Miami, FL

Miami is a beautiful beach city with fun vibes and some great breweries, bars, and restaurants!

Miami Tips: 

• Miami is more than just a party beach, make sure you explore all the city has to offer!

• I would recommend staying on the city side, it is way cheaper, and it is just a quick ride to the beach.

• A lot of businesses add in an 18% tip automatically, so just be sure to double check your bill so you know which spots are including it and which are not.

• If you’re also visiting Fort Lauderdale, or flying in/out of there, there is a train that runs between the two cities. Fort Lauderdale recommendations below!

Adventures & Ales Top Miami Recommendations: 

• Explore the Wynwood Neighborhood!

  • J. Wakefield Brewing: Delicious beers and a lot of collaboration brews as well! A smaller taproom but they do have outdoor seating as well. A must visit while in Miami.

  • Wynwood Walls: It's hard to miss the amazing artwork that lines the walls of this neighborhood! Wander the streets and check out all of the amazing pieces. There is also a specific area that you can pay to enter and explore, but from my perspective there is plenty of gorgeous free art throughout the area.

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

  • Coyo Taco: A popular taco spot with delicious food!

  • No. 3 Social: A fun rooftop bar and lounge. The views are average, but it is still a nice spot to hang out. They also do a happy hour with great deals!

  • Oasis: A shipping container-style outdoor food hall. It is super cute and a great spot to hang out.

  • The Bagel Club: A great bagel shop with delicious sandwiches and a cute back patio. You can also preorder online.

  • Kush: A restaurant and beer bar with a solid tap list and full food menu.

  • Wynwood Brewing: A fun spot with board games, flights, and an outdoor patio

• Tripping Animals Brewing Co.: A great brewery in Doral with a wide variety of beers. They also have a killer food menu—the mushroom sandwich was phenomenal.

Oasis Wynwood

Miami Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting:

• Miami Beach: While in Miami you’ve got to hit the beach! The sand is white and soft and the water stays pretty warm year round.

• Bike along A1A Beachfront Avenue: It's the perfect way to explore all of the coastline.

• Stroll along Ocean Drive in Miami Beach to check out the art deco buildings!

• Other Miami Beach Ideas:

  • Naked Taco: A boujee taco spot on the main strip of Miami Beach

  • Juice and Java: A health-focused cafe with a very large menu of salads, smoothies and more

  • Cortadito: A coffee shop in the heart of Miami Beach with delicious drinks and fun vibes

  • Joe & The Juice: Absolutely would not recommend. Overpriced, mediocre juices and smoothies with no air conditioning.

• Versailles Cuban Restaurant: Touristy but delicious Cuban food.

Orchestrated Minds Brewing

Head to Fort Lauderdale for some more brewery hopping:

• Orchestrated Minds Brewing: A tiny little spot making delicious beers—especially their Stouts and Barleywines! Their team is also incredibly nice and it is a fun spot to hang out.

  • Vegan Junkie is a delicious vegan junk food truck around the corner!

• Invasive Species Brewing: Another great brewery in Fort Lauderdale with fantastic beers, especially the Sours! They have a nice back patio space and frequent food trucks.

• 3 Sons Brewing: A restaurant-style brewery specializing in Pizzas and Lagers. They are just 6 minutes from the Fort Lauderdale airport, so if you are flying in/out it is a great stop on the way.

• Funky Buddha Brewing: Technically just north of Fort Lauderdale, but one of the largest and oldest breweries in South Florida so it is worth a stop. They have restaurant vibes and a full food menu.

• While you’re in the area check out Hollywood Beach—it is another fantastic beach with beautiful soft, white sand

Bagel Club

Other Miami Ideas:

• Unseen Creatures Brewing & Blending: Another brewery option with a dark taproom, IPA-heavy tap list, and frequent food pop-ups.

• Beat Culture Brewing & Kitchen: An interesting brewery with a bar food menu and dive bar vibes. They are 6 minutes from the Miami airport so it’s an easy stop on your way in/out of town.

• Toasted Baglery and Deli: A small bagel shop nestled on your way to the beach in Miami City with delicious sandwiches and coffees.

• Ittle Italy: Delicious vegan pizza delivery option!

• Panther Coffee: They’ve got several locations throughout Miami and Miami Beach with breakfast sandwiches, pastries and coffees.

• Spanglish: A cocktail bar and kitchen with club-ish vibes. Definitely not what was expected.

• Zak The Baker: A popular bakery in the Wynwood neighborhood. Check your order before walking away because mine was completely inaccurate, but the bagel itself was tasty.

Jacksonville, FL

The Jacksonville Beach area has several different towns along the beautiful coast to explore!

Jax Beach Tips: 

• The beaches here are nice and also are dog friendly during the off season.

• I found the Jax Beach area to not be super pedestrian friendly. It would be tough to get around without a car and when I did walk from one spot to another there were generally not a lot of crosswalks.

• I was disappointed in the lack of oceanfront restaurants/breweries/bars/coffee shops. Personally when I go on a beach trip I want to see the ocean as much as possible without always having to be sitting on the beach sweating. Spots with a view were few and far between.

• I’d recommend checking out the Amelia Island area while you’re in Northern Florida, recommendations are below. It is a cute little coastal town with great vibes.

• Skip the city of Jacksonville itself and hang at the beach, but if you do venture into the city I have some recommendations on that below.

Jacksonville Beach Area Top Recommendations:

• Hit the beach! That’s probably the reason you’re in the area, and Jax Beach is really nice. There are public restrooms and parking near Oceanfront Park but things are more limited near the fishing pier and pavilion end.

• Southern Swells Brewing: The best brewery in the area, hands down. They have a cute little taproom in a strip mall with a small patio out front. I was thoroughly impressed with all of their beers, no matter the style.

• Jax Beach Brunch Haus: A very popular spot for brunch. Expect a wait, but the vibes are great and the food is good. Their team is incredibly nice!

•  9 Zero Pour: A beer bar and bottle shop with 16 taps and cans/bottles. They’ve got a great selection on tap and in package.

• Engine 15 Brewing Company: A solid brewery with a large tap list including several guest taps. They also have a full food menu. The vibes here are very “Florida dive bar” but I was impressed with their beer.

• Hoptinger Bier Garden and Sausage House: A beer bar and restaurant with a full food menu and large tap list. They also have a location in downtown Jacksonville.

• Round Bird Coffee: A South African inspired coffee shop close to the beach. They’ve also got a full food menu with unique offerings.

• Ink Factory Brewing: An average brewery with a large tap list and wide variety of beers brewed. They also have a coffee shop.

• Green Room Brewing: An average brewery with lots of games such as ping-pong, darts, Golden Tee, and more. Heads up this spot gets pretty crazy late in the evening.

Southern Swells Brewing Company

Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach area top Recommendations:

The beach here is nice and there are a plethora of access points along the coast. The only con to these beaches is that you have to pay for parking past 11am. Pro-tip there is a somewhat hidden public bathroom behind the police station.

• Reve Brewing: A great brewery with Bones Pizza inside. Their Sours and Stouts are particularly delicious and the pizza was also good.

• The Local: A great spot for brunch with a nice patio. They also offer lunch and dinner. The prices are great, especially for being at the beach. I went here twice during my trip because I enjoyed it so much!

• Southern Grounds: A coffee shop with a full food menu and even alcohol too. They have a large patio and are just a couple blocks from the beach.

The Local

Jacksonville Area Top Recommendations:

I found Jacksonville itself to be pretty rundown and not the nicest city, so I would definitely recommend spending your time at the beach towns in the area instead.

• Cultured Collective: A great brewery in Orange Park. They have an open air space which is great for the Florida weather and their Sours in particular are delicious!

• Aardwolf Brewing Company: A solid brewery with a huge tap list pouring a wide variety of beers. It’s a great spot to grab a flight since they do so many different styles. They have a nice outdoor space and a permanent food truck onsite.

• Friendship Fountain: A popular park and large fountain that is one of the main attractions in Jacksonville.

• King Maker Brewing Company: An average brewery with a wide variety of taps. Choose to sit inside the taproom or in the warehouse space to the right which has some games and and is open air. They also have an onsite food truck.

• Strings Sports Brewery: An average brewery with a nice beer garden space and games in the taproom. They are located right downtown and they have a kitchen with a large menu. Hyperion Brewing and Historically Hoppy are right here too if you’re doing a crawl.

Amelia Island Brewing Company

Amelia Island AreA top Recommendations:

• Hit the beach! At Seaside Park you can drive onto the beach and at Main Beach Park there is ample parking and public restrooms.

