Grand Rapids, MI

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

Beer City Tips: 

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

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

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

Check out my 2 day itinerary for Grand Rapids Here!

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

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Grand Rapids Recommendations: ​​​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Speciation Artisan Ales

Grand Rapids Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Speciation Artisan Ales from above is located here

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

City Built Brewing

Other Grand Rapids Things To Do:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Detroit, MI

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

Motown Tips: 

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Detroit Recommendations: ​​​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Detroit Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eastern Market Brewing

Other Detroit Things To Do:​​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Southwest Michigan

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

Southwest Michigan Tips: 

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

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

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Southwest Michigan Recommendations: ​

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

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

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

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

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

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

Warren Dunes State Park

SW Michigan Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

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

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

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

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

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

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

Transient Artisan Ales

Other Things to Do in Southwest Michigan:​​

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Chicago, IL

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

The Windy City Tips: 

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Chicago Recommendations: ​​​

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Begyle Brewing: Great beers and a fun atmosphere!

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

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

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

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

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

Phase Three Brewing

Chicago Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

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

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

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

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

• Take an architecture tour!

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

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

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

The Bean

Other Chicago Things To Do:​​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

Minneapolis and St. Paul are really cool cities full of great breweries & Beautiful NaturE.

Twin Cities Tips: 

• Definitely plan several days to explore—Minneapolis has several distinct neighborhoods to adventure around and then St. Paul is about 20 minutes east with its own downtown to meander.

• Visit between May-October unless you love brutal cold and heavy snow!

• Planning a Minnesota road trip? Check out my North Shore beer and travel guide here!

Adventures & Ales Top Twin Cities Recommendations: ​​​

• BlackStack Brewing: Killer beers and the nicest people! This is definitely the best brewery in the Twin Cities and a must visit. Located between Minneapolis and St. Paul.

• Chain of Lakes: Rent a bike and take a journey around the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway to see Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isles, and Cedar Lake!

  • Nice Ride is the name of the city’s public bike share system, they are super convenient and reasonably priced!

• Barrel Theory Beer Company: A fantastic brewery in downtown St. Paul making killer beers. The space is small but the vibes are great.

• Fair State Brewing Coop: This employee-owned brewery has fantastic beers, particularly their Lagers. They also have pretzels from the bakery next door and a beer garden in the back.

• Modist Brewing: This brewery has delicious beers and great vibes. They are located in downtown Minneapolis.

• Falling Knife Brewing Company: A fantastic brewery with an IPA-heavy tap list, a small patio and good vibes. Don’t let their industrial strip mall location fool you!

• Boom Island Park: Great views of the Minneapolis skyline, especially at sunset!

• Fulton Beer: A cool spot to sit outside and enjoy your drink taking in the sights and sounds of the city.

• Rise Bagel Co.: I’m a sucker for a good bagel and Rise does not disappoint!

• Stay at Hyatt Centric Downtown Minneapolis: This beautiful hotel is right in the heart of the city! Their restaurant is Six 15 and they have great breakfast, dinner and drink options including six local craft beers on tap. They are also dog friendly!

BlackStack Brewing

Minneapolis and St. Paul Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Minnehaha Falls: A nice waterfall and park. It’s not exactly “hiking” it’s more like urban-hiking, but still nice to get into nature. They have a brewery pop-up here sometimes as well.

• Minneapolis Sculpture Garden: Home to the famous Spoonbridge and Cherry Sculpture, this is a cool place to meander around and check out some art.

• Bell Museum: An awesome museum in St. Paul focused on natural history with a planetarium. Highly recommend!

• The Endless Bridge at Guthrie Theater: Touristy, but it’s free so why not? Go to the Guthrie Theater, go up, go outside, take in the views. It is just a quick stop while you’re exploring.

• The Bakken Museum: A museum of innovation right off the Chain of Lakes. This is more kid focused than adult, but it is in a cool historic building.

Minnehaha Falls

Other things to do in the Twin Cities:​​

• Dangerous Man Brewing: Solid beer and friendly staff! A bit off the beaten path but worth it.

• Waldmann Brewery: A German brewery in St. Paul with restaurant vibes in a converted old house. They have a nice front patio space and good beers and food.

• Bad Weather Brewing Company: Solid beers at this popular brewery in St. Paul. Located right next to Waldmann.

• Day Block Brewing: Good beer, good food, friendly staff!

• Utepils Brewing: Solid beers and you can sit by the river to drink it! Not the best view, but still enjoyable.

• Surly Brewing Co.: A massive brewery in Minneapolis. There is a huge outdoor space, an extensive tap list, and food as well.

• Dual Citizen Brewing Co.: Good beers, chill warehouse-y vibes.

• Inbound BrewCo: Military themed brewery with solid pours.

• Pyres Brewing: A nice outdoor patio not far from the river. Large menu of beer & food!

• Urban Growler Brewing: All female-owned brewery and restaurant! They are not too far from BlackStack between Minneapolis and St. Paul.

• Sociable Cider Werks: Good ciders and usually a food truck onsite as well.

• Indeed Brewing Company: Right around the corner from Able, this place has a cool outdoor patio and solid beers.

• Bauhaus Brew Labs: A trendy brewery with a large outdoor space and games.

• Glam Doll Donuts: Super delicious! Fancy donuts and yummy coffee.

• The Freehouse: Restaurant-style brewery with average beers in downtown Minneapolis. Great brunch!

• 56 Brewing: A solid brewery with a nice outdoor patio and frequent food trucks.

• Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative: Just a 5 minute walk from 56 Brewing, this coop has unique beer styles and lots of games.

• Clockwerks Brewing: A pretty mediocre brewery in the heart of downtown.

Minnesota North Shore

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

North Shore Tips: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top North Shore Recommendations: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

High Falls

Minnesota North Shore Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

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

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

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

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

Canoeing in the Boundary Waters

Other Minnesota North Shore Things To Do:​​​

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ursa Minor Brewing

Duluth Things To Do:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indianapolis, IN

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

Indy Tips:

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Indianapolis Recommendations: 

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

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

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

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

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

18th Street Brewery

Indy Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

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

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

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

Cultural Trail

Other Indianapolis Things To Do:​​​

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

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

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

Milwaukee, WI

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

MKE Tips: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Milwaukee Recommendations: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Milwaukee Art Museum

Milwaukee Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Café Benelux

Other Milwaukee Things To Do:​​​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Madison, WI

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

Mad City Tips: 

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

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

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Madison Recommendations: 

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

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

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

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

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

New Glarus Brewing

Madison Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

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

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

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

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

Colectivo Coffee

Other Madison Things To Do:​​​

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

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

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

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

Decorah, IA

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

Decorah Tips: 

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

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Decorah Recommendations: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pulpit Rock Brewing

Decorah Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

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

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

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

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

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

Dunnings Springs Waterfall

Other Decorah Things To Do:​​​

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

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

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

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

Cleveland, OH

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

Forest City Tips: 

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

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

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Cleveland Recommendations: ​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Butcher and the Brewer

Cleveland Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Market Garden Brewery

Other Cleveland Things To Do:​​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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