Montana

Montana! What a beautiful, massive state!

Montana is definitely one of the prettiest places I have ever been, and it is a fantastic spot to visit! Be advised it is even bigger than you think! I drove a lot of the state via a road trip and was truly baffled at the size.

I was also surprised to find that this state is not very dog-friendly, and the beer quality is not great. As a heads up for my fellow beer and dog lovers :)

Below are my recommendations for the Glacier National Park area, Bozeman, Missoula, Helena—and a bonus section on Waterton Lakes National Park just across the border in Canada!

Bozeman

Bozeman is a cute little city with pretty views!

• MAP Brewing: This is a nice brewery with a beautiful taproom and a nice patio overlooking Glen Lake. They also have a food menu to accompany their solid beers.

• Explore The Cannery District: This transformed area is full of shops, restaurants, and more! You could spend a lot of time wandering through here.

  • WildRye Distilling is located here with a large cocktail menu. You can also get food delivered to you here from the neighboring Cannery restaurants.

• Bozeman Brewing: This popular brewery has a pretty standard tap list, but their selection of Sours in bottles is absolutely insane! They also have free popcorn.

• Stay at Everhome Suites: A nice clean hotel on the edge of town that is very affordable.

• Mountains Walking Brewery: This was a brewery that I was very excited to visit, having had many of their cans during peak-distribution times of COVID, but then was wildly disappointed when I finally made it. When I visited half of their tap list was Seltzers and the other half were mediocre-at-best beers that were not exciting whatsoever. They have a pizza-focused food menu, but the pizza is not good. The service was terrible, including servers drinking in the back in plain sight when people needed things/were waiting. If you are in Bozeman I feel like you have to go, but I surely hope you have a better experience than I did. They’re located right next to Bozeman Brewing.

• Big Sky is about an hour from Bozeman which is a popular ski town and home to Custer Gallatin National Forest. If you are in the area in the summer the Beehive Basin Trail No. 40 is 7.1 miles long with 1,725ft of elevation gain and takes about 3.5 hours to complete. It is super quiet and has pretty views throughout. Keep in mind the elevation—you are hiking at about 8000ft which makes breathing tough if you are not acclimated!

• SHINE Beer Sanctuary is located in Bozeman and looks great but was closed while I was in town.

Helena

Helena was a bit underwhelming to me, but if you go:

• Copper Furrow Brewing: A good brewery with a big variety of taps and a nice back patio space. Located in an industrial area just outside of town.

• Headwaters Crafthouse: A nice beer bar with a large selection. They have two patio spaces as well.

• Meander Last Chance Gulch: This area of downtown has a lot of restaurants, bars, and shops with some pedestrian-only zones which is nice!

• Blackfoot River Brewing: An average brewery in the heart of downtown. Don’t skip the free popcorn!

Missoula

Missoula is a cool little college town that is surrounded by nature. Outside of Glacier, this is my favorite area of Montana and I highly recommend visiting!

• Michi Ramen Bar: A fantastic spot with great eats and drinks in a cute basement setting. Highly recommend!

  • Montgomery Distilling is next door as well for cocktails.

• Bar Plata: A nice spot for cocktails and tapas. Their menu is unique and tasty!

• Morning Birds Bakery: A nice bakery for morning treats, but things move very slowly as a heads up.

• Big Head’s Bottle Shop: A solid selection of cans and bottles to-go.

Glacier National Park

Glacier is absolutely amazing area and one of my favorite parks ever. It is a very large, spread out park so be sure to do thorough planning ahead of time. Most folks only stay in West Glacier and that is a mistake. The Many Glacier area on the east side of the park is absolutely amazing!

Be sure to check the national park website ahead of planning your visit for the reservation system and rules for that year. Entrance reservations can be very competitive so I advise planning as far in advance as you can. There are also park shuttles that run seasonally.

• Going-to-the-Sun Road: This scenic drive is absolutely stunning. It is a skinny road with dramatic views throughout—though the first half definitely has more to offer than from Logan Pass to East Glacier. It takes about 90 minutes to drive without stops, but of course you’ll be stopping!

• Grinnell Glacier Trail: This trail is 11 miles long with 2,050ft of elevation gain and takes about four hours and 45 minutes to complete. The last half mile of the hike is the hardest, and the rest is really pretty moderate. It is an incredible trail, and one of the best hikes I have ever done. The hike starts from Many Glacier Hotel which has Swiss Chalet vibes and heads along Swiftcurrent Lake which is very pretty and reflective. Next you come to Lake Josephine which is also quite pretty and then you can see Grinnell Lakes which are stunning. Upper Grinnell Lake is home to the glacier and has pretty waterfalls pouring into the water. Highly recommend!

  • Good to know: This trail is very exposed throughout. There is a pit toilet about a half mile from Upper Grinnell Lake. It can be very windy at Upper Grinnell Lake so bring layers! You can also opt to take a boat across Swiftcurrent and Josephine to shorten your hiking—be sure to book in advance.

  • Even if you are not doing this trail I would recommend meandering along Swiftcurrent Lake and enjoying the hotel’s outside seating!

• The Garden Wall Trail and The Highline Trail: The Highline Trail leads out from Logan Pass out along a narrow trail with amazing views. The Garden Wall section is essentially where you turn off the Highline Trail and continue further up—choose your own adventure! Either way it is an epic hike, walking along the skinny trail on the cliff edge—if you are afraid of heights you should not attempt any part of this hike. Even if you are not up for a long adventure I would recommend parking at Logan Pass and at least going about a half mile out on The Highline Trail to get absolutely gorgeous, sweeping views.

  • The Garden Wall route is 16 miles long with 3,515ft of elevation gain and takes about 7.5 hours to complete. It is a long trail but not too steep until you turn off to climb up the Garden Wall itself and then you ascend 900ft in 0.8 miles and it is incredibly difficult. This leads to Grinnell Glacier Overlook where you are looking down at the Grinnell Glacier Trail (above). I would definitely recommend hiking poles for this part as there are some slick rocks and you’re on the side of a cliff. Be sure to walk a little bit higher up than the “end point” of this trail and you can see all 4 lakes of the Grinnell Glacier Trail versus just the upper lake.

  • Good to know: The entire route is exposed so be sure to wear layers and bring sun protection. You can also continue on to the chalet, or you can make this a point-to-point trail using two cars or the seasonal shuttle.

• Avalanche Lake Trail: This trail is 4.25 miles long with 750ft of elevation gain and takes about an hour and a half to complete. Unfortunately this trail is VERY popular because it is one of the easier hikes in the park and closer to the park entrance. It leads out to an absolutely beautiful lake with waterfalls cascading down into the water. I would highly recommend going on a sunny day for the water to be clear and reflective. Expect a nice, shaded forest walk on the way out/back!

  • The beginning of the trail is the Trail of the Cedars which is a very accessible forest walk. Even if you are not doing the lake trail I would recommend going just a bit further on the Trail of the Cedars to see where the water has carved through the canyon—it is very neat to see!

• Rocky Point Trail: This quick trail is 2 miles long with 230ft of elevation gain and takes about 45 minutes to complete. It is essentially a nice quiet walk in the woods with several points that you can get down to lake McDonald. It is a nice easy trail right near the park entrance. You can go as far around the lake as you’d like.

• Two Medicine: This area of the park is further south, and the drive down is absolutely beautiful. This is a much quieter area of the park and the lake itself is very pretty.

Columbia Falls

Columbia Falls is a nice area to serve as a gateway to West Glacier. It is a small town but gets the job done.

• Sacred Waters Brewing Company: This is a nice brewery with good beers, a food menu, and front and back patios. Located in nearby Kalispell.

• Montana Coffee Traders: A nice coffee and breakfast spot with diner-ish vibes.

• Vaqueros: A solid Mexican restaurant in town.

• I stayed at this cabin Airbnb and it was decent. The outdoor area is cute, it is 5 minutes from town and 20 minutes from the park, but the wifi is unreliable and the bed set up was a bit inconvenient.

• Uptown Hearth: Tasty food, not ideal vibes in my opinion. You have to pay to join the coworking space upstairs to use the wifi (in an area with spotty cell service).

• Backslope Brewing: A mediocre brewery with a large tap list and food menu.

Whitefish

Whitefish is another option for a basecamp for visiting the park. It is about 20 minutes west of Columbia Falls. This is a very popular area with a lot of bars and restaurants.

• Spotted Bear Spirits: A cute distillery downtown with tasty cocktails!

• Bonsai Brewing: This brewery has a nice outdoor space, tasty eats, and average beers.

• City Beach is a nice area for a swim or for sunset!

East Glacier/St Mary

East Glacier is not glamorous, but it is a convenient basecamp for the east side of the park!

• Stay at St. Mary/East Glacier KOA Holiday: I had never stayed at a KOA before this but the location and price are unbeatable! The cabins are basic but nice and they have a great dog park if you’re traveling with your four-legged friend. Located 5 minutes from the St Mary Entrance, 20 minutes from the Many Glacier Entrance, 1 hour from Two Medicine, and 1 hour from Waterton Lakes.

• Triple Divide Coffee Co: This spot is located inside St Mary Lodge right at the park entrance. Solid coffees and breakfast eats.

• Stanton Lake Trail: This trail is 2.75 miles long with 600ft of elevation gain and takes about an hour to complete, but really you can go as far around the lake as you want. It starts off extremely steep, but then is not too bad afterwards. Stanton Lake has really nice clear water and pretty mountains in the background. It is a super quiet trail which is delightful! This trail is located in Flathead National Forest between East and West Glacier.

Bigfork:

Bigfork is a cute little town on Flathead Lake, a massive body of water that is quite pretty and located south of the park. I would not recommend staying here to visit Glacier, but if you are coming from the south it’s a nice area to stop for lunch on your way up.

• Flathead Lake Brewing Co.: This brewery has a great deck with views of the lake. The beer is average and food is pretty good.

• Whistling Andy Distillery: This spot offers tours, tastings, cocktails, beer, wine, and eats! The cocktails are quite delicious.

• Mount Aeneas and Picnic Lakes via #717 and #392 Trails: This trail is 6.6 miles long with 1,929ft of elevation gain and takes about 3 hours to complete. It is very pretty about a mile in when the view really opens up. There are a few nice little lakes, but it is nothing too crazy. Heads up the road to the trailhead is rough. Located in Flathead National Forest.

Waterton Lakes National Park

While you are visiting Glacier National Park you can check out the Canadian version of the park just over the border. Be sure to check the border crossing times ahead of your visit, as they can be quite limited just depending on the time of year.

Overall I found the park to be quiet and enjoyed that it was just $11 for a day pass. I enjoyed the town around the park more than the hike I did—it is super cute with a bunch of restaurants and shops.

• Wieners of Waterton: This is a fun little spot for hot dogs and fries with a ton of toppings and sauces. The sweet potato fries should not be missed!

• Upper Bertha Falls & Bertha Lake Trail: This trail is 7.4 miles long with 1,958ft of elevation gain and takes about 3.5 hours to complete. There are very nice lake views for the first part of the hike but it is amidst burnt forest unfortunately. Then you’ll come to Lower Falls which is pretty, and from there the trail gets quite steep—I’d recommend hiking poles if you have them. Upper Bertha Falls can be a bit tricky to see, and then you arrive at Bertha Lake. You can go as far around the lake as you’d like! Overall it was a decent hike, but not as stunning as the ones in Glacier.

• Check out the view from The Prince of Wales Hotel: Even if you are not staying/dining here stop by the back patio space for incredible views of the lake! I had a cocktail inside at Windsor Lounge, which is popular for afternoon tea as well, but unfortunately it was overrun with flies and hard to enjoy.

Maine

Maine is a beautiful state full of coast line, forests, delicious eats, and more!

This blog focuses on 3 regions: Maine’s MidCoast, Grafton Notch Area, and Bangor/Orono. My recommendations for the Portland area + Acadia and Bar Harbor are below:

Maine’s MidCoast:

This region I think of as the little fingers of Maine that drop down into the ocean—between Brunswick and Camden essentially. I spent an afternoon in this area and absolutely loved it, and definitely intend to plan another trip to explore more! I highly recommend meandering this area, and these two spots are both gems:

• Glidden Point Oyster Farms: An awesome spot for oysters in Edgecomb. This farm is located on an idealic setting with river views and chill vibes. You shuck your own oysters, and there is a food truck for more eats and a drink menu. They also do tours. Very cool experience!

• Oxbow Brewery: The Newcastle Farmhouse location of Oxbow has a great setting on a pond in the woods. They have just a handful of taps + frequent food trucks and live music. There is also an Airbnb onsite.

The Grafton Notch Area:

This region sits along the New Hampshire border and is full of mountains and lakes.

• Grafton Notch State Park is the main draw here and for good reason! There are a lot of nice trails here and the Appalachian Trail ends here too.

  • Table Rock Trail Loop: I actually did this as an out-and-back trail on the AT instead of the loop because the reviews noted the loop version would not be ideal for a dog. The AT route is 2.5 miles long with 955ft of elevation gain and takes about 1.5 hours to complete. It is a steady climb up to a beautiful viewpoint and an amazing hike! Highly recommend.

  • Old Speck Mountain Trail is another popular choice in this area, but rain prevented me from tackling this one—let me know how it is if you go!

• Stay at Western Maine Yurts: These yurts are very nice with a ton of privacy, cozy vibes, a nice bath house, and are located near Bethel.

