Birmingham, AL

Birmingham is an up and coming southern city with lots of history and some great breweries

Bham Tips: 

• The city is pretty spread out so it would be tough to venture without a car!

Adventures & Ales Top Birmingham Recommendations: 

• Avondale Brewing: Amazing beers and an amazing outside area with live music and lots of green space. Pro Tip: Get pizza from Post Office Pies next door to enjoy with your brews

  • They also have a sour room out back you can check out!​

• Trim Tab Brewing: An eccentric brewery with a different spin on things. Their IPAs are great!

• Birmingham Civil Rights Institute: Birmingham was at the center of the Civil Rights Movement and is full of history. This extraordinary museum is one of the best I've been to.   

• Cahaba Brewing: A fun brewery with live music and free skee-ball!

• Check out the tunnels under the bridges at night, they light up! 

Sloss Furnaces

Birmingham Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• 16th Street Baptist Church: The location of the 1963 bombing

• Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark: An old industrial sight that is fun to explore

Avondale Brewing

Other Birmingham Things To Do:​​​

• Good People Brewing: Good beers and located right by the baseball stadium. I especially enjoyed their stouts!

• Ghost Train Brewing: Another brewery with solid beer options and lots of TVs for sports

New Orleans, LA

New Orleans is a magical city. I lived there for almost five years and absolutely love it!

NOLA Tips: 

• Drink on the streets. There is no open intox law here, so pop a beer or pour some mimosas and hit the streets. At bars you can ask for a drink to go so you don’t have to rush to finish anything ever

• Get out of the French Quarter. So many tourists stay in the Quarter and don’t see the rest of the city, which is a tragedy. Spend one night on Bourbon, not all nights.

• If you visit in the summer months be sure to bring a raincoat, it rains almost every day from the humidity, but usually only for an hour or so

• Check out my other New Orleans blogs here:

  • The Best Bars in New Orleans

  • The Best Weekend Trips From New Orleans

Adventures & Ales Top New Orleans Recommendations: ​

• Bacchanal: My favorite place in the city. Live music, cheese plates, and wine bottles in an adorable courtyard. Walk in and pick out your own cheeses and wine, and then snag a spot while they assemble your cheese plate. They have a small “real” menu if you want something more hearty, and they have a full bar upstairs if you aren’t in the mood for wine

• Courtyard Brewery: My favorite brewery in New Orleans! They have the best New England IPAs in particular and an amazing staff!

• District Donuts/Stein’s Deli: Two separate establishments, to be clear. They are right next to each other on Magazine Street and both offer fantastic breakfast options. District has fancy delicious donuts and amazing coffee (Vietnamese Iced Coffee here is my fav), while Stein’s has delicious bagels and breakfast sandwiches, with some sass

• Parleaux Beer Lab: A great brewery in the Bywater. Lots of outdoor space! Right around the corner from Bacchanal

Courtyard Brewery

• The Fly: Just off Audubon Park you’ll find a narrow strip of land along the Mississippi filled with locals enjoying the breeze and views. Bring some drinks and a blanket and lounge by the water. The sunsets are gorgeous!

• Avenue Pub: The best beer bar in the city, maybe in the country. So many options. Go after 4pm to get onto the balcony overlooking St Charles Avenue!

• Saba or Shaya: These Israeli restaurants are amazing and have won every top restaurant award in the country. The menus are really similar, as the head chef Alon Shaya worked at Shaya before he got into a feud with the owners and started his own spot, Saba. You need reservations for either spot. Get a bunch of small plates for the table and dig in!

• NOLA Brewing: Sit on their rooftop, drink their specialty releases, and eat BBQ.

The Fly

New Orleans Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Mardi Gras: Mardi Gras is shown as only Fat Tuesday and only women gone wild on Bourbon Street, but it couldn’t be further from that. Mardi Gras is a month long celebration that can be as family friendly as you’d like. My favorite parade day is the Sunday before Fat Tuesday. Be sure to check out Bacchus and the Walking Wine parade that is directly before it!

