Grand Rapids, MI

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

Beer City Tips: 

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

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

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

Check out my 2 day itinerary for Grand Rapids Here!

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

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Grand Rapids Recommendations: ​​​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Speciation Artisan Ales

Grand Rapids Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Speciation Artisan Ales from above is located here

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

City Built Brewing

Other Grand Rapids Things To Do:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Southwest Michigan

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

Southwest Michigan Tips: 

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

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

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Southwest Michigan Recommendations: ​

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

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

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

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

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

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

Warren Dunes State Park

SW Michigan Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

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

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

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

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

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

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

Transient Artisan Ales

Other Things to Do in Southwest Michigan:​​

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

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

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

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

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

Upper Peninsula Michigan

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

U.P. Tips: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Traverse City

  • Leelanau Peninsula

  • Grand Rapids

  • Detroit

  • Southwest Michigan

Adventures & Ales Top Upper Peninsula Recommendations: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Taqhuamenon Falls

Upper Peninsula Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kayaking Pictured Rocks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Traverse City, MI

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

Cherry Capital Tips: 

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

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Traverse City Recommendations: ​​​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • For the Leelanau Peninsula side see my guide here!

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

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

Short’s Brewery

Other Things to do in Traverse City:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leelanau Peninsula, MI

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

Leelanau Tips: 

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

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

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Leelanau Peninsula Recommendations: ​

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

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

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

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

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

Peterson Park

Northern Michigan Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

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

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

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

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

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

  • Village Cheese Shanty: A cute little rustic sandwich hut

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

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

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

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

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

Hop Lot Brewing

Other Leelanau Peninsula Things To Do:​​

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

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

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

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

The Best Breweries in the Midwest

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

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

Phase Three Brewing Company: Lake Zurich, IL

Speciation Artisan Ales: Grand Rapids, MI

Pulpit Rock Brewing Company: Decorah, IA

Lua Brewing: Des Moines, IA

Forager Brewery: Rochester, MN

Side Project Brewing: Maplewood, MO

Jackie O’s Brewery: Athens, OH

New Glarus Brewing Company: New Glarus, WI

BlackStack Brewing: St. Paul, MN

Transient Artisan Ales: Bridgman, MI

Revolution Brewing: Chicago, IL

Drekker Brewing Company: Fargo, ND

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

A Weekend Exploring Michigan's Thumb

The Thumb is a beautiful area of Michigan surrounded by Lake Huron and the perfect place for a weekend escape!

To best explore the thumb, drive M-25 around the coast with stops at the various small towns and roadside beaches along the way.

This route starts you in the furthest southeast point of the thumb, Lexington, and heads north, but you could also do this in reverse if you’d like!

Lexington

• The Wind Jammer: A restaurant right on the marina with lunch, dinner and sushi.

• Wander the cute little town full of shops and restaurants.

• Tierney Park: Beach access with picnic tables
  

Port Sanilac

• Check out the lighthouse and walk the marina seawalls

• 4 mile scenic turnout: a roadside park with nice views of Lake Huron

Bird Creek Farms

Port Austin

• Kayak to Turnip Rock: Rent a kayak from Port Austin Kayak & Bike and explore Lake Huron! Be sure to check the weather conditions as rentals are frequently cancelled due to the conditions.

• Bird Creek Farms Restaurant and Tap Room: A farm-t0-table restaurant with a large selection of craft beers and delicious food. They have a very cute setup with picnic tables, string lights, hops, and yard games.

• Pak’s Backyard: A beer garden and restaurant that is open seasonally behind Port Austin Kayak. It is a nice outdoor space with beers, cocktails, wine, and burger menu. They also have coffee, smoothies and pastries in the morning.

• Port Crescent State Park: A beautiful state park with sand dunes, beach access, hiking trails and a Dark Sky Preserve. You will need a Michigan Recreation Passport to enter. It is $10 for a day pass for non-Michigan residents or $36 for an annual pass. Michigan residents can purchase an annual pass for $12 with their license plate registration renewal or $17 any other time.

• Bird Creek Park: A nice beach area and park. They have a splash pad for kids, a boardwalk and bathrooms with showers.

• Veterans Waterfront Park: Another area for beach access with bathrooms and a pavilion. Here you can walk out on the long jetty into Lake Huron.

• On your way into Port Austin check out the Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse, a historic lighthouse and park.

Brew Moon Caseville

Caseville

• Brew Moon Coffee House and Gallery: A coffee shop with pastries along with a shop full of Michigan creators. They also have a cute back garden area!

• Thumb Brewery is located here with a solid beer selection and full food menu.

• Sleeper State Park: Another state park on Lake Huron. This is more wooded with different hiking trails. You will also need the Michigan Recreation Passport to enter here.

After Caseville there are a few small industrial towns and a plethora of farms, but no other great stops along the shore of the thumb.

Frankenmuth Brewery

Frankenmuth 

Frankenmuth is not technically part of the thumb, but if you are driving downstate it is worth a stop to explore this Bavarian Village! It is a very unique town with a bunch of different themed shops and restaurants to check out.

• Frankenmuth Brewery: A solid brewery and winery with a full food menu.

• Zehnder’s: A restaurant, hotel and splash village known for their family-style chicken dinners.

• Bavarian Inn: A restaurant and lodge also known for their family-style chicken dinners.

Have you explored Michigan’s Thumb? Let me know your favorite spots in the comments! Cheers—Alexis

February 2022

February brought a slue of fantastic beers! I also took trips to Greenville, SC and up to Michigan, so that led to some great beers as well. Fingers crossed we are moving towards warmer weather and more patio beers in the coming weeks!

In no particular order, here were my top beers in February 2022:

Tulip from Fidens Brewing in Colonie, NY

Tulip is a Double IPA brewed with Citra and Simcoe hops. Fidens has really fine-tuned what a Double IPA should be and Tulip is a prime example of this. Smooth, juicy, flavorful, and delicious.

Never Gonnagetit³ from The Veil Brewing in Richmond, VA

This is the triple fruited version the Veil’s mixed berry gose with raspberry, boysenberry, and blackberry. Anything mixed berry is always going to be a win from my perspective and this was delicious. Shout out to Salud Beer Shop for hosting a Veil tap takeover so we can have their RVA goodness in CLT.

Ana from Fair Isle Brewing in Seattle, WA

Ana is a tropical Saison refermented on Ananasnaya Kiwi fruit from Red Cedar Farm in Poulsbo, WA. In my opinion, Saisons are always best enjoyed on a beautiful day sitting outside (preferably also with a cheese board). I have been hyping Fair Isle up since I visited their taproom in July and Ana reminded me of just how good their beers are. If you haven’t jumped on this train yet I highly recommend it!

I Once Left My Mind In A Bed-Stuy Juice Bar Collab from Burial Beer Co. in Asheville, NC and Other Half Brewing in New York, NY

This killer collaboration is mashed with oats and candi sugar, whirlpooled with Incognito hops, and triple dry-hopped with Mosaic, El Dorado, Blanc, Motueka and Riwaka hops. It is another banger from the folks at Burial and Other Half, which should come as no surprise.

All Is Not Lost from Petty Thieves Brewing in Charlotte, NC

All Is Not Lost is a Saison brewed with ceylon tea and lemon peel before being refermented on Asian pear puree. Petty Thieves always has a wide array of beers to choose from but I’ve found their Saisons to be my favorites. All Is Not Lost was superb—the pear flavor was not too overpowering but the perfect balance of fruity and refreshing.

Stress Dream collab from The Eighth State Brewing Company in Greenville, SC and Fidens Brewing in Colonie, NY

Pictured left, Stress Dream is an Imperial Stout with Monteblanco Passion Fruit Washed Coffee Beans from @methodicalcoffee , Toasted Coconut, Strawberry, Papua New Guinea Vanilla, Peruvian Cocoa Nibs, and Caramel. When two of the best in the game team up your expectations are pretty high, but Eighth State & Fidens did not disappoint. I am excited to open the bottle of this that I got soon too!

Crunchtime from HopFly Brewing in Charlotte, NC

Crunchtime is an American Lager from one of Charlotte’s newest breweries, HopFly Brewing. They opened in March 2020 in Rocky Mount, NC and just expanded to CLT last week. If you haven’t already checked out their new space in South End get on it! They do each style of beer well, but I found Crunchtime to be well-rounded and refreshing—perfect for their rooftop patio space.

Dots on the Wall from Birds Fly South Ale Project in Greenville, SC

Dots on the Wall is a Farmhouse Style Table Beer. Did you ever think a Table Beer would make a top beers list? I certainly didn’t, but Dots on the Wall has flipped that idea on its head. This was a fantastic, easy-drinking beer that still had plenty of flavor.

Hopnosis from Firestone Walker in Paso Robles, CA

Hopnosis is a West Coast IPA with Mosaic Cryo hops. This was a superb West Coast IPA from the folks at Firestone Walker who have been honing in on this style of beer for over 15 years. Learn more about Hopnosis in my PorchDrinking Beer Feature linked here!

Curtains Closed from High Branch Brewing in Concord, NC

Curtains Closed is a Hazy Double IPA with oats and Sabro, Citra, Azacca, and Centennial hops. High Branch is best known for their IPAs and Curtains Closed was perhaps the best one that I have had from them.

Ghost Big Sherb from HOMES Brewing in Ann Arbor, MI

Ghost Big Sherb is a Smoothie Sour with milk sugar and double fruited with blackberry, black currant, and plum, then aged on vanilla bean. HOMES always makes delicious beers, particularly their Sours. It was fruity without being overly sweet or thick, and I thoroughly enjoyed every sip.

Check back next month to see my top beers of March 2022! Cheers—Alexis

2 Days in Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids, Michigan—also known as Beer City USA— is one of my favorite places to visit! It can be overwhelming to plan a visit to Grand Rapids because there are just so many great breweries and fun parts of town to explore.

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

I’ve put together this guide for a two day trip to hit the highlights of this fantastic Midwestern city. If you’ve got more time to explore check out my full beer and travel guide for Grand Rapids here!

The beer garden at The Sovengard

Day 1: Downtown & The West Side

For your time in Grand Rapids I highly recommend staying at the AC Hotel Grand Rapids Downtown. This beautiful hotel is in the heart of downtown, it is walking distance to everything on the itinerary for day 1.

Start your day at Madcap Coffee right in the heart of downtown on Monroe Center Street NW. This popular roastery has several locations in the city and makes a delicious brew.

After your coffee, walk across the street for brunch at Littlebird. This cute little spot has delicious breakfast and brunch all day every day. Enjoy a breakfast cocktail on the patio with a sandwich or a toast.

From brunch walk around the corner to the Grand Rapids Art Museum for some culture. Tickets are $10 to tour the extensive art collection.

After the museum head to lunch at Grand Rapids Brewing, a quick 5 minute walk away. This is the city’s oldest brewery with great beers and delicious food. They’ve also got a game room in the back to have some fun while you’re waiting for your food.

From lunch walk 12 minutes to Atwater Brewery, right near the river. This is the second location for this popular Detroit brewery. They have a large tap list and are best known for their Vanilla Java Porter.

After Atwater walk 8 minutes across the bridge to the poppin’ West Side neighborhood! Your first stop is Jolly Pumpkin Brewing. This is another very popular brewery with quite funky beers.

From Jolly Pumpkin walk across the street to New Holland Brewing—The Knickerbocker. This is the Grand Rapids location for New Holland Brewing, based in Holland, Michigan. Be sure to try some of their Dragon’s Milk variants.

Dinner time! Walk up the block to The Sovengard. The Sovengard is a Scandinavian restaurant and beer garden with a farm-to-table menu and a plethora of beers and cocktails to choose from.

After dinner, choose your own adventure:

• Continue to hop around the West Side: Arktos Meadery, O’Toole’s Public House, One Bourbon, Anchor Bar, or Steel Cat Bar are all on the same block as The Sovengard!

• Head back downtown and explore more: Founders Brewing, Hopcat, Stella’s Lounge, Mojo’s Dueling Piano Bar, and The Tin Can Bar are all within walking distance of each other in the heart of the city.

City Built Brewing

Day 2: The East Side & a couple of outliers

Decide how you’d like to start your second day in Grand Rapids—a full brunch or a delicious bagel: Terra is a yummy brunch spot or Terra Bagels, right next door, has bagels and bagel sandwiches. Both are located on Lake Drive in the heart of Eastown.

From breakfast head further East to Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, a 12 minute drive. Tickets to this massive park are $14.50. Check out the sculptures, horticulture, and notable gardens.

After the park it’s time for lunch back in Eastown at Brewery Vivant. This brewery is located in the chapel of an old funeral home with a farm-scratch food menu and farmhouse-style beers.

From lunch walk 10 minutes to Outside Coffee on Wealthy Street. This adorable outside coffee shop has great vibes with frequent live music and Wealthy Street is a fantastic street to explore bars, restaurants, and shops.

On Wealthy Street be sure to visit Speciation Artisan Ales for some of the best beer in Michigan and Elk Brewing for a PB & J’ale’y on the patio.

After your time on Wealthy Street I would recommend dinner at one of the following options, all just a quick drive/Uber away:

• Seven Monks Taproom: A fantastic beer bar with an extensive tap list and a menu full of sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, and apps.

• City Built Brewing: A great brewery with a Puerto Rican Food menu.

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

From dinner head to Arvon Brewing Co. for some of the best beers in the city. Arvon specializes in Hazy IPAs and Sour Ales.

That’s it! You’ve survived & thrived for 48 hours in Grand Rapids, Michigan— AKA Beer City USA! Have you been to Grand Rapids? What are your favorite spots? Let me know in the comments! —Cheers, Alexis

The Best Breweries in Grand Rapids

The Grand Rapids area has over 80 breweries making it a beer drinker’s Mecca! If the pure number of breweries isn’t enough to entice you that you have to visit, the city also was voted Beer City USA, Best Beer Town, and Best Beer Scene from USA Today and other national polls. Narrowing the list of best breweries in the area was tough, but I managed to drink my way through the city and compile the top 4 breweries below, in ranking order.

Check out my full beer and travel guide for Grand Rapids here!

Speciation Artisan Ales

Speciation is the absolute best stop on the Beer City Ale Trail and my favorite brewery in Michigan! They specialize in Wild Ales and Natural Wines and are the only brewery in the area to do so. Speciation has a unique approach to brewing and you can always expect funky and distinct flavors. Their taproom is located on the popular Wealthy Street in the heart of town.

Arvon Brewing Co.

Arvon is located just south of downtown Grand Rapids on Division Street with a cute and cozy taproom that they opened in 2020. Prior to 2020 they only distributed their beers from their production-only facility in nearby Grandville, and they did not have any options for onsite consumption. Arvon was able to grow their name and flagship beers through this method, but having a taproom has really expanded their beer selection and boosted their popularity. They specialize in Hazy IPAs and Sours, but they do well with every style of beer.

Lost Art Brewhouse

Lost Art opened in 2020 and they are already taking the Grand Rapids area by storm. They are right across the city line in Walker, MI and are putting out some incredible beers! Their different variations of IPAs are definitely their strong suit—whether it’s a single IPA, a Double IPA, or a Milkshake IPA they do it to perfection.

Odd Side Ales

Odd Side is located near Lake Michigan in Grand Haven, Michigan just outside of Grand Rapids. Their large taproom is a popular destination, especially in the summer months. Odd Side makes a wide variety of beers and are best known for Bean Flicker, a coffee blonde. Their Barrel Aged Stouts and Fruited Sours are the best styles they make.

Have you been to Grand Rapids? What do you think are the best breweries in Beer City USA? Let me know in the comments! —Cheers, Alexis

Check out my full beer and travel guide for Grand Rapids here!

March 2021

March was full of fantastic beers and a trip to Raleigh visiting some amazing breweries and sharing some fantastic beers! You can also tell from my selection here that we’ve finally seen a turn in the weather—this month includes many more fruity and refreshing beers!

In no particular order, here were my top beers in March 2021:

Lunchbox Series Blackberry PB&J from Funguys Brewing in Raleigh, NC

Funguys releases different variants of their Lunchbox Series of Smoothie Style Sour Ales, each that are Peanut Butter and Jelly inspired. This one is brewed with peanut butter, blackberry, and lactose, and truly tastes like you’re biting into an elementary school lunch sandwich. All of their Sours are incredibly delicious so you really can’t go wrong, but this one really exceeded expectations.

Deferred Stimulus from Cerebral Brewing in Denver, CO

Deferred Stimulus is a Double IPA with Galaxy and Cashmere hops coming in at 8.4% ABV. Cerebral makes some of the best Juicy IPAs in the game and this one is no exception! The color is warm and inviting, the smell is fresh and hop-filled, and the flavors are powerful and smooth. I absolutely love getting my hands on Cerebral’s brews and can’t wait to visit them again in the future!

Summer Jam: FrosE Collaboration from Barrel Culture Brewing and Blending in Durham, NC and Kings Brewing in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

This collab is a tiki-drink inspired Fruited Sour Ale with pineapple, mango, coconut, and key lime. At 7% ABV, this is a powerful Sour from two fantastic breweries. It is thiccc, packed with flavor, and super easy to drink. I had this one on tap during our visit to Raleigh and it was so good I also scooped a 4-pack to go!

Abstract Harvest from Heist Brewing and Barrel Arts in Charlotte, NC

Abstract Harvest is a Fruited Berliner Weisse with passionfruit, pink guava, pineapple, and lactose. It is extremely refreshing but super packed full of flavor. At 7.8% ABV it is definitely a boozy brew, but the fruits hide the alcohol and it is super easy-drinking. Pair this with a pizza from Livy’s and you won’t be disappointed!

Self-Reliance: Motueka from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT

This batch of Hill Farmstead’s Farmhouse IPA, Self-Reliance, has hand-selected Motueka hops from Freestyle Farms, their agricultural partner in Upper Moutere, New Zealand. It was conditioned in oak puncheons for 3 months and then bottled since March 13, 2019. This was truly phenomenal and will probably be one of my favorite beers of the year.

Intern Backpack collaboration from Other Half Brewing in New York, NY, Shared Brewing in Maplewood, MO, and Monkish Brewing in Torrance, CA

Intern Backpack is an Imperial IPA with hand selected Centennial and Nelson Sauvin hops plus Vic Secret and Galaxy hops. This is a true juice bomb coming from three of the best breweries in the country—Other Half, Monkish, and Shared. Shared is by Side Project Brewing and where they create their non-Barrel Aged beers. I look forward to getting to try more of their fantastic creations!

Soft Parade from Short’s Brewing in Bellaire, MI

Soft Parade was my original favorite craft beer! I grew up in Michigan so Short’s and Soft Parade were everywhere, but now as a North Carolinian I rarely get to revisit this delicious classic. Soft Parade is their flagship Fruit Ale brewed with pureed strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. It is fruity and refreshing but still 7.5% ABV!

Extra Extra Juicy Bits from WeldWerks Brewing in Greeley, CO

Juicy Bits is already a phenomenal beer and one of the best IPAs in the country. Extra Extra Juicy Bits is the Double Dry Hopped Double IPA version of this classic beer with Citra, Mosaic, and El Dorado hops. This is an incredible beer and one of the top IPAs I’ve personally had. Don’t want to take my word for it? This brew won a gold medal at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival in the Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale category.

Check back next month to see my top beers of April!

Cheers -Alexis

My Top 5 Beers in November 2020

I’ve found that posting my beers on Instagram doesn’t give me the ability to be reflective and really dig into which are truly exceptional, so welcome to my first roundup of favorites! Each month I will do a blog post on which beers were above and beyond the best. Most of the time I will pick 5, sometimes it might be less, sometimes more.

In no particular order, here were my favorite beers I drank in November 2020:

From Downtown by J. Wakefield Brewing in Miami, FL.

This is a Double Dry Hopped Double New England Style IPA with Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, Pacific Sunrise and Riwaka hops. We were lucky enough to get a four pack of this banger and thoroughly enjoyed each one! I visited J. Wakefield a couple of years ago and loved i! As I’ve tried more of their brews over time I continue to be more and more impressed.

Switchblade No. 21 at Workshop Brewing in Traverse City, MI.

This Hazy Double IPA is made with Kveik yeast and is dry hopped with experimental hop variety HBC-472. This was a truly delightful brew, the Kveik yeast made it not your typical Hazy IPA. I highly recommend a visit to Workshop if you are in Northern Michigan! Check out my Traverse City guide here!

Blueberry Cobbler Berliner from WeldWerks Brewing Co. at Forestry Camp in Asheville, NC.

This is a Sour Wheat Ale brewed with vanilla, milk sugar, graham cracker and nearly 1500lbs of blueberry puree. WeldWerks is based in Greely, Colorado and is most known for their IPAs, but this Sour was truly impeccable! Forestry Camp is from the team at Burial Beer Co. and is one of my favorite places ever, truly.

The Only Trail From Nowhere at Burial Beer Co. in Asheville, NC.

This Imperial Stout is made with pecan, peanut, cashew, hazelnut, banana, and coconut. Burial does no wrong, and this Stout is no exception. I had 8 different Burial beers this month so it was hard to choose a favorite but this one was just packed with flavor! I always love getting to visit Burial, check out my full guide to Asheville here!

Anna by Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT.

This is a Farmhouse Ale brewed with Vermont wildflower honey. This was my third time having a bottle of Anna and every time I do I love it a little more! Hill Farmstead always puts out incredible Farmhouse Ales and Saisons, this one is a little extra special with the honey addition.

Tune in next month to see what my favorites of December 2020 will be!