Chattanooga, TN

Chattanooga is a nice little city surrounded by nature

Chatt Tips: 

• Get outside! Be sure to take advantage of all of the nature activities in and around Chattanooga.

• Expect a lot of paid parking—even in brewery parking lots.

• On a road trip? Nashville and Knoxville are each about 2 hours away—check out my Nashville guide here and Knoxville guide here!

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations: 

• Oddstory Brewing: The best brewery in town, by far. Oddstory has two locations—their original taproom that has a full food menu and dog-friendly patio and The Greenhouse that has a beautiful space, taco truck out back, and is dog-friendly inside. They have great specials and they also have cocktails and wine.

• Pax Breu Ruim: A great beer bar that has a legit selection available. They are dog-friendly inside and located right near the original Oddstory taproom.

• Mean Mug Coffeehouse: A great coffee shop with locations downtown and on the Northshore. They have coffee, breakfast, lunch and chill vibes. I was very impressed with my massive biscuit sandwich that was only $6.

• Timberroot Rustic Retreat: I booked a cabin through them on Airbnb and enjoyed my stay. It was a cute and cozy cabin with a hot tub and communal fire pit. It was only 10 minutes to downtown by still surrounded by nature—though there is some street noise.

The Greenhouse by Oddstory Brewing

touristy things to do in chattanooga that are worth it:

• Cloudland Canyon State Park: This is a great park just across the border in Georgia. It is about 30 minutes from downtown Chattanooga and worth exploring! There is a $5 entrance fee to the park. They also have camping, yurts, and cabins here.

  • I chose to combine the Cloudland Canyon West Rim Loop and Cherokee and Hemlock Falls Trail which was 5.5 miles long with 1,180ft of elevation gain and took just under 3 hours. The Rim Loop was pretty boring—there were a couple of viewpoints but they were not as nice as the viewpoint at the parking lot. The waterfall trail was nice with two large falls, but be aware there are a lot of stairs on this trail. It also connects to the Sittons Gulch Trail.

• Ruby Falls: An underground waterfall tour that it lit up. It is touristy but cool.

• Walk the Market Street Bridge: This pedestrian friendly bridge connects downtown and the Northshore. Coolidge Park on the Northshore is a nice spot for bridge views. Grab a coffee from Provisions at The Edwin Hotel right before the bridge for your walk!

• Sculpture Fields at Montague Park: A 33 acre park with sculptures to wander around outside. It is free and a nice activity.

Ruby Falls

other things to do in chattanooga:

• Wanderlinger Brewing Company: An average brewery with a solid food menu including build your own grilled cheese. Their parking lot requires payment.

• Hutton and Smith Brewing Company: A brewery with a very unique tap list just down the block from Oddstory’s Greenhouse. Dog-friendly and nice folks.

• Cherry Street Brewing: An average brewery with a wide variety of beers. They have a food menu and two different taproom spaces—the left side is more of a restaurant and the right side is a casual taproom. Cherry Street is located on the Northshore across the river from downtown. They also have two locations in Georgia.

• Rock City Gardens: An “enchanted trail” where you walk through rock formations. It is touristy and a bit odd. You can see 7 states from the midway viewpoint which is neat. Dog-friendly.

• Tailgate Brewery: An average brewery with locations across Tennessee. I had really bad service at this brewery and would recommend exploring the other spots in Chattanooga ahead of this one. They have a dog-friendly back patio and pizza menu with sports bar vibes. Their parking lot is paid.

Savannah, GA

Savannah is a gorgeous, quintessentially Southern city that is super fun to visit!

Savannah Tips: 

• It gets incredibly hot and humid in Savannah, be mindful when planning your trip—I would recommend spring or fall for the best experience, but if you visit in the summer be sure to stay hydrated!

• It’s a pretty small city overall, you can easily do it all in a weekend!

• Savannah is near the ocean, but not on the ocean—this isn’t a beach vacation, which some people misunderstand. You can easily do day trips to the surrounding beaches though!

• Drink on the streets! Savannah allows folks to walk around with beverages so most places offer to-go drinks. Just make sure you have a plastic cup!

• Not just based on the open drink law, but in general Savannah has very similar vibes to New Orleans. If you like Savannah I would recommend NOLA and vice-versa.

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations: ​

• Two Tides Brewing: I LOVE Two Tides. Every beer I have had there has been absolutely incredible, and trust me, I have drank a LOT of their beers. I highly recommend a visit! They are located in a super cute renovated house with a balcony, games, and snacks available.

  • Smol Bar: They also have a tiny taproom on the side of their building with beer, cocktails, and snacks.

• Starland Yard: A food truck park directly next to Two Tides. The food trucks rotate, but Vittoria Pizza and the Yard Bar are always there. The pizza is outrageously delicious and overall it is a cool spot!

• Hop Atomica: A great brewery that offers food as well. They have a nice patio space and make their own liquor for cocktails too! I particularly enjoyed their IPAs.

• Electric Moon: A fun rooftop bar on top of the JW Marriott with a slide and other fun games plus stellar river views. It’s a great place to catch the sunset and I highly recommend the boozy cakepops!

• Service Brewing: A Veteran-owned brewery with tons of games and a fun space

Two Tides Brewing Company

• Stay at The Alida Hotel: The Alida is a luxurious hotel with adorable rooms and thoughtful touches everywhere you turn. They have a gorgeous pool, fire pits, and even a daily wine happy hour that I highly recommend taking advantage of! It is conveniently located in the heart of the city and easily one of the nicest places I’ve had the pleasure of staying at.

