel Club

Other Miami Ideas:

• Unseen Creatures Brewing & Blending: Another brewery option with a dark taproom, IPA-heavy tap list, and frequent food pop-ups.

• Beat Culture Brewing & Kitchen: An interesting brewery with a bar food menu and dive bar vibes. They are 6 minutes from the Miami airport so it’s an easy stop on your way in/out of town.

• Toasted Baglery and Deli: A small bagel shop nestled on your way to the beach in Miami City with delicious sandwiches and coffees.

• Ittle Italy: Delicious vegan pizza delivery option!

• Panther Coffee: They’ve got several locations throughout Miami and Miami Beach with breakfast sandwiches, pastries and coffees.

• Spanglish: A cocktail bar and kitchen with club-ish vibes. Definitely not what was expected.

• Zak The Baker: A popular bakery in the Wynwood neighborhood. Check your order before walking away because mine was completely inaccurate, but the bagel itself was tasty.

Jacksonville, FL

The Jacksonville Beach area has several different towns along the beautiful coast to explore!

Jax Beach Tips: 

• The beaches here are nice and also are dog friendly during the off season.

• I found the Jax Beach area to not be super pedestrian friendly. It would be tough to get around without a car and when I did walk from one spot to another there were generally not a lot of crosswalks.

• I was disappointed in the lack of oceanfront restaurants/breweries/bars/coffee shops. Personally when I go on a beach trip I want to see the ocean as much as possible without always having to be sitting on the beach sweating. Spots with a view were few and far between.

• I’d recommend checking out the Amelia Island area while you’re in Northern Florida, recommendations are below. It is a cute little coastal town with great vibes.

• Skip the city of Jacksonville itself and hang at the beach, but if you do venture into the city I have some recommendations on that below.

Jacksonville Beach Area Top Recommendations:

• Hit the beach! That’s probably the reason you’re in the area, and Jax Beach is really nice. There are public restrooms and parking near Oceanfront Park but things are more limited near the fishing pier and pavilion end.

• Southern Swells Brewing: The best brewery in the area, hands down. They have a cute little taproom in a strip mall with a small patio out front. I was thoroughly impressed with all of their beers, no matter the style.

• Jax Beach Brunch Haus: A very popular spot for brunch. Expect a wait, but the vibes are great and the food is good. Their team is incredibly nice!

•  9 Zero Pour: A beer bar and bottle shop with 16 taps and cans/bottles. They’ve got a great selection on tap and in package.

• Engine 15 Brewing Company: A solid brewery with a large tap list including several guest taps. They also have a full food menu. The vibes here are very “Florida dive bar” but I was impressed with their beer.

• Hoptinger Bier Garden and Sausage House: A beer bar and restaurant with a full food menu and large tap list. They also have a location in downtown Jacksonville.

• Round Bird Coffee: A South African inspired coffee shop close to the beach. They’ve also got a full food menu with unique offerings.

• Ink Factory Brewing: An average brewery with a large tap list and wide variety of beers brewed. They also have a coffee shop.

• Green Room Brewing: An average brewery with lots of games such as ping-pong, darts, Golden Tee, and more. Heads up this spot gets pretty crazy late in the evening.

Southern Swells Brewing Company

Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach area top Recommendations:

The beach here is nice and there are a plethora of access points along the coast. The only con to these beaches is that you have to pay for parking past 11am. Pro-tip there is a somewhat hidden public bathroom behind the police station.

• Reve Brewing: A great brewery with Bones Pizza inside. Their Sours and Stouts are particularly delicious and the pizza was also good.

• The Local: A great spot for brunch with a nice patio. They also offer lunch and dinner. The prices are great, especially for being at the beach. I went here twice during my trip because I enjoyed it so much!

• Southern Grounds: A coffee shop with a full food menu and even alcohol too. They have a large patio and are just a couple blocks from the beach.

The Local

Jacksonville Area Top Recommendations:

I found Jacksonville itself to be pretty rundown and not the nicest city, so I would definitely recommend spending your time at the beach towns in the area instead.

• Cultured Collective: A great brewery in Orange Park. They have an open air space which is great for the Florida weather and their Sours in particular are delicious!

• Aardwolf Brewing Company: A solid brewery with a huge tap list pouring a wide variety of beers. It’s a great spot to grab a flight since they do so many different styles. They have a nice outdoor space and a permanent food truck onsite.

• Friendship Fountain: A popular park and large fountain that is one of the main attractions in Jacksonville.

• King Maker Brewing Company: An average brewery with a wide variety of taps. Choose to sit inside the taproom or in the warehouse space to the right which has some games and and is open air. They also have an onsite food truck.

• Strings Sports Brewery: An average brewery with a nice beer garden space and games in the taproom. They are located right downtown and they have a kitchen with a large menu. Hyperion Brewing and Historically Hoppy are right here too if you’re doing a crawl.

Amelia Island Brewing Company

Amelia Island AreA top Recommendations:

• Hit the beach! At Seaside Park you can drive onto the beach and at Main Beach Park there is ample parking and public restrooms.

• Mocama Beer Company: A beautiful brewery in a converted car dealership with great beers. They also have a coffee shop and are adding a kitchen in the future, along with opening a second location in the Wildlight neighborhood. They mainly focus on Lagers and IPAs but they brew a lot of small batches so there is always something on tap for every palate. Their team is super nice and they also host a lot of fun events.

• Amelia Island Brewing Company: A popular brewery in the heart of downtown. Choose to visit The Alley, a beer garden style space with a smaller tap list and snack menu or The Tavern next door that is a restaurant-style space with a full bar.