  • Do NOT try to drive/Lyft/Uber/taxi/streetcar anywhere during Mardi Gras parades or directly before/after

• The Columns Hotel: Go during Happy Hour and sit on the large front porch to watch the streetcars roll by

• Frenchmen Street: It used to be called “the local’s Bourbon Street” but tourists have since claimed Frenchmen as well. It’s still a fun place and definitely worth checking out. This street is packed full of live music bars. Don’t pay a cover, just pop into a neighboring bar that doesn’t charge one. Maison, d.b.a, and The Spotted Cat are my favorites

  • Need some late night grub on Frenchmen? Dat Dog is perfect! Their gourmet hot dogs and fries are the perfect solution after a night full of drinking

  • Brieux Carre Brewing: Right off Frenchmen Street is a cute little brewery with some great brews. Their staff is super nice and I definitely recommend popping in! If it’s packed because the space is small just grab a beer to go and hit up Frenchmen!

• Bourbon Street: You have to do it. Just don’t do it for too long of a time period.

• Pat O’Briens: Check out the dueling piano bar and the flame fountain. Drink a hurricane but be prepared for lots of sugar and rum!

• Lafitte’s: The oldest bar in America. This bar actually existed before America. Get the purple drank

• Molly’s at the Market: Right in the heart of the French Quarter on Decatur Street this little dive bar is the quintessential NOLA hang. Grab a frozen Irish coffee (size = large obviously)

• Cafe du Monde: You can’t leave New Orleans without getting hot, fresh beignets, and Cafe du Monde is the spot to do that. Don’t go at peak hours (weekend breakfast really) and the line will be relatively short. It moves fast so don’t be dissuaded if it is longer

Mardi Gras on St. Charles Avenue

Other things to do in NOLA:

• Superior Seafood: Go for Happy Hour—get a frozen drink (I love the pomegranate mojito, the French 75 is a local fav as well) and if you like seafood the Oyster Happy Hour is legit as well. During crawfish season you can get that here too

• Crescent Park: You can pop into this park either from right near the French Market off Decatur Street in the French Quarter or down in the Bywater. Gaze at the Mississippi and the New Orleans skyline

  • Pizza Delicious is the city’s best pizza and directly off the Bywater end of the park

• Bayou Beer/Wine Garden: Located in Mid City, this combo beer and wine garden location is the best of both worlds. The palm trees and outdoor set-up really bring the tropical vibes

  • Parkway Bakery: Grab a delicious poboy from Parkway, a couple of blocks up from Bayou Beer Garden.

• Urban South Brewery: A large warehouse style brewery with some great beers! I love the Lime Cucumber Gose and their specialty releases

• Hot Tin: The rooftop bar at The Pontchartrain Hotel

• Miel Brewery: Right around the corner from NOLA Brewing, this brewery is cranking out delicious beers!

Natchez, MS

Natchez is a small historical southern town boasting gorgeous views of the Mississippi River 

Natchez Tips: 

• Natchez can be done thoroughly in a weekend, you don’t need more time than that!

• They have a hot air balloon festival annually in October that is supposed to be awesome! 

Adventures & Ales Top Natchez Recommendations: 

• Natchez Brewing: The city’s only brewery is definitely worth checking out!

• Hang out on the river: Nearly everywhere you go in the city you will be able to glimpse the Mississippi, spend some time lounging by the water (hopefully with a beer in hand)

• King's Tavern: Amazing food, great service, and a really unique atmosphere

• Steampunk Espresso Bar: Adorable coffee shop with some of the best coffee I've ever had!

Longwood

Natchez Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Longwood: Amazing antebellum octagonal mansion that was never completed because of the outbreak of the Civil War

• Historic Natchez Cemetery: Personally I'm not a huge fan of cemeteries (#creepy), but the history here is pretty astounding 

• Stanton Hall: Another historical antebellum mansion oozing southern charm

Biscuits and Blues Café

Other things to do in Natchez:​​​

• Biscuits and Blues Cafe: Live music and delicious biscuits, what else do you need? 

• Old South Winery: Small and a little odd, but you can get all the wine samples you want!

• Under the Hill: This is a mini-neighborhood at the bottom of the hill right on the river. There are a few riverfront bars and restaurants to enjoy the view

Baton Rouge, LA

Home to Louisiana's capitol and Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge has some fantastic spots to check out!

