San Diego recommendations (so many options)

Where are you staying and what will your transportation options look like? For me modern times and Alesmith (including anvil &stave) are the 2 must visits. Other recs depend on where you are and where you're willing to travel.

 

Go to a pizza port location. Preferably the Carlsbad one. Be prepared to bring back some 32oz growlers with u.

 

Alesmith is awesome to begin with but if you're into barrel aged beers the Anvil and Stave room is a really unique touch that sets it apart from most other breweries.

 

Alesmith
Modern Times
Societe
Pizza Port (any location, I prefer the smallest one at Solana Beach, but it is also the closest to me)
Resident (located inside The Local downtown)

 

This is helpful for me as well - I’m coming down the last week of March with the family for spring break. We’re staying at the Residence Inn downtown (the one on Pacific Highway). I know we are going up to Legoland one day, the zoo another day and probably the Midway museum. I already had most of the ones @SDReaper pointed out, but would definitely be interested to know which options in the area may be kid friendly with food. Also to know which places typically have cans/crowlers/growlers to go that I might be able to bring back with me if something stands out to me.

 

Like others said, Modern Times and Alesmith are the must hits. If you're either in/near North County or you really like sours, I'd say Toolbox is a requirement as well.

 

Uber up to North Park and go nuts. Modern Times Point Loma is a must, while you're out that way hit up Pizza Port Ocean Beach.

 

If you do make it up to AleSmith, there are a ton of breweries within minutes of one another. The next best ones in that area are Mikkeller and Pure Project IMO.

 

Stone - Huge variety of beers (Stone and others), a great restaurant, and a big outdoor garden type thing where the kids can hang.

 

What age kids? Lost Abbey is kid friendly they have chalk and the kids can draw under your feet while you stand at the bar. Pizza port location typically have mini arcades.

 

If you are going to Legoland here are your close options.

Dinner: Pizza Port Carlsbad (not Bressi), Bagby Beer Company and Karl Strauss.

Karl Strauss is right next to Legoland but no guest beers. Seems whenever we go it’s half filled with people who were at Legoland that day. But maybe you can sneak in a trip to Burgeon Beer a couple miles away after dinner. Or check out Draft Republic for dessert and beer. They seem to have like 30 IPAs on draft plus other types and the normally have The Pupil from Societe. Food isn’t good.

Pizza Port is pizza and beer. Seems like their guest list is always getting smaller. They have their standard beers and a bunch of others. Need another beer you can check out Barrel Republic a block away. It’s a you pour place and you are charge by the ounce.

Bagby Beer I’m partial to their food of the three. Family and dog friendly. House beers brewed perfect to style and well balanced but nothing trendy or over the top. Tons of guest beers. A mile or two away from Stone Oceanside (tap room, beer to go & some merchandise).

 

My kids are 5 and 7. Any of those activities to keep them entertained are nice. Pretty much the best option is to have wi-fi with some kid friendly food options like pizza, pasta, quesadillas, etc.

This is great info. It’s good to hear the different options, knowing that we’ll have to play it by ear after Legoland based on everyone’s mood. Pizza Port had been what I was eyeing up for after Legoland, but you may have changed my mind.

 

piggybacking on the North County part of this thread. I'm about half a year into living in Oceanside and haven't found/made the effort to hit a regular bottle shop. It's mostly been whatever I find at Bevmo/Trader Joe's or stops at Bottlecraft SB when I have the time or am already heading that way. Are PