Providence, RI

Providence as a whole was really disappointing to me. The city is pretty trashy, folks are horrible drivers, and I had some mediocre experiences. BUT I did go to a few really great spots, so I wanted to be sure to share my recommendations, as well as spots to avoid.

Providence Recommendations:

• Long Live Beerworks: A great brewery with an IPA focus. They have a front patio, a cute interior, and an incredibly nice team.

• Ogie’s Trailer Park: A delightful spot with a fun atmosphere inside and out. It exudes dive bar vibes with a food truck inside serving tasty eats. This is also a popular spot for brunch.

• Buttonwoods Brewery: A casual brewery with electic vibes in the Federal Hill neighborhood with a variety of beers available. Screaming Unicorn is located inside for eats.

• Oak Bakery: A Jewish bakery with delicious eats.

• DePasquale Square: A touristy area full of restaurants (particularly a lot of Italian spots!). There is a cute fountain in a pedestrian area with seasonal patio seating.

Ogie's Trailer Park

Other ideas:

• Moniker Brewery: A Lager-focused brewery in the Federal Hill neighborhood.

• Proclamation Ale Company: An average brewery in the suburbs of Providence. They have some games in the taproom and Saugy Hotdogs inside for eats.

• Titled Barn Brewery: An overrated brewery in the suburbs of Providence that is overrun with children, overpriced, and serving average beer.

• Buns and Beans: This looks like a good spot for breakfast and coffee but it was absolutely exploding with people and a line down the block so I ended up skipping it.

• Rocky Point State Park: A run down park on the water in south Providence. Very sad excuse for a state park.

• Tori Tomo: A downtown ramen spot that I would give a 0/10. Half of my ingredients that I paid for were missing and the service was awful.

Roanoke and Smith Mountain Lake

Roanoke is a great base city for exploring Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains! To make it even better, Smith Mountain Lake is just an hour east of the city. SML is a popular lake getaway with 500+ miles of shoreline. Most folks just visit one or the other, but I found it was a great way to combine a mountain weekend and a chill lake weekend all into one trip together.

McAfee Knob

Roanoke Recommendations:

• Blindhouse Beer: A stellar brewery focused on Belgian and French styles where everything is a slow pour. The beers are fantastic and the vibes are great. You can also get Food Hut RKE delivered to your table.

• Go for a hike! The Appalachian Trail runs on the west side of the city and the Blue Ridge Parkway is on the east side, providing ample trailheads all close to downtown.

  • McAfee Knob via Appalachian Trail: This 8.1 mile long trail with 1,811ft of elevation gain leads to one of the most photographed areas of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It takes just under four hours to complete. The trail is shaded the entire way which is a bonus in the hot summer months. The views are fantastic and the trail is quiet—highly recommend. You can also choose to go up or down the fire road which is flatter and smoother than the AT.

  • Carvin’s Cove Hay Rock via Appalachian Trail: A 7.9 mile/1,423ft of elevation gain hike to an overlook of Carvin’s Cove. You can also shorten the distance to 5 miles (same elevation gain) to the first lookout to save time. A nice view of the water below.

• Take a scenic drive: The Blue Ridge Parkway has some great viewpoints—a lot of them can be overgrown in the summer months but Great Valley is a stellar spot, especially for sunset.

• Big Lick Brewing Company: This brewery has a wide variety of beers on tap, a nice patio, and you can get food delivered to your table from nearby restaurants.

• A Few Old Goats Brewing: A solid brewery with chill vibes and a nice patio space.

• Mill Mountain Park & Star: The famed star overlooking Roanoke lights up at night and there is a great viewpoint over the city and surrounding mountains. Heads up the Google maps location is a little off if you search for the star, search for the park instead.

• Barrel Chest Wine and Beer: A bottle shop with self-pour beer and wine taps. They also have a charcuterie selection.

• Three Notch’d Brewing: An average brewery with a full food menu.

• Olde Salem Brewing: The Roanoke location of this brewery is located in the downtown market and their main taproom is in neighboring Salem. You can get food delivered to your table from nearby restaurants. The beer is mediocre.

• Twin Creeks Brewpub: A brewery off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Fables & Feathers Winery

Smith Mountain Lake Recommendations:

• Jake’s Place: A restaurant and beer bar on the water with a killer tap list. The food menu is pizza-focused and tasty. Great atmosphere and experience.

• Hickory Hill Vineyards: Very tasty wine in a relaxed atmosphere.

• Smith Mountain Trail: The lake’s namesake mountain provides a unique vantage point! There is a moderate trail that is 5 miles long with 1,000ft of elevation gain out to a cool viewpoint or you can go all the way up for another view. To reach this viewpoint you’ll turn left at the 2.5 mile point and go downhill to a small ledge with beautiful views. This trail takes just over two hours in totality and is very quiet. You will need an access permit which can be bought online ahead of time. 

• Fables & Feathers Winery: A nice winery a bit off the beaten path. Tasty wines, friendly service, nice patio overlooking the vines.

• Smith Mountain Lake State Park: This is a nice state park that has 7 short, mostly flat trails along with some water access and picnic areas. There is a $7 entrance fee.

  • Chestnut Ridge Trail: This trail is 1.5 miles long, is mostly flat, and takes about 40 minutes to complete.

  • Turtle Island Trail: This trail is 1.4 miles long, mostly flat, and takes about 30 minutes to complete.