Baton Rouge Tips: 

• Rush hour in BR is truly awful. Try to avoid driving on weekdays between 4-6:30 if at all possible!

• BR is only a little over an hour from New Orleans so it is a quick day trip 

Adventures & Ales Top Baton Rouge Recommendations: ​

• Tin Roof Brewing Co: Great beers, great atmosphere! Free brewery tours and a large outdoor space with frequent live music

• Louie's Cafe: The best breakfast spot! A traditional old diner that I highly recommend

• The Chimes: Don't miss the spinach and artichoke dip at this college bar and restaurant

Baton Rouge Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• LSU:​ Tiger Stadium is incredibly impressive, but the rest of the campus is really pretty as well

• Louisiana's Old State Capitol: This building looks like it's from the medieval times, definitely check it out!

Lafayette, LA

Lafayette, LA is about 2.5 hours west of New Orleans and the heart of Cajun Country!

Lafayette Tips: 

• A relatively small Southern town, you don't need to spend more than a weekend here to see it all!

• Check out my guides to New Orleans and Baton Rouge to complete your Louisiana adventure!

Adventures & Ales Top Lafayette Recommendations: 

• Parish Brewing: Known for their hoppy IPA's such as Ghost in the Machine, definitely a must visit for beer lovers!

• The French Press: An extremely good brunch spot right in the center of downtown!

• The Wurst Biergarten: Outdoor beer garden with beers, food, live music, and an art market on certain weekends ​​

The French Press

Other things to do in Lafayette: ​​​

• Bayou Teche Brewery: Located about 30 minutes outside of Lafayette in Arnaudville, the brewery is a hot spot for locals and has a nice patio to drink your beers on

• Jefferson Street Pub: A popular bar downtown with many beers on tap!

• Lake Martin: Just east of Lafayette, a great place to soak in the swampy side of Cajun Country. 

Little Rock, AR

Arkansas is known as 'The Natural State' and for good reason! There are tons of national and state parks to spend your time outdoors, but don't fret, there are plenty of breweries for your post-outdoor pleasure!

Little Rock Tips: 

• Little Rock is a pretty small city for being a state capital, you can easily walk all of downtown and don't need too much time to take it all in

• There are some sketchy areas of Little Rock so just be aware of your surroundings and make smart choices

• Check out my guide to Hot Springs, Arkansas which is just about an hour away!

Adventures & Ales Top Little Rock Recommendations: 

• Lost Forty Brewing: This was my favorite place in Little Rock! This spot has seriously good beers, a solid food menu (including brunch on Sundays!), and a fun atmosphere

• Flyaway Brewing: Located in North Little Rock across the river, Flyaway has a ton of different pretzels and dips (hello key to my heart), along with fun new beer releases all the time

• Pinnacle Mountain State Park: Definitely somewhere you need to drive to from downtown, but worth it! A rigorous climb up the mountain with great views from the top. Beware, you're literally climbing over boulders, but it's very cool!

Lost Forty Brewing

Little Rock Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Little Rock Central High: There is a mini-museum right across from the high school to learn about the history of the Little Rock 9. The high school is still a fully functioning school so you can't just wander in, as a heads up, but go to the museum and check out the outside of the school

• Clinton Presidential Center: Arkansas LOVES Bill Clinton. It's kind of adorable how idolized he is across the state. His Presidential Center is nerdy, but really interesting to explore!

• Walk the Junction Bridge and explore the River Market District: The Junction Bridge is an old pedestrian bridge that lights up at night in fun colors.  The River Market District is the area right around the bridge with a park, the Arkansas River Trail, and--you guessed it--a market!

Pinnacle Mountain State Park

Other things to do in Little Rock:​​

• At The Corner: Brunch it up at this restaurant, you guessed it, at the corner. Beware, folks line up around the block to get in!

• Rebel Kettle Brewing: Right around the corner from Lost Forty, Rebel Kettle has a nice outdoor patio to enjoy a nice day on

• Vino's: Pizza brewpub! Yum! Semi-isolated from the rest of the city, not in the best neighborhood, but yummy. 