• Amelia River Cruises: This is an awesome way to get out on the water and see more of the area. The guides are entertaining and share interesting facts and information along the way. There are several different cruise options and they are BYOB and dog friendly.

• First Love Brewing: A solid brewery with a full food menu. Their Sours are what I enjoyed most!

Saint Petersburg, FL

Saint Petersburg is an artsy beach town with chill vibes that Is a great place to explore!

St Pete Tips: 

• Central Avenue is absolutely the place to be. This street runs from West St. Pete to the water and has about 2.5 miles of restaurants, coffee shops, bars, breweries, shopping, and more.

• Hop on the trolley! There is a well-priced trolley that will take you throughout the area—whether that is up and down Central Ave or out to the beach.

• Fly into PIE—St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport! This small airport is super easy to fly in/out of and is a great launching point for your adventures in Florida. Check out my thoughts on flying Allegiant Airlines here.

• Be sure to head across the bridge and explore Tampa while you are in the area as well! Check out my beer and travel guide here.

Adventures & Ales Top St. Pete Recommendations: 

• Cycle Brewing: A top-notch brewery focused on Barrel Aged Stouts and Barleywines. Their team is super kind as well. This was the best beer I had in St. Pete and I would highly recommend checking them out.

• Green Bench Brewing: A fantastic Lager-focused brewery with great beers and a killer patio space.

  • Webb’s City Cellar is Green Bench’s Mixed Culture, Wild, Sour, and Cider location right next door. The two locations somewhat blend together with the shared patio space, but be sure to check out both.

  • Green Bench and Webb’s City Cellar are both Bring Your Own Food establishments and there are a ton of places nearby you can pick up from or have delivered.

    • I got Mexican from right next door at Red Mesa Mercado, that was tasty but I would caution that they completely messed up my order so check it before you walk away.

• Hawthorne Bottle Shoppe: A beer and wine bottle shop and bar with good vibes. This is a really cool spot and they have a good selection of beers to choose from. They also have a food menu and an outdoor patio.

• Grand Central Brewhouse: A European beer focused brewery that features a unique tap list. They have indoor and outdoor seating both upstairs and downstairs, and a nice railing to sit at and overlook Central Ave.

• Overflow Brewing: A Sour-focused brewery with delicious beers.

• Bayboro Brewing: A solid veteran-owned brewery with a great patio, happy hour specials, and a food menu as well. Their tap list includes a wide variety of beers.

• Fabrica Pizza: A delicious pizza spot where you can choose from their menu options or build your own pie.

• Hops 2.0: A beer bar with a solid selection to choose from. They have 28 taps and food options as well. The vibes are definitely more “normal bar” than craft beer bar, but I would visit again for their beer list.

• The Brutalist/Temple of Beer: A brewery and taproom from the folks at King State and Hidden Springs in Tampa coming soon.

Webb’s City Cellar

saint petersburg Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Canopy at The Birchwood: A rooftop bar on top of the The Birchwood Hotel with sweeping views of the bay and city. They have great specials for Happy Hour and overall great vibes.

• Paradeco Coffee: An adorable coffee shop with a food menu as well. They also have a plethora of vegan and gluten free options. Located near the St. Pete Pier.

• The Dalí Museum: An art museum featuring works from Salvador Dalí and a rotating special exhibit. Tickets are $29 and you should book ahead of time online for a timed entrance. The museum also has a nice garden area in the back. Overall there were some good pieces but I thought the museum was a bit small for $29.

• Hit the beach! Head over to St. Pete Beach or Clearwater Beach for some time on the sand. The trolley is by far the cheapest way to get out there.

Dali Museum

Other st. pete ideas:​​​

• Arkane Aleworks: Arkane is not located in St. Pete, they are in Largo about 30 minutes away, but they are a top-notch brewery so I had to include them here.

• If I Brewed The World Brewery: A small brewery with a nice back patio and average beers. Located just up the block from 3 Daughters.

• St. Pete Brewing Company: An average brewery in the heart of downtown with a small patio space and pretty cool vibes.

• Pinellas Ale Works: A spacious dog themed brewery with average beers and frequent food trucks.

• Cage Brewing: A mediocre brewery with a large patio and somewhat trashy vibes. Located right across the street from Pinellas Ale Works.

• 3 Daughters Brewing: A popular brewery with mediocre beers. They have a warehouse bar, a main bar, and a full game room. They have a food menu as well and offer specials Monday-Friday.

Tampa, FL

Tampa has some fantastic breweries & Cool spots to explore, plus the weather is basically always great—what more do you need?

Tampa Tips: 

• I would recommend checking flights into the St. Pete-Clearwater airport if you are flying in addition to directly to Tampa—I found some great deals into PIE and it is a much smaller and easier to navigate airport. Check out my thoughts on flying Allegiant Air here.

• Tampa has some areas of town that are not super safe, so just be aware of your surroundings and be smart.

• Head across the bridge to the cute artsy, beachy city of St. Pete! Check out my beer and travel guide here!

Adventures & Ales Top Tampa Recommendations: 

• Angry Chair Brewing: A fantastic Stout-focused brewery with absolutely incredible beers. Their current taproom is small but they are moving into a new space soon.

• BarrieHaus Beer Co.: A killer Lager-focused brewery. They offer side pull and slow pours of a variety of beers that are delicious. They have a nice little patio along with pretzels and Cuban sandwiches.

  • I would caution that they are a stop for the brew bus tours so when the bus pulls up it is incredibly packed with drunk people, so try to visit on a weekday or an off time.

• Woven Water Brewing: A top-notch brewery with great vibes and delicious beers. I was impressed with their Fruited Sours, IPAs, and Stouts. The team here is also incredibly nice!

• Hidden Springs Ale Works: A Sour and Stout focused brewery in an artsy taproom. Highly recommend getting a flight so you can try a variety of their beers. They are just up the road from the food hall Armature Works if you are hungry!

• Garagiste Meadery: A fantastic meadery right between Hidden Springs and Magnanimous. Their small tasting room has chill vibes and you can see a lot of the production which is always cool. If you are unfamiliar with mead it is very boozy and very pricey as a forewarning, so take it slow and enjoy!

• Magnanimous Brewing: An IPA-focused brewery with great beers and a relaxed atmosphere. They also have a coffee program and a taproom in Bradenton.

• King State: A brewery, restaurant, and coffee shop all in one. Their space is a cute 70’s style set-up and their beer menu is focused on Lagers. They are known for their breakfast and they do Pizzas on Friday nights that are great.

Barriehaus

Tampa Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Oxford Exchange: A restaurant, coffee shop, tea bar, book shop, champagne bar, and store all in one! This place is absolutely adorable and I highly recommend visiting for brunch, coffee, tea, cocktails, shopping or afternoon tea.

• Armature Works: An awesome food hall in a beautiful restored building. There are a ton of different food vendors, a couple of bars, and seating indoors and out. It is right on the river and a walking trail runs through the area as well.

• Explore Ybor City: this neighborhood reminded me a lot of New Orleans with bars, restaurants, cigar lounges, and balconies everywhere. It’s a popular area especially at night.

• Hit the beach! Drive over to the coast or down the bay for some of the best beaches in the US.

Oxford Exchange

Other Tampa Bay Things To Do:​

• 7venth Sun Brewery: An average brewery with fun flight “trees” to sample a variety of their beers.

• Cigar City Brewing: A commercialized brewery with a large taproom and full food menu.

• Coppertail Brewing Co.: An average brewery with a full food menu and a small patio space.

• Bastet Brewing: A unique brewery that is just up the road from Coppertail focused on Sours with an interesting tap list.

• Zydeco Brew Werks: A mediocre brewery in Ybor City that is New Orleans themed and more restaurant than beer focused.

Atlanta, GA

ATLANTA is a fantastic city that gets a bad rep for its notorious traffic, but don't let that deter you, it’s a cool place!

ATL Tips: 

• Okay for real though the traffic in Atlanta is ferocious, ​do not drive any time near rush hour or you will regret it! For hours and hours and hours.

• Be mindful of where you are staying because Atlanta is MASSIVE. If you know you’re going to spend most of your time in Midtown, for example, don’t book someplace to stay on the opposite side of town because you will spend a ton of time/money driving or Ubering.

Adventures & Ales Top Atlanta Recommendations: 

• Monday Night Brewing: SO great. One of my favorite breweries in the world. The staff is fantastic, the beers are delicious, and the environment is ideal. Bring your dogs, hang out on the patio, and drink up!

  • Monday Night Garage: Located in the Lee + White West End establishment, this is MNB’s second location in ATL. They’ve got a nice outdoor deck and plenty of space inside as well, with an art pop-up and BBQ food truck.

  • Wild Heaven Beer is in this establishment too! They’ve got a nice outdoor space, tasty beers, and delicious food from Comida Fina.

• Halfway Crooks: An incredible Lager focused brewery with an open air rooftop and small food menu.

• Contrast Artisan Ales: A cute little brewery with solid beers and usually a plethora of dogs to pet.

• 3 Taverns: Another great brewery with two locations: The Parlour is the OG brewery and production space and located in Decatur. The Imaginarium is located in the Atlanta Dairies complex right off the BeltLine.

• The Vortex: Mouthwatering goodness. Two locations, go to the one in Little Five Points, it's the original. Nachos, burgers, fries with marshmallow sauce... it goes on and on.

• Center for Civil and Human Rights: One of the best museums I've ever been to. Explore the Civil Rights Movement and human rights movements around the world. Interactive and engaging throughout.

• Piedmont Park: The classic ATL park, it is gorgeous. Sometimes there are festivals, and there’s always lots of dogs to hang out with.

  • A good option is to walk the BeltLine to get here!

• Orpheus Brewing: Set behind Piedmont Park, they have a ton of really great beers!

• Little Five Points Neighborhood: full of bars, theaters, and shops, definitely the trendiest neighborhood in the city.

• The Porter Beer Bar: In the center of Little Five Points, they have a vast selection of beers.

Halfway Crooks

Atlanta Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• The Battery: Home to Truist Park where The Braves play, a plethora of bars and restaurants, shopping, and more! Our favorite spot was Terrapin Taproom which also serves Fox Bros BBQ.

• Centennial Olympic Park: A park, where the Olympics were held. Oh sorry was that obvious from the name? It's actually super pretty with the Ferris wheel and the fountains, a great spot for a picnic or to wander about when it's busy on a Sunday.

• The Varsity: A famous drive-in perfect for late night eats. Noms. 

• SweetWater Brewing: A fun spot to hang out. Live music, lots of beers only at the taproom and not distributed

The Center for Civil and Human Rights

Other Atlanta Things To Do:

• Stone Mountain: Make the climb! Awesome views of the city skyline from the top.

• New Realm Brewing: A fun brewery with lots of outside space, frequent live music, and a food menu. It’s located right on the Beltline too!

• Dr. Bombay's Underwater Tea Party: English afternoon tea in a fun and quirky little café.

• Aurora Coffee: Really delicious and centrally located. Also good for bagels!

• Jimmy Carter Presidential Museum and Library: Nerd out in the model West Wing and learn all about Jimmy Carter's life and legacy.

• Elsewhere Brewing: A solid restaurant-style brewery. Their food menu has yummy empanadas and sandwiches.

• Eventide Brewing: Located right down the block from Elsewhere, they have a wide variety of beers and board games.

• Ponce City Market: Shopping, food options, and a connection to the BeltLine

  • Nine Mile Station is the rooftop bar that is worth checking out!

  • If you decide not to eat here, 8arm is right across the street and has delicious food!

• Float down the Chattahoochee River: slightly outside of town but well worth the trip! This is exactly what you're picturing when you hear "float down the river"--beer, tube islands, and a very fun time

  • We went with Shoot The Hootch and I would recommend it!

• Antico Pizza: extremely good pizza and it's huge!

Monday Night Brewing

Spots to visit in the atl suburbs:

• Variant Brewing Co.: Located in Roswell and arguably the best brewery in the suburbs. Variant has fantastic brews and chill vibes.

• Gate City Brewing: Also in Roswell, Gate City is more of your traditional brewery with a warehouse set-up and frequent food trucks.

• Pontoon Brewing: A fantastic brewery in Sandy Springs with unique and crazy ingredients in their beers.

• From the Earth Brewing Company: A restaurant-style brewery in Roswell with delicious food and solid beers.

• Pop’s Coffee Co.: A very unique coffeeshop in Roswell housed with a motorcycle shop. Their coffees & breakfast foods are delicious.

• Six Bridges Brewing: Located in Johns Creek, this brewery has a great outdoor space and a very chill atmosphere.

• Reformation Brewery: A large operation, they have 3 locations: Canton, Smyrna, and Woodstock. The Smyrna location has outdoor seating along the Chattahoochee River.

• Anderby Brewing: Located in Peachtree Corners, Anderby has yummy beers and super nice staff members.

• Social Fox Brewing: Situated in the heart of Norcross with average beers and frequent food trucks.

• Cultivation Brewing: Also in Norcross, Cultivation has great beers, games, and a nice patio space.

• NoFo Brewing: NoFo is in Cumming and I personally cannot recommend visiting. Their space is overwhelmed by screaming children, disrespectful staff members, and overall bad times.

Pensacola, FL

Pensacola's beaches are pristine + being located on Florida's panhandle makes it a quick drive from much of the southeast US

Pensacola Tips: 

• Most lodging on the beachfront of Pensacola can be quite pricey, but if you stay in Gulf Breeze, between downtown Pensacola and Pensacola beach prices are downright cheap!

• There are a few restaurants right on the beach, but I would recommend stopping at the grocery on your way there instead

Adventures & Ales Top pensacola Recommendations: 

• Pensacola Bay Brewery: Extremely delicious beers right in central downtown Pensacola. Embrace your inner pirate matey

• Gulf Coast Brewery: Large TVs, darts, a cigar lounge, a wine room, pet-friendly, and an outside patio. This brewery has it all!

• The Drowsy Poet Coffee Company: The setting is why you are going. The coffee is also really good, but the view of the bay is fantastic. Go early to be in peace!

• Ye Olde Brothers Brewery: Located closer to Navarre, this brewery gives you tons of options for your flight so that they are more like shooters than samples, but they are all solid!

Pensacola Bay Brewery

Pensacola Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Mmmm the beach. Duh.

Skip:

• Goat Lips Chew and Brewhouse: A strange place. Beer is not very good. Food is average. Outside patio is full of flies. Meh.

Gatlinburg, TN

Gatlinburg is known as “The Gateway to the Smoky Mountains” for good reason—it is nestled right on the edge of the National Park, making it a popular mountain resort town.

Gatlinburg Tips: 

• Get into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! The whole point of visiting Gatlinburg is the close access to the park, so make sure to get into nature!

• Gatlinburg is extraordinarily touristy—it’s like the Disney World of mountain towns. Personally I do not love places like this, so if you are similar minded I would recommend staying in a small town on the North Carolina side of the park versus Gatlinburg. Bryson City is my personal favorite!

  • Pigeon Forge is the same level of “touristy” but with even more “attractions”. If you have small kids there is plenty of entertainment options in PF! Gatlinburg is definitely more walkable and a better base camp in my opinion, but the two are only 15 minutes apart

Adventures & Ales Top Gatlinburg Recommendations: ​

• Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail: A beautiful nature drive with places to stop off for nature views and historical buildings.

• Traveling with a group? AvantStay has some amazing larger homes for rent! Use my link here to save $250 off your booking!

• Go winery hopping: There are several wineries in Gatlinburg that you can pop into for free samples and to bring home some delicious wine if you choose to do so!

  • Smoky Mountain Winery: My favorite that we visited! Their tasting offered a plethora of samples for free and Tiffany, who was working, was absolutely fantastic! This spot is slightly off the main road, so be sure not to miss it!

  • Sugarland Cellars: The tastings here are $5, the only winery you have to pay to sample at, but they have Sangria slushees that are absolutely delicious and totally worth it! They have two locations, one right in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg and one right on the edge of the National Park.

  • Bootleggers Homemade Wines: Located in the Ole Smoky Holler, a small spot to sample wines with cute merchandise as well!

  • Goodwater Vineyards: An extremely nice family owns and operates this winery, pop in for samples and chat with them!