• West Lake Coffee and Café: A decent spot for coffee and breakfast.

• Ramulose Ridge Vineyards: Another winery 2 minutes from Hickory Hill. They also offer sangria. Unfortunately it seemed like the bottle I ordered from had been open for far too long, wouldn’t really recommend.

• The Bagel & I: Solid bagel sandwich but the bagel itself was stale.

Johnson City, TN

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

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

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

Little Animals Brewing

Adventures & Ales Top recommendations:

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Carnegie Hotel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Laurel Falls

Other ideas:

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

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

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

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

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

Timber!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Mexico and Texas Road Trip Itinerary

For this trip I spent 6 days exploring 4 National Parks and 1 National Monument across Southern New Mexico and Western Texas. I flew in and out of El Paso, but you could also extend the trip to include Albuquerque or Phoenix/Tucson if you wanted.

To note: The time zones will flip throughout this journey between central (part of Texas) and mountain time (El Paso and New Mexico).

El Paso, Texas

• El Taquito: A popular spot for Mexican near the airport. A great spot to stop on your way in or out of town!

• Craftbox Fill Station and Bar: A solid beer bar with 19 taps in the suburbs. They have a cool shared beer garden space and it would be a great spot to watch sports.

• Scenic Drive: A nice, quick drive with nice mountain and city views. I actually prefered the views from Rim Road, right before the scenic drive starts, more.

• Franklin Mountains State Park: This park is right in the city and you can see the mountains everywhere you go.

• Stay at this Airbnb: It is a great little spot and super cheap that still has good amenities.

• Hope & Anchor: A solid bar near the UTEP campus. It says it is a craft beer bar but they did not actually have a beer menu and the bartender was unhelpful, but I enjoyed my tasty and cheap cocktail on their nice patio.

• Craft Rhythm & Brews: A woman and veteran owned brewery with a small snack menu and beer cocktails along with their tap list of average beers.

• To note: Dead Perezidents Brewpub is where I would recommend visiting based on my research but they were closed when I was in town.

• Absolutely skip Salt + Honey Bakery Café: The owner attacked me on Instagram after I said nice things about their business, but just wished the side options had something for breakfast, not 7am French fries. 0/10.

Organ Mountain Desert Peaks National Monument 

Pine Tree Trail: This trail is 5.3 miles long with 1,049ft of elevation gain and is rated moderate. The trailhead is 1.5 hours north of El Paso directly on the route to White Sands National Park. It takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete and winds through the desert with some pretty views of The Needles and the surrounding area. It is a very quiet trail and a little boring.

White Sands National Park

White Sands is a smaller National Park with just one road and a handful of trails. A half day visit is plenty to soak it all in. Be sure to keep in mind that walking in sand is always harder than walking on a hard surface and you will tire faster, especially in the desert heat and sun. Bring a sled to the park for even more sand dune fun.

• Backcountry Camping Trail: This trail takes about an hour to complete the full loop, but you can do as much or as little as you’d like. It is a great spot to see the sunset!

• Dune Life Nature Trail: This trail is just over a mile long with two dune climbs and takes about 25 minutes to complete. It is a good introduction to the dunes but a little boring.

• Alkali Flat Trail: Another popular trail option going deeper in the dunes, this one is much longer and though it says “flat” in the name it is not a flat trail.  

Alamogado, New Mexico

Alamogado is 20 minutes from White Sands. This small town has a lot of chain restaurants and seems to exist mostly for the park tourists.

• 575 Brewing: A popular spot with frequent live music, a nice outdoor patio, a small food menu + frequent food trucks, a large tap list + wine and N/A options. The beer quality is not great, but the atmosphere is nice.

• Stay at the Hampton Inn: It’s a nice, newer hotel conveniently located on the way into town.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

It is just over 3 hours from White Sands to Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico’s two National Parks. There are a couple of surface trails here, but the main attraction is going into the cave itself. Plan on about a half day to take it all in.

Reservations are required—if you’d like to go on a ranger led tour these book up pretty far in advance, but even to go on a self-led walk you’ll need a reservation to enter the cave. Things to note: don’t bring anything into the cave that has been in any other cave, this is to protect the bats. They have dog kennels available if needed while you tour the cave so no pets are allowed.

• Natural Entrance Trail + Big Room Trail: This is the main route through Carlsbad Caverns. It is about 2.5 miles long and winds down the Natural Entrance through the cave and the loop of the Big Room and then back up to the visitor’s center via the elevator. Keep your eyes peeled for Whales Mouth and Green Lake Room, two of my favorite parts! Be sure to at least walk into the Big Room, even if you are not up for doing the full loop—it’s awesome.

• Carlsbad Caverns Visitor Center and Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail: This is a mostly flat ~1 mile trail near the Natural Entrance. It is a pretty boring loop but a good way to kill time if you arrive before your reservation. You start the trail via the visitor’s center, not the parking lot as indicated on AllTrails.

• Bat Flight Amphitheater: See the bats take flight and hear a talk from a ranger. This program starts in late May and runs through October.

Carlsbad, New Mexico

This is a small town with a lot of chain restaurants, heavy traffic, and heavy wind. It’s convenient to stay before or after visiting the cave, but otherwise it can be skipped.

• El Jimador Restaurant: A solid, popular spot for Mexican.

• Milton’s Brewing: The local brewery with frequent live music. The tap list is not personally my ideal with lots of Browns and Reds, but it is popular with locals.

