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)

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.

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 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

The Best Breweries in Georgia

When I visited my first brewery in Georgia in June 2014 you had to purchase a “tour” of the brewery and receive tokens for a few beer samples with your tour. The brewery was not allowed to directly sell you beer. You could not walk up to the bar, grab a pint, and take a seat as we all know and love today.

Thankfully in September 2017 that finally changed with a new law, leading to a huge increase in breweries in the state. Further regulation changes since then, such as the state’s max ABV and how much beer a brewery is allowed to produce, have opened the gates even wider for more breweries to blossom. Now in 2021 Georgia has just over 100 breweries.

In alphabetical order, here are the best breweries in Georgia:

Check out my guide to Atlanta and my guide to Savannah!

Contrast Artisan Ales

Located in Chamblee, Georgia, a city in the northeast Atlanta suburbs, Contrast Artisan Ales is a cute little spot with killer beers. They’ve got a small but mighty tap list particularly filled with IPAs. There is a high level of craftmanship being poured into each of their brews. It is worth the journey to the suburbs to check out them out!

Creature Comforts Brewing Company

Located in Athens, Georgia, Creature Comforts makes essentially every style of beer under the sun. They are strongest at Saisons and Mixed-Cultures, really honing in on the craftsmanship of funky beers. Their clean beers are also really well done, and Classic City Lager is a delightful all day sipper. Creature Comforts is also opening a second brewery and taproom in Los Angeles.

Halfway Crooks

Located in central Atlanta, Halfway Crooks is a Lager-focused brewery that is absolutely incredible. Their beers are delightfully crisp and packed full of flavor. Their Lagers, Saisons, and Pilsners are particularly top-notch.

Monday Night Brewing

Monday Night has two locations in Atlanta—the original taproom is in Midtown and The Garage, their Sour and Barrel Aging facility is located in the Lee + White West End establishment. Monday Night was one of the OGs of the craft beer game in the South. They were the first brewery I ever visited and what truly got me hooked on craft beer and exploring breweries! They always have a wide variety of beers to choose from and they do each style well. Their decadent Stouts and small batch juicy IPAs from their Hop Hut series are my personal favorites. Monday Night has also expanded to Birmingham and Nashville.

Pontoon Brewing

Located in Sandy Springs, Georgia, a northern suburb of Atlanta, Pontoon crushes the Sour and Stout game. Name an adjunct and you can probably find it in one of Pontoon’s beers. They throw some crazy things into their recipes but they turn out delicious! Located in a strip mall setting, Pontoon’s environment isn’t what you’d expect for a brewery with a pretty large distribution but their beers are top notch.

Two Tides Brewing Company

Located in Savannah, Georgia, Two Tides is located in a converted house with a super unique setting. Each “room” of the brewery has a different vibe and the balcony porch lets you embrace the lovely Savannah ambience. Two Tides is particular fantastic at crafting IPAs and Sours. They are always getting creative and making unique small batch beers so their tap list changes frequently. I’d recommend doing small pours so you can sample their smattering of beers. They’ve also embraced beer slushies to help cool you off during that humid Savannah summer.

Wild Leap Brew Co.

Located in LaGrange, Georgia, Wild Leap continues to impress with their IPAs, Sours, and Stouts. Their Alpha Abstraction series of Double IPAs always produces incredibly delicious juicy IPAs with a punch. Their Truck Chaser ice cream style Double IPAs are always highly sought after as well, and for good reason. Wild Leap is incredibly underrated and one of the best in the craft beer game. Fun fact, they also make their own craft vodka!

If you are exploring Georgia, here are my guides to Atlanta and Savannah! Cheers—Alexis

Hilton Head Island, SC

Hilton Head Island is a gorgeous beach getaway near the border of South Carolina and Georgia. The beaches are long and the sand is soft, making it a great place to hang out on the Atlantic Ocean with friends and family!

In the summer it can get jam packed with tourists from all over, but it is a great spot to visit and soak in some Vitamin D!

Hilton Head Tips:

• Make sure you have cash on you, one of the roads onto the island is a toll road and depending on where you are staying that might be the fastest route!

• Visiting in the off-season (October-March) is a good idea to avoid the crowds and get cheaper rates!

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

• It’s less than an hour from Savannah as well so it’s a great spot to stop on a Southeast trip! Check out all of my Savannah recommendations here!

Hilton Head Island Recommendations:

Java Burrito

Java Burrito

A coffee shop and Mexican food joint together! Their food and drinks are incredible, the staff is SO friendly, and the prices are great! I highly recommend visiting Java Burrito—I went multiple times while on the island!

My favorite was their breakfast burritos—you can build your own and choose which ingredients you’d like! If you don’t opt for the queso we can’t be friends.

They also have Happy Hour every day from 4-6pm with $5 cocktails. Unfortunately Java Burrito is closed on Sundays, as a heads up!

Hefeweizen at Hilton Head Brewing Company

Hilton Head Brewing Company

A small brewery right near the airport with solid beers! They have outside seating options and a small snack menu as well.

You can also find their cans locally if you want to grab some for your beach time, hotel room, or to take home with you!

River Dog’s IPA at Skull Creek Boathouse

Skull Creek Boathouse

A chill restaurant with relaxing water views on the inlet. They have a large outdoor patio with a fire pit and heat lamps to keep warm on chillier nights! It is a great place to catch a sunset.

Their menu is quite large and offers a wide variety of food and drinks, including a few local beers on tap. They’ve got everything from sushi to pasta to seafood to sandwiches!

Birds Fly South’s Empress Rising Mole BBA Imperial Stout at The Lodge

The Lodge

A great craft beer bar with local and afar options on tap. They’ve also got bar food, pool, and Happy Hour.

The Lodge is located in The Barmuda Triangle—an area with several bars and restaurants to hop around. As a heads up it can get pretty party-centric on the weekend nights!

Vegan wrap at Delisheeyo

Delisheeyo

A vegan food restaurant that is a great spot for lunch! They have salads, sandwiches, wraps, and smoothies.

As someone who is not vegan I still found the food to be delicious! The staff is also super nice and helpful.

The view from The Marriott Resort and Spa

Have you been to Hilton head Island? What are your favorite spots? Let me know in the comments!