  • The Lost Square is their rooftop bar with nice views of Savannah and the river. They also have a small food menu up here if you’re hungry!

  • Rhett is their full-service restaurant located on the ground floor. It is a super cute spot offering brunch, dinner and a bar. The brunch was incredibly delicious! If you’re going for dinner I would recommend a reservation.

• Bull Street Taco: Great tacos, a few local beers on tap, and outside seating options.

• Perc Coffee: A coffee production facility/coffee shop combo. The staff is super nice, coffee is amazing, and breakfast snacks will make you drool! The everything croissant was SO good.

• The Grove: A fun restaurant and rooftop bar near the City Market. The rooftop food menu is slightly smaller than the downstairs menu but it is worth it for the views and vibes.

• Alley Cat: A speakeasy style bar in an actual alley. It is super cute and the drinks are delicious. They also have a small food menu.

• Big Bon Bodega: Bagels and hot or iced coffee in a super cute space with really nice staff! They also have pizza at night.

Electric Moon

touristy things in savannah worth doing:

• Forsyth Park: A gorgeous park in the center of the city, definitely worth walking through at some point during your stay!

• Wander the Squares: Savannah has 22 historic square parks throughout the city that are charming and make for a perfect stroll through the city. Some have fountains, some have statues, some are full of locals picnicking—find your favorite!

• The City Market: This is not exactly a market anymore but more of a street with restaurants and bars. It is a fun spot to hang out and people watch.

  • Georgia Tasting Room is a good spot in the Market with extremely cheap wine tastings and a variety of beers, mixed drinks, and frozen drinks as well!

Tybee Island

other savannah things to do:

• Tacos + Tequila: A fun spot for you guessed it—tacos and tequila! They have a variety of Latin-style food items and the queso is delicious! They also have a nice outdoor space.

• Moon River Brewing: You’re at Moon River for the atmosphere more than for the beer. It is located right in the heart of the Historic District with a huge outdoor patio

• Coastal Empire Beer Co.: Another brewery you can check out, this one has a pretty small beer selection

• Foxy Loxy: A cute cafe with Tex Mex, wine and beer, cheese plates, kolaches, and a nice outdoor space!

  • They also have another location named The Coffee Fox downtown that is strictly coffee and pastries.

• Southbound Brewing: Another solid brewery a little off the beaten path with a warehouse style taproom

• White Whale Craft Ales: A craft beer market and taproom with ten beers on tap

• Starland Strange and Bazaar: An eclectic shop and ice cream parlor directly across the street from Two Tides Brewing.

• Paris Market and Café: An adorable shop and coffee stop!

• Peregrin Rooftop Bar: Located inside the Perry Lane Hotel, this rooftop has nice views, small plates, a few beers on tap, full bar, and in the summer frose! You’re paying for the view, so if you’re budget conscious don’t plan to spend a lot of time here.

• Rise Biscuit Co.: A Southern chain offering delicious breakfast biscuits in the heart of downtown.

• Riverside Biergarten: A cute spot along the river for some beers! They have limited hours so be sure to check before heading over.

  • Graffito Pizza is right next door if you’re hungry but I will forewarn that my experience there was not great.

• Urban Poppy: An adorable shop with a variety of flower arrangements and fun accessories.

• Take a day trip to Tybee Island—it wasn’t my favorite beach but if you don’t live close to the ocean you might want to go get your beach fix! Heads up, it can get really crowded and the parking is quite expensive. The tide can come up really high so watch your stuff if you’re in the water!

  • I ate at Fannie’s on the Beach and wasn’t super impressed but they do have a cool balcony upstairs with beach views (open Wednesday-Sunday during the summer only)

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: Taproom closed. While they are looking for a new space snag their beer on tap around town.

  • 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.

Atlanta, GA

ATLANTA is a fantastic city that gets a bad rep for its notorious traffic, but don't let that deter you, it’s a cool place!

ATL Tips: 

• Okay for real though the traffic in Atlanta is ferocious, ​do not drive any time near rush hour or you will regret it! For hours and hours and hours.

• Be mindful of where you are staying because Atlanta is MASSIVE. If you know you’re going to spend most of your time in Midtown, for example, don’t book someplace to stay on the opposite side of town because you will spend a ton of time/money driving or Ubering.

Adventures & Ales Top Atlanta Recommendations: 

• Monday Night Brewing: SO great. One of my favorite breweries in the world. The staff is fantastic, the beers are delicious, and the environment is ideal. Bring your dogs, hang out on the patio, and drink up!

  • Monday Night Garage: Located in the Lee + White West End establishment, this is MNB’s second location in ATL. They’ve got a nice outdoor deck and plenty of space inside as well, with an art pop-up and BBQ food truck.

  • Wild Heaven Beer is in this establishment too! They’ve got a nice outdoor space, tasty beers, and delicious food from Comida Fina.

• Halfway Crooks: An incredible Lager focused brewery with an open air rooftop and small food menu.

• Contrast Artisan Ales: A cute little brewery with solid beers and usually a plethora of dogs to pet.

• 3 Taverns: Another great brewery with two locations: The Parlour is the OG brewery and production space and located in Decatur. The Imaginarium is located in the Atlanta Dairies complex right off the BeltLine.

• The Vortex: Mouthwatering goodness. Two locations, go to the one in Little Five Points, it's the original. Nachos, burgers, fries with marshmallow sauce... it goes on and on.

• Center for Civil and Human Rights: One of the best museums I've ever been to. Explore the Civil Rights Movement and human rights movements around the world. Interactive and engaging throughout.

• Piedmont Park: The classic ATL park, it is gorgeous. Sometimes there are festivals, and there’s always lots of dogs to hang out with.

  • A good option is to walk the BeltLine to get here!

• Orpheus Brewing: Set behind Piedmont Park, they have a ton of really great beers!

• Little Five Points Neighborhood: full of bars, theaters, and shops, definitely the trendiest neighborhood in the city.

• The Porter Beer Bar: In the center of Little Five Points, they have a vast selection of beers.

Halfway Crooks

Atlanta Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• The Battery: Home to Truist Park where The Braves play, a plethora of bars and restaurants, shopping, and more! Our favorite spot was Terrapin Taproom which also serves Fox Bros BBQ.

• Centennial Olympic Park: A park, where the Olympics were held. Oh sorry was that obvious from the name? It's actually super pretty with the Ferris wheel and the fountains, a great spot for a picnic or to wander about when it's busy on a Sunday.

• The Varsity: A famous drive-in perfect for late night eats. Noms. 

• SweetWater Brewing: A fun spot to hang out. Live music, lots of beers only at the taproom and not distributed

The Center for Civil and Human Rights

Other Atlanta Things To Do:

• Stone Mountain: Make the climb! Awesome views of the city skyline from the top.

• New Realm Brewing: A fun brewery with lots of outside space, frequent live music, and a food menu. It’s located right on the Beltline too!

• Dr. Bombay's Underwater Tea Party: English afternoon tea in a fun and quirky little café.

• Aurora Coffee: Really delicious and centrally located. Also good for bagels!

• Jimmy Carter Presidential Museum and Library: Nerd out in the model West Wing and learn all about Jimmy Carter's life and legacy.

• Elsewhere Brewing: A solid restaurant-style brewery. Their food menu has yummy empanadas and sandwiches.

• Eventide Brewing: Located right down the block from Elsewhere, they have a wide variety of beers and board games.

• Ponce City Market: Shopping, food options, and a connection to the BeltLine

  • Nine Mile Station is the rooftop bar that is worth checking out!

  • If you decide not to eat here, 8arm is right across the street and has delicious food!

• Float down the Chattahoochee River: slightly outside of town but well worth the trip! This is exactly what you're picturing when you hear "float down the river"--beer, tube islands, and a very fun time

  • We went with Shoot The Hootch and I would recommend it!

• Antico Pizza: extremely good pizza and it's huge!

Monday Night Brewing

Spots to visit in the atl suburbs:

• Variant Brewing Co.: Located in Roswell and arguably the best brewery in the suburbs. Variant has fantastic brews and chill vibes.

• Gate City Brewing: Also in Roswell, Gate City is more of your traditional brewery with a warehouse set-up and frequent food trucks.

• Pontoon Brewing: A fantastic brewery in Sandy Springs with unique and crazy ingredients in their beers.

• From the Earth Brewing Company: A restaurant-style brewery in Roswell with delicious food and solid beers.

• Pop’s Coffee Co.: A very unique coffeeshop in Roswell housed with a motorcycle shop. Their coffees & breakfast foods are delicious.

• Six Bridges Brewing: Located in Johns Creek, this brewery has a great outdoor space and a very chill atmosphere.

• Reformation Brewery: A large operation, they have 3 locations: Canton, Smyrna, and Woodstock. The Smyrna location has outdoor seating along the Chattahoochee River.

• Anderby Brewing: Located in Peachtree Corners, Anderby has yummy beers and super nice staff members.

• Social Fox Brewing: Situated in the heart of Norcross with average beers and frequent food trucks.

• Cultivation Brewing: Also in Norcross, Cultivation has great beers, games, and a nice patio space.

• NoFo Brewing: NoFo is in Cumming and I personally cannot recommend visiting. Their space is overwhelmed by screaming children, disrespectful staff members, and overall bad times.

Richmond, VA

Richmond is a fantastic beer city to visit! They are cranking out some delicious brews and have some awesome places to explore.

RVA Tips: 

• Hang out in Scott’s Addition—there’s a plethora of breweries, cideries, wineries, and distilleries all within walking distance of each other.

• Bop around Carytown and The Fan! These two neighborhoods are overflowing with restaurants, bars and shops to explore.

Adventures & Ales Top Richmond Recommendations: ​

• Mekong: A Vietnamese restaurant and beer bar with a superb tap list. It is connected to The Answer Brewpub and owned by the same folks.

• The Veil Brewing Co.: Their main location in Scott’s Addition has a fantastic outdoor patio to relax on with a variety of beers to choose from. Their Sours and Stouts are my personal favorites that they make! In Scott’s Addition they’ve got Nokoribi inside with a Japanese yakitori inspired menu.

  • The Funkhaust Cafe is their smaller funkier taproom with chill vibes and a small tap list. The hours are limited here so be sure to check ahead of time.

  • Forest Hill is their third, larger location and is across the river in Richmond. Y Tu Mama is located inside this location serving up delicious Mexican eats.

• The Answer Brewpub: Great beers, particularly their ‘Joose’ Fruit Beer series and Stouts. They’ve also got tasty food.

• Baltik’s Bagels: A great bagel spot on the southside of town. Order online—it gets crazy busy on the weekends! Expect a huge bagel with a ton of cream cheese.