• Stay at the Fairfield Inn: It is a little outdated but there is a pool which is great for the desert heat.

• Lake Carlsbad: A nice little swimming area and walking trails on the Pecos River.

• Grind Time Coffee: Solid spot to grab coffee in a food truck park.

• Guadalupe Mountain Brewing: This spot did not have a beer license for several months (including when I visited) so I can’t imagine the quality is very high. The staff was also quite rude when I asked about it since it was unclear that there was no beer at the brewery.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

This National Park is 50 minutes from Carlsbad, New Mexico just across the Texas boarder. It’s a small park with limited activities and trails.

Guadalupe Peak Trail: This trail is rated hard and is a grind at times over the 11ish miles with 2,949ft of elevation gain. It leads to the highest point in Texas with sweeping views. The first 1.5 miles are the hardest and most exposed to the sun. The trail is rocky and the trailhead parking is limited but there is overflow a half mile away at the visitor’s center. The trail takes about 5 hours to complete plus however long you’d like at the summit.

Marfa, Texas

Marfa is a little artsy town between Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Big Bend National Park. It is essentially in the middle of nowhere, but a nice spot to break up a drive.

• Convenience West: This restaurant is a James Beard Award finalist specializing in BBQ. They are only open Friday and Saturday from 5 until sold out, so go early and expect a wait. Really fantastic food and cool spot. They only have outdoor dining or to-go.

• Prada Marfa: A random “piece of art” 30 minutes outside of town on the way in from Van Horn

• Para Llevar: A cute little bodega with pizza, salad, and bread with a nice outdoor area. Pizza is average.

Terlingua, Texas

Terlingua is known as a “Ghost Town” because it was abandoned after the mining boom. The population here is 127 people, but it swells with tourists thanks to its location 10 minutes from the entrance to Big Bend National Park.

• Stargaze! This area is home to one of the darkest skies in the country so make sure to spend some time at night looking at the beautiful skies!

• Espresso y Poco Más: A cute little spot for breakfast, lunch, and coffee with a lovely patio. It is a little pricey for what you get, but expected for a tourist town.

• Starlight Theater: A popular spot in an old movie theater for dinner and drinks. They also have a patio space.

• I stayed at this Airbnb which was quite nice! It’s close to town and to the park with a nice little patio and thoughtful touches.

• Taqueria el Milagro: Solid spot for tacos, plates and apps with outdoor seating. They are BYOB.

• Canyon Brew Coffee/Bella Bean Coffee Shop: A quick spot for coffee and a small breakfast menu on the go. Also a little pricey, but a tourist town.

• El Gordo’s: A popular spot for tacos and burritos for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but their google hours are incorrect as a forewarning.

Big Bend National Park

Big Bend is the largest National Park in the country! It is divided into three main sections: Chisos Basin, Eastside, and Westside. Each section is a decent distance away from another so plan at least a couple of days to explore this big park.

Beware of flash flooding in the summer months and the dangerous heat in the park in most months. I visited in April and it would be 70 degrees when I entered the park in the morning and 100 degrees when I left in the afternoon. There is little to no shade in the entire park.

Chisos Basin:

• Lost Mine Trail: This lovely trail is 5.6 miles long with 1,131ft of elevation gain. It is rated moderate and takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete. There are nice sweeping views along this trail and it’s not too difficult. I highly recommend going all the way to the tippy top at the end of the trail. There is very limited parking at the trailhead so try to go at an off time.

• The Window Trail: This trail is 6.4 miles long with 948ft of elevation gain and is rated moderate. There are some nice views along the way and towards the end there is a cool canyon to journey through. The trail leads to a little pop out view that is “the window". It is a descent trail, so keep in mind that you’ll need to hike back up after hiking out to the viewpoint, and it is a very exposed trail so the earlier you start the better. Overall it takes about 2.5 hours.

  • Window View Trail: This an alternative option that is just .4 miles long and flat, showing views over top of The Window Trail.

  • The Chisos Mountain Lodge, a visitor’s center, and a camp store all here at trailheads.

Westside:

• Santa Elena Canyon Trail: This trail is 2.4 miles long with 219ft of elevation gain and is rated easy. It travels along the Rio Grande River that divides the United States and Mexico. The trail heads up a few switchbacks before flattening out and ends when the canyon walls hit the river. It takes about 40 minutes to complete plus however long you’d like to hang out at the river. It is a nice spot to bring a picnic or a beverage and sit in the shade with the view. The trailhead is located at the end of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive.

• Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive: A nice journey through the park, but nothing too epic—I think the drive into the park from Terlingua is more epic. The Sotol Vista Overlook and Mule Ears Viewpoint are both cool to see.

Eastside:

This area is known for the Rio Grande Village, Boquillas Canyon, and Hot Springs.

Kentucky and Tennessee Road Trip

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

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

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

Day 1: Grayson Highlands State Park & Abingdon, Virginia

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

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

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

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

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

Day 3: Red River Gorge and Lexington

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

Day 4: Louisville 

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

Day 5: Mammoth Cave National Park & Nashville

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

Day 6: Nashville

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

Day 7: Cloudland Canyon State Park & Chattanooga

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

Day 8: Chattanooga

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

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

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

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

Day 10: Cumberland Falls State Park & Knoxville

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

Day 11: Knoxville & Travel HOme

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

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

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

Shenandoah National Park Guide

Shenandoah National Park is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The park itself is long and narrow while the surrounding area is full of small towns. I enjoyed the views at the park and the various trails, but wouldn’t want to spend too much time in the nearby towns.