• Bald Mountain & Speckled Mountain Trail: This hike is 4.6 miles long with 1,600ft of elevation gain and takes about 3.5 hours to complete. You first come to Little Concord Pond which is more like a lake and has canoes available. Then you will get to Bald Mountain which has nice views of the pond below and surrounding area. Speckled Mountain is quite a journey to get to, with the last half mile being very steep, but there are great sweeping views from the top.

• Step Falls Preserve Mahoosuc Land Trust: This is a unique spot to soak in the Bear River. This trail is a good reference point, and note that Google Maps is just slightly off for the trailhead.

• Oxbow Brewing’s Oxford Beer Garden location is in this area as well! They have a beautiful outdoor space and a pizza-focused menu.

Bangor and orono recommendations:

Overall I was not super impressed by this region, but it is a convenient gateway if you are continuing on to New Brunswick, Canada!

• Orono Brewing: A good brewery with a very nice outdoor space. They also have a tasty food menu.

• Marsh Island Brewing: A solid brewery just off the river.

• Chimera Coffee: A nice spot for coffee and pastries in Bangor.

Where in Maine are your favorite spots? Let me know in the comments! Cheers —Alexis

A Weekend in Brevard, NC

Brevard is a charming little mountain town just southwest of Asheville. It has great access to Pisgah National Forest, hiking trails, waterfalls, and biking trails. It is a perfect gateway town to adventuring in the outdoors and then having numerous restaurants, breweries, and bars to visit afterwards!

Adventures and Ales Top brevard recommendations:

• Looking Glass Waterfalls: This beautiful waterfall is located right off of the Blue Ridge Parkway just 15 minutes from downtown Brevard. No hiking required!

• Visit Gorges State Park for the Rainbow Falls Trail: This hike is 4 miles long with 1,000ft of elevation gain. It takes you to Rainbow Falls, Turtleback Falls, and Drift Falls! Overall very nice and definitely recommend.

• Cup and Saucer: This breakfast and lunch spot is known for biscuits, and they are delicious! Highly recommend—located right downtown.

• Ecusta Brewing: A solid brewery right off the Brevard Bike Path. They have 20 beers on tap, ciders, and cocktails. The front patio is nice with mountain views.

• Gordingo’s in located inside Ecusta with delicious Mexican eats!

• Sideways Farm and Brewery: This brewery is in nearby Etowah and always has great beers with chill vibes.

• Sully’s Steamers: Sully’s is known for their steamed (not toasted) bagels and they are always quite tasty! Located right downtown.

• Noblebrau Brewing: A solid brewery in Brevard most known for their live music. Be sure to check the schedule ahead of your visit as most concerts are ticketed events. They have a great back patio space and a small food menu as well.

  • Griffon and Sphynx is an average brewery right across the street from Noblebrau for another brew!

Other things to do in and around brevard:

• Oskar Blues Brewery: This big name brewery has a large outside space with a huge tap list of their beers, Cigar City Brewing, and Perrin Brewing beers (all owned by the same company). They have an onsite food truck with a burger-focused menu.

• Check out nearby Cashiers: This is another cute little mountain town about 40 minutes further west of Brevard. If you are heading to Gorges State Park it’s just a bit further and a great area to grab lunch!

  • Whiteside Brewing is located in Cashiers with solid beers and eats. They have a great outdoor area, but it does get very busy here as a heads up.

• Whitewater Falls: The trail to this large waterfall is just a half mile round trip and very easy. You can also go down to a lower platform for more views and steps. This is part of the national forest service and you do need to pay to park here as a heads up, but it was only $3 when I visited and the pass is good for other area spots as well.

• The Blind Mule: This restaurant is downtown with chill vibes, tasty cocktails, and pretty good eats.

Have you ever been to Brevard? What are your favorite spots? Let me know in the comments! Cheers —Alexis

Quebec

Quebec is a great province with a fun mix of cities and nature to explore!

Quebec Tips:

• French is the primary language in Quebec, but I only ran into one incident where the person I was trying to order from did not speak any English, so don’t sweat it!

• There are a bunch of cute little towns along the Saint Lawrence River to explore—namely between the Charlevoix region and Quebec City!

• Driving and parking in Montreal is crazy. It is a large, spread-out city so be sure to plan ahead so you’re not backtracking through traffic. Google Maps was terrible in terms of knowing road closures and construction as a forewarning.

• On a road trip? Check on my recommendations for neighboring New Brunswick and Ontario!

Charlevoix Region

• Hautes Gorges de la Rivière Malbaie National Park: This mouthful of a park has a beautiful gorge and is definitely worth checking out. It is pretty small and there are just a few trails, all with different views of the gorge. It is a pretty busy park so 1) you need to pay an entrance fee and 2) you cannot drive into the park you must take a shuttle from the parking lot for most of the trails.

  • I opted for the Le Riverain Trail which leads you to the Yeti viewpoint with gorgeous views. This trail does not require you to take the shuttle and therefore is dog-friendly. This route is 7.5 miles long with 1,212ft of elevation gain and takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes to complete. It was incredibly quiet and peaceful. It is more common to complete the trail in the other direction after taking the shuttle and that route is here.

• Mont du dome-Mont Orignal-Mont Saint Michael Trail: I completed the Mont du Dome loop part of this trail, which is 3.75 miles long with 1,950ft of elevation gain—but you can also add on Mont Orignal and Mont Saint Michael for an extra 2.25 miles and a little more elevation gain (I was up against sunset and wanted to wrap it up!). The views here are absolutely stunning! However, if you do this as a loop it is quite a difficult trail where you will climb over boulders and it is incredibly steep. Overall I found it to be worth it for the dramatic views, but you’ve been warned!

• Stay at Repère Boréal: These amazing little cabins are the perfect stay. Highly recommend!

• Menaud Brewery and Distillery: This is a neat spot in Clermont with Farmhouse Ales and spirit tastings.

Quebec CIty

• Ste Petronille Winery & Cidery: An absolute gem located on Île d'Orléans, an island about 15 minutes from QC. Tasty wine, great Neapolitan pizza, beautiful views, chill vibes. Highly recommend!

• Emporium: A great brewery with a diverse tap list. They also have a pizza-focused food menu and nice patio space.

• Alimentation L'Impact: This unassuming market has an absolutely insane selection of beers. Highly recommend for grabbing cans/bottles from across Canada.

• Nano Cinco: This brewery has great IPAs alongside a menu of cheese plates and snacks.

• Siboire: This brewery has multiple locations and I visited the taproom in the Saint-Vallier neighborhood. The beers are good and I also enjoyed the food. This location also has a nice back patio space.

• Bar Le Sacrilège: This bar has a stellar back patio space. Their beer list is pretty good, but the cocktails are mid.

• Wander the Saint-Roch neighborhood:

  • Noctem Artisans Brasseurs: This brewery has solid IPAs, tasty food, and a nice patio.

  • Maelstrøm Saint-Roch: A cute coffee shop and cocktail bar with great drinks.

• bar jjacques: A speakeasy/fancy restaurant combo that you enter through the alley after ringing the doorbell. The food menu is seafood focused, and the cocktails are boujie.

• Le Lit Double Bar & Bouffe: This spot in Saint-Jean has dive bar vibes and nice seating outside for people watching. Great martinis.

• Chez Rioux & Pettigrew: A nice spot for dinner just outside of the chaos of Old Port.

• Café La Maison Smith Belvédère: A cute spot for breakfast and coffee with a great patio.

• Jacques-Cartier National Park: This park is about a half hour north of the city and is most known for watersports along the river carved by glaciers. There is an entrance fee and you can make your reservation in advance.

  • The Eperon Trail is 3 miles long with 955ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete. It is a pretty steep climb up at times and has a couple nice viewpoints of the snaking river. The last two miles are unfortunately completely boring with zero views, so overall it was average.

• Plains of Abraham: This historic park is quite pretty and large. It leads out to nice views of the river and several battlefield markers along the way.

  • Musette is a nice coffee shop in a bike store near the park entrance if you want a beverage while you walk!

• Wander Old Port: This fortified, historic area of QC feels very European with tons of parks, sidewalk seating, and charm. It gets very, very busy.

• Skip Montmorency Falls: This tourist trap is about 20 minutes from QC and is an absolute nightmare. The waterfall is a decent size but the entrance is paid, the amount of humans here is absurd, and it is just pure chaos. Go for a hike and see a better waterfall in nature :)

Montreal

• Messorem: An incredible brewery that I highly, highly recommend. They make a wide variety of styles and have a huge tap list. They have a spacious patio and solid eats as well.

• Mellön Brasserie: A great brewery focused on Lagers. They also have a small food menu and friendly staff.

  • Isle de Garde is a a solid brewery with a nice patio and a food menu located just down the block!

• BreWskey: A fantastic brewery with 3 locations all in the same building. The taproom has a great patio, great beers, and solid food. Each location has a different menu so peruse your options before deciding!

• WILLS Brewery: Another great brewery, particularly tasty IPAs!

• Cloakroom Bar: A fun speakeasy located in a tailor shop. They do not have a menu, they craft a cocktail based on what you like.

• The Coldroom: Another fun speakeasy located in a basement in Old Montreal. If choosing between the two I would go for Cloakroom, but they have very different vibes so check out both if you can!

• Meander Old Montreal: This downtown area has European vibes with lots of patio seating, historic buildings, and parks.

  • Check out Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal while you are in the area!

• Mount Royal Park: Known for its sweeping views of the city. Head to Kondiaronk Belvedere for the lookout. It is a 7 minute walk each way from the parking lot.

• Crux Comptoir: A cute little spot for acai, juice, and smoothies. Super nice people!

• Salumi Vino: A nice restaurant for Italian eats in Old Montreal.

• Vices and Versa: A beer bar in Little Italy with 40 taps.

• Kinton Ramen: A solid ramen choice downtown—great to-go packaging!

• Les Trois Monkeys: An arcade downtown with mini-golf, laser tag, tons of games, and a restaurant/bar.

• La Fabrique de Bagel Montréal: This bagel spot has multiple locations across the city.

• Bagels le Trou: Located in Griffintown, a bit basic.

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

Ontario

Ontario is a lot of farmland, but toronto has some gems!

Toronto Tips:

• This is a massive, spread out city. Be sure to have a plan so you’re not crisscrossing the city (and sitting in traffic) multiple times.

• There are distinct neighborhoods with different vibes to explore.

• Expect to pay for parking everywhere you go.

  This blog focuses on Toronto, but there are some other Ontario recommendations at the end!

Adventures & Ales Top Toronto Recommendations: ​

• Civil Liberties: This is a cool cocktail bar with no menu where the bartenders craft you something based on your interests. They have free popcorn and a small snack menu as well. Really neat spot!

• Hunter Coffee Shop: Incredible little window spot with great coffee, delicious eats, and the nicest people! Expect a line.

• Bellwoods Brewery: A cool brewery with a nice patio space, summer slushies, and a food menu. Known for their Jelly King Sour.

  • Rooms Coffee: Located across the street from the brewery with tasty pours.

• Primrose Bagels: Solid spot for bagels and bagel sandwiches with fun branding.

• Bandit Brewery: A popular brewery with a great patio space, solid beers, and a food menu.

Toronto Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting:

• Wander The Distillery District: This is a cool pedestrian area with a ton of businesses to explore.

  • Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie: A beautiful restaurant with a lovely patio as well. The food menu has a lot of variety, and they have a daily happy hour.

  • Pure Spirits: A solid spot for cocktails and seafood.

• CN Tower: Head up the highest observation tower in the western hemisphere! There are sweeping views of the city, Lake Ontario, and the Toronto islands from the tower. Book your ticket in advance to skip the longer line, and I would recommend an earlier reservation for less crowds as well.

  • You can book Timed General Admission or “The Top”. GA brings you to the main viewing platform 114 floors up which has windows, a glass floor, a restaurant, and bar. The Top is 33 floors higher and I did not find it to be worth the added expense. The windows are slanted so the views are actually worse than below. Alternatively you can dine at 360 Restaurant for a fancy occasion with a view.

• Toronto Music Garden: This is a nice garden space on the waterfront that has frequent concerts.

  • Head to the Toronto Islands for trails and parks. The ferries are right at the waterfront near the garden.

• Explore Kensington Market: A trendy neighborhood of bars, restaurants and coffee shops.

• Wander Graffiti Alley: Exactly as it sounds—an alley with a ton of graffiti. A little underwhelming but neat to see.

• Walk the waterfront: Sunnyside Beach has a nice boardwalk and trail.

Other Toronto Ideas:

• Blood Brothers Brewing: Solid brewery with a small food menu in a nice walkable neighborhood.

• Rorscach Brewing: An average brewery near the Distillery District that also has a food menu.

• Alice Restaurant and Bar: A nice restaurant that has a solid daily happy hour.

• Halo Brewery: A small brewery with nice folks and average beers.

• Skip Oakwood Espresso: This spot is very popular but I found the coffee and scones to be mediocre.

Ontario suggestions outside of Toronto:

• Badlands Brewing: A fantastic brewery north of Toronto in Inglewood located on a farm. Highly recommend if you enjoy IPAs.

• Cheltenham Badlands: These are badlands just like you are picturing out in South Dakota. It is a small area but neat to see! The parking area requires a reservation. There are a few trail options, but really you just need to visit the viewing platform which is less than a mile roundtrip from the parking area.