• Triple Crossing Beer: Their Fulton location has chill vibes and is one of my favorites spots in town to hang out. There is a ton of outdoor space, great pizzas, and absolutely phenomenal IPAs! Their downtown location has a great patio as well.

• Get outside at Belle Isle: This island in the river has a nice short trail, or you can hang out on the rocks in the river in the summer, or whitewater raft!

• Nate’s Bagels: A delicious bagel shop downtown. Order online ahead of time to skip the line!

• Roastology: A delicious spot for breakfast and coffee! Their biscuits are massive and delightful.

• Final Gravity Brewing Company: A great brewery just outside of central Richmond specializing in Hazy IPAs. They have a beautiful, dog-friendly taproom as well!

  • Killa Dillas is next door with tasty quesadillas to pair with your beers!

• Corks and Kegs: A killer bottle shop with a few taps and great selection of cans and bottles.

Nate’s Bagels

Other things to do in richmond:

• SB’s Love Shack: A fun dive-bar-esque spot for breakfast, lunch and brunch. They have two locations: Lakeside and Main Street.

• Anytime Beer Co.: A Lager focused brewery in the northside neighborhood. They have a nice patio and a cute space. They have a small food menu and frequent live music.

• Vasen Brewing Company: A brewery with a wide variety of beers just up the block from The Veil in the Scott’s Addition neighborhood.

• Hardywood Park Craft Brewery: A large brewery with lots of outdoor space and chill vibes. Their Stouts and seasonal releases are what they do best!

• Benchtop Brewing: A Lager focused brewery in the Manchester neighborhood with solid brews. Their main taproom is in Norfolk, VA.

• Zorch Pizza: A delicious spot for ‘za in the Carytown neighborhood. Heads up this is a popular spot!

• Richbrau Brewing: A solid brewery right downtown with a small food menu. Their Sours are particularly good!

• 821 Café: A delicious spot for brunch! They’ve got lots of vegan and vegetarian options as well.

• Brainstorm Brewhouse: A small brewery in the back of Black Heath Meadery in Scott’s Addition.

• Bingo Beer Co.: Another brewery in Scott’s Addition with a full arcade and food menu.

• Cupertino’s Bagels: Yummy New York style bagels!

• Social 52 Kitchen and Craft Bar: A restaurant and bar with a solid beer selection and craft cocktails. Right near SB’s so if you have to wait for brunch this is an ideal spot to grab a drink while you wait!

• Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop: A popular brewery in Scott’s Addition with a lovely rooftop patio. They usually have a food truck out front as well. The beer here is average.

• Ardent Craft Ales: One of RVA’s OG breweries with average beers and a nice patio space. Located in Scott’s Addition.

Norfolk, VA

THe Port City of Norfolk is a great spot to spend a weekend!

NFK Tips: 

• Norfolk is a bit spread out so be sure to plan your travels out ahead of time to avoid backtracking across the area.

• Virginia Beach neighbors Norfolk, check out a couple of top recommendations for the city at the bottom of this guide.

• Visit hungry. Everything we ate in Norfolk was extraordinarily good!

• Norfolk is just 1.5 hours from both The Outer Banks and Richmond—check out my guide to OBX here and RVA here.

Adventures & Ales Top Norfolk Recommendations:

• Codex: A wildly delicious restaurant in the heart of downtown Norfolk. I cannot emphasize enough how great everything was—the food was superb and portions were large, the cocktails were fantastic, and the team was super nice. Highly recommend!

• The Veil Brewing Company: The Norfolk taproom of Richmond’s hype brewery The Veil has great beers and a ton of space. Lil Za Pizza is inside making delicious ‘za and they have a small patio out front that is dog-friendly. Stouts, Barleywines and Sours are what they do best here.

• Explore the Chelsea District:

  • Benchtop Brewing: A nice spot with a wide variety of beers. They have indoor and outdoor seating at this taproom and a location in Richmond.

  • Smartmouth Brewing Company: A popular brewery with solid beers and frequent events. Ghost Kitchen food truck lives onsite for eats and they also have a taproom in Virginia Beach.

  • The Birch: A great spot for craft beer, cider, mead, grilled cheese and charcuterie. They have a beautiful space and a small front patio.

  • Grandiflora Wine Garden: A wine bar at an inn with a vegetarian food menu. The use of the word “garden” feels a bit strong here and the wine is very pricey.

• Commune: A great spot for breakfast, lunch, coffee, or happy hour. The food here is fantastic and the team is very nice. They have indoor seating with coffee shop vibes and a small front patio. Commune also has a location in Virginia Beach right next to Esoteric.

  • This is located in Norfolk’s NEON District, an area with street art and shops.

• Handsome Biscuit: A fun old school style spot for sweet potato biscuits that are delicious.

• Cure Coffeehouse: A cute spot downtown for coffee with a small food menu.

• Reaver Beach Brewing: A solid brewery with a nice team. They have frequent food trucks and events and are dog-friendly inside and out. IPAs are what they do best here! They’re Norfolk taproom is a 3 minute drive from The Veil and they also have a space in Virginia Beach.

The Veil Brewing

norfolk Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting:

• Norfolk Botanical Gardens: Beautiful gardens to explore! Tickets are $16 and on Sundays they are dog friendly! They have a massive layout and it is fun to explore.

• Check out the Elizabeth River Trail: This is a 10.5 mile long trail along the waterfront that is great for walking, running and biking.