  • Tennessee Homemade Wines: Another winery with solid wine and free samples. Owned by the same team as Tennessee Cider Co

  • Gatlinburg Wine Cellar: The most touristy of the wineries, this spot has lots of sweet wines in their two locations on the main strip

• Clingman’s Dome: About 45 minutes from Gatlinburg, this lookout tower and viewpoint is definitely worth the drive. The ride is gorgeous as well, be sure to stop at the Newfound Gap Overlook for great views just a few minutes away from Clingman’s Dome. At the dome expect traffic/parking to be a hassle there are tons of people who stop here. To get to the tower you walk up a steep hill to the overlook, but it is only a half a mile each way and is paved. It is the highest point in the Smokys!

• Tennessee Cider Company: The first cidery in the Gatlinburg area and new to the scene. Their ciders were delicious and the staff was super nice!

• Cookie Dough Bliss: Edible cookie dough, what more do you need to know?! It is absolutely delicious and located right next to Goodwater Vineyards

• We had a complimentary stay at Greystone Lodge and it was lovely! The views of the mountains and river out back were great and it was conveniently located in the heart of the city!

Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

Gatlinburg Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Go moonshine hopping! You can’t visit Gatlinburg and not have some moonshine. Each moonshine tasting is $5 for all of the samples.

  • Ole Smoky Moonshine: The classic! Located in Ole Smoky Holler. Don’t skip the pickle!

  • Sugarlands Distilling Company: The first couple samples here are extraordinarily awful and burn, but persevere, it gets better!

  • Doc Collier Moonshine: This is a smaller and newer space with some great options! They also have moonshine slushees that were delicious!

• Ole Red: A really popular bar/restaurant with live music. Crowded and overpriced but it is entertaining

• Pigeon Forge: Another area to explore with lots of attractions

  • Be sure to visit the Yee-Haw Brewing outpost in The Island for an extremely delicious pretzel and solid beers!

Sugarland Cellars

Other Things to Do in Gatlinburg:​​

• Smoky Mountain Brewery: More restaurant style than brewery with pretty standard beers. Get the Supermug (33oz)! They have locations in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Turkey Creek, and Maryville

• Gatlinburg Brewery: Super yummy pizza! Beers are pretty average but it’s worth checking out while you’re in the area!

• Check out Knoxville which is just an hour away, or Asheville, an hour and a half away!

  • Check out my guide to Knoxville here and my guide to Asheville here!

Memphis, TN

Memphis is a fun city full of blues and beers set on the Mississippi River

Memphis Tips: 

• Nashville gets all the Tennessee credit for music cities but Memphis does a good job competing. Be sure to check out the live music, especially the blues! 

Adventures & Ales Top Memphis Recommendations: 

• The Lorraine Motel: This is the sight of MLK Jr's assassination and it has been transformed into a civil rights museum

• The Peabody Hotel: Check out the ceremony with ducks that is hilarious and adorable. Get there early or you won't be able to see anything!

• Wiseacre Brewery: Tiny Bomb is their most famous but they've got other delicious beers as well! 

• Check out the Overton Square area, a hip little area with lots of bars and restaurants!

Graceland

Memphis Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Graceland: Elvis's home is crazy expensive. As a non-dedicated Elvis person, I did not want to pay to go in so I just went around the grounds and such. It was still cool to see, totally your call on your level of Elvis fandom on whether it is worth it

• Beale Street: You have to at least walk down it once and check out some blues music, but otherwise I'd head elsewhere to enjoy your evening 

Johnson City, TN

Johnson City, Tennessee is a gem! The city emanates small town charm while still having plenty to do and some delicious spots for beer, cocktails, and eats.

The city is a hub for outdoorsy activities with its location nestled in the mountains, motorcycles with the Southern Dozen rides, and biking with numerous mountain biking trails and pump tracks. It is also a very dog-friendly city!

It is located in the Northeastern corner of Tennessee, 3 hours from Charlotte via the Linville Gorge or an hour north of Asheville.

Little Animals Brewing

Adventures & Ales Top recommendations:

• Little Animals Brewing: Solid beers in a fun atmosphere with arcade games. They have a small tap list of their own beers and a handful of guest taps.

• Stay at the Carnegie Hotel: This gorgeous, historic hotel was originally built in 1891. It is located across from the ETSU campus and a 20 minute walk from downtown. They have a seasonal pool and they are dog-friendly.

• Timber!: A stellar restaurant with a cute interior and dog-friendly back patio space. Their menu is divided in small, medium, and large plates alongside cocktails, wine and a handful of beers. The food and drinks are fantastic, highly recommend.

• The Atlantic Ale House: A beer bar with 16 taps, a small selection of cans, and frequent food trucks. They have a nice back patio overlooking Founders Park as well.

• Laurel Falls: This trail is 4.7 miles long with 620ft of elevation gain and is rated moderate. It shares the path with the Appalachian Trail and leads to a gorgeous waterfall. The trail is a lovely serene walk along the river in Cherokee National Forest. It takes about 2 hours to complete and the trailhead is 20 minutes from Johnson City in Hampton.

  • Appalachian Sun Brewery in Elizabethton is on the way back towards Johnson City but unfortunately their hours are quite limited.

The Carnegie Hotel

• Off Leash Social: A dog park and bar in North Johnson City with frequent food trucks and events. They have beer, wine and cocktails in a large outdoor space with shipping containers. The staff is super friendly and attentive to the dogs (and humans).

• BURG’r & Barrel: A cool spot for burgers and BBQ. The space is an old train depot and they have a nice interior space and a lovely patio.