• Mocama Beer Company: A beautiful brewery in a converted car dealership with great beers. They also have a coffee shop and are adding a kitchen in the future, along with opening a second location in the Wildlight neighborhood. They mainly focus on Lagers and IPAs but they brew a lot of small batches so there is always something on tap for every palate. Their team is super nice and they also host a lot of fun events.

• Amelia Island Brewing Company: A popular brewery in the heart of downtown. Choose to visit The Alley, a beer garden style space with a smaller tap list and snack menu or The Tavern next door that is a restaurant-style space with a full bar.

• Amelia River Cruises: This is an awesome way to get out on the water and see more of the area. The guides are entertaining and share interesting facts and information along the way. There are several different cruise options and they are BYOB and dog friendly.

• First Love Brewing: A solid brewery with a full food menu. Their Sours are what I enjoyed most!

Saint Petersburg, FL

Saint Petersburg is an artsy beach town with chill vibes that Is a great place to explore!

St Pete Tips: 

• Central Avenue is absolutely the place to be. This street runs from West St. Pete to the water and has about 2.5 miles of restaurants, coffee shops, bars, breweries, shopping, and more.

• Hop on the trolley! There is a well-priced trolley that will take you throughout the area—whether that is up and down Central Ave or out to the beach.

• Fly into PIE—St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport! This small airport is super easy to fly in/out of and is a great launching point for your adventures in Florida. Check out my thoughts on flying Allegiant Airlines here.

• Be sure to head across the bridge and explore Tampa while you are in the area as well! Check out my beer and travel guide here.

Adventures & Ales Top St. Pete Recommendations: 

• Cycle Brewing: A top-notch brewery focused on Barrel Aged Stouts and Barleywines. Their team is super kind as well. This was the best beer I had in St. Pete and I would highly recommend checking them out.

• Green Bench Brewing: A fantastic Lager-focused brewery with great beers and a killer patio space.

  • Webb’s City Cellar is Green Bench’s Mixed Culture, Wild, Sour, and Cider location right next door. The two locations somewhat blend together with the shared patio space, but be sure to check out both.

  • Green Bench and Webb’s City Cellar are both Bring Your Own Food establishments and there are a ton of places nearby you can pick up from or have delivered.

    • I got Mexican from right next door at Red Mesa Mercado, that was tasty but I would caution that they completely messed up my order so check it before you walk away.

• Hawthorne Bottle Shoppe: A beer and wine bottle shop and bar with good vibes. This is a really cool spot and they have a good selection of beers to choose from. They also have a food menu and an outdoor patio.

• Grand Central Brewhouse: A European beer focused brewery that features a unique tap list. They have indoor and outdoor seating both upstairs and downstairs, and a nice railing to sit at and overlook Central Ave.

• Overflow Brewing: A Sour-focused brewery with delicious beers.

• Bayboro Brewing: A solid veteran-owned brewery with a great patio, happy hour specials, and a food menu as well. Their tap list includes a wide variety of beers.

• Fabrica Pizza: A delicious pizza spot where you can choose from their menu options or build your own pie.

• Hops 2.0: A beer bar with a solid selection to choose from. They have 28 taps and food options as well. The vibes are definitely more “normal bar” than craft beer bar, but I would visit again for their beer list.

• The Brutalist/Temple of Beer: A brewery and taproom from the folks at King State and Hidden Springs in Tampa coming soon.

Webb’s City Cellar

saint petersburg Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Canopy at The Birchwood: A rooftop bar on top of the The Birchwood Hotel with sweeping views of the bay and city. They have great specials for Happy Hour and overall great vibes.

• Paradeco Coffee: An adorable coffee shop with a food menu as well. They also have a plethora of vegan and gluten free options. Located near the St. Pete Pier.

• The Dalí Museum: An art museum featuring works from Salvador Dalí and a rotating special exhibit. Tickets are $29 and you should book ahead of time online for a timed entrance. The museum also has a nice garden area in the back. Overall there were some good pieces but I thought the museum was a bit small for $29.

• Hit the beach! Head over to St. Pete Beach or Clearwater Beach for some time on the sand. The trolley is by far the cheapest way to get out there.

Dali Museum

Other st. pete ideas:​​​

• Arkane Aleworks: Arkane is not located in St. Pete, they are in Largo about 30 minutes away, but they are a top-notch brewery so I had to include them here.

• If I Brewed The World Brewery: A small brewery with a nice back patio and average beers. Located just up the block from 3 Daughters.

• St. Pete Brewing Company: An average brewery in the heart of downtown with a small patio space and pretty cool vibes.

• Pinellas Ale Works: A spacious dog themed brewery with average beers and frequent food trucks.

• Cage Brewing: A mediocre brewery with a large patio and somewhat trashy vibes. Located right across the street from Pinellas Ale Works.

• 3 Daughters Brewing: A popular brewery with mediocre beers. They have a warehouse bar, a main bar, and a full game room. They have a food menu as well and offer specials Monday-Friday.

Tampa, FL

Tampa has some fantastic breweries & Cool spots to explore, plus the weather is basically always great—what more do you need?

Tampa Tips: 

• I would recommend checking flights into the St. Pete-Clearwater airport if you are flying in addition to directly to Tampa—I found some great deals into PIE and it is a much smaller and easier to navigate airport. Check out my thoughts on flying Allegiant Air here.

• Tampa has some areas of town that are not super safe, so just be aware of your surroundings and be smart.

• Head across the bridge to the cute artsy, beachy city of St. Pete! Check out my beer and travel guide here!

Adventures & Ales Top Tampa Recommendations: 

• Angry Chair Brewing: A fantastic Stout-focused brewery with absolutely incredible beers. Their current taproom is small but they are moving into a new space soon.

• BarrieHaus Beer Co.: A killer Lager-focused brewery. They offer side pull and slow pours of a variety of beers that are delicious. They have a nice little patio along with pretzels and Cuban sandwiches.

  • I would caution that they are a stop for the brew bus tours so when the bus pulls up it is incredibly packed with drunk people, so try to visit on a weekday or an off time.

• Woven Water Brewing: A top-notch brewery with great vibes and delicious beers. I was impressed with their Fruited Sours, IPAs, and Stouts. The team here is also incredibly nice!

• Hidden Springs Ale Works: A Sour and Stout focused brewery in an artsy taproom. Highly recommend getting a flight so you can try a variety of their beers. They are just up the road from the food hall Armature Works if you are hungry!

• Garagiste Meadery: A fantastic meadery right between Hidden Springs and Magnanimous. Their small tasting room has chill vibes and you can see a lot of the production which is always cool. If you are unfamiliar with mead it is very boozy and very pricey as a forewarning, so take it slow and enjoy!

• Magnanimous Brewing: An IPA-focused brewery with great beers and a relaxed atmosphere. They also have a coffee program and a taproom in Bradenton.

• King State: A brewery, restaurant, and coffee shop all in one. Their space is a cute 70’s style set-up and their beer menu is focused on Lagers. They are known for their breakfast and they do Pizzas on Friday nights that are great.

Barriehaus

Tampa Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Oxford Exchange: A restaurant, coffee shop, tea bar, book shop, champagne bar, and store all in one! This place is absolutely adorable and I highly recommend visiting for brunch, coffee, tea, cocktails, shopping or afternoon tea.

• Armature Works: An awesome food hall in a beautiful restored building. There are a ton of different food vendors, a couple of bars, and seating indoors and out. It is right on the river and a walking trail runs through the area as well.

• Explore Ybor City: this neighborhood reminded me a lot of New Orleans with bars, restaurants, cigar lounges, and balconies everywhere. It’s a popular area especially at night.

• Hit the beach! Drive over to the coast or down the bay for some of the best beaches in the US.

Oxford Exchange

Other Tampa Bay Things To Do:​

• 7venth Sun Brewery: An average brewery with fun flight “trees” to sample a variety of their beers.

• Cigar City Brewing: A commercialized brewery with a large taproom and full food menu.

• Coppertail Brewing Co.: An average brewery with a full food menu and a small patio space.

• Bastet Brewing: A unique brewery that is just up the road from Coppertail focused on Sours with an interesting tap list.

• Zydeco Brew Werks: A mediocre brewery in Ybor City that is New Orleans themed and more restaurant than beer focused.

Pensacola, FL

Pensacola's beaches are pristine + being located on Florida's panhandle makes it a quick drive from much of the southeast US

Pensacola Tips: 

• Most lodging on the beachfront of Pensacola can be quite pricey, but if you stay in Gulf Breeze, between downtown Pensacola and Pensacola beach prices are downright cheap!

• There are a few restaurants right on the beach, but I would recommend stopping at the grocery on your way there instead

Adventures & Ales Top pensacola Recommendations: 

• Pensacola Bay Brewery: Extremely delicious beers right in central downtown Pensacola. Embrace your inner pirate matey

• Gulf Coast Brewery: Large TVs, darts, a cigar lounge, a wine room, pet-friendly, and an outside patio. This brewery has it all!

• The Drowsy Poet Coffee Company: The setting is why you are going. The coffee is also really good, but the view of the bay is fantastic. Go early to be in peace!

• Ye Olde Brothers Brewery: Located closer to Navarre, this brewery gives you tons of options for your flight so that they are more like shooters than samples, but they are all solid!

Pensacola Bay Brewery

Pensacola Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Mmmm the beach. Duh.

Skip:

• Goat Lips Chew and Brewhouse: A strange place. Beer is not very good. Food is average. Outside patio is full of flies. Meh.

Exploring Dunedin, Florida

Dunedin is a cute city in the Tampa Bay area of Florida with several breweries and overall beachy vibes.

Dunedin Tips:

• I highly recommend flying in/out of the St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE) if the timing/routes make sense for you. This is a small airport that is easy to navigate and the routes were cheaper than Tampa in my experience.

• While in the area be sure to check out the cute, artsy city of St. Pete as well! Check out my recommendations and tips here. Check out my Tampa recommendations here.

• Dunedin itself doesn’t have a beach, but it is still a great destination in the Tampa Bay area to visit and stay. You can easily make day trips to the surrounding beaches.

  • Clearwater Beach is a popular destination that is about 20 minutes south of Dunedin. The water here is extremely clear and beautiful but it does get quite crowded, especially near the public beach at Pier 60.

    • Badfins is a fun, beachy restaurant in Clearwater Beach with delicious food and a solid beer selection. I would caution to ask about the price of a pint of beer before you order because they have some outrageously expensive selections.

7venth Sun Brewing

Dunedin Breweries:

• 7venth Sun Brewing Company: A good brewery located on the main road of downtown with a wide variety of beers. Their Sours are what I would recommend the most. They have a side patio space and offer fun flight trees.

• Cueni Brewing Co.: A solid brewery with a nice patio space and chill vibes. They offer massive flights in the shape of Florida if you’re sharing with someone!

• HOB Brewing Co.: House of Beer has two locations right across the street from each other. Both offer massive tap lists with average beer. HOB has a large outdoor space and House of Beer is the original, grungier beer bar.

• Dunedin Brewing: An average brewery with a nice patio space and a small food menu. 

• Soggy Bottom Brewery: Arguably a dive bar and not a brewery. They had zero of their own beers on tap when I visited and divey vibes.

Brunch at Hew Parlor & Chophouse

top dunedin recommendations

• Stay at Fenway Hotel: This gorgeous hotel screams luxury at every corner. It is right across the street from the bay and just a few minutes walk from downtown. The building used to be an old radio station and so the hotel has leaned into that theme with smooth jazz playing everywhere and frequent live music. There are beautiful ocean views from the hotel rooms and rooftop bar and a relaxing pool area.

  • Hi-Fi Rooftop Bar: A fantastic spot to watch the sunset over the ocean! This rooftop bar offers killer views, delicious cocktails, and a small food menu. It is a popular spot so if you plan to visit for sunset be sure to arrive early. Located on top of Fenway Hotel.

  • Hew Parlor and Chophouse: The restaurant inside Fenway Hotel with delicious food! You can choose to sit inside or out on the front patio with lovely views. This is much better than your typical hotel restaurant and I highly recommend the brunch in particular! 

  • Edgewater Trail is runs in front of the hotel and spans 3.3 miles along the bay 

• Pineallas Trail: A biking/jogging/walking trail that runs through town. The trail spans 50 miles, from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs.

• Wander downtown Dunedin: It is a cute area full of shops, restaurants and bars

• Edgewater Park: A small park located on the marina with a playground and picnic tables

• Cork and Beans: Coffee shop and wine bar in the heart of downtown with a nice patio space  

My Top 5 Beers in November 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anna by Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT.

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

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