• American Rover Sunset Cruise: These daily sunset river cruises offer a relaxing journey down the Elizabeth River. The schooner operates via wind on the way out of the harbor and motor on the way back. There is a bar and a bathroom onboard plus a musician. Tickets are $40 Sunday-Thursday and $45 on Fridays and Saturdays. There are a few other companies offering various versions of river cruises as well.

• Town Point Park: A waterfront park with frequent live music and events.

Norfolk Botanical Gardens

recommendations for Virginia Beach & The Surrounding ARea:

• Esoteric: A delightful beer bar and restaurant located in the Vibe Creative District. They have a great tap list, cocktails, and wine along with delicious food. This is a very cute spot with a great back patio as well.

• Commonwealth Brewing Company: A fantastic brewery specializing in IPAs and Sours. They are just north of the airport and worth detouring for. Commonwealth also has coffee and tea in the morning and a pizza kitchen. Their taproom is a popular spot and they have a nice large outdoor space too.

• Oozlefinch Beers and Blending: A Sour-focused brewery in Fort Monroe. Their taproom is right off Fort Monroe National Monument and the outside seating has some water views.

• Coastal Fermentory: A great brewery in The Yard District of Newport News. Their Hazy IPAs are delicious and they have a nice taproom and small patio. A second taproom will be opening in Newport News soon.

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.

Birmingham, AL

Birmingham is an up and coming southern city with lots of history and some great breweries

Bham Tips: 

• The city is pretty spread out so it would be tough to venture without a car!

Adventures & Ales Top Birmingham Recommendations: 

• Avondale Brewing: Amazing beers and an amazing outside area with live music and lots of green space. Pro Tip: Get pizza from Post Office Pies next door to enjoy with your brews

  • They also have a sour room out back you can check out!​

• Trim Tab Brewing: An eccentric brewery with a different spin on things. Their IPAs are great!

• Birmingham Civil Rights Institute: Birmingham was at the center of the Civil Rights Movement and is full of history. This extraordinary museum is one of the best I've been to.   

• Cahaba Brewing: A fun brewery with live music and free skee-ball!

• Check out the tunnels under the bridges at night, they light up! 

Sloss Furnaces

Birmingham Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• 16th Street Baptist Church: The location of the 1963 bombing

• Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark: An old industrial sight that is fun to explore

Avondale Brewing

Other Birmingham Things To Do:​​​

• Good People Brewing: Good beers and located right by the baseball stadium. I especially enjoyed their stouts!

• Ghost Train Brewing: Another brewery with solid beer options and lots of TVs for sports

Gatlinburg, TN

Gatlinburg is known as “The Gateway to the Smoky Mountains” for good reason—it is nestled right on the edge of the National Park, making it a popular mountain resort town.

Gatlinburg Tips: 

• Get into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! The whole point of visiting Gatlinburg is the close access to the park, so make sure to get into nature!

• Gatlinburg is extraordinarily touristy—it’s like the Disney World of mountain towns. Personally I do not love places like this, so if you are similar minded I would recommend staying in a small town on the North Carolina side of the park versus Gatlinburg. Bryson City is my personal favorite!

  • Pigeon Forge is the same level of “touristy” but with even more “attractions”. If you have small kids there is plenty of entertainment options in PF! Gatlinburg is definitely more walkable and a better base camp in my opinion, but the two are only 15 minutes apart

Adventures & Ales Top Gatlinburg Recommendations: ​

• Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail: A beautiful nature drive with places to stop off for nature views and historical buildings.

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

• Go winery hopping: There are several wineries in Gatlinburg that you can pop into for free samples and to bring home some delicious wine if you choose to do so!

  • Smoky Mountain Winery: My favorite that we visited! Their tasting offered a plethora of samples for free and Tiffany, who was working, was absolutely fantastic! This spot is slightly off the main road, so be sure not to miss it!

  • Sugarland Cellars: The tastings here are $5, the only winery you have to pay to sample at, but they have Sangria slushees that are absolutely delicious and totally worth it! They have two locations, one right in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg and one right on the edge of the National Park.

  • Bootleggers Homemade Wines: Located in the Ole Smoky Holler, a small spot to sample wines with cute merchandise as well!

  • Goodwater Vineyards: An extremely nice family owns and operates this winery, pop in for samples and chat with them!

  • Tennessee Homemade Wines: Another winery with solid wine and free samples. Owned by the same team as Tennessee Cider Co

  • Gatlinburg Wine Cellar: The most touristy of the wineries, this spot has lots of sweet wines in their two locations on the main strip

• Clingman’s Dome: About 45 minutes from Gatlinburg, this lookout tower and viewpoint is definitely worth the drive. The ride is gorgeous as well, be sure to stop at the Newfound Gap Overlook for great views just a few minutes away from Clingman’s Dome. At the dome expect traffic/parking to be a hassle there are tons of people who stop here. To get to the tower you walk up a steep hill to the overlook, but it is only a half a mile each way and is paved. It is the highest point in the Smokys!

• Tennessee Cider Company: The first cidery in the Gatlinburg area and new to the scene. Their ciders were delicious and the staff was super nice!

• Cookie Dough Bliss: Edible cookie dough, what more do you need to know?! It is absolutely delicious and located right next to Goodwater Vineyards

• We had a complimentary stay at Greystone Lodge and it was lovely! The views of the mountains and river out back were great and it was conveniently located in the heart of the city!

Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

Gatlinburg Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Go moonshine hopping! You can’t visit Gatlinburg and not have some moonshine. Each moonshine tasting is $5 for all of the samples.