• Pal’s Sudden Service: A Northeast Tennessee icon! You can’t miss their fun shaped buildings as you are driving through the area. This fast food drive thru specializes in biscuits, burgers and hotdogs. The cheddar rounds are absolutely superb and should not be missed.

• Nolichucky Ridge Cliff via Appalachian Trail: This trail is 2.6 miles long with 524ft of elevation gain and is rated moderate. It takes about an hour to complete and there are two very nice viewpoints at the top of your climb. It is known as “The Gorge” and sits along the North Carolina/Tennessee border.

• Tennessee Hills Brewstillery: A brewery and distillery combination with solid cocktails and beer. The tap list is quite large and they also have their own food truck onsite.

• Buffalo Mountain Park: A great park 7 minutes from downtown with several different trails. Huckleberry Knob is a great viewpoint to check out!

• King Commons: A nice park downtown spanning three acres.

Laurel Falls

Other ideas:

• Shop around downtown: There are plenty of cute stores to explore, but my two favorites are The Generalist and Terrarium.

• Great Oak Brewing + Southern Craft Barbecue: Great Oak is located inside of Southern Craft downtown. The food menu is expansive and tasty and the beer menu has selection of Great Oak taps + guest taps. They also have wine and cocktails. The team here is super nice!

• Tweetsie Trail: A walking, running and biking path that runs in the place of a former railroad line. In total it is 9.6 miles long and connects Johnson City to Elizabethton. There are bike rental spots at the trailhead in Johnson City as well

• Cranky’s Pump N Pints: A beer garden housed at the Tweetsie Trail start. They have 8 taps and a selection of cans with frequent food trucks. There is indoor and outdoor seating and a pump track.

• Label Restaurant: A popular restaurant in downtown with sushi, burgers, entrees, and bourbons. They have a front patio space and a fun interior. They serve brunch on Sundays with $3 mimosas and $6 Bloody Mary’s.

Timber!

• Tannery Knobs Mountain Bike Park: This mountain bike park has a pump track and biking trails along with a pretty overlook.

• The Moon Coffee and Tea House: A cute little spot on Main Street with plants and chill vibes for coffee, tea and a selection of pastries from nearby Lazy Lady Baking Co.

• Yee-Haw Brewing & White Duck Taco: These two spots share a building downtown with a front and back patio. Solid tacos, average beers, chill vibes.

• The Main Street Pizza Company: A tasty spot downtown for variety of eats, don’t let the menu fool you they do more than pizza! The butternut bisque was wildly delicious and the subs are a big hit.

• Founders Park: A spacious five acre park downtown with a sculpture exhibit.

• The Beauty Spot: A scenic viewpoint at the Tennessee/North Carolina border that is 35 minutes southeast of downtown. A forewarning: the road is closed with no notice at times.

• Johnson City Brewing: A brewery downtown with a massive tap list. The beers here were not my favorite.

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

Kentucky and Tennessee Road Trip

Kentucky and Tennessee are home to a lot of beautiful nature, some great breweries, and some fun adventures! For Thanksgiving I decided to go for a road trip across these two states and with a smidge of Virginia and Georgia as well.

I designed this as a loop road trip starting and ending in Charlotte, NC. It was 11 days of adventure with 60 miles hiked, 1,628 miles driven, 30 breweries visited, 1 National Park, 7 State Parks, 1 National Recreation Area and 2 National Forests. Do what works best for you, your style, and your schedule!

A disclaimer—I had been to all of these cities besides Louisville before, so if this is your first time in each place you should add more time to get to see more of the city! For me it was just revisiting some of my favorites and exploring a few new spots in each city.

Day 1: Grayson Highlands State Park & Abingdon, Virginia

Kick things off at Grayson Highlands State Park where the Appalachian and Rhododendron Gap Trail has nice views and wild horses.

After hiking, head over to the small charming town of Abingdon. Here I highly recommend Abingdon Vineyards for wine on the river and The Girl and The Raven for breakfast and coffee.

Day 2: Breaks Interstate Park State Park & Red River Gorge

Breaks Interstate Park, the “Grand Canyon of the South”, is 1 hour and 40 minutes northwest of Abingdon. This was a short detour on my route so it was worth it for the nice overlooks, but in general I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way for this park.

In Red River Gorge I loved glamping with Dappled Light, eats and drinks at Hop’s, and hiking to Double Arch. Check out my full Red River Gorge blog here!

Day 3: Red River Gorge and Lexington

Lexington is 1 hour west of Red River Gorge. In Lexington my favorites were Mirror Twin Brewing, Ethereal Brewing, and staying at The Manchester. Check out my full Lexington guide here!

Day 4: Louisville 

Louisville is just over an hour west of Lexington and an easy choice for your next stop. In Derby City I recommend Atrium Brewing, Butchertown Brewing, and checking out the famed Big Four Bridge. Check out my full Louisville guide here!

Day 5: Mammoth Cave National Park & Nashville

Mammoth Cave is perfectly halfway between Louisville and Nashville, at 1.5 hours from each city. Here I would focus your time on a cave tour and ditch the hikes, they are all quite boring. The Historic Tour is a nice way to see the cave and get an understanding of the park.

Day 6: Nashville

In Music City I highly recommend Southern Grist Brewing, Barrique Brewing and Blending, Ladybird Taco, and exploring the 12 South neighborhood. Check out my full Nashville guide here!

Day 7: Cloudland Canyon State Park & Chattanooga

Cloudland Canyon State Park is 2 hours and 15 minutes from Nashville and 30 mins south of Chattanooga. This is a beautiful park and worth the slight detour! There are some waterfalls and sweeping views here.