  • The Caledon Trailway is nearby and very boring—definitely skip.

• Willibald: A brewery, distillery, and farm in Ayr. Solid beverages and pizzas!

• Sparrow Brewing: Another brewery option in Cambridge.

Have you been to Ontario? What are your favorite Spots? Let me know in the comments! Cheers —Alexis

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is easily the best province in eastern Canada. It offers stunning coastal shores, charming towns, and delicious seafood!

Cape Breton Island

• Cape Breton Highlands National Park makes up the top half of the island and is absolutely worth exploring.

• Middle Head Trail: This trail is 2.75 miles long with 550ft of elevation gain and takes about an hour and 15 minutes to complete. It leads out to the edge of the head with some pretty views along the way.

  • Ingonish Beach is right near the trailhead as well. It is a nice beach for swimming and there is also a freshwater lake for kayaking.

• Cabot Trail Scenic Drive: This famed pretty route takes you around the island with a lot of pull-offs for views.

• Jack Pine & Coastal Trail: This loop trail is a quick 1 mile long with 200ft of elevation gain and takes about 30 minutes to complete. The Jack Pine part is a bit boring but the Coastal part is scenic.

  • The popular Black Brook Cove Beach is right at the trailhead as well.

• Oyster Bar: Yes, it is just called “Oyster Bar” I promise! This small spot is a hidden gem at Hideaway Campground. There are just a few tables and some oysters that are ridiculously good. It is the perfect spot to break up your drive around the island!

• Skyline Trail: This hike is super popular and you now need reservations to complete it. You can do the loop trail or shorter out and back trail.

• Stay at Lakeside Luxury Glamping Domes: These are located on Bras d’Or Lake, which is a massive, beautiful lake. The domes themselves definitely are luxurious with nice touches throughout. The only downside is they are quite close to each other.

• Big Spruce Brewing: This brewery is on a beautiful property with nice views and forest-vibes. They have an indoor and outdoor bar, each with different tap lists so I would check both before ordering. They also have an onsite food truck with smashburgers and frequent live music.

• La Provence Bakery: This is a great spot for coffee and breakfast off the main road of the island. It’s the perfect stop on your way to explore the park!

• Explore Baddeck: This little town has a few restaurants, shops, and places to explore.

  • Alexander Graham Bell Park: A very pretty park on the waterfront with seating.

  • Main Street Restaurant: A popular spot with a nice deck, but I did not personally love it.

• Stay at Sally's Brook Luxury Eco-Resort: Another unique stay in the area with chill vibes.

• Skip Highwheeler Cafe & Bakery: A touristy spot for breakfast and lunch with average eats.

Halifax

• Wander the waterfront: This area can be a little chaotic but it is very cute and has a lot of shops, restaurants, bars, and casual seating.

  • The BG Halifax Beer Garden: This is a very cool spot on the waterfront. They have a huge food menu, large beer list, and cocktails as well.

• Explore the North End neighborhood: Another great area to bop around full of great spots to check out.

  • Unfiltered Brewing: Solid brewery with aggressive vibes.

  • Compass Distillers: Tasty cocktails and good happy hour specials.

• Stillwell Beer Garden: Stillwell has 4 locations across the area. The Beer Garden is located downtown with classic German beer garden vibes. They have a small food menu as well.

• Museum of Immigration at Pier 21: This museum is all about Canadian immigration with very informative exhibits.

• Art Gallery of Nova Scotia: Your classic fancy art museum!

Peggy’s Cove

Peggy's Cove: This little village is extremely popular for its lighthouse on the edge of the sea. I would say 0/10 recommendation on visiting this area. It is swarming with people, parking is horrible, and it is literally just a lighthouse. It was probably charming 20 years ago, and now it is a horrible tourist trap.

Nearby Lunenburg looks like a cute town, but after my experience in Peggy’s Cove I decided it was not worth the extra drive. Let me know if you check it out!

Have you been to Nova Scotia? What are your favorite spots? Let me know in the comments! CHeers —Alexis

Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island is known for its oysters, and they are amazing, but it has so much more to offer!

PEI Tips:

• The island is quite large and is mainly farmland, so don’t expect to quickly scoot from one side to the other.

• You can get to the island by bridge or by ferry, both have a cost associated with them so I would say it just depends on your timing and destination for which makes more sense.

• I really enjoyed PEI, but if you only have one island to visit I would choose Cape Breton Island in nearby Nova Scotia—blog coming soon!

Prince Edward Island National Park:

• Cavendish Beach: A very popular area with a nice beach and sand dunes.

• Cape Turner/North Rustico Beach: A quieter area of the park. If you have a dog with you the area along Breakwater Road is dog-friendly.

  • North Rustico is a nice nearby village with a few shops and restaurants.

  • Frothy Coffee: A solid spot for coffee and tea with outdoor seating.

  • On the Dock Eatery: A popular restaurant right on the water. Really enjoyed the spot but the service was not great.

Summerside: 

• Explore the Baywalk Boardwalk! There are several restaurants, bars, and shops along this paved path. This is a nice area to catch sunset from.

  • Summerside Shipyard: A great restaurant overlooking the water with a large menu. The pickle fries are superb! You can also grab a drink and hang out in their Adirondack chairs outside.

  • The Knot Beach Bar: A super cute bar on the water with a sand bottom and casual vibes. They also have a small food menu.

• Spinnakers Landing: This is another hub of restaurants, bars, and shops to explore.

  • Deckhouse Pub & Eatery: A restaurant with a nice deck overlooking the water. Solid cocktails.

Charlottetown:

• JC's Tiki Bar: A fun spot on the water with a sand bottom and swings. The cocktails are not great, so maybe go for a beer or wine. There are also a couple of restaurants that share the deck.

• Founders Food Hall & Market: A cool food hall with a large variety of options.

  • Pretzel, Pint & Pickle is located inside with a large beer list.

• Victoria Row: A cute pedestrians-only street with restaurants to explore.

• Heads up parking in this area can be tough as Charlottetown is where most people center their PEI trip.

Victoria by the Sea:

• Wander this cute little village! It can be very popular so prepare to hunt for a parking spot, but it is worth exploring.

• Landmark Oyster House: A charming restaurant with delicious eats and drinks set in an old house.

• Fosters Ice Cream: This shop is located on the back of Richard’s with tasty scoops. You can head to the park across the street to enjoy with a sea view!

Other recommendations:

• Raspberry Point Oyster Bar: This spot has fantastic oysters and a few other menu items ordered via counter service. There is a nice deck overlooking the oyster farm, and they do tours as well. I would not say you need to go out of your way to visit, but if you are in the area it is a good spot.

• Thunder Cove Beach: A very popular beach with parking filling up all the way down the road. It is known for dramatic red sandstone cliffs, natural sea caves, and unique coastal rock formations.

• Knead A Brake Cafe: A coffee shop with wildly good pastries (+ smoothies!) inside of a bike shop.

Have you been to Prince Edward Island? What are your favorite Spots? Let me know in the comments! Cheers —Alexis

August and September 2026

I was mid-road trip when the calendar turned to August and kicked off the month with the Festival of Farmhouse Ales at Hill Farmstead Brewery in Vermont. From there my travels continued on to Montreal, Toronto, Michigan, and Cincinnati.

Upon returning to Charlotte, it was time to celebrate Burial’s Charlotte taproom’s 4th Anniversary and share some beers with friends! Then it was off to Colorado for a week of beers with views.

All in all, I tried 183 beers over the past two months. In no particular order, here were the best of the best beers I had in August and September:

Gin Barrel-Aged Varonna from Fox Farm Brewery in Salem, CT

This is a Norewegian-Style Farmhouse Ale aged in gin barrels that previously held Zinfandel wine. A visit to Fox Farm is always a delight!

Recency Effect from Sante Adairius Rustic Ales in Capitola, CA

Recency Effect (Batch 9) is a Mixed-Fermentation Saison aged in gin barrels. Wildly good!

You’re Mine + Feel Us from Anchorage Brewing in Anchorage, AK

Incredible dark beers from Anchorage? No surprise there!

You’re Mine is a Double Oak Imperial Stout aged 7 months in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels, then Woodford Reserve double oaked barrels for 16 months, then finished on hazelnuts, raw coconut, and Madagascar vanilla beans.

Feel Us is a Triple Oaked Double Dark Ale aged 35 months in Willett Rye, 15 year 1782, Calumet Farms Bourbon, and Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey barrels.

Samuel, Flora, Works of Love: Anchorage from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT

Samuel has been on other Top Beer blogs from me, but this was a magnum of an unreleased version available only at the Festival of Farmhouse Ales. Flora: Batch 10 is the wine barrel-aged version of Florence. Works of Love: Anchorage is a 2015 Ale fermented in oak and aged on apples in collaboration with Anchorage Brewing. All three of these were at their fest and truly remarkable!

Harvester of Sorrow + Corvus Nox + Gerbera Daisy + Triple Kawau from Fidens Brewing in Albany, NY

I don’t think I’ve ever had a Top Beers blog without at least one incredible Fidens IPA, and this time there are 4: Harvester of Sorrow is a Triple IPA with Citra, Peacharine, Amarillo, and Nectaron hops. Corvus Nox is an Imperial IPA with hand-selected Citra + Riwaka, and Simcoe hops. Gerbera Daisy is an Imperial IPA with Citra, Motueka, and Amarillo hops. Triple Kawau is a Triple IPA with Rakau, Citra, and Motueka hops.

Celle-Ci Vient du Coeur from Mellon Brasserie in Montreal, Quebec

Mellon is known for their Lagers, and this Czech-style Pale Lager is a perfect example of why. So, so great!

A7Y7 x Bas-Canada + A7Y7 x Lyric + A7Y7 x CLAG + A7Y7 x Track x Beak + A7Y7 x Off Script from Messorem in Montreal, Quebec

A lot of Messorem, all for their 7th anniversary! We were lucky enough to be in town the weekend of their celebration and when they dropped so many incredible beers. My favorites:

Bas-Canada collaborations, both the adjunct and non-adjunct versions were incredible. The non-adjunct version is a blend of barrel aged Stouts aged in Wild Turkey Bourbon barrels for 50 months and Bluegrass Rye Whisky barrels for 29 months. The adjunct version is the same, with the addition of red vanilla from Madagascar, Java vanilla caviar and coconut.

The Lyric collab is Imperial IPA with Eggers Riwaka, Freestyle Nelson Sauvin, and Galaxy Liquid. The CLAG collab is an Imperial IPA with Citra, Citra Hyperboost, Simcoe, and Waimea hops. The Track and Beak collab is a Triple IPA with Freestyle Nectaron, Motueka, Rakau, Citra, Citra Hyperboost, and Citra Dynaboost. The Off Script collab is an Imperial IPA with Motueka, Motueka Amplifier, Nelson Sauvin, Nelson Amplifier, Nectator, Nectaron Hyperboost, and Maui Nelson Hop Kief.

Arcanes Sup + Consortium + Forge from BreWskey in Montreal, Quebec

Arcanes Sup is a Triple IPA with Citra Dynaboost, Motueka, Mega Motueka, Motueka Hop Kief, Nelson Sauvin, Super Sauvin, and Nelson Quantum. Consortium is an Imperial IPA with Peacharine, Nelson Sauvin, and Riwaka hops. This is a collaboration Badlands Brewing. Forge is an Imperial IPA with Cascade, Southern Cross, and Nelson Sauvin hops.

I almost skipped BreWskey in Montreal just due to timing, and I am so glad I didn’t! They were a killer stop for onsite pours and cans to-go.

Super Nectar from Badlands Brewing in Caledon, Ontario

Super Nectaron is a New Zealand with Nectaron and Superdelic hops. I loved visiting Badlands and leaving with a case full of delicious IPAs. Highly recommend!

PB&J Gushables collaboration beer from HOMES Brewery in Ann Arbor, MI and Xul Beer in Knoxville, TN

This is a peanut butter and jelly gluten free Sour. PB&J Sours are generally always great, but these two fantastic teams took things to the next level with this brew!

Everything Is A Lie + Signet (2024) + Shruken Head VII + Yodel: Kohia Nelson + Fractured from Freak Folk Bier in Waterbury, VT

Everything Is A Lie is a Double IPA with Citra, Riwaka, and Peacharine hops. Signet is a Mixed Culture Ale aged in oak and conditioned on gem marigolds. Shruken Head VII is a Hop-Saturated Ale with Citra, Riwaka, Nectaron, Motueka Quantum, and Limequat Hop Kief. Yodel: Kohia Nelson is a Double IPA double dry hopped with Kohia Nelson. Fractured is a Double IPA with Citra and Motueka hops.

It was a delight to stock up on Freak Folk while in Vermont, and I can’t wait to get back to their taproom again soon!

Frequently Beguiled Enough to Savor the Unlimited Refills + Adrift in the Endless Oblivion We Find Prosperity Nevertheless + The Chasm That Divides You From Your Purpose from Burial Beer in Asheville, NC

Frequently Beguiled Enough To Savor The Unlimited Refills is a Quadruple IPA with oats and raw wheat, whirlpooled with Dolcita and Citra Incognito, and then double dry-hopped with Citra, Eclipse, Simcoe, and Sabro, finished with Simcoe Cryo, Eclipse Liquid Lupulin, and Citra Hyperboost. This is a collaboration beer with Edmunds Oast Brewing in Charleston, SC.

Adrift In The Endless Oblivion We Find Prosperity Nevertheless is a Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with cocoa nibs, Burial griddle blend coffee, and vanilla bean. This was brewed to celebrate their Charlotte taproom’s 4th anniversary.

The Chasm That Divides You From Your Purpose is an Imperial IPA with oats and wheat, whirlpooled with Citra DynaBoost and Motueka Cryo, double dry hopped with Pesh, NZH-109, Citra, and Motueka Cryo. This is a collaboration beer with Inner Voice Brewing in Decatur, GA and was brewed for Burnpile 2026.

Raspberry Tart from New Glarus Brewing in New Glarus, WI

New Glarus can do no wrong in my eyes. Raspberry Tart is a Framboise Lambic—perfectly tangy, full of fruit flavor, and absolutely amazing!

Check Back next month for my top beers of October!
Cheers—Alexis

Southwest Colorado

Southwest Colorado might not be an area you have ever considered visiting before, but I am here to argue it has some of the best trails in the state and some of the cutest little Western towns!

The San Juan Mountains were the main draw for me, but there is so much to see and do in this region! There are two unique National Parks, scenic drives, and more!

I structured my trip as a loop: fly into Durango—Mesa Verde National Park—Telluride—Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park—Ridgway—Ouray—Silverton—fly out of Durango. You could also add this onto a visit to New Mexico, Arizona, or Utah as they are each super close. Though the Durango airport is small and not super convenient to get to, I would not really recommend flying in/out of Denver as it is a ~7 hour drive from this area and I-20 is notorious for traffic and delays. If you are headed to Denver though, check out my recommendations here!

If you are visiting from outside of Colorado be mindful of the elevation change—most of these spots are several thousand feet above sea level! Stay hydrated and take it slow.

Telluride 

Telluride is an adorable mountain town full of small businesses and big views. It is incredibly popular for skiing, but a summer/fall visit is amazing as well! They host a lot of events, so I would recommend checking their festival schedule before booking your trip.

• If you are heading to Telluride from the south via Highway 145, be prepared to stop at several overlooks for beautiful views! My favorites are Lizard Head Pass, Trout Lake, and Sunshine Mountain.

• Telluride is incredibly walkable, but if you are staying a bit further out or have tired legs, there is a free shuttle in town that you can hop on: The Galloping Goose.

• Be sure to hop on The Gondola, which is free! The views on the way up are amazing. Jump off at the middle station, San Sophia, for hiking trails, or head to Mountain Village for what I would deem a fancy ski village.

  • Telluride Distilling Company is located in Mountain Village with tasty, albeit pricey, cocktails.

• Brown Dog Pizza: Fantastic Detroit-style pizzas! This is a popular spot so expect a wait.

• The Coffee Cowboy: This aesthetically-pleasing coffee cart is located at the gondola. They have great coffees and breakfast burritos.

• StrongHouse Brew Pub: A solid brewery with a full food menu and nice views from outside.

• There: A fancy cocktail bar that can be quite popular, so reservations are recommended. They also have a happy hour from 4-5pm with much more reasonable pricing. The free popcorn slaps!

• Telluride Brewing Company: This brewery has two locations—a taproom on the way into town with a full food menu and chill vibes, and another spot up in Mountain Village.

• The Butcher & The Baker: A solid spot for breakfast, coffee, or cocktails later on. They have a nice patio space as well.

• Last Dollar Saloon: A dive bar with a nice rooftop view (but also you are looking at the roof of Brown Dog Pizza). A pretty spot for sunset with the mountains glowing!

• Bear Creek Falls via Bear Creek Trail: This trail is 4.5 miles long with 1,054ft of elevation gain and takes about 2 hours to complete. The trailhead is right in town making it very convenient to explore, though popular. It leads out to a pretty waterfall with a couple of nice viewpoints along the way.

• Smuggler Union Brewery: This spot is serving up average beers, a full food menu, and cocktails as well. There are pretty views from patio, and you are actually looking at Bridal Veil Falls, the highest waterfall in the state and another popular nearby hike.

Uncompahgre National Forest

• Blue Lakes Trail: This beautiful trail is 8.5 miles long with 2,574ft of elevation gain and takes about 4.5 hours to complete. It leads out to three lakes—lower, middle, and upper blue lakes. Lower Blue Lake is the prettiest by far, but it is even better when you climb the ridge behind the lake via the trail to the middle and upper lakes and can look down on the beautiful water from above. Amazing, iconic trail.

  • I would definitely recommend wearing layers as the climate changes quite a bit throughout your journey.

  • The road to the trailhead is a bit rough at times but doable. It is 1 hour and 15 minutes from both Telluride and Montrose.

  • Starting June 1, 2027 you will need a permit for day use or camping here. I found the trail to be pretty quiet, even on Labor Day weekend, but it is getting more and more popular.

San Juan National Forest

• Ice and Island Lakes Trail: This trail is 7 miles long with 2,682ft of elevation gain and takes about 4.5 hours to complete. The trail takes you to waterfalls and across meadows, and is absolutely gorgeous throughout. It can be pretty difficult at times, particularly on the final push up to the lake but it is 1000% worth it! Ice Lake is absolutely insanely pretty and probably the best alpine lake I have ever seen. This trail linked is a loop trail that also takes you to Island Lake. There is a little scramble between Ice and Island Lakes that is a bit sketchy, but doable, and Island Lake in itself is also stunning. You could also add on Fuller or Clear Lakes if desired.

  • This is the most popular trail in the area so I would highly recommend arriving early. The parking lot fills quickly, and then you can park on the side of the road, but that also gets very busy early. The trailhead is only 15 minutes from Silverton which is convenient but leads to crowds.

• Columbine Lake Trail: This trail is 6.5 miles long with 2,608ft of elevation gain and takes about 4.5 hours to complete. It is wildly steep at times, gaining 500ft of elevation in the first quarter mile alone, and overall pretty brutal, but it leads out to a beautiful alpine lake. The water is crystal clear and stunning in the sun.

  • The trailhead is located right off the Million Dollar Highway which is very convenient, but the short dirt road from the highway to the trailhead is quite sketchy and involves crossing a small river and navigating a steep road of loose rocks. There is no actual parking here and you need to park on the edge of the cliff, which presents another challenge in itself.

• Highland Mary Lake Trail: This trail is 5.6 miles long with 1,704ft of elevation gain and takes about 3.5 hours to complete. It leads out to three alpine lakes—small, medium, and large in that order. The lakes are not wildly impressive, but the meadows, canyons, waterfalls, and wildflowers along the way are very nice. It also is insanely quiet in this area, which is delightful. The Continental Divide Trail is here as well!

  • The road to the trailhead is quite rough. After passing through Silverton it becomes full of potholes and passable but annoying, and then at the end near the trailhead it is very sketchy.

Ouray

This cute little touristy town is full of beautiful views!

• Drive the Million Dollar Highway between Ouray and Silverton. This scenic drive is super pretty!

• Ouray Brewery: The rooftop here is fantastic for views! They have a solid food menu and average beers.

• Full Tilt Saloon: A fun little dive bar that also has food. There are nice views from their patio.

Silverton

Another adorable mountain town with Western charm. There is a train that runs between Durango and Silverton that 1) causes an influx of people at certain times of day and 2) causes most businesses to close for a siesta after the train leaves before dinner, so be sure to plan ahead.

• 'Dera Deli and Bar: This is a great spot for breakfast, lunch or a beverage. They have a nice patio space and friendly folks.

• Lacey Rose Saloon: Classic saloon vibes with a full food menu and solid drink options. 

• El Bandito: A decent stop for Mexican food.

• Off roading is really popular in this whole region and Silverton has several outfitters for rentals and tours.

Ridgway

This small town is between Ouray and Montrose, serving as a great gateway to the area if you are coming from the north.

• Stay at Chipeta Lodge Resort & Spa: They have a pretty property located right across from a park and in the heart of town. The pool and hot tubs are nice, breakfast is quite tasty, and the onsite restaurant/bar has great sunset views.

• Tacos Del Gnar: A popular spot for tacos and for good reason! Definitely recommend.

• Colorado Boy: An average brewery with locations in Ridgway and Montrose. They also have food options at both taprooms.

Durango 

Durango is a small city with Southwest vibes. You don’t need to spend a ton of time here, but the largest airport in the area is here so if you are flying in/out of the region it is worth doing a bit of exploring along the way.

• Bruin Coffee & Biscuits: This spot has delicious coffee and biscuits from a cute little trailer with a view.

• Animas River Trail: A nice walking and biking path through downtown and a few parks.

• Carver Brewing Company: Located in the heart of Main Street, this brewery has a good patio, full food menu, cocktails, and decent beers.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

This national park gives Grand Canyon vibes but on a smaller scale. You can visit the North Rim, South Rim, or both—just keep in mind it will take a couple of hours to travel between the two. The South Rim is just 20 minutes from Montrose and quite easy to explore.

• The South Rim Scenic Drive is the best way to see numerous viewpoints and it is the only road through this part of the park. Start at Tomichi Point, check out the Gunnison Point Overlook at the Visitors Center, take a short walk to Pulpit Rock, admire the rapids from Chasm View, and be sure not to miss Painted Wall.

• The park is popular for sunset views and Dark Sky gazing, so perhaps plan an evening visit if that fits your itinerary!

• There are a few short trails here as well, but they offer the same views as the overlooks.

Mesa Verde National Park

This unique national park sits about 40 minutes west of Durango. It is known for historic cliff dwellings.

• The only way to really see the cliff dwellings other than from an overlook is to book a tour through the National Park Service here. Seasonally they fill up quickly, so be sure to book in advance. Cliff Palace and Balcony House are the two most popular options.

• Drive Mesa Top Loop Road, and the NPS also has an audio tour you can listen to for context along the way.

• Visit Park Point for dramatic, scenic views!

New Brunswick

New Brunswick is certainly not Canada’s most exciting province, but there are some beautiful areas to explore!

Fundy National Park

This is a very cool little national park with forests, the bay, and a lot of waterfalls.

• Dickson Falls Trail: This is a quick trail at just half a mile long and takes about 20 minutes to complete. It leads to a pretty large waterfall along a brook and beautiful mossy forest setting.

• Matthews Head Trail: This moderate trail leads out to nice views of the bay. It is very quiet and a part of the much longer Fundy Coastal Trail. The Matthews head loop is 3 miles long with 772ft of elevation gain and takes about 1.5 hours to complete.

• Tipsy Tails: This restaurant sits just outside the park in Alma. It is set on the water with great views, delicious eats, and has reasonable prices.

• Holy Whale: A solid brewery in Alma just up the block!

Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park

This area is home to the highest tides in the world! At the park you can hike about a mile out to the rock formations which at low tide you can walk on the ocean floor, or at high tide you can kayak on top of! AKA—be mindful of timing when you visit and pull up the tide schedule!

Expect to get a bit muddy, but there is a hose to rinse off. Dog-friendly. Paid entrance. Paid shuttle available if you’re not able to do the hike. Very neat and unique!

Moncton

The town of Moncton is 35 minutes up the road from Hopewell Rocks and serves as a good base point. It has a cute downtown with frequent events.

• Tide & Boar: This brewery and gastropub is in the heart of downtown with a great patio space, a huge food menu, cocktails, and quite tasty beer!

• Holy Whale Brewery also has a location here (mentioned above in Fundy!)

New Jersey

New Jersey one of my least favorite states, full stop, but they have some pretty solid breweries! Here are the spots I would recommend bopping around to:

• Brick Farm Tavern: This farm-to-table restaurant has Troon Brewing on tap. Incredible beers, tasty food, great vibes. Located in Hopewell.

• Esker Hart Artisan Ales: A fantastic brewery in the heart of High Bridge. They have great beers and a wide variety of styles.

• Oakflower Brewing: A great brewery with a Lager and IPA focused tap list. Located in the tiny town of Millington!

• Autodidact Beer: This brewery has an IPA & Hop Saturated Ale focused tap list. It is a cute space which you would not guess from the strip mall setting. Located in Morris Plains.

• Twin Elephant Brewing Company: Solid brewery with a wide variety of styles. They are located in Chatham.

  • Pascarella Brothers Delicatessen is located right up the block! This is a classic New Jersey deli for sandwiches and perfect to pair with your beers.

• Conclave Brewing: This brewery is not quite up to par with the quality they previous were producing, but overall it is a solid spot. Located in a strip mall in Flemington.

Central California

Central California is often overlooked for the perfect weather of SoCal or the wineries and coast life in NorCal—but there are some great gems here too! I did a road trip loop exploring the middle section of California and here are all of my recommendations!

King’s Canyon National Park

This is a very small National Park about an hour from Fresno and nestled up against Sequoia National Park as well. There is just one road through the park so you can accomplish a lot of things in a short amount of time here. A day was the perfect visit for me personally! Recommendations:

• Kings Canyon Scenic Byway: A beautiful scenic drive through the canyon to the end of the park. There are beautiful views throughout, but the Junction View is particularly great. It takes about an hour to drive from the start near General Grant to the end of the road.

• General Grant Trail: This is a short and sweet trail at three-quarters of a mile and 15 minutes to complete to the third largest tree in the world by volume. You can also walk through a downed tree in the forest as well which is neat.

• Panoramic Point Trail: A short half mile trail to a beautiful panoramic viewpoint! I would recommend doing this trail earlier in the day because by late afternoon the lighting was not as ideal.

• Mist Falls Trail: A nice trail at 8 miles long with 1,100ft of elevation gain that takes about 3 hours to complete. The trailhead is at the end of the road and a launching pad for many backpackers and campers. It starts off flat and exposed and then dives into the forest. There is really only one section that is steep with stone steps, otherwise it is easy to moderate throughout. The trail leads to a large waterfall, but I would actually say the best view is in the middle of the stone steps looking out into the canyon.

• Roaring River Falls: A quick walk (7 minutes roundtrip) to a nice waterfall near the end of the road. This trail is paved so it is very accessible.

• Hume Lake: A very odd spot is how I would summarize Hume Lake. Part Christian Camp, part National Forest. A nice spot to relax and enjoy the lake/views post-hiking, but the views from the day use area are not super nice, but if you go over to the camp area and towards the dining hall you have a nice mountain backdrop.

Sequoia National Park

Sequoia is another relatively small park that is filled with very large and very old trees!

• Watchtower Trail: This trail is 8.3 miles long with 2,106ft of elevation gain and takes about 4 hours to complete. It is a pretty moderate trail throughout, with just one steep section towards the end. The views from the Watchtower are dramatic, and you can also see nearby Tokopah Falls from here as well! The trail then continues on to the beautiful Heather Lake, or you can add on more lakes beyond this as well!

  • If you are afraid of heights or if there is any risk of ice I would absolutely not recommend this trail, you walk along the edge of a cliff at times.

• General Sherman Tree Trail: A quick hike to the largest tree in the world! The trail is 1 mile long with 268ft of elevation gain and takes about a half hour. It’s relatively steep but since it’s so short it’s still accessible. This is a very busy trail so there is a park shuttle you can utilize if parking is too full.

  • You can also continue on to the Congress Trail for more large trees, but how many trees do you need to see in a day really?

• Moro Rock Trail: This short trail at a half mile long leads up stairs to a viewpoint. It is a popular spot for sunrise!

  • There is a tunnel log nearby you can drive through as well which is fun!

• Big Trees Trail: This is another option in the Giant Forest at 1.2 miles long, mostly flat, and takes about a half hour to complete. The trail runs along the road from the museum center at the start so it is a bit noisy, and overall was just another walk in the trees :)

• Gateway Restaurant: A great spot on the river just outside the park for lunch or dinner!

San Luis Obispo

SLO is a super cute little city with a lot to offer! I really enjoyed my time in this area.

• There Does Not Exist: This is a great brewery a bit outside of town with fantastic beers and a good variety to choose from.

• Brewery hop in the LoBro neighborhood! This area is full of breweries, cideries and beer bars to explore!

  • Ancient Owl Beer Garden and Bottle Shop: A cool beer bar and bottle shop with 24 taps. They have another spot in Atascadero as well!

  • Shrine Brewing: A small brewery with 10 taps and good vibes. Right next to Ancient Owl

  • Humdinger Brewing: Another brewery option with a small food menu and some arcade games. The main taproom is in nearby Arroyo Grande.

• Montana de Oro Bluff Trail: This nice, easy trail along the coast is very pretty. I got about 4 miles and 200ft of elevation in about 1.5 hours.

• Scout Coffee: This coffee shop has multiple locations in the area. I visited their spot in Morro Bay and it was an adorable space with delicious coffee and amazing pastries.

• Wayward Baking: This little bakery in nearby Los Osos is whipping up some amazing things! Definitely recommend popping in.

• Explore Morro Bay and visit Morro Rock!

• Central Coast Brewing: This brewery has a couple of locations in the area. The beer is pretty solid. The SLO taproom also has bar food in a warehouse type setting.

• I stayed at the Best Western Plus Royal Oak Hotel: This was a nice hotel with a fun pool area and a good breakfast.

• Silver Bar Cocktail Lounge at the Madonna Inn: This is a very touristy spot that is cute with all pink vibes, but I realized when I walked in it was not my vibe. Some of you will love it so I wanted to let you know about it!

Paso Robles

Paso is the heart of wine country in Central California! There are SO many wineries to choose from in this area (over 400!). The downtown itself is also cute with plenty to keep you occupied! Be sure to make reservations for your tastings in advance.

• Booker Vineyard: This is a beautiful winery with tasty pours. The setting is lovely!

• Firestone Walker Brewing Company: This famed brewery has a massive campus with a huge tap list, and great food. You can’t miss it while in the area!

  • Check out my blog here on what it is like to attend their annual festival!

• Explore Tin City: This area is full of wineries, breweries, cideries, distilleries, restaurants, and more!

  • BENOM Winery & Tasting Room: Great French wines and a very bespoke experience. Highly recommend!

  • Central Coast Creamery: An awesome little cheese shop that also has sandwiches!

  • Proof and Gather Baking Company: A great bakery that also has sandwiches and pizzas.

• Paso Market Walk: This is a cute little market with a few restaurant options. Common Grounds coffee shop is here and quite good.

  • Guisados to Go is also across the street with great breakfast burritos!

Pinnacles National Park

This is a very small national park with two distinct sides—east and west. Bear Gulch Day Use Area is home to a lot of the trailheads. The park is known for condors so keep your eyes on the sky!

• Moses Spring and Rim Trail Loop Trail: This trail is 2 miles long with 550ft of elevation gain and takes just under an hour to complete. It hits Bear Gulch Caves and the reservoir. It was a bit boring but there were a few fun landscapes.

• Originally I was going to do the Condor Gulch to Bear Gulch to High Peaks which is 5.6 miles long with 1,633ft of elevation gain but it was really really hot and it did not seem like a good choice.

Fresno

Fresno is not a city I loved or really felt the need to visit, but it is conveniently located as the gateway to Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks. It’s a great spot to spend the night before entering a park early the next day.

• Tioga-Sequoia Beer Garden: A good brewery with a wide variety of beers and a very nice space. They have frequent events and are located right across from the baseball field downtown.

• MachineHead Brewing: A nice Sour-focused brewery with a good patio space.

• Crow & Wolf Brewing Co: A warehouse-style brewery right around the corner from MachineHead with a lovely patio. They have a wide variety of beer styles and are pretty impressive.

• Eureka!: This beer bar and kitchen has locations across the area and is not typically somewhere I would recommend since it has chain/strip-mall vibes but the food is actually quite good and they have great rotating taps, such as Bottle Logic Brewing.

• Out of the Barrel: A beer bar with several locations in California. Their tap list and to-go selection is good, but the strip-mall vibes are not my favorite.

• Burning Sun Brewing Co: An average brewery where the beers are pretty solid but the space is not.

May and June 2026

May and June brought an absurd amount of delicious beers for me. I visited Greenville, SC, Asheville, NC, and then spent two weeks adventuring around California, and then visited Wilmington, NC in late June. I participated in two bottle shares, and visited Burial and inconceivable number of times. Overall I tried 239 beers over the past two months—and this list will exclude my top beers from the Firestone Walker Invitational, because those can be found here.

In no particular order, here were the best beers I had over the last two months:

M 3rd 25th The Deafening Sound of Silence from Forgotten Road Ales in Graham, NC

Always love any time I can get my hands on anything Forgotten Road Ales! This is a barrel aged Imperial Stout blend of 31 months with 18 year bourbon barrel and 18 month cognac bourbon barrel with maple syrup, cacao nibs, cinnamon, and coffee.

Zwickel Pilsner and Fonio Wild from Whaley Farm Brewery in Old Fort, NC

Finally made it to Whaley Farm and absolutely loved it! Zwickel Pilsner is—you guessed it—a Pilsner. Fonio Wild is a Saison brewed with fonio, hopped with Vista and fermented with a blend of house Saison yeast and two strains of Brettanomyces.

Third Press, Fourth Press, Howling Wilderness, Life Is Round (Batch 6), and Double Barrel Almond Suite from Private Press Brewing in Santa Cruz, CA

Incredibly thankful to have gotten to taste so many incredible Private Press beers this month! They are absolutely crushing the game and very difficult to get your hands on. Third Press is a blend of barrel aged Stouts, Barleywines and Munichwine. Fourth Press is a blend of barrel aged Stouts and Barleywines. Howling Wilderness is a bourbon barrel Stout blend conditioned on pecans, mizunara, and bourbon barrel maple syrup. Life Is Round Batch 6 is an English Barleywine. Double Barrel Almond Suite is a collaboration with Side Project Brewing and an Imperial Stout brewed with almonds and lactose, aged in bourbon and cognac barrels.

Let’s Go Chase Some Waterfalls! + Plus It Up + Keen on Peacharine from North Park Beer Co in San Diego, CA

I absolutely love North Park and essentially booked a long layover in San Diego just so I could visit them! Let’s Go Chase Some Waterfalls! is a Triple IPA in collaboration with Brujos in Portland and Green Cheek in Orange. It is hopped with Citra, Strata, and Manilita. Plus It Up is a triple dry hopped Hazy Double IPA with Southern Cross, Nelson Sauvin, Waimea, Citra, Citra Cryo, and Rakau SubZero Hop Kief. Keen on Peacharine is a triple dry hopped Hazy Double IPA with Citra, Citra Cryo, Citra DynaBoost, Freestyle Rakau, Freestyle Nelson Sauvin, and Freestyle Peacharine.

Parliament + Smoke & Stories + Aoraki with Mango from Fidens Brewing in Albany, NY

More juicy goodness from Fidens, who is surprised? Parliament is a double dry hopped Double IPA with Citra, Citra Liquid Lupulin, Nelson Cryo and Riwaka Cryo hops in collaboration with Troon Brewing and Wild Bird Research Group Inc. Smoke & Stories is a quadruple dry hopped Double IPA brewed with Citra, Nelson, Superdelic Cryo, Egger's Special, Motueka and Motueka Hop Kief hops. Aoraki with Mango is a Triple IPA with mango, and brewed with Nelson, Nelson Cryo, Motueka and Motueka Hop Kief hops.

Protections Spells (2025 Blend) from Floodland Brewing in Seattle, WA

Has Floodland ever missed? I don’t think so. This is a blend of Saison aged in oak and refermented on pluots.

That Time When I Left All Of Myself In A Bed Stuy Juice Bar + The Dynasty + The Fabrication of a Most Diabolical Empire + 13th Passing + Be As You Were And Always Could Be + 13th Floor + 13th Row from Burial Beer in Asheville, NC

It was Burial’s 13th anniversary in June so yes there are 7 beers from them that absolutely blew me away over the past two months! That Time is an Imperial IPA collaboration with Other Half Brewing with oats + Mosaic Incognito, Motueka, then double dry-hopped with Necatron, Mosaic Cryo, Hallertau Blanc, Motueka, and Eclipse Liquid Lupulin. The Dynasty is a Quadruple IPA in collaboration with Fidens Brewing with oats + Citra Incognito, Riwaka, then triple dry-hopped with Galaxy, Riwaka, Loza Farms Comet, Rakau, Citra Hyperboost, and Riwaka Amplifire. The Fabrication is an Imperial IPA in collaboration with Xul Beer Co with oats + double dry-hopped with Coleman Farms' Citra, Galaxy, Nectaron, Rakau, Citra Cryo and Hyperboost. 13th Passing is a bourbon barrel aged Barleywine with whole vanilla beans from 13 different “distant lands” in collaboration with Horus Aged Ales. Be As You Were is a Double IPA with Mosaic, Galaxy, Nectaron, Dolcita, Nelson, Rakau, Strata, Krush, El Dorado, Vic Secret, Motueka, Simcoe, Comet, Incognito, Cryo, and Liquid Lupulin. 13th Floor is a bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout blended with bourbon barrel aged Barleywine. 13th Row is a bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout with coffee, pecan, cashew, cherry, maple, dulce de leche, coconut, blueberry, cocoa nibs, vanilla, smoked sea salt, strawberry, and Thai banana.

Stef, Way Bright, and Four Meters from Lesser-Known Beer Co in Winston-Salem, NC

Lesser-Known can do no wrong in my eyes and makes this list every time I have the opportunity to get my hands on their beers! Stef is a Zwickelbeer. Way Bright is an Unfiltered Pale Ale. Four Meters is a Helles Lager.

Analog Clock, Down Slope, Beauty Sleep, If Memory Serves, Veiled Alchemy, and Equator’s Edge from Sante Adairius Rustic Ales in Capitola, CA

May brought visits to two SARA taprooms in Capitola and Santa Cruz, and then I came home to North Carolina and Wooden Nickel Pub in Hillsborough had a SARA tap takeover #blessed. Saison for days!! Analog Clock is a barrel aged Saison blend. Down Slope is a barrel-aged Saison with Pinot Noir grapes. Beauty Sleep is an oak aged Saison with raspberries. If Memory Serves was fermented in two separate stainless vessels with two distinct strains of Brettanoymces. Veiled Alchemy is a Vermouth barrel-aged Saison blend. Equator’s Edge is a barrel-aged Saison with pineapple and guava.

Hella Local Michelada from Tioga-Sequoia Brewing in Fresno, CA

Hella Local Michelada is a Blonde Ale infused with Pro-Mix 559. I don’t even normally like micheladas (though I love bloody marys!) but this was absurdly good.