  • Ole Smoky Moonshine: The classic! Located in Ole Smoky Holler. Don’t skip the pickle!

  • Sugarlands Distilling Company: The first couple samples here are extraordinarily awful and burn, but persevere, it gets better!

  • Doc Collier Moonshine: This is a smaller and newer space with some great options! They also have moonshine slushees that were delicious!

• Ole Red: A really popular bar/restaurant with live music. Crowded and overpriced but it is entertaining

• Pigeon Forge: Another area to explore with lots of attractions

  • Be sure to visit the Yee-Haw Brewing outpost in The Island for an extremely delicious pretzel and solid beers!

Sugarland Cellars

Other Things to Do in Gatlinburg:​​

• Smoky Mountain Brewery: More restaurant style than brewery with pretty standard beers. Get the Supermug (33oz)! They have locations in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Turkey Creek, and Maryville

• Gatlinburg Brewery: Super yummy pizza! Beers are pretty average but it’s worth checking out while you’re in the area!

• Check out Knoxville which is just an hour away, or Asheville, an hour and a half away!

  • Check out my guide to Knoxville here and my guide to Asheville here!

Memphis, TN

Memphis is a fun city full of blues and beers set on the Mississippi River

Memphis Tips: 

• Nashville gets all the Tennessee credit for music cities but Memphis does a good job competing. Be sure to check out the live music, especially the blues! 

Adventures & Ales Top Memphis Recommendations: 

• The Lorraine Motel: This is the sight of MLK Jr's assassination and it has been transformed into a civil rights museum

• The Peabody Hotel: Check out the ceremony with ducks that is hilarious and adorable. Get there early or you won't be able to see anything!

• Wiseacre Brewery: Tiny Bomb is their most famous but they've got other delicious beers as well! 

• Check out the Overton Square area, a hip little area with lots of bars and restaurants!

Graceland

Memphis Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Graceland: Elvis's home is crazy expensive. As a non-dedicated Elvis person, I did not want to pay to go in so I just went around the grounds and such. It was still cool to see, totally your call on your level of Elvis fandom on whether it is worth it

• Beale Street: You have to at least walk down it once and check out some blues music, but otherwise I'd head elsewhere to enjoy your evening 

New Orleans, LA

New Orleans is a magical city. I lived there for almost five years and absolutely love it!

NOLA Tips: 

• Drink on the streets. There is no open intox law here, so pop a beer or pour some mimosas and hit the streets. At bars you can ask for a drink to go so you don’t have to rush to finish anything ever

• Get out of the French Quarter. So many tourists stay in the Quarter and don’t see the rest of the city, which is a tragedy. Spend one night on Bourbon, not all nights.

• If you visit in the summer months be sure to bring a raincoat, it rains almost every day from the humidity, but usually only for an hour or so

• Check out my other New Orleans blogs here:

  • The Best Bars in New Orleans

  • The Best Weekend Trips From New Orleans

Adventures & Ales Top New Orleans Recommendations: ​

• Bacchanal: My favorite place in the city. Live music, cheese plates, and wine bottles in an adorable courtyard. Walk in and pick out your own cheeses and wine, and then snag a spot while they assemble your cheese plate. They have a small “real” menu if you want something more hearty, and they have a full bar upstairs if you aren’t in the mood for wine

• Courtyard Brewery: My favorite brewery in New Orleans! They have the best New England IPAs in particular and an amazing staff!

• District Donuts/Stein’s Deli: Two separate establishments, to be clear. They are right next to each other on Magazine Street and both offer fantastic breakfast options. District has fancy delicious donuts and amazing coffee (Vietnamese Iced Coffee here is my fav), while Stein’s has delicious bagels and breakfast sandwiches, with some sass

• Parleaux Beer Lab: A great brewery in the Bywater. Lots of outdoor space! Right around the corner from Bacchanal

Courtyard Brewery

• The Fly: Just off Audubon Park you’ll find a narrow strip of land along the Mississippi filled with locals enjoying the breeze and views. Bring some drinks and a blanket and lounge by the water. The sunsets are gorgeous!

• Avenue Pub: The best beer bar in the city, maybe in the country. So many options. Go after 4pm to get onto the balcony overlooking St Charles Avenue!

• Saba or Shaya: These Israeli restaurants are amazing and have won every top restaurant award in the country. The menus are really similar, as the head chef Alon Shaya worked at Shaya before he got into a feud with the owners and started his own spot, Saba. You need reservations for either spot. Get a bunch of small plates for the table and dig in!

• NOLA Brewing: Sit on their rooftop, drink their specialty releases, and eat BBQ.

The Fly

New Orleans Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Mardi Gras: Mardi Gras is shown as only Fat Tuesday and only women gone wild on Bourbon Street, but it couldn’t be further from that. Mardi Gras is a month long celebration that can be as family friendly as you’d like. My favorite parade day is the Sunday before Fat Tuesday. Be sure to check out Bacchus and the Walking Wine parade that is directly before it!