Day 8: Chattanooga

During your Chattanooga exploration I would recommend Oddstory Brewing, Pax Breu Ruim, and Ruby Falls. Check out my full Chattanooga guide here!

Day 9: Burgess Falls State Park, Cummins Falls State Park and Big South Fork National Recreation Area

Burgess Falls State Park is 1.5 hours north of Chattanooga and here the Burgess Falls Trail is a great, easy trail with multiple waterfalls. Cummins Falls State Park is just 30 minutes from Burgess Falls and another large waterfall. Further north, Big South Fork National Recreation Area is home to Twin Arches Short Loop Trail. This is a very cool hike and I would highly recommend.

Burgess Falls State Park, Cummins Falls State Park, Big South Fork National Recreation Area, and Cumberland Falls State Park are all nestled right along the Kentucky/Tennessee border, so you could choose to do these in a different order if it works better for you!

Day 10: Cumberland Falls State Park & Knoxville

Cumberland Falls State Park has several observation decks to see this large waterfall and is a quick stop. Buzzard Rock Trail is nearby and provides great panoramic views off of a short trail. Knoxville is 1 hour and 20 minutes from Cumberland Falls State Park.

Day 11: Knoxville & Travel HOme

In Knoxville I highly recommend Xul Brewing Company, staying at The Tennessean Hotel, and exploring World’s Fair Park. Check out my full Knoxville guide here!

From here you’ve wrapped up the loop trip and it’s time to head home! Asheville, NC is also 2 hours from Knoxville if you’re looking to extend your trip!

Have you explored Kentucky and tennessee? What are your favorite spots? Let me know in the comments! Cheers —Alexis

Exploring Red River Gorge

Red River Gorge is a pretty area in eastern Kentucky within Daniel Boone National Forest. It is a great outdoorsy area with lots of hiking, rock climbing, camping, and more!

Red River Gorge is just an hour east of Lexington, a fun city to explore! Check out my Lexington guide here.

Red River Gorge Lodging, food & drink Recommendations:

• Glamp with Dappled Light: This is a superb glamping experience with 9 tents and a cabin. The tents all have electricity and heaters to ensure a comfy experience, along with a shared bathhouse. There are thoughtful touches in the tents along with great views from the decks. Highly recommend!

• Hop’s: A great restaurant and bar with tasty eats and a solid beer and bourbon list. Their seating is an outside covered patio with heaters that is dog-friendly. They’ve also got a great happy hour!

• Miguel’s Pizza: This spot is a popular backpacker’s hangout with pizza, beer and camping. They have ample outdoor seating, some of which is covered, and an indoor space.

• Daniel Boone Coffee Shop: A nice spot for breakfast, lunch, and coffee. They also have a little shop with some groceries and souvenirs.

Red River Gorge Hiking recommendations:

• Double Arch, Courthouse Rock and Auxier Ridge Loop Trail: This is a great highlight trail of a few different nice spots in Red River Gorge. It is 6.7 miles long with 1036ft of elevation gain and is rated moderate. This is a popular trail and the parking lot can get crowded. Double Arch is very cool, you can climb up under it and look out. Courthouse Rock is nothing special, it looks cooler from the stairs just after you pass it. Auxier Ridge is a cool skinny strip to walk along with views. Right before Haystack Rock is a nice cliff where you can see out to Double Arch and beyond. The beginning and end of the trail both are a bit long and boring, but overall it is a sold trail that takes just about 3 hours.

• Chimney Top Trail: This is a quick .7 mile trail with 88ft of elevation gain that is rated easy. It takes 18 minutes to complete and leads out to a nice viewpoint. It is a good spot for both sunrise and sunset. The last section of road to the trailhead is gravel but it is smooth, and the parking lot is shared with Princess Arch.

• Sky Bridge Trail: This is a quick .6 mile trail with 150ft of elevation gain and some stairs—it is rated moderate but is an easy hike. It takes about 20 minutes to do the loop under and on top of the sky bridge.

Another idea in the area is Natural Bridge State Resort Park. I had planned to do the Natural Bridge via Rock Garden Trail and Devil’s Gulch Trail, but this park is not dog-friendly and it was raining.

Have you been to Red River Gorge? What were your favorite things to do? Let me know in the comments! Cheers —Alexis

Exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia

The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia are a beautiful area to spend a long weekend. There are lots of great hikes to stunning views and large waterfalls, a plethora of wineries, and some solid breweries in the region. Below is a full guide to exploring this area, organized by town.

Blue Ridge

Blue Ridge is a great home base for exploring the region. It is an adorable little town, but it is going to be a bit of a drive to trailheads, as a forewarning. Heads up, the breweries in town do not have food or food trucks, so be sure to have a separate plan for eating! Pro-tip if you’re traveling with dogs—the public dog park at the Humane Society in town is really nice.
Recommendations:

• Amicalola Falls: These waterfalls are absolutely huge and are definitely a must-see while in the area. This trail is .9 miles long with 425 stairs and takes about 20 minutes to complete. I would actually probably recommend a different hike here, the one linked starts at the top of the falls and goes down to the bottom and then back up which was fine but check out the other options too. The entrance fee is $5 without a Georgia State Parks Pass.

• Springer Mountain Trail: This trail is 2 miles long with 393ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour to complete. This is the southern terminus of Appalachian Trail which is fun and there is a marker at the summit for the AT. It is a steady climb up and pretty rocky and muddy. The views are quite nice and this trail is rated moderate. It is quite the journey to get to this trail for such a quick hike, so just keep that in mind in your planning.

• Angry Hops Brewing: Easily the best brewery in town. This spot has chill vibes, a small patio, and angry music, for the brand.

• Mercier Orchards: A huge facility with a market and a bar serving hard cider, wine and 1 beer. The ciders are quite tasty. Go early if you want donuts, they tend to run out.

• Grumpy Old Men Brewing: A popular spot with a nice patio and average beers.

• Mountain Mama’s Coffee Lounge: A super cute spot with coffee, tea and a small food menu. The coffee is great here and they are located right downtown.

• Tipping Point Brewing Company: This brewery has a nice upper patio overlooking downtown with average beers.

• The Pasta Market: A nice restaurant and shop with solid pasta and an upper deck. They also have wine and beer.

• Falls Branch Falls: This trail is 1 mile long with 200ft of elevation gain and takes about 30 minutes to complete. It is an uphill, muddy climb to the falls which are quite nice. This trail is rated moderate but was pretty easy.

• Bear Claw Vineyards & Winery: This winery has a nice outdoor space with a patio or picnic tables. They offer their wine by the flight, glass, bottle or slushie. They also have a small food menu.

• Elijay is another cute little small town south of Blue Ridge. Elijay Coffeehouse is a homey coffee shop with a small sandwich menu in the heart of downtown.

• Fannin Brewing: A small spot with mediocre beer and rustic outdoor seating.

• Skip Cucinella’s Pizzeria—the staff was not helpful and the pizza was average.

Helen

Helen is a German-themed town best known for their Oktoberfest and Decemberfest celebrations. River tubing is also quite popular here in the summer months. This is a very touristy little town that I would recommend spending a few hours in and then escaping. Expect heavy traffic and parking is $10 for the day anywhere downtown.
Recommendations:

• King Ludwig Biergarten: An outdoor beer garden in the main city square. They have a small food menu with German items alongside beers and wine. There is constant live music here as well.

• Hofbräuhaus: A German restaurant and beer garden. They are on the north end of Main Street a bit past the hustle and bustle on the river. The service here was not great and my beer was served warm, but it’s a decent stop.

• Anna Ruby Falls: This trail is 1 mile long with 220ft of elevation gain and takes about 30 minutes to complete. The trailhead is directly outside of Helen and quite popular because it leads to a beautiful large waterfall. It is a paved slightly uphill walk that I highly recommend. This trail is technically in a National Forest so you’ll need a National Park Pass or pay $5 to enter. This trail is rated moderate.

• Duke’s Creek Trail: This trail is 2.3 miles long with 337ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour to complete. It is an easy walk down to the waterfall that is pretty nice. This is in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest so you’ll need a National Park Pass or pay $4 to park. It is rated easy.

• Raven’s Cliff Falls Trail: This trail is 5 miles long with 623ft of elevation gain and takes about 2.5 hours to complete. There are lots of roots along this path but there is also numerous river access points which is very nice. Overall the views here are just okay, but the river is nice. This is in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest so you’ll need a National Park Pass or pay $5 to park.

• Brasstown Bald: This is the highest point in Georgia and provides stellar views for miles upon miles! You’ll drive up the byway to a parking area where you can either shuttle up (every 5 minutes) or hike a very steep .6 miles up. I’d recommend shuttling up and hiking down. Dogs are welcome on the shuttle as well. You’ll need a National Park Pass or pay $8 to enter. If you’ve been to Clingman’s Dome in Tennessee this is very similar.

• Tallulah Gorge State Park: A popular park about 45 minutes east of Helen. The entrance fee is $5 and the main attraction is the large gorge with waterfalls. Heads up, only the rim trail is dog friendly where you can visit 9 overlooks.

Dahlonega

Dahlonega is a very tiny town about 30 minutes south of Helen that is home to the University of North Georgia.
Recommendations:

• Preachers Rock from Woody Gap: This trail is 2 miles long with 436ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour to complete. It is part of the Appalachian Trail in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. It is a mostly shaded trail that pops out to an exposed rock with stunning views, especially in the morning. This was my favorite hike in the area and I highly recommend it. It is rated moderate.

• Accent Cellars: A nice winery on the river. They have glasses, bottles, tastings, or flights of wine along with wine cocktails and a few snacks in the cooler. They are on the river which is nice and more of an urban winery just 3 minutes from downtown. This spot is dog friendly inside and out.

• Barefoot Hills Hotel: A solid hotel that is very affordable and has great mountain views, especially for sunset. They are dog friendly and there are games on the property too.

• Montaluce Winery: A beautiful, fancy winery tucked back into nature. They also have a full service restaurant onsite. This spot is not dog friendly inside or out.

Cleveland

Cleveland is just south of Helen and the town itself is not worth visiting, but there is a good hike, brewery and winery to check out:

• Mount Yonah Trail: This trail is 5 miles long with 1,453ft of elevation gain and takes about 2.5 hours to complete. This trail is quite steep and strenuous, as it is rated hard. The views from the summit are not quite as impressive as the other hikes in the area, but it is a great workout and still nice.

• NoFo Brew Co: This taproom is 5 minutes from the trailhead and the second location for NoFo. They have lots of outdoor seating with views of Mount Yonah but it’s also right off a pretty busy road so it’s not super serene. They have a wide variety of beers on tap. Heads up the flights here are very expensive.

• Yonah Mountain Vineyards: Around the other side of the mountain is a nice winery with mountain and vineyard views. They offer their wine in a glass, bottle or flight.

Have you explored the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia? What are you favorite spots? Let me know in the comments!
Cheers—Alexis