SoCal Trip Suggestions

You're lucky they aren't closed at that time. The past few times driving down from LA, very late at night, I've been re-rerouted by construction detour signage. It's miserable.

 

Google is your friend. Check traffic before you leave. It will give you a few different options and tell you how long each one will take. Sometimes the longer route is faster, and less frustrating.

 

If you leave at 10ish, then you could be at Bruery in 45 mins easily. Leave Bruery at least by 2PM, and you will be fine heading out to JT with no traffic.

This assumes no traffic accidents and you are not traveling out there on a Friday.

 

Keep in mind Bruery's hours: Open at 12 on Saturday/Sunday.

 

Hit Pappy and Harriet's in Pioneertown. Great music and food, you can get SNPA, so there is that.

 

yes, that sounds just right..... aaaand then you're stuck around santa ana for two days

 

Why would he even be near Santa Ana? 5 south to 91 east doesn't come near Santa Ana.

Assuming no accidents, he shouldn't have traffic if they leave N Hollywood at 10ish.

 

Lol...totally forgot about the hours situation. And if he's going on the weekend, traffic can be bad anytime from 8AM until 10PM. Just depends on accidents.

 

Agree totally with the Pappy & Harriet's recommendations. I've been going there for 35 years, and it's a very unique and fun place. Plus, the food (especially the steaks) and the live music acts are better than ever. Also check out Joshua Tree Grill; like P&H's, cool atmosphere and small but decent tap beer selection. Of course, the national park is breathtaking. There's a reason why people come from all over the world to visit it.

 

So in the Bruery newsletters, I see about 20 beers listed on tap, but a BA above suggested what's on tap isn't worth a trip. What's your take?

 

Check out oc taphunter. While they dont update too often it should give you an idea of what could be or is normally on tap.

 

Lol...totally forgot about the hours situation. And if he's going on the weekend, traffic can be bad anytime from 8AM until 10PM. Just depends on accidents.

If you can see what's on tap, then that's an easy decision for you, but driving to JT forest after sampling some brews could be rough.

 

Yeah, I remembered I'm picking up a Preservation Society allotment and I wouldn't want to take that out to the desert to heat up, so I'll stop by The Bruery the following day on my way back from JT.

 

My favorite place to have a pint in Orange County.

 

North Hollywood area? There really aren't any breweries to speak of in that area unless you are interested in driving to Van Nuys for MacLeod (low alcohol, cask draught served at cellar temp) or the edge of Glendale for Golden Road. And those aren't really that close - each can be a 30 minute trip in heavy traffic.

Places to drink: in that area, definitely hit Tony's Darts Away in Burbank (15 minutes or so).

North Hollywood really doesn't have any stellar places of its own.

And as far as your Bruery to Joshua Tree trip? I hope your car is comfortable, you have lots of good music and you have some No-Doz for the end of the ride. It will be long.

 

Damn man. I dunno what it is with y'all and the discouragement about this drive. It's 159 miles. I've driven from North Hollywood to Vegas leaving around 7 and the traffic wasn't bad. So what's all this doomsday talk? Also, I hit Eagle Rock and that was easy to get to and from.

I'm doing the Bruery and JT and ain't no two ways about it. If the traffic is as bad as y'all say, I'll come back on here and apologize if all a y'all are right.

 

We're right. Just trying to save you the aggravation... and the extra post confirming we were correct, apparently.

 

I drive 30 miles each way to work every weekday. It ranges from one and a quarter hours to two most days. Because of this, I try to spare others the pain if I can.

 

As shocking as it may be, the people who live here do know what we're talking about and we're trying to help you. It's not like we have some nefarious plot to spread false information about traffic.

 

Nah, I don't doubt that y'all know what you're talking about. But some of these responses border on "Lock your doors and don't leave your home."

Anyhow, I'm crossing my fingers that I avoid traffic just as I did during my December/January visit. We'll see. And at the end of the day, I want to get out, see some breweries and in order to do that I have to brave the LA traffic. I don't really see a way around it. Ideally, I'd be able to get to Beachwood and others, but based on the distances and the traffic, I've already ruled many out.