  • Do NOT try to drive/Lyft/Uber/taxi/streetcar anywhere during Mardi Gras parades or directly before/after

• The Columns Hotel: Go during Happy Hour and sit on the large front porch to watch the streetcars roll by

• Frenchmen Street: It used to be called “the local’s Bourbon Street” but tourists have since claimed Frenchmen as well. It’s still a fun place and definitely worth checking out. This street is packed full of live music bars. Don’t pay a cover, just pop into a neighboring bar that doesn’t charge one. Maison, d.b.a, and The Spotted Cat are my favorites

  • Need some late night grub on Frenchmen? Dat Dog is perfect! Their gourmet hot dogs and fries are the perfect solution after a night full of drinking

  • Brieux Carre Brewing: Right off Frenchmen Street is a cute little brewery with some great brews. Their staff is super nice and I definitely recommend popping in! If it’s packed because the space is small just grab a beer to go and hit up Frenchmen!

• Bourbon Street: You have to do it. Just don’t do it for too long of a time period.

• Pat O’Briens: Check out the dueling piano bar and the flame fountain. Drink a hurricane but be prepared for lots of sugar and rum!

• Lafitte’s: The oldest bar in America. This bar actually existed before America. Get the purple drank

• Molly’s at the Market: Right in the heart of the French Quarter on Decatur Street this little dive bar is the quintessential NOLA hang. Grab a frozen Irish coffee (size = large obviously)

• Cafe du Monde: You can’t leave New Orleans without getting hot, fresh beignets, and Cafe du Monde is the spot to do that. Don’t go at peak hours (weekend breakfast really) and the line will be relatively short. It moves fast so don’t be dissuaded if it is longer

Mardi Gras on St. Charles Avenue

Other things to do in NOLA:

• Superior Seafood: Go for Happy Hour—get a frozen drink (I love the pomegranate mojito, the French 75 is a local fav as well) and if you like seafood the Oyster Happy Hour is legit as well. During crawfish season you can get that here too

• Crescent Park: You can pop into this park either from right near the French Market off Decatur Street in the French Quarter or down in the Bywater. Gaze at the Mississippi and the New Orleans skyline

  • Pizza Delicious is the city’s best pizza and directly off the Bywater end of the park

• Bayou Beer/Wine Garden: Located in Mid City, this combo beer and wine garden location is the best of both worlds. The palm trees and outdoor set-up really bring the tropical vibes

  • Parkway Bakery: Grab a delicious poboy from Parkway, a couple of blocks up from Bayou Beer Garden.

• Urban South Brewery: A large warehouse style brewery with some great beers! I love the Lime Cucumber Gose and their specialty releases

• Hot Tin: The rooftop bar at The Pontchartrain Hotel

• Miel Brewery: Right around the corner from NOLA Brewing, this brewery is cranking out delicious beers!

Natchez, MS

Natchez is a small historical southern town boasting gorgeous views of the Mississippi River 

Natchez Tips: 

• Natchez can be done thoroughly in a weekend, you don’t need more time than that!

• They have a hot air balloon festival annually in October that is supposed to be awesome! 

Adventures & Ales Top Natchez Recommendations: 

• Natchez Brewing: The city’s only brewery is definitely worth checking out!

• Hang out on the river: Nearly everywhere you go in the city you will be able to glimpse the Mississippi, spend some time lounging by the water (hopefully with a beer in hand)

• King's Tavern: Amazing food, great service, and a really unique atmosphere

• Steampunk Espresso Bar: Adorable coffee shop with some of the best coffee I've ever had!

Longwood

Natchez Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• Longwood: Amazing antebellum octagonal mansion that was never completed because of the outbreak of the Civil War

• Historic Natchez Cemetery: Personally I'm not a huge fan of cemeteries (#creepy), but the history here is pretty astounding 

• Stanton Hall: Another historical antebellum mansion oozing southern charm

Biscuits and Blues Café

Other things to do in Natchez:​​​

• Biscuits and Blues Cafe: Live music and delicious biscuits, what else do you need? 

• Old South Winery: Small and a little odd, but you can get all the wine samples you want!

• Under the Hill: This is a mini-neighborhood at the bottom of the hill right on the river. There are a few riverfront bars and restaurants to enjoy the view

Baton Rouge, LA

Home to Louisiana's capitol and Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge has some fantastic spots to check out!

Baton Rouge Tips: 

• Rush hour in BR is truly awful. Try to avoid driving on weekdays between 4-6:30 if at all possible!

• BR is only a little over an hour from New Orleans so it is a quick day trip 

Adventures & Ales Top Baton Rouge Recommendations: ​

• Tin Roof Brewing Co: Great beers, great atmosphere! Free brewery tours and a large outdoor space with frequent live music

• Louie's Cafe: The best breakfast spot! A traditional old diner that I highly recommend

• The Chimes: Don't miss the spinach and artichoke dip at this college bar and restaurant

Baton Rouge Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

• LSU:​ Tiger Stadium is incredibly impressive, but the rest of the campus is really pretty as well

• Louisiana's Old State Capitol: This building looks like it's from the medieval times, definitely check it out!

Lafayette, LA

Lafayette, LA is about 2.5 hours west of New Orleans and the heart of Cajun Country!

Lafayette Tips: 

• A relatively small Southern town, you don't need to spend more than a weekend here to see it all!

• Check out my guides to New Orleans and Baton Rouge to complete your Louisiana adventure!

Adventures & Ales Top Lafayette Recommendations: 

• Parish Brewing: Known for their hoppy IPA's such as Ghost in the Machine, definitely a must visit for beer lovers!

• The French Press: An extremely good brunch spot right in the center of downtown!

• The Wurst Biergarten: Outdoor beer garden with beers, food, live music, and an art market on certain weekends ​​

The French Press

Other things to do in Lafayette: ​​​

• Bayou Teche Brewery: Located about 30 minutes outside of Lafayette in Arnaudville, the brewery is a hot spot for locals and has a nice patio to drink your beers on

• Jefferson Street Pub: A popular bar downtown with many beers on tap!