• Stone's Throw Brewing: Lots of beer options, outdoor space, and a food truck that lives in their parking lot. 

• Diamond Bear Brewing: They get a lot of praise for a pretty average brewery, but it's worth popping in while in North Little Rock

Skip: ​

• Core Public House: I've never had worse service in my life. The bartender was drunk out of her mind and had no idea what she was doing. I'm sure they have other, better employees that would make your experience better, but they also had mediocre beer.

• Mug's Cafe: Overpriced below average coffee shop in North Little Rock

Hot Springs, AR

Hot Springs is a super cute little touristy town nestled in a National Park

Hot Springs Tips: 

• You don't need a ton of time to see it all, but it's a cute place so you could stretch it out if you wanted

• It's also just a short one hour drive from Little Rock so it makes a perfect day trip! Check out my Little Rock recommendations here!

Adventures & Ales Top Hot Springs Recommendations:

• Superior Bathhouse Brewery: A great atmosphere, great beers, a huge food menu (read: beer cheese), and it's in an old bathhouse! 

• Lake Ouachita State Park: About a 20ish minute drive from Hot Springs, but a super cute lake and forest.

• Bubba's Brews: One location of a larger brewery, it is really cute. Also a fireplace that is perfect to warm you up on a chilly day!

Superior Bathhouse Brewery

Hot Springs Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Check out the Hot Springs of course!

• Bathhouse Row: All of the bathhouses are lined up for your convenience! Set up a spa day and treat yo'self

• Hot Springs Mountain: Climb or drive to the top to check out the view!

Other Hot Springs Things To Do:​​

• The Grand Promenade: A nice walkway behind bathhouse row to the base of the mountain

• Grateful Head: Pizza and beer garden!

• The Winery of Hot Springs: Wine tasting is always a good choice!

• Core Public House: See my experience at the Little Rock branch of Core to understand my thoughts. But another brewery option

The Best Breweries in Louisiana

I lived in Louisiana for about five years and spent my weekends exploring the brew scene across the state! In ranking order, here are the best breweries in Louisiana:

Parish Brewing in Broussard, LA

The G.O.A.T. of Louisiana beer, hands down. Ghost in the Machine has long been a favorite for IPA drinkers across the country and Double Dry Hopped Ghost has now gained a national reputation as well. Their quaint taproom in Broussard understates how good their beer is and how sought after it is becoming.

Courtyard Brewing in New Orleans, LA

Courtyard is one of my favorite breweries of all time! Their beers are spectacular—specifically their IPAs, but don’t sleep on their other styles as well. They have navigated more hurdles in their 7 years of operation than any small business I know, but they are still grinding and still brewing great beers. Check them out for delicious beers and chill vibes.

Parleaux Beer Lab in New Orleans, LA

Parleaux is located in the Bywater neighborhood of NOLA and has fantastic brews. Their outdoor space is delightful and the perfect spot to spend an afternoon. Their beers are constantly changing, so I would recommend sampling several in order to get a real picture of how well they execute each style.

Great Raft Brewing in Shreveport, LA

Grace and Grit from Great Raft was one of the first IPAs that I truly loved—it is an extremely well-balanced and approachable beer, especially for an 8% Double IPA. Their Belgian series is also something not to be missed. Great Raft has been a powerhouse in the Louisiana brew scene since they opened in 2013 specializing in getting the Western half of the state to “drink real beer” and have since expanded to Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

Urban South Brewery in New Orleans, LA

Urban South is a fun spot in NOLA with a frequently changing tap list filled with great beers. They opened their New Orleans taproom in 2016 and just three years later opened their second taproom in Houston. Their specialty seasonal releases are what they do best which are mostly Hazy IPAs and Fruited Sours, but don’t sleep on the Lime Cucumber Gose that took home a gold medal at the 2020 Great American Beer Fest.

Have you explored the Louisiana brew scene? Let me know your favorite spots in the comments! Cheers —Alexis

The Best Weekend Trips from New Orleans

There are a ton of great places to check out for a couple of days within driving distance of New Orleans. These recommendations range anywhere from an hour drive to six hours for more of an escape!

For my New Orleans Guide, click here!