Phoenix Nox from Pure Project Brewing in San Diego, CA

When I saw a collaboration with Horus Aged Ales on the Pure Project menu while in San Diego I knew it was going to be amazing. This is an Imperial Stout aged for up to 26 months in a decadent blend of Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, and Cutwater bourbon barrels. Then Geisha coffee from Costa Rica, Filipino coconut, Tahitian vanilla, and maple sugar from New Hampshire were added.

Woodstock Double IPA: Peacharine, Paradisi, Citra and Simcoe + Platinum Fern + 14th Anniversary from Tree House Brewing Company in Charlton, MA

Tree House cans don’t always overly impress me, but the last two months featured three absolute bangers for me! Woodstock is a Double IPA with Citra, Simcoe, Paradisi, and Peacharine hops. Platinum Fern is a Triple IPA with Nelson, Peacharine and Motueka hops. 14th Anniversary is a Double IPA.

Tempo from Weaver Hollow Brewery in Andes, NY

Tempo is a Saison from Weaver Hollow, and always a superb beer. Unfortunately it appears Weaver Hollow may not be operating any more? It is not clear. This was my last bottle from them so I certainly hope that is not true!

Quy Is The Answer (2026) from The Answer Brewpub in Richmond, VA

Ah an Imperial Stout from The Answer—always a gift. This is a California Apple Brandy barrel aged Imperial Milk Stout with Vietnamese Weasel (Chon) coffee, Saigon cinnamon, Madagascar vanilla, in-house bourbon barrel aged Vermont maple syrup and Quy's special chili blend. Sheesh!

Oude Gueze Cuvee Armand & Gaston Season 16|17 Blend 1 from 3 Fonteinen in Lot, Belgium

10 year old Lambic? Count me in! This is a blend of Lambics aged on 4 different barrels, originating from wort of 8 different brews.

Redux Blend 1 from Side Project Brewing in Saint Louis, MO

Couldn’t wrap up a top beers blog without a Side Project bottle of course! Redux is an Imperial Stout finished with maple syrup, coconut flakes, and ground cinnamon.

Check Back next month for my top beers of July!
CHeers —Alexis

2026 Firestone Walker Invitational

As a beer nerd, attending the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest has been on my bucket list for a while, and finally this year the stars aligned for me to be in central California at the time of the event! This was the 13th year of FWIBF and it absolutely lived up to the hype.

The day was full of incredible beer, delicious food, fun live music, and relaxing vibes, all for a good cause! Proceeds from the festival benefit Paso Robles Pioneer Day, a local nonprofit dedicated to preserving the unique history and culture of Paso Robles.

The event is incredibly well organized with an app for attendees to download ahead of time with the participating breweries, tap lists, food menus, live music schedule, frequently asked questions, and the ever so important map! On the app attendees were also able to vote for the People’s Choice Award winner which was presented to Everywhere Beer Co. in Orange, CA this year. I was able to visit their taproom in their first year open and was very impressed.

Paso Robles Event Center is the home of the fest and there is plenty of shade, misters, and seating areas to keep folks comfortable. Plus, breweries and sponsors got creative with their offerings to keep things cool and fun as well. Cocktails at beer fest? Beer slushees? Jello shots? Yes yes and yes please!

Overall FWIBF did not just feel like another run of the mill beer fest—there is intentionality and unique touches that set this event apart.

On top of the festival itself, Firestone Walker makes a weekend out of the event. On Friday they organize a block party the day before the fest that is open to the general public with live music, barbeque, FW beers, and guest taps. Then on Sunday the weekend rounds out with Brews and Brekky at the taproom with guest beers and a special brunch menu. The Papas Con Chorizo Pizza I had at brunch alongside a pour of Anna from Hill Farmstead was perfection!

My Top Beers

The 2026 fest featured over 70 breweries from around the world, and what makes this fest even more special is that the brewers/owners themselves are present pouring the beers for attendees, not just volunteers or bartenders. You’ve got the experts onsite sharing their passion and knowledge which was amazing! Here were my top pours:

Blessed Purr collaboration brew from Horus Aged Ales in Oceanside, CA and Anchorage Brewing in Anchorage, AK

Blessed Purr is a bourbon barrel aged blend of double oaked and triple oaked Imperial Stouts with Democratic Republic of Congo vanilla beans, Madagascar vanilla beans, raw coconut, and toasted coconut added. Yes I did in fact start a beer festival with a 21.66% ABV Imperial Stout. Yes it was my absolute favorite beer of the day! This is an insanely great beer from two of the absolute best Stout producers in the country.

Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty, Little Ball of Fur, Happy Kitty, Sleepy Kitty, Purr Purr Purr from Horus Aged Ales in Oceanside, CA

This crazy beer is an Imperial Stout aged in Pappy Van Winkle 20 year bourbon barrels, then William Larue Weller bourbon barrels, and finished in Blanton's bourbon barrels with Democratic Republic of Congo vanilla beans added. I just continue to be amazed by the insanely good beers Kyle is creating!

Samuel from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT

Samuel is a Farmhouse Ale with buckwheat, spelt, and Vermont wildflower honey aged in wine barrels and then bottle conditioned. Although I’ve had Samuel many times, it’s not a beer you pass up when it is available! Always an absolute gem.

Smoke & Stories from Fidens Brewing in Albany, NY

Smoke & Stories is a quadruple dry-hopped Double IPA brewed with Citra, Nelson, Superdelic Cryo, Egger's Special, Motueka and Motueka Hop Kief hops. This was a classic Fidens banger—silky smooth, packed with flavor.

Just One Thing…Nelson! from Green Cheek Beer Company in Orange, CA

This is an all-Nelson double dry hopped Imperial IPA with hand selected 2022 Nelson Sauvin. I love an all Nelson IPA so this was a delight! Green Cheek had a fun set up at the fest as well that was absolutely poppin’. I also loved that they had some of their hop partners pouring cans for folks in the line so you were able to try more than one of their beers while just waiting once. They also had slushees and sliders!

Hana Select Lager from Bierstadt Lagerhaus in Denver, CO

Hana Select Lager is a Czech Pale Lager brewed for International Women’s Month with 19th century Hana Valley malt and Czech Saaz hops. Bierstadt obviously crushes the Lager game but this was even better than their standard Helles or Slow Pour Pils in my opinion. A little bit unique, a lot bit great.

Delia from Birrificio Italiano in Limido Comasco, Lombardia Italy

Delia is a bottom-fermented Italian Pilsner with floor-malted barley and German hops. An Italian Pilsner straight out of Italy unsurprisingly slapped. The foam and slight bitterness were exactly right. Pleasantly surprised!

Dark Watchers collaboration brew from Alvarado Street Brewery in Monterey, CA and Brujos Brewing in Portland, OR

Dark Watchers is a Hazy Triple IPA. Alvarado Street had a fun set-up at the fest pouring out of a car they had to get there on a trailer. Definitely a banger!

Poetica 3 from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT

Poetica 3 is a Czech-inspired Pilsner brewed with a single decoction mash process, Czech Saaz hops, fermented with Czech and German lager yeast in a French oak puncheon. I was lucky enough to have a pour of this tasty beer at their taproom at the end of 2025, so when I saw it on tap at the fest I knew it would be a perfect, refreshing beer.

Achromatic Vibes (2025) collaboration brew from Side Project Brewing in St. Louis, MO and WeldWerks Brewing in Greeley, CO

Achromatic Vibes 2025 is a non-barrel aged Imperial Stout finished on raw and toasted coconut chips and a blend of vanilla beans. This was a solid offering from two great breweries. A coconut Stout will always be one of my favorites!

15 Years Cuvée from Oxbow Brewing Company in Newcastle, ME

15 Years Cuvée is a barrel-aged Farmhouse Ale blended to celebrate Oxbow's 15th anniversary. The blend incorporates threads of barrel-aged batches of all five of their original farmhouse ales: Arboreal, FPA, Noel, Oxtoberfest & Space Cowboy. Oxbow is always great in my eyes, and I can’t wait to visit some of their spaces when I am up in Maine next month! Their Portland taproom with Duckfat fries is chef’s kiss.

My Top Bites

FWIBF also partners with area restaurants and there were 20 different food vendors providing delicious bites to pair with the brews. My favorites were:

Benny’s Pizza Palace and Social Club in San Luis Obispo: Detroit-style Pizza

Pizza and beer? Say less. This sample of pizza was absolutely delicious! As a Michigander I always love a Detroit-style pie, and this one was a great rendition.

Street Side Ale House in Paso Robles and Atascadero: Street Mac

This rotini pasta with house-made pepper jack cream, pepperoncini, bacon, toasted rosemary, and parmesan definitely had a kick, but was packed with delicious flavor! It was a great grab while waiting in the Green Cheek line!

Della’s Wood-Fired Pizza in Paso Robles: Mortadella Sandwich with whipped ricotta and pistachio pesto

The bread on this sandwich was particularly great! Perfect snag to get some substance between pours.

I am bummed I missed the Watermelon & Citrus Shrimp Ceviche from Union & Vine in Atascadero as well!

Cheers to such an amazing fest and weekend of events! The next festival I am attending is Hill Farmstead’s Festival of Farmhouse Ales next month and I can’t wait!

Check back to see my top beers! Cheers —Alexis

March and April 2026

March and April included visits to Asheville, Durham for the Rare and Vintage Beer Tasting, Atlanta for the Little Beer Festival, a quick stop in Greenville, a fun weekend at Wild Hartsville, a couple of bottle shares, and a lot of time in Charlotte supporting local! I visited STIR, Plot Twist, STK, Frenchy’s, Yume, Petty Thieves, Burial x 4, Que Onda, Margeux’s, Kit’s, Edge City, Vaulted Oak, The Craic, HopFly, ESO, Fonta Flora, State of Confusion, Printshop, Salud, and Keepsake over the past two months.

During all of this I tried 181 beers in March and April, and in no particular order, here were the best:

Fairy Ring + Excelsior + Colossal Something from Fidens Brewing in Albany, NY

Three Hazy powerhouses from the fine folks at Fidens! Fairy Ring is an Imperial IPA, Excelsior is a Double IPA triple dry-hopped with Nelson, Peacharine, Riwaka, Nectaron, Motueka Hop Kief, and Rakau Hop Kief. Colossal Something is a Quadruple Dry-Hopped Quadruple IPA brewed with Citra, Waimea, Superdelic, Nelson, Rakau and Riwaka hops.

Luxe from Two Tides Brewing in Savannah, GA

Two Tides came into town for Burial’s Primavera Celebration and graced us with this delicious Imperial Stout during the off-topic panel conversation. It was aged 32 months in 12 year Willet Family Estate PurpleTop bourbon barrels and has roasted pecans, caramel, chocolate and sea salt. Banger!

The Real of Absolute Nothingness from Burial Beer in Asheville, NC + The Fabrication of a Most Diabolical Empire collaboration brew with Xul Brewing in Knoxville, TN

The Realm of Absolute Nothingness is an Imperial Stout aged on select French Broad Chocolate cocoa nibs, Madagascar vanilla beans, and macaroon coconut. The Fabrication of a Most Diabolical Empire is an Imperial IPA mashed with oats and wheat, double dry-hopped with Coleman Farms' Citra, Galaxy, Nectaron, and Rakau, and finished with Citra Cryo & Hyperboost. This Xul collab was also thanks to their Primavera celebration and one of my favorite IPAs I have had in a hot minute.

No Sleep + A Deal With The Devil Triple Oaked Batch 11 from Anchorage Brewing in Anchorage, AK

Anchorage! Always blessed when a month includes a pour of their insanely great beers! No Sleep is a blend of several vintages of double oaked Barleywine and Imperial Stouts aged in a variety of bourbon barrels then fnished in Klatch coffee, Vermont maple syrup and Madagascar vanilla beans. This version of A Deal With The Devil is a triple oaked Barleywine aged 25 months in a mix of Willett, Woodford reserve double oaked bourbon barrels, and cognac barrels.

EBK Until They Kill Me Ghost Edition + Ghost Dead and Gone from Adroit Theory in Purcellville, VA

Adroit Theory is quietly crushing it up in the DC metro area. I loved my visit there a couple of summers ago, and was thrilled to see them on the list at Wild Hartsville. They had several great beers that day, but my two favorites were EBK Until They Kill Me Ghost Edition, a special version of their flagship IPA that is double dry-hopped with Citra, Riwaka, Nelson Sauvin, and Motueka hops and Ghost Dead and Gone, a Triple IPA double dry-hopped with Citra and Mosaic.

GSO Barrel Select 2025 + Ammo Can: Nahvi Bravo from Forgotten Road Ales in Graham, NC

I had the pleasure of attending two festivals in a month that Ben from Forgotten Road was pouring at, so of course there were some stellar Stouts. My two favorites were GSO Barrel Select 2025 which is an Imperial Stout aged in Cognac barrels that aged 14 year bourbon. This was a special release for their Greensboro Taproom's 3rd anniversary. I still need to make it to this taproom! I also loved Ammo Can: Nahvi Bravo, an Imperial Stout aged for 15 months in a 8 year 1792 Sweet Wheat Bourbon Barrel with banana, vanilla and cinnamon.

Coconut Crab from The Answer in Richmond, VA

Coconut Crab is an Imperial Stout with toasted coconut that was one of the VIP pours at Wild Hartsville. So, so good.