• Lake Martin: Just east of Lafayette, a great place to soak in the swampy side of Cajun Country. 

Little Rock, AR

Arkansas is known as 'The Natural State' and for good reason! There are tons of national and state parks to spend your time outdoors, but don't fret, there are plenty of breweries for your post-outdoor pleasure!

Little Rock Tips: 

• Little Rock is a pretty small city for being a state capital, you can easily walk all of downtown and don't need too much time to take it all in

• There are some sketchy areas of Little Rock so just be aware of your surroundings and make smart choices

• Check out my guide to Hot Springs, Arkansas which is just about an hour away!

Adventures & Ales Top Little Rock Recommendations: 

• Lost Forty Brewing: This was my favorite place in Little Rock! This spot has seriously good beers, a solid food menu (including brunch on Sundays!), and a fun atmosphere

• Flyaway Brewing: Located in North Little Rock across the river, Flyaway has a ton of different pretzels and dips (hello key to my heart), along with fun new beer releases all the time

• Pinnacle Mountain State Park: Definitely somewhere you need to drive to from downtown, but worth it! A rigorous climb up the mountain with great views from the top. Beware, you're literally climbing over boulders, but it's very cool!

Lost Forty Brewing

Little Rock Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Little Rock Central High: There is a mini-museum right across from the high school to learn about the history of the Little Rock 9. The high school is still a fully functioning school so you can't just wander in, as a heads up, but go to the museum and check out the outside of the school

• Clinton Presidential Center: Arkansas LOVES Bill Clinton. It's kind of adorable how idolized he is across the state. His Presidential Center is nerdy, but really interesting to explore!

• Walk the Junction Bridge and explore the River Market District: The Junction Bridge is an old pedestrian bridge that lights up at night in fun colors.  The River Market District is the area right around the bridge with a park, the Arkansas River Trail, and--you guessed it--a market!

Pinnacle Mountain State Park

Other things to do in Little Rock:​​

• At The Corner: Brunch it up at this restaurant, you guessed it, at the corner. Beware, folks line up around the block to get in!

• Rebel Kettle Brewing: Right around the corner from Lost Forty, Rebel Kettle has a nice outdoor patio to enjoy a nice day on

• Vino's: Pizza brewpub! Yum! Semi-isolated from the rest of the city, not in the best neighborhood, but yummy. 

• Stone's Throw Brewing: Lots of beer options, outdoor space, and a food truck that lives in their parking lot. 

• Diamond Bear Brewing: They get a lot of praise for a pretty average brewery, but it's worth popping in while in North Little Rock

Skip: ​

• Core Public House: I've never had worse service in my life. The bartender was drunk out of her mind and had no idea what she was doing. I'm sure they have other, better employees that would make your experience better, but they also had mediocre beer.

• Mug's Cafe: Overpriced below average coffee shop in North Little Rock

Hot Springs, AR

Hot Springs is a super cute little touristy town nestled in a National Park

Hot Springs Tips: 

• You don't need a ton of time to see it all, but it's a cute place so you could stretch it out if you wanted

• It's also just a short one hour drive from Little Rock so it makes a perfect day trip! Check out my Little Rock recommendations here!

Adventures & Ales Top Hot Springs Recommendations:

• Superior Bathhouse Brewery: A great atmosphere, great beers, a huge food menu (read: beer cheese), and it's in an old bathhouse! 

• Lake Ouachita State Park: About a 20ish minute drive from Hot Springs, but a super cute lake and forest.

• Bubba's Brews: One location of a larger brewery, it is really cute. Also a fireplace that is perfect to warm you up on a chilly day!

Superior Bathhouse Brewery

Hot Springs Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Check out the Hot Springs of course!

• Bathhouse Row: All of the bathhouses are lined up for your convenience! Set up a spa day and treat yo'self

• Hot Springs Mountain: Climb or drive to the top to check out the view!

Other Hot Springs Things To Do:​​

• The Grand Promenade: A nice walkway behind bathhouse row to the base of the mountain

• Grateful Head: Pizza and beer garden!

• The Winery of Hot Springs: Wine tasting is always a good choice!

• Core Public House: See my experience at the Little Rock branch of Core to understand my thoughts. But another brewery option

Grand Rapids, MI

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

Beer City Tips: 

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

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

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

Check out my 2 day itinerary for Grand Rapids Here!

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

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

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

Adventures & Ales Top Grand Rapids Recommendations: ​​​

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Seven Monks Taproom: A solid beer bar with an extensive tap list and can/bottle list. They also have a full food menu and a small patio. This is their second location, the original is in Traverse City.

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

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

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

• Brooklyn Bodega Bagels and Deli: Super tasty bagels!

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

Speciation Artisan Ales

Grand Rapids Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Speciation Artisan Ales from above is located here

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

  • Mammoth Distilling: A distillery with tastings and cocktails. They have a nice back patio and tasty beverages.

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

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

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

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

• Crahen Valley Park Loop: A really nice park with winding interconnecting trails, so you can do as much or little as you want! Beautiful in the fall.

• Riverside Park: A nice park on the river with walking and biking trails.

City Built Brewing

Other Grand Rapids Things To Do:

• Archival Brewing: A solid brewery with old school beer styles, cocktails, and a full food menu. Their outdoor area is incredibly nice.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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