The North Shore, LA

Covington and Mandeville are the two main towns north of Lake Pontchartrain. I lived in Covington for six months and got to explore all the North Shore offers! Here are my top recommendations:

Visit Abita Brewing for small batch brews from Louisiana’s largest brewery. Also check out Old Rail Brewing Co, a brewery and restaurant with delicious food options. Chafunkta Brewing Company is a small brewery with tasty brews as well!

Opt outside: Explore Fontainebleau State Park—Camp, kayak, hike, or lounge at the lake shore. Bike the Tammany Trace! It spans 31 miles across the North Shore. Float the Bogue Chitto River—there are several companies that have setups for BYOB tubing. Just keep your eyes peeled for gators and snakes!

Barley Oak is a lakefront bar with a small food menu. A fun spot to hang out! The Chimes is a restaurant with a large tap list and delicious spinach and artichoke dip!

Lounge on the outdoor patio at Coffee Rani, which has delicious coffees and a small food menu. Another great spot to start your day is Liz’s Where Y’at Diner, which is a great spot for breakfast!

Time from central New Orleans: 1 hour

Bay St Louis, MS

Lounge at the beach! This is the closest beach getaway from New Orleans.

Grab food and drinks at The Blind Tiger, a fun spot right on the water!

Visit Lazy Magnolia Brewery, it is just north of Bay St Louis in Kiln and has fantastic dark beers!

Time from central New Orleans: 1 hour

Pensacola Beach

Pensacola, FL

Start your day at The Drowsy Poet Coffee Company. The view of the bay is fantastic!

Lounge at the beach—Pensacola has incredibly soft and white sand to relax on!

After the beach head to Pensacola Bay Brewery. They are located right downtown and have great beers!

Check out my full blog here!

Time from central New Orleans: 3 hours

Lafayette, LA

The main reason to go is to visit Parish Brewing in neighboring Broussard, LA. They are one of the top breweries in the country and put out insanely good IPAs.

Another great spot to hang out at is The Wurst Biergarten!

Check out my full blog here!

Time from central New Orleans: 2 hours 15 minutes

Southern Prohibition Brewing

Hattiesburg, MS

Hattiesburg is a small little Southern town. While in the area be sure to check out Laurel, MS as well!

Southern Prohibition Brewing is arguably the best brewery in Mississippi and located right downtown in Hattiesburg.

Hike in De Soto National Forest while in the area!

Time from central New Orleans: 2 hours

Baton Rouge, LA

Go up for an LSU game, concert, or just to hang!

Relax at Tin Roof Brewing. They have a wide array of delicious beers, outdoor seating, and frequent live music.

Check out my other tips here!

Time from central New Orleans: 1 hour 15 minutes

Great Raft Brewing

Shreveport, LA

Shreveport and Bossier are right next to each other and both have plenty of bars and restaurants to keep you entertained.

Great Raft Brewing is the main attraction you want to be sure to check out. They make incredible IPAs and have a really fun atmosphere!

Time from central New Orleans: 5 hours

Natchez, MS

Natchez is a small historic and charming town!

Start your day at Steampunk Espresso Bar, it is cute and they make great coffee!

Check out the Antebellum mansions like Longwood and Stanton Hall.

Hang out on the river! Spend some time lounging by the water (hopefully with a beer in hand).

Check out my full blog here!

Time from central New Orleans: 3 hours

Natchez, MS

Birmingham, AL

I am still surprised by how much I enjoy Birmingham. It is an up and coming city with plenty of things to do!

I highly recommend the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute!

There are several good breweries to check out, such as Trim Tab Brewing, Cahaba Brewing, and Avondale Brewing.

Check out my full blog here!

Time from central New Orleans: 5 hours

Houston, TX

Houston is incredible massive so be sure to plan ahead for your visit!

There are a tonnnn of breweries in the Houston area—my top recommendations are Urban South, Buffalo Bayou, Saint Arnold, SpindleTap, and B-52.

Time from central New Orleans: 5 hours

Ocean Springs/Biloxi/Gulfport, MS

This stretch of Gulf Coast has pretty nice beaches and is conveniently close to New Orleans.

In Ocean Springs The Shed BBQ has live music and a fun atmosphere!