Planning a road trip? Check out my guide to nearby Washington D.C. here, Baltimore here, and Richmond here!

Hawksbill Mountain

Shenandoah National Park Recommendations:

Shenandoah National Park is relatively small and mostly based around one main road: Skyline Drive. You can easily tackle a good chunk of this park in a couple of days! I would recommend trying to visit on weekdays instead of weekends as much as possible just because it is quite popular and there are many large cities within quick driving distance that people visit from. You will need a National Park Pass or to pay to enter the park. One note—at this park most of the trailheads do not have bathrooms so keep that in mind when starting your adventures!

• Mary’s Rock via Appalachian Trail: This trail is 4.4 miles long with 1,210ft of elevation gain and takes about 2 hours to complete. The trailhead is just after the park entrance so there is ample parking here and a bathroom. It is a steep, steady and rocky climb up, and this trail is rated hard. It leads to a beautiful viewpoint of the surrounding area. Dogs are allowed on this trail!

• Berry Hollow to Old Rag Mountain Trail: This trail is 6.5 miles long with 1,751ft of elevation gain and takes about 2.5 hours to complete. Permits are required to hike Old Rag, so be sure to snag one before heading out. It is rated hard. Heads up this is one of the only trails in the park that is not off the main road, Skyline Drive. Parking is quite limited so try to arrive early. The traditional route for Old Rag is much more popular and more difficult at 9.3 miles long with 2595ft of elevation gain and many scrambles. Choose your own adventure!

• Stony Man via Appalachian Trail: This trail is 1.5 miles long with 321ft of elevation gain and takes about 35 minutes to complete. It takes you through the woods to a pop out with a nice view of the surrounding area. It is rated moderate but was a pretty quick, steady climb up.

• Dark Hollow Falls Trail: This trail is 2.1 miles long with 583ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour. It is a popular trail but not overcrowded and leads to a nice waterfall. There is also one more viewpoint at the bottom on a wooden bridge. It is a relatively steep climb back up to the parking area, and this trail is rated moderate.

• Hawksbill Summit Trail: This trail is 1.9 miles long with 672ft of elevation gain and takes about 50 minutes to complete. It is the highest peak in the park and a short trail so it is quite popular. It is a very steep hike up but since it is so short it is rated moderate. Dogs are allowed on this trail! An alternative option is the Hawksbill Loop Trail which is just a bit longer and takes you around the summit instead of straight back down.

• Take the scenic drive down Skyline Drive: There are overlooks throughout the straight shot drive from one end to the other. Boldface Mountain is a nice overlook on the south end of the park. If you have driven the Blue Ridge Parkway this has very similar vibes.

• Bearfence Mountain Trail: This trail is 1.4 miles long with 242ft of elevation gain and takes about 40 minutes to complete. This trail is full of rock scrambles so it is definitely not for kids or folks afraid of heights. Keep your eyes peeled for rattlesnakes as well. It is rated moderate. I did not love this trail because there was not a view at the actual summit, just some views with the rock scrambles along the way.

Broadporch Coffee

Shenandoah Valley Recommendations:

• Broad Porch Coffee: A fantastic spot in downtown Luray for breakfast and coffee. They have a cute spot with indoor seating and a back porch with river views. I went two days in a row because I enjoyed it so much!

• Elkton Brewing Company: A solid brewery in Elkton with a nice outdoor space. They have food trucks on the weekend, they are dog friendly and they are housed in a nice historic building.

• Quièvremont Vineyard & Winery: A nice winery with great views in Washington, VA. They also have food options. Heads up it gets quiet popular on weekends!

• Vibrissa Beer: Vibrissa has two locations in Front Royal and Winchester. They both have full food menus and outdoor seating as well.

• Gathering Grounds: A solid spot for breakfast in downtown Luray.

• I stayed at this Airbnb which was nice, but I would probably stay somewhere with a better view if I visited the area again. The outdoor space and screened-in porch were lovely.

• Wisteria Farm and Vineyard: An average winery in Stanley. The wine is fine but there are no views and the food is very overpriced and prepackaged. They are dog-friendly and you can bring your own food as well. It is a very casual spot and people loved it, I just wanted a bit more out of it.

• Pen Druid Brewing: A brewery with nice views in Sperryville. It was not my personal favorite but it’s worth checking out. They have an onsite food truck, Sumac.

Harrisonburg

• Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint: A simple spot for burgers and drinks in downtown with absolutely delicious eats. Highly recommend!

• Brothers Craft Brewing: A nice brewery just outside of downtown Harrisonburg. They have indoor and outdoor seating with chill vibes.

• Restless Moons Brewing: An average brewery with interesting vibes. I definitely watched multiple drug deals happen here. Their tap list is Sour heavy and they have pinball machines for entertainment.

Dark Hollow Falls

Maryland and Delaware's Beaches

The Delmarva Peninsula is home to portions of Maryland and Delaware with nice beaches and some great breweries. This guide goes sequentially driving south to north from Berlin Maryland to Cambridge Maryland after adventuring along the coast.

Burley Oak Brewing

Berlin, Maryland

• Burley Oak Brewing Company: This hype brewery is Sour focused but also makes tasty IPAs. They have a large outdoor space with frequent events. They do not have any food and they do not allow dogs inside or out. Located 15 minutes from Ocean City.

OCean City, Maryland

• The Other One Brewing Company: A solid brewery with a small food menu and non-beer options. They have a dog-friendly shared patio space and are on the south end of Ocean City.

• Stay at the Home2Suites Ocean City Bayside: This is a nice hotel in a good location and is reasonably priced for the area.

• Grab ice cream at King Kone, it’s fantastic!

• Check out Northside Park—this is a great spot to walk, run, or take your dog.

Dewey Beer Co

Dewey Beach, Delaware

• Dewey Beer Company: Dewey has two locations—the original space is a block from the beach in Dewey Beach and their new space in Harbeson, about 30 minutes inland. The beach location has a ridiculously delicious food menu and Harbeson has their newest venture Pizza Machine next door for ‘za. Parking at the beach location can be a little challenging, while Harbeson has ample spots. Sours are what Dewey does best but their IPAs are also good. Dogs are allowed on the patio at the beach and inside and outside at Harbeson.

Big Oyster Brewery

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

• Dogfish Head Brewery has multiple locations—Brewing & Eats is their restaurant and taproom in Rehoboth, emPOURium is next door with cans, and Chesapeake and Maine is the next building with seafood and cocktails. Dogfish Head’s main brewing facility and tasting room is in Milton, DE.

• Stay at Home2Suites Rehoboth: A nice, updated hotel with tasty breakfast and great amenities.

• Thompson Island Brewing Company: A restaurant-style brewery with average beers. It is a beautiful space with a small outdoor space in both the front and back. The space is beautiful, but the location is a bit odd next to a gas station. No dogs allowed.

Lewes, Delaware

• Wander downtown: This is an adorable small town full of shops, restaurants, and parks.

• Olive and Oats: A cute spot for coffee, breakfast or lunch in the heart of downtown.

• Dogfish Head Brewery has an Inn to stay at right downtown!

• Big Oyster Brewery: The beers here are solid but the vibes are not great. They have a full food menu and operate in the style of a restaurant. Half of the seating is in an outdoor tent with plastic dollar store chairs. Skip the pretzel, eat the oysters.

• Grab the ferry to Cape May, New Jersey to extend your adventures. Reservations required.

Wave goodbye to the beach, it’s now time to head inland—

RaR Brewing

Delmar, Delaware

• Loakal Branch Brewing Company: This is a subsidiary of Burley Oak Brewing and more of a local’s dive bar than anything else. I found this to be a very odd spot and not worth visiting.

Salisbury, Maryland

• Burnish Beer Company: A restaurant-style brewery with a full food menu and a large outdoor space. The food here is tasty and the beers are average. Dogs are allowed outside.

Cambridge, Maryland

• RaR Brewing: A Sour focused brewery in downtown Cambridge. Their taproom, their Chessie Burger restaurant, and their cocktail bar The LaboRaRtory are all in a shared row. They have a ton of guest taps and guest cans in the taproom alongside a large house-made beer selection. RaR has a cool space with artwork and chill vibes, but the beers were a bit disappointing. There is no dog-friendly space here.

Have you explored The Delmarva Peninsula? What are your favorite spots? Let me know in the comments! Cheers —Alexis

Utah Road Trip Itinerary

Utah is a fabulous area for a road trip! In 12 days of adventures I explored 5 National Parks, 2 State Parks, 2 National Monuments, 1 National Forest and 1 National Recreation Area. This was with 1,863 miles driven and 121 miles hiked. All of the National Parks are quite small so you can cover a lot of ground in not too much time which is great! You can also shorten or lengthen this trip—the bottom of the itinerary has suggestions for both.

This is a recommended 12 day Utah road trip itinerary and how I did my trip, but be sure to check out my full Utah guide here for all of my recommendations on hikes, eats, drinks, where to stay and more! I also include a smidge of Northern Arizona on this route.

Day 1: Arrive

Fly into Salt Lake City—I chose an evening flight so I wouldn’t need to use another day of PTO. If you have any earlier flight you can combine days 1 & 2. You can also fly into Las Vegas and do this loop road trip just hitting Zion first instead of Arches!

Sleep: Salt Lake City

Day 2: Drive to Moab, explore Arches National Park

Hit the road! It’s a 4 hour drive from Salt Lake City to Arches National Park, so get an early start and then you’ll still have almost a full day in Arches. If you want to start off with a bang the Devil’s Garden Trail is a great choice. Spend the evening exploring the cute town of Moab.

Sleep: Moab

Day 3: Arches National Park, Moab

Today is another full day for Arches and luckily Moab is just 10 minutes from the park entrance. Recommended hikes: Delicate Arch Trail, Windows Loop and Turret Arch Trail, Fiery Furnace (permit required). If you’ve still got some energy later Corona and Bow Tie Arch Trail outside of the park in Moab is a nice hike with a massive arch.

Sleep: Moab

Day 4: Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse State Park, Moab

Start the day with Fisher Towers Trail, about 40 minutes north of Moab. Head back into town for lunch before driving 45 minutes west to Canyonlands National Park. Half of a day for the Island in the Sky region is plenty. Stop at a few overlooks and do a couple of short trails such as White Rim Overlook Trail and Mesa Arch Trail. Head over to Dead Horse Point State Park for sunset—it’s 13 miles from Canylonlands on the same road heading back towards Moab.

Sleep: Moab

Day 5: Canyonlands National Park, Natural Bridges National Monument, Monument Valley, drive to Page

Today is the only day of the trip with a lot of driving so buckle up—literally and figuratively. Start the day in The Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. This is 1 hour and 45 minutes south of Moab. Chesler Park Viewpoint Trail is a great way to see this unique area of the park.

From here it’s a 2.5 hour drive to Natural Bridges National Monument. Plan for about 2 hours to explore the loop drive and short trails here. From Natural Bridges head further south to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Lookout for cows in the road along the way and be sure to stop for views of Valley of the Gods and Monument Valley from the road.

It’ll take about 1 hour to do the scenic loop drive at Monument Valley and from there it is a 2 hour drive west to Page, Arizona. You could also cut out any of this—Natural Bridges and Monument Valley were my two least favorite stops out of the entire trip. Driving straight from Moab, UT to Page, AZ is 4.5 hours. Grab dinner/drinks in Page and then get to bed nice and early after this long day of driving!

Sleep: Page

Day 6: Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon, drive to Zion National Park

This was my absolute favorite day and although it seems like a lot it was absolutely perfect! Start the day with sunrise at Horseshoe Bend. Grab breakfast and coffee then explore Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Recreation Area via kayak. Kayak rentals are for the full day but I found 3 hours to be the perfect amount of time on the water with getting to explore a loop route to Ice Cream Cone Slot Canyon and not getting too much sun.

After kayaking it’s time for the famed Antelope Canyon. The early afternoon is said to be best time for sun beams. Be sure to book this in advance, you can only visit via guided tour. After Antelope Canyon it’s time to head out to Zion National Park, a 2 hour drive north. Personally I was too excited to not explore any of the park and just grab dinner and go to bed so I did the short and sweet Zion Canyon Overlook Trail upon entering the park and this was the perfect way to meet Zion.

Sleep: Zion

Day 7: Zion National Park and Sand Hollow State Park

Today is a full day of Zion! Recommended hikes: Angel’s Landing (permit required) or Scout Lookout via West Rim Trail, The Narrows or The Zion Narrows Riverside Walk, The Watchman Trail, or Emerald Pools Trail (not my favorite personally).

After hitting a few trails, head 45 minutes southwest to Sand Hollow State Park for a nice relaxing time at the beach! A perfect way to cool off and rest after a day in Zion.

Sleep: Zion

Day 8: Zion National Park, Red Canyon, drive to Bryce Canyon

Another full day in Zion—hit whatever trails are left on your list and drink one more prickly pear margarita at Camp Outpost.

After a full day of exploring Zion head up to Bryce Canyon National Park, which is just under 2 hours away. Directly on the route is Red Canyon, which is part of Dixie National Forest, and is a great stop with beautiful trails.

Sleep: Bryce Canyon

Day 9: Bryce Canyon National Park

Today is a full day in Bryce Canyon—which is an absolutely stunning park! Recommended hikes: Wall Street and Queens Garden Loop to Peekaboo Loop (Figure 8), Fairyland Loop Trail, Mossy Cave, Turret Arch and Little Windows Trail, Lower, Mid and Upper Inspiration Points Trail. Be sure to also drive the Southern Scenic Drive here!

Sleep: Bryce Canyon

Day 10: Bryce Canyon National Park

Another full day in Bryce Canyon—hit some more trails and soak in those beautiful views.

Sleep: Bryce Canyon

Day 11: Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Drive to Torrey

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument is home to one of my favorite hikes I’ve ever done, but this area is frequently overlooked since it’s not a National Park. The start of the National Monument is just around the corner from Bryce Canyon, and the trailhead for the Dry Fork Narrows, Peekaboo and Spooky Slot Canyons Trail is 1.5 hours from Bryce Canyon. The slot canyons are definitely not for everyone, but I absolutely loved it!

After this drive an hour back up the washed out road to Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail for a nice easy, albeit a little long, walk to a relaxing waterfall. After finishing your hikes it’s an hour drive up to Torrey, a great place to stay for exploring Capitol Reef National Park. This drive is through Dixie National Forest and full of great views.

Sleep: Torrey

Day 12: Capitol Reef National Park and Departure

It’s the last day! Time for one more National Park—Capitol Reef! Recommended hikes: Grand Wash Trail, Cassidy Arch Trail and Hickman Bridge Trail.

After exploring Capitol Reef it’s time to head back to Salt Lake City, which is a 3.5 hour drive north. Catch an evening or red-eye flight home to wrap up your adventure. If you’ve got time in Salt Lake for a couple of beers before the airport don’t miss Templin Family Brewing and Grid City Beer Works.

Have More time?

Spend more time in Salt Lake City, add on the North Rim of The Grand Canyon, add a visit to Grand Junction, Colorado, or make a stop in Las Vegas and explore Valley of Fire State Park. Check out my Las Vegas Area guide here! Move slower—I like to keep a busy schedule and see a lot, but you could also add in more time throughout.

Have Less time?

Skip: Natural Bridges National Monument, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, The Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, or Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. You could also skip Page altogether and just stay in Utah, but Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon are a real treat!

Consolidate: Spend less time in Arches—you can do Arches and Canyonlands in 1.5 days if you wanted to. Cut a day from Bryce Canyon or Zion (or both!). Cut some State Parks and extra trails.

Have you explored Utah? Let me know in the comments!
Cheers —Alexis

2 Days in Raleigh, NC

Raleigh is such a fun beer city to visit nestled in The Research Triangle of North Carolina. It is absolutely booming and one of the fastest growing areas of the country, so there are plenty of things to do and a plethora of breweries to explore! Below is a two day guide to hit the highlights of Raleigh. If you’ve got more time to explore check out my full guide to Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill here!

Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing

Day 1

Today you will conquer downtown Raleigh!

Start your day at A Place at the Table. This is a delicious spot for breakfast sandwiches plus you can support others through their pay-what-you-can model. Do good for the community you are visiting!

Next head over to the North Carolina Museum of History to get your nerd on, an 11 minute walk from breakfast. It is free to enter and they have some fantastic exhibits!

Okay we’ve eaten, we’ve learned, now let’s get to the important things—beer! From the museum walk 15 minutes to Burial Brewing: The Exhibit. Burial’s Raleigh location is a must visit and some of the best beer in the city.

For lunch or a snack, Burial is nestled in Transfer Co. Food Hall that has a plethora of food options to choose from that are each fantastic!

Next take a longer stroll (22 minutes) or a quick Lyft (5 minutes) to State of Beer, a beer bar with a solid tap list and a large outside patio to enjoy your brews on.

From State of Beer head over to Raleigh Beer Garden, a 12 minute walk to the world’s largest selection of beers on tap. Seriously, check out their Guinness World Record.

For dinner we’re heading to Trophy Brewing and Pizza, a 19 minute walk or 4 minute drive from the beer garden. They have delicious pizzas and a wide variety of beers to choose from!

End your night at Crank Arm Brewing Company, a 15 minute walk from Trophy to work off some of your pizza. This bike themed brewery is super fun and has a large selection of beers to indulge in.

Altered State Brewing Company

Day 2

For day 2 where you will explore some really fantastic breweries on the northwest side of Raleigh!

To start the day, there are two routes you can go:

• Option 1: Grab breakfast pastries from the incredibly delicious Boulted Bread and then go for a hike! There are a plethora of options in the Falls Lake Recreation Area ranging from 2 miles to 26 miles and from easy to hard, so pick your own adventure and enjoy your time in nature!

• Option 2: Brunch at Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing! This is a great spot downtown with views of the skyline and great food and drink.

From your breakfast/hike or brunch head over to Barrel Culture Brewing & Blending, a 10 minute drive from the hiking area or about 25 minutes from brunch downtown. Barrel Culture has particularly fantastic Sours and Wild Ales.

After Barrel Culture check out one of the newer breweries in Raleigh, Heyday Brewing, a 15 minute drive away, on your way back down towards the city. They’ve got Louisiana flair, great beers, a nice outdoor space, and tasty food if you’re ready for some lunch after your hike! Brunch folks you can eat again too, no judgment here!

Your next stop is Funguys Brewing, a fantastic brewery 15 minutes from Heyday. They specialize in Fruited Sours and juicy IPAs in their little industrial taproom and are well worth checking out!

From Funguys make the 5 minute drive or 14 minute walk to Altered State Brewing, another newer brewery in Raleigh. They have a tiny taproom but plenty of outdoor seating and great beers! Black Fire Brewing is right next door as well!

For dinner walk 5 minutes over to Wilson’s Eatery which shares a space with Lynwood Brewing Concern. If you are still looking for more brews afterwards Big Boss, Bowstring, Nickelpoint, and Neuse River are all in the area as well.

Need a place to stay? We absolutely loved our time at The Origin in downtown Raleigh! It is within walking distance of most things downtown, super new and cute, and dog friendly!

If you’ve got more time in Raleigh, here are the rest of my recommendations!

The Origin Hotel

Have you been to Raleigh? What are your favorite spots? Let me know in the comments! Cheers -Alexis

24 Hours in Cincinnati

To split up our road trip from Michigan back to Charlotte we decided to spend a day in Cincinnati! Although we were just there for a quick visit we drank some delicious beers and visited some cool spots that I would definitely recommend!

Listermann Brewing: By far the best brewery we visited in Cincy. Their beer was absolutely incredible! We tried a wide variety of their brews and enjoyed each of them. Listermann has a small patio that is dog friendly and chill vibes overall.

Cappy’s Bottle Shop: We were lucky enough to pop into Cappy’s just down the street from Listermann and found some amazing beers! I would definitely recommend grabbing some to-go options while in Cincy.

Highgrain Brewing: We had a fantastic experience at Highgrain. Their beers were delicious and we had an incredible lunch as well! Their sour beers were my personal favorite and I loved my fried green tomato BLT. Highgrain has three different patio seating options and dogs are welcome outside. Their staff was incredibly nice as well, this is a must visit in Cincy!

MadTree Brewing: MadTree is absolutely massive. They have a huge indoor space and large outdoor patio in an old railroad production facility that is quite unique. They have a large tap list and Catch-a-Fire Pizza onsite as well with yummy wood-fired pizzas that we enjoyed.

Rhineghist Brewing: We had of course intended to visit Rhineghist, the biggest brewery in the city and the second largest in the state. It was one of the main reasons we picked Cincy to stop in. However, we’re personally not doing indoor seating due to COVID (it’s an airborne disease for anyone who is not clear on that) and they closed their outdoor seating on the covered rooftop due to rain. I was pretty disappointed that they weren’t offering any outdoor seating options during a pandemic, but hey maybe next time.

Northern Row Brewing: After our disappointment at Rhineghist we walked around the corner to Northern Row, a brewery and distillery. We had average Hazy IPAs but a delicious pretzel! They had a little bit of everything and overall it was a good experience.

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

Hocking Hills, Ohio

Hocking Hills is a gorgeous area of Ohio with awesome hiking options and a quaint town to explore. It is a perfect weekend escape to relax in the forest and get away from the hustle and bustle of your daily life.

The park is nestled in the southeast corner of Ohio, near the West Virginia border. It is 6 hours from Charlotte, North Carolina, my home base. It is also just one hour southeast of Columbus, so if you are looking for a longer adventure you could visit the city as well. Check out my Columbus recommendations here!

I would definitely recommend renting a cabin for your time in Hocking Hills. There is nothing better than a day of hiking followed by a nice relaxing campfire! We stayed at an Airbnb in the forest and thoroughly enjoyed it. Get $35 off your first Airbnb stay using my link here!

Hocking Hills State Park

Hiking Hocking Hills

Hocking Hills State Park offers a lot of different hiking options depending on what you want to see and how far you want to go. We did a 7.5 mile loop trail to Old Man Cave, Whispering Cave, Cedar Falls, and Rose Lake that I would definitely recommend.

When we visited it was quite crowded at Old Man Cave and Cedar Falls because those are two areas that you can park near and just do a short hike to see. Outside of those popular spots we saw very few people along the trail which was really nice.

There are a few waterfalls in the park but expect them to be quite dry if you are visiting in the summer months. It looks like in the spring after the snow melts they are flowing at their full potential.

The first half of the hike varied in difficulty. It was mostly flat but there were areas that were quite rocky making it a little harder to traverse. After Cedar Falls, which is essentially the halfway point, there is a quick suspension bridge and then the ridge trail that leads you back to the parking lot is flat and easy along top of the cliff faces.

We really enjoyed the change of scenery throughout the hike. There were waterfalls, caves, rivers, cliffs, gorges, boulders, forests, and lakes all in the 7.5 miles we hiked.

Rose Lake

Hocking Hills Area things to do:

Brewery 33

The local brewery has a wide variety of beers on tap for you to enjoy in their beer garden or tap room. We enjoyed their light and refreshing beers after hiking in the sun all morning. The Fruity Tooty Gose was my personal favorite!

Brewery 33 doesn’t have any food besides some pretzels and snacks, but you can get food delivered from local restaurants. They are dog and kid friendly.

Wine Slushie at Hocking Hills Winery

Hocking Hills Winery

The local winery has a fantastic outdoor space surrounded by nature that was super nice to relax on.

Their wines were all tasty and you can sample 8 of them for just $10. I would also highly recommend the wine slushie option, especially if you’re visiting during the heat of summer!

The winery also has charcuterie boards to help you refuel after your hike or you can get a meal delivered from a local restaurant. The winery is dog and kid friendly.

Jackie O’s Brewery

Depending on where you are staying, Jackie O’s is around 30-45 minutes from the park and absolutely worth visiting. They are one of the top breweries in the country and definitely the best in Ohio. Their Stouts, Porters, and Wild Ales in particular are incredible and I would highly recommend checking them out!

They have a brewpub and a taproom in Athens, Ohio. Depending on where you are visiting Hocking Hills from, you potentially might drive through Athens given that it is one of the major cities nearby, so definitely check it out!

Brewery 33

Have you been to Hocking hills? What was your favorite part?! Let me know in the comments!

The Best Weekend Trips from New Orleans

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

For my New Orleans Guide, click here!

The North Shore, LA

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

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

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

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

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

Time from central New Orleans: 1 hour

Bay St Louis, MS

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

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

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

Time from central New Orleans: 1 hour

Pensacola Beach

Pensacola, FL

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

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

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

Check out my full blog here!

Time from central New Orleans: 3 hours

Lafayette, LA

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

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

Check out my full blog here!

Time from central New Orleans: 2 hours 15 minutes

Southern Prohibition Brewing

Hattiesburg, MS

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

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

Hike in De Soto National Forest while in the area!

Time from central New Orleans: 2 hours

Baton Rouge, LA

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

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

Check out my other tips here!

Time from central New Orleans: 1 hour 15 minutes

Great Raft Brewing

Shreveport, LA

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

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

Time from central New Orleans: 5 hours

Natchez, MS

Natchez is a small historic and charming town!

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

Check out the Antebellum mansions like Longwood and Stanton Hall.

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

Check out my full blog here!

Time from central New Orleans: 3 hours

Natchez, MS

Birmingham, AL

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

I highly recommend the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute!

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

Check out my full blog here!

Time from central New Orleans: 5 hours

Houston, TX

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

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

Time from central New Orleans: 5 hours

Ocean Springs/Biloxi/Gulfport, MS

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

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

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

Time from central New Orleans: 1.5 hours

The Center for Civil and Human Rights

Atlanta, GA

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

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

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

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

Check out my full blog here!

Time from central New Orleans: 6.5 hours

Orange Beach, AL

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

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

Check out Fairhope Brewing on your way out of town.

Time from central New Orleans: 2 hours

Memphis, TN

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

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

Check out my other tips here!

Time from central New Orleans: 6 hours

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