Schwemme from Schilling Beer Co. in Littleton, NH

Schwemme was my favorite pour at Little Beer! It is a low ABV sessionable take on the pale German lager tradition. Thankfully I just snagged a can of this locally so I can enjoy it again!

Fusion Chamber: Coconut 2026 from Little Cottage Brewery in Avondale Estates, GA

I was really excited to finally visit Little Cottage and loved this Imperial Stout with coconut. Have you heard I like coconut Stouts? lollllll

For LC from Side Project Brewing in St. Louis, MO + For MD Blend 2 collaboration brew with WeldWerks Brewing Co. in Greeley, CO

Dark beers from Side Project would easily be on my marry list of FMK. LOVE them so much and so thankful that my friend now visits there for work and can get the hook up. For LC is a Double Barrel-aged Imperial Stout with Mexican vanilla beans, cocoa nibs, cinnamon sticks and ancho chilis aged in Blanton's and Weller 12 barrels, then blended and aged a second time on Willett Rye and Artifact Honey Bourbon Barrels, with more vanilla added. MD Blend 2 blends the techniques of each brewery’s most recognizable Stout: Medianoche and Derivation. It is an Imperial Stout aged in 15-year-old Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond bourbon barrels and seven-year-old Weller bourbon barrels with Madagascar vanilla beans and dark, robust maple syrup added.

Yodel: Rakau from Freak Folk Bier in Waterbury, VT + Jasper collaboration brew with Fidens

Freak Folk never misses! Yodel: Rakau is the seventh installment in their Yodel single hop series. Jasper is a fun take on this Fidens classic brewed with Citra hops. Can’t wait to get back up there in July!

From The Pinnacle + Populus from Brujos Brewing in Portland, OR + Green Warlocks collaboration brew with Other Half Brewing in Brooklyn, NY

From the Pinnacle is a triple dry-hopped Triple Hazy IPA. Populus is a double dry hopped Hazy IPA with Nelson, Citra and Mosaic. Green Warlocks is an Imperial IPA brewed by OH. This is the most Brujos I have had in while and it was a good reminder of how fantastic they are!

Undertone: French Butter Pear from Casey Brewing and Blending in Glenwood Springs, CO

Love a good excuse to open a Casey bottle! This is an oat Farmhouse Ale aged with organic French Butter Pears. I will continue to die on the hill that pear Farmhouse Ales are underrated.

Works of Love: Keeping Together collaboration brew from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT and Keeping Together Beer in Santa Fe, NM

I am very excited to visit Averie’s new taproom (hopefully in 2027!) and really enjoyed this collab she did with Hill. This is a Farmhouse Ale with Vermont wildflower honey that was open-fermented in a wooden foudre and bottle aged.

Barrel Aged Sky Summoner collaboration brew from The Veil Brewing in Richmond, VA and Horus Aged Ales in Oceanside, CA

I need a visit to Richmond to restock my Veil bottle supply soon! This was a great pour at Rare and Vintage that is the barrel aged version of this collab that was a blend of each brewery’s house Stout conditioned on Wild Thai banana, toasted coconut, and whole vanilla beans from Uganda, Tahiti, and The Congo. It was then aged on Blis Maple Bourbon, Laird’s Apple Brandy, and Willett Family Reserve barrels for 16 months. It is not an overly sweet Stout like it might read, the barrels balance everything out nicely and create a fantastic brew.

Hypnagogic collaboration brew from Phase Three Brewing in Lake Zurich, IL + Mortalis Brewing in Avon, NY

This Imperial Stout was aged for over two years in Heaven Hill and Henry McKenna barrels then conditioned on raw and toasted coconut, wild Thai bananas, and Saigon cinnamon. I am always delighted to try anything from Phase Three and this was stellar!

The Surrealist Society 2025 No. 11 from Dssolvr in Asheville, NC

Barrel aged Imperial Stout aged for two years in Elijah Craig bourbon barrels, then aged secondary on toasted pecans, cinnamon, cooperative coffee dark roast, and maple syrup. This was my first pour at Rare and Vintage and the perfect breakfast-style Stout to start the day! Would love to try some others from this series!

Loggin’ collaboration brew from Cellarest Brewing in Asheville, NC and Whaley Farm Brewery in Old Fort, NC

Loggin’ is a Czech Pilsner aged in oak puncheons. I had this both on tap at the brewery and at home in a can and loved it both times. Perfectly crushable yet still full of flavor!

Check back next month for my top beers of may!
Cheers—Alexis

Denver, Colorado

Denver is an amazing city full of fantastic breweries, delicious eats, amazing hotels, and unique things to do!

Denver Tips: 

• Be aware of the altitude! It's real! Stay hydrated and take things slow to avoid feeling sick, especially when you first arrive

• If you are leaving the city back-ups on I-70 can be insane—so be sure to allow for extra time. My recommendations for Rocky Mountain National Park, Aspen, Glenwood Springs, Frisco, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and Greeley can be found at the link below:

Denver Top Recommendations:

• Cohesion Brewing Company: A great brewery focused on Lagers. They have a cozy taproom in an industrial area north of RiNo. They have 5 taps and some guest beers, usually one of which is from Primitive and worth trying!

• Cerebral Brewing: This is a great brewery with 3 locations around Denver: Congress Park, Aurora Arts, and West Highland. Their Stouts and IPAs are what they do best in my opinion.

• Finn’s Manor: A great beer and cocktail bar in the heart of RiNo. They have a great tap list, chill vibes, and a killer patio space.

• New Image Brewing: New Image has two taprooms in the Denver suburbs: Arvada and Wheat Ridge. This is a top-notch brewery that I highly recommend. At Wheat Ridge their onsite food truck Social Dough Pizza is ridiculously good as well!

• The River North (RiNo) neighborhood is full of art and breweries, what more do you need? 

  • Bierstadt Lagerhaus: This is the Mecca of Lager beers. Get a Slow Pour Pils and Giant Ass Pretzel and don’t look back

  • Our Mutual Friend Brewing: Lots of fantastic IPAs in particular. They also have rotating food trucks and an outside patio

  • Ratio Beerworks: Fantastic outdoor space with cornhole and a patio. They have a wide variety of beers and it’s an overall fun & funky spot

  • Odell Brewing: Another solid option in the RiNo neighborhood with a variety of beers

  • Central Market is a great food hall in the heart of the RiNo neighborhood

• Stay at The Maven Hotel: This incredible hotel is located at the Dairy Block in downtown Denver right across from Coors Field. The rooms and balcony views are fantastic, and the unique setup of this area takes things to the next level! There are a ton of shops, restaurants and bars all housed within this block. My favorites:

  • Westbound & Down: A great brewery right behind the hotel

  • Kachina Restaurant: Delicious Mexican eats in the hotel lobby

  • Seven Grand: A cool whiskey bar that partners with the hotel for a very informative tasting 

  • Huckleberry Roasters: A cute coffee shop in the lobby—they also have a couple other locations around town as well.

  • The Dairy Block Food Hall has a ton of options right in the lobby as well!

• Milieu Fermentation: A great brewery with a large tap list in Aurora. Definitely recommend!

• Rosenberg Bagels: Incredible spot for bagels, highly recommend!

• Voodoo Donuts: Creative and crazy donuts that are incredibly delicious!

• Knotted Root Brewing Company: A solid brewery with locations in Nederland and Denver. Their beers used to be extremely good and have become a little more average with time and expansion, but it is still worth checking out. Pro-tip if you are heading to the Brainard Lake Recreation Area for a hike or to hang at the lake the Nederland taproom is right down the road.

• Check out Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater: The amphitheater is touristy but worth checking out! They do concerts, yoga, and numerous activities in this space. Catching a concert here is amazing!

  • I would definitely recommend hiking in the park if you’re not visiting for a concert. I did a 4.3 mile trail that had diverse landscape and wasn’t too challenging.

  • Fairfield Inn Lakewood is a perfectly average hotel stay near Red Rocks

• Novel Strand Brewing Company: A solid brewery and coffee shop in South Denver. Great neighborhood-y vibes.

• Denver Biscuit Company: A phenomenal, albeit touristy, spot for breakfast! The biscuits are massive, flaky, soft, and amazing.

• Monolith Brewing: A solid brewery in a beautiful space with games, snacks, and a brewery dog!

• Middle State Coffee: This coffee shop has several locations in the Denver area and is great! The Highlands neighborhood spot is cute.

• Wanderment Brewing: A solid brewery with a good variety of styles. Their focus is on Saisons which I found to be tasty, but did not love their IPA.

• Explore the Littleton neighborhood: This is a cute little downtown area perfect for bopping around. My two favorite spots:

  • Jake’s Brew Bar: An awesome beer bar and beer garden with a stellar beer list. Highly recommend!

  • Cencalli Taqueria: A tasty spot for Mexican eats.

Balcony view from The Maven Hotel

Great Hikes Near Denver:

• Mount Flora Trail: This trail is 6.3 miles long with 1,788ft of elevation gain and takes about 3.5 hours to complete. There are nice views throughout the trail, and you can also add on different segments to make the trail longer if you’d like. It is a 13er with a very exposed trail so expect quite a bit of wind at times. Mount Flora is in the Arapaho National Forest and just one hour from Denver so it is a popular trail.

• Lake Isabelle via Pawnee Pass Trail: This trail is 6.6 miles long with 672ft of elevation gain and takes a little over two hours to complete. It is pretty with three lakes: Brainard, Long, and Isabelle with mountain views throughout. The trail is mostly flat aside from one section at the end. You will need to reserve parking ahead of time for the Brainard Lake Recreation Area.

• Herman Gulch Trail: This trail is 6.5 miles long with 1,755ft of elevation gain and takes about 3.5 hours to complete. It leads out to a chill lake and is a nice trail overall. It is in the Arapaho National Forest just an hour from Denver and right off I-70 so it is very popular.

See the rest of my Colorado recommendations here—there are great hikes all over the state!

Mount Flora Summit

Other Denver Ideas:

• Crooked Stave: Their Denver taproom is small but they still have a variety of beers to choose from and a huge bottle selection.

• Check out the famous giant blue bear at the Convention Center!

• Bardo Coffeehouse: A great coffee spot option with three locations across the area.

• Hyatt Regency Aurora Denver Conference Center: This is quite a nice stay close to several breweries in Aurora and not far from the airport.

• Spangalang Brewery: A microbrewery in the Five Points neighborhood with yummy beers and a patio.

• Wynkoop Brewing: More of a brewpub, Wynkoop is a hot spot for lunch during the work week, being located right downtown. 

• Check out a bottle shop! Argonaut Wine & Liquor is a great option.

• Illegal Pete’s: A great spot for burritos, nachos, and tacos!

• Reverence Brewing: An average brewery with quintessential “neighborhood brewery” vibes.

• Skip: The Hampton Inn Downtown. The rooms were incredibly hot, the elevators broken, and overall it was not impressive.

• Skip: Great Divide Brewing: Mediocre brewery with rude staff would not recommend.

Grand Teton National Park

The Tetons are one of the most beautiful areas I have ever been to! I absolutely loved my trip exploring this part of the country and I highly, highly recommend it!

General things to know:

• Grand Teton National Park is quite small, and the town of Jackson, Wyoming sits right at the park entrance.

• There are a lot of restaurants and lodging options inside the park, which is not always the case and a nice perk here.

• Combine your Teton adventures with a trip to Yellowstone—the park signs are literally only 10 minutes apart! + if you are debating between the two, Tetons > Yellowstone.

Grand Teton National Park Recommendations:

• Catch sunrise at Schwabacher Landing: This is a stunning sight if you’re lucky on a clear day. Expect a crowd, but it is amazing.

  • Oxbow Bend is another popular sunrise spot that is very pretty!

• Cascade Canyon Trail & Solitude Lake Trail: This is a long trail at 14.3 miles with 2,362ft of elevation and takes about 6.5 hours to complete. Most folks do not head out to Solitude lake and just explore the Cascade Canyon area. Cascade Canyon is home to Hidden Falls, a nice large waterfall, and Inspiration Point, a nice overlook. You’ll see these spots on the trail either choice you make. Solitude Lake is beautiful and super clear. I was also lucky enough to encounter a lot of wildlife in this section of the trail with 5 different Moose and a baby bear on the trail. Even if you don’t want to hike, you should still stop by Jenny Lake to soak in the views!  

  • You’ll start by taking a shuttle across Jenny Lake (or add to your distance by hiking around the side of the lake). For the shuttle it is $20 cash, there are no reservations, and boats run every 10-15 minutes. If you’re lucky enough to get on the first boat of the day you’ll get half off the cost! Expect a wait for the boat on your way back across in the afternoon.

• Taggart & Bradley Lake Loop: This trail takes you out to two beautiful lakes and is 5.8 miles long with 767ft of elevation gain. Both have stunning reflections in the morning hours so I would definitely recommend doing this earlier rather than later. Additionally, the parking lot here fills up with folks lounging at Taggart all afternoon so the early bird certainly gets the worm here. Overall this trail took me about 2.5 hours to complete.

  • You can either shorten the trail by just visiting Taggart Lake, which is far more popular, or you can lengthen the trail by adding on Delta or Surprise + Amphitheater Lakes for more of a challenge—personally I was going to add on Delta Lake, but there was some nearby forest fires causing visibility to not be ideal so I did not want to risk hiking all the way up there for nothing!

• Dornans: This business wears a lot of hats: grocery store, chuckwagon, gas station, cabin rentals, market and deli, adventure rentals, and a Pizza & Pasta business. I would highly recommend checking out the Pizza and Pasta spot at the Spur Bar. Head over for lunch or dinner and go up to the top deck. The views here are fantastic! They have about 10 beer taps, cocktails, wine, and you can buy bottles of wine next door at their wine shop to bring over too. This spot definitely gets busy, but it’s awesome!

• Leigh Lake Trail and String Lake Trail: I chose to combine these two trails, but you could also just do one or the other, or you can also loop around the lakes! Both lakes have beautiful reflections in the morning hours, so I would recommend starting here one of your days in the park. Both trails are nice and easy with several beaches and viewpoints throughout. You don’t really even need to hike if you don’t want to, you could just lounge at a lake! Keep your eyes peeled for moose in this area.

  • There is plenty of parking at the Leigh Lake Trailhead, whereas the String Lake parking area is a lot smaller.

• Relax at Colter Bay Beach: This area itself is poppin’ but I was the only one on the scenic beach.

• Woodland, Phelps Lake, and Lake Creek Loop: This trail is inside the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve part of the park. it leads out to the beautiful Phelps Lake that has crystal clear water and even a place where you can cliff jump! The trail claims to be 3.2 miles long with 269ft of elevation gain but it felt like it was moderately uphill the whole way out to the lake. Or maybe my legs were just tired at this point haha. Overall it took me about an hour and 10 minutes to complete and is a nice, easy trail. This is a great spot to have a picnic or spend an afternoon. There is even a bathroom out by the lake for your convenience.

  • There is another route that takes you to Phelps Lake via the Valley Trail, but I’d really recommend this route so you are looking at the mountains.

• Explore the Jenny Lake Scenic Drive: The Jenny Lake Overlook here is quite pretty.

• Stop at Jackson Point Overlook: Really great views! Signal Mountain Summit is also located just above Jackson Point for a different angle of the area.

• Moose Wilson Road is a non-scenic drive that is popular for wildlife viewing—personally I saw a bear here.

Jackson, Wyoming Recommendations:

Jackson Hole is infamous and serves as the gateway to the Tetons. The downtown area is super cute, but also very touristy of course.

• Melvin The Dojo: Melvin Brewing’s OG location is just far enough away to be annoying, but thankfully they opened The Dojo on the town square. Their beers are tasty and the food looked amazing!

• Wander the Town Square: This is a beautiful little park and taking a picture with the antler arches is required. There are a TON of restaurants and shops that surround the square.

• Persephone Bakery: This spot had an INSANE line so instead I checked out their Picnic location and it was fantastic.

• Snake River Brewing: A solid brewery with a nice patio and beer garden. They have a full food menu as well.

• I also had planned to visit StillWest Brewing but they did not open when they were supposed to either day that I tried.

Victor, Idaho

I decided to stay at this Airbnb which is a super cute tiny house in Victor, Idaho. I chose this route because I was traveling with Mosaic and needed to have an Airbnb, not a hotel room, for the days I was doing long hikes that she was not allowed to join on, and the prices in Jackson were astronomical. After exploring the area I would also recommend trying to stay in Colter Bay or Signal Mountain, and either of those could also double for your lodging to visit Yellowstone as well since they are on the north side of the park.

Victor, ID recommendations:

• Grand Teton Brewing: A cool brewery with nice views, an onsite food truck and solid beers.

• Guidepost Brewing: Another solid spot with a full food menu and a nice patio space.

• Refuge Taphouse: A nice beer bar with 10 taps in downtown Victor.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park gets a lot of hype and, in many ways, defines what people think of as a national park. Personally it was not my favorite park, especially having just come from the very chill and stunningly beautiful Grand Teton National Park, but the unique landscapes and seeing a TON of wildlife—probably over 100 bison, a ton of deer and elk, and even a bear were awesome!

Things I did not love: soooooo many people allllll the time. Normally if I visit off-season, midweek, and start my day early I can avoid the majority of crowds in a national park. Yellowstone is crowded always it appears. This also means parking is horrible all the time. Expect to have to wait/do laps to find a spot every single time you move.

The park is huge and quite spread out so be sure to do some planning in advance, especially because in most of the park there will be no cell service.

Yellowstone Recommendations:

• West Thumb Geyser Trail: This area is full of geysers, springs, and cones and set with Yellowstone Lake in the background. It is one of the best areas of the park in my opinion!

• Head to Hayden Valley at sunrise or dusk to observe wildlife! Personally I saw a ton of bison, elk, and a bear!

• Upper Falls, Lower Falls and Crystal Falls Trail: This hike take you to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone along the south rim. You can do this trail from north to south or south to north, or you can hike across the river on the north rim trail, or you can also drive to most of the viewpoints along the way. The hike was 4.7 miles long with 459ft of elevation gain and takes about an hour and 40 minutes to complete. Upper Falls and Artist Point were my favorite views—the canyon is dramatic!

• Old Faithful: Of course while at Yellowstone you have to see Old Faithful erupt. Expect a ton of people, and use the National Park Service App to get the predicted eruption time. The eruption is cool but a bit underwhelming in my opinion. In this very built up area there is also a few other large geysers: Castle Geyser, Grand Geyser, Daisy Geyser, and Riverside Geyser that you can access via the Upper Geyser Basin and Old Faithful Observation Point Loop trail.

• Norris Geyser Basin Trail: This is a nice loop trail to a bunch of different stops. Steamboat Geyser is located here which is the world’s tallest active geyser, but it only erupts about once a year. The Emerald Spring was my favorite spot here.

• Mammoth Terraces Trail: The trail is 2.2 miles long with 321ft of elevation gain and takes about an hour to complete. The terraces are super unique! This hike is in the furthest north section of the park, so if you are headed in this direction or exploring Mammoth definitely check it out—otherwise it is not worth going so far out of the way for.

• Grand Prismatic Spring Trail: This area was so full of people that after trying two separate days and waiting over an hour without even making it to the parking area I gave up. Good luck.

West Yellowstone, Montana

I stayed at Yellowstone Holiday Resort in West Yellowstone, MT, 15 minutes from the West Yellowstone park entrance. The cabins are set on Hebgen Lake which was nice and relaxing with mountain views. The cabins themselves are very basic, but overall it checked all the boxes for me. They also have boat slips, boat rentals, and kayak rentals onsite.

• The Buffalo Bar: A cool bar/restaurant with a stellar patio in West Yellowstone. The food and drinks were great and service was too!

• Yellowstone Beer Co: A brewery option in West Yellowstone that also has a food menu. Their taproom is a bit of an odd space.

Nebraska

Nebraska! Frequently overlooked but surprisingly a gem. This was my 50th state visit (!) so it holds a special place in my heart.

Lincoln

I went to Lincoln solely to go to one brewery and I have no regrets. Boiler Brewing Company is located right in the heart of downtown and is making incredible beers! I highly recommend paying them a visit. I really enjoyed the IPAs and Stouts in particular.

Omaha 

Omaha is right on the Nebraska border with Iowa, making it an easy addition to a Midwest road trip. I really enjoyed Omaha and found it to be quite a cool city! Unfortunately the good breweries are a bit spread out so be sure to plan in advance.

• Bearded Brewer Artisan Ales: Although this brewery is located southwest of the city and in a strip mall, it is absolutely worth venturing out of the way for! Their beer is very good, and they also have a location in Longmont, Colorado as well.

• Know Good: A tasty spot for bagels and coffee!

• Corn Coast Brewing Company: Located in the La Vista area of Omaha. They have a large tap list and tasty beers. They also have a taproom in Lincoln.

• Stay at Magnolia Hotel Omaha: This hotel is in a nice historic building right downtown. They have a cute onsite restaurant with patio seating and overall it is a great stay!

• Lumen Beer: A solid little brewery downtown in the Little Bohemia neighborhood. Expect an IPA heavy menu and a small snack menu.

• Kros Strain Brewing: Kros Strain has two locations in Omaha: the La Vista area, right around the corner from Corn Coast, and downtown. Overall I was underwhelmed by their beer, but it’s still worth checking out.

• Explore the RiverFront area: Heartland of America Park and the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge are nice parks on the river and really well done.  

North and South Dakota

The Dakotas are often overlooked, and honestly I can understand that. They are certainly nowhere near my favorite states, but there is some interesting landscapes, some incredibly nice people, and the bison everywhere are really cool!

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ND:

This park is divided into three units—the North, the South, and Elkhorn Ranch which is just Teddy Roosevelt’s old ranch. The north and south are about an hour apart. It took me about 6 hours to visit both, but you could easily spend a day at each if you wanted. Keep your eyes peeled for bison, deer, prairie dogs, and pronghorn. Overall I preferred the North Unit by far—there were a ton of bison, no one around, and a really unique landscape.

• North Unit:

  • Explore the Scenic Drive, which is the only road through the park. It is 14 miles one way.

  • Oxbow Overlook: A beautiful spot for sunrise!

  • River Bend Overlook: A nice little platform with a view

  • Caprock Coulee Trail: This is the other trail I considered but could not complete since it is not dog-friendly, but I wanted to include it in case you are interested!

  • Stonehome Brewing: A solid brewery in Watford City, ND about 20 minutes north of the North Unit.

• South Unit: 

  • Painted Canyon: A nice overlook and rest area on the way into the South Unit.

  • Explore the scenic drive: The South Unit’s scenic drive is a 36 mile loop. Overall I found it to not be super scenic but still nice.

  • Wind Canyon Trail: A quick half mile trail that is mostly flat and has nice river views and some unique landscape. Located on the scenic drive. 

  • Medora is the town at South Unit that I found to be a cheesy little western town with not much going on.

Rapid City, SD: 

• Woodland Republic Brewing and Blending: A good brewery with a huge tap list right downtown. They have frequent food trucks as well.

• Dakota Point Brewing: A solid brewery with a large tap list. Chill vibes.

  • Lost Cabin Beer Co has a location right next door as well, but I went to their Black Hills location instead

• Wine Cellar Restaurant: A nice restaurant downtown run by the nicest team of folks! Super dog-friendly patio and tasty options.

• Zymurcacy Beer Company: Another brewery option further out of town with frequent food trucks.

The Black Hills of South Dakota:

I had high expectations for the Black Hills area but overall found the vibes to be that of Gatlinburg or Myrtle Beach—overly touristy and giving me the ick. There are some nice outdoorsy things here so don’t complete write it off, but just go in knowing the vibe.

• Lost Cabin Beer Co: A great brewery with a fun beer garden and frequent food trucks. Highly recommend!

• Cohort Craft Brewery: Another brewery option in the area with a really nice space. They have an onsite kitchen here as well.

• I stayed at Under Canvas which is owned by Hyatt so essentially it was like glamping on steroids. The tents are nice and clean but it was not super relaxing/in the woods vibes like you would expect. The firepits are also communal which is not ideal. Overall it is nice but for the price I would expect better vibes.

Custer State Park:

• Check out Sylvan Lake right near the entrance—particularly in the morning when the light provides a nice reflection and before it is overrun with people.

• Black Elk Peak Loop: This is the highest point in South Dakota and the highest point east of the Rockies! Overall it is a moderate trail at 7.2 miles long with 1,469ft of elevation gain and takes about 3 hours to complete. You can add on the Cathedral Spires or Little Devil’s Tower as well. It is pretty at the summit and you can see incredibly far away. Overall not epic but nice.

• Needles Highway: A unique scenic drive—the northern half of the road has much better views in my opinion. There are some very neat tunnels to drive through.

• Wildlife Loop Road: An 18 mile scenic loop road with bison, pronghorn, donkeys, and more. This is where they do the annual buffalo round-up as well.

• Iron Mountain Road: Another scenic drive option with a bunch of switchbacks and some more cool tunnels.

Wind Cave National Park:

You have to book a tour to enter the cave so be sure to plan ahead. Keep your eyes peeled for bison on the way in/out of the park! I would recommend the Natural Entrance Tour here.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Unimpressed, frankly. But might as well see it while you’re here.

Badlands National Park, SD:

This is a unique area with one road through the park and a few short hiking options. The landscape is otherworldly.

I would recommend trying to visit in the afternoon or early evening to avoid the fog that commonly sits in the area. Overall you only need about a half day to do everything here.

• Explore the Scenic Loop Road: there are numerous overlooks and occasional bison. I would recommend the Yellow Mounds Overlook, Panorama Point, and Big Badlands Overlook the most. I stopped at almost every overlook and the road only took me about 90 minutes to complete.

• Most of the hikes are at the same trailhead. I would definitely recommend The Window Trail which is just a quick .3 mile walk on a boardwalk to a neat view. I had also planned to do the Saddle Pass Trail but visibility was just too low.

Sioux Falls, SD:

Sioux Falls is a cute city right at the Minnesota and Iowa borders, so you can easily include this on a Midwest road trip!

• Monk’s Ale House: A cool beer bar with 50 taps and a great selection. They have a nice patio, a spacious interior, and a full food menu. Located right downtown.

• WoodGrain Brewing: A solid brewery with a large variety of beers. Located downtown, with another location further east.

• Falls Park: A nice park with a waterfall, definitely a must-visit!

• Altered Species Ales: Another brewery option that is located at the mall.

• TapHouse 41: A beer bar also located at the mall for some reason with a full food menu and cocktails as well. Overall a nice spot.