In Gulfport Chandeleur Island Brewing Company is located right in the heart of town with a variety of beers on tap.

Time from central New Orleans: 1.5 hours

The Center for Civil and Human Rights

Atlanta, GA

ATL is another massive city with a ton to see and do, be sure to plan ahead to make the most of your visit.

Monday Night Brewing is one of my favorite breweries in the US and has two locations in ATL!

The Vortex is a touristy restaurant but absolutely delicious! I prefer their location in the Little 5 Points neighborhood. The Porter Beer Bar is right around the block and has a wide variety of beers to choose from.

The Center for Civil and Human Rights allows you to explore the Civil Rights Movement and human rights movements around the world.

Check out my full blog here!

Time from central New Orleans: 6.5 hours

Orange Beach, AL

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have the nicest beaches on the Gulf Coast aside from the Florida Panhandle, plan to spend most of your time on the sand!

Flora-Bama is a fun bar on the border of Florida and Alabama. It is very country style and can be a wild place so visit during the day if that’s not your scene.

Check out Fairhope Brewing on your way out of town.

Time from central New Orleans: 2 hours

Memphis, TN

Check out the Blues capital of the world! Memphis is more than just Beale Street so be sure to explore!

Wiseacre Brewing has great beers, be sure to check them out while you’re in town!

Check out my other tips here!

Time from central New Orleans: 6 hours

What are your favorite weekend trips from New Orleans? Let me know in the comments!

The Best Bars in New Orleans

New Orleans is full of bars on every corner, but these are my favorite spots in The Big Easy to grab something that is not a beer. If you’re looking for the best beer bars in New Orleans check out my blog post here!

Bacchanal: Live music, bottles of wine, and build-your-own cheese boards! They’ve got a lively backyard-style outdoor seating area that is the place to be. This is one of my favorite spots in the city, don’t miss out!

Superior Seafood: Go during Happy Hour and sit at the bar for two-for-one Frozen drinks, half-off wine bottles, $3 draft beers, and 50 cent oysters daily from 4-6:30pm. Their Frozen French 75s and Frozen Pomegranate Mojitos are my favorites! Located Uptown on Saint Charles Avenue.

Molly’s at the Market: Frozen Irish Coffees reign supreme at this French Quarter dive bar. Go for the large, you won’t regret it.

Delachaise: A fun wine bar with a patio directly on Saint Charles Avenue. They’ve got $5 glass specials, cheese plates, and delicious fries!

The Columns Hotel: Sit on their expansive front porch and enjoy daily Happy Hour from 5-7pm as the streetcar rolls down Saint Charles Avenue.

Superior Grill: The best place in New Orleans for margaritas! From 3:30-6pm every day you can get a large margarita or mixed drink for the price of a small. Don’t forget in New Orleans you can take them to-go as well!

Carousel Bar: Located inside of Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter, this is actually a bar on a moving carousel! It slowly spins as you sit back and relax in this old-school hotel. Home of the original French 75!

Bar Tonique: Fancy and innovative cocktails on Rampart Street right on the edge of the French Quarter.

The Country Club: Drag brunch and bottomless mimosas in the Bywater neighborhood on Saturdays and Sundays. Make reservations in advance!

The Columns Hotel

Cure: Boogie cocktails at this Freret Street staple. They were the 2018 winner of the James Beard Award for Outstanding Cocktail Program, so you know it’s delicious!

The Sazerac Bar: Located in The Roosevelt Hotel, this old-school bar is home to the New Orleans classic Sazerac cocktail. Visit during the holidays to see their fabulous decorations!

Commanders Palace: Arguably the best restaurant in New Orleans, they offer 25 cent martinis during weekday lunch! Be sure to check the dress code and make a reservation.

Latitude 29: Get your tiki-drink fix at this fun bar in the French Quarter! They also offer “communal drinks” which are basically nicer versions of fishbowls to throw you back to your college days.

Barrel Proof: A low-key bar in the Lower Garden District with over 300 whiskeys! They host pop-ups in their kitchen frequently and have Happy Hour specials from 4-6 daily.

What is your favorite bar in new orleans?! Let me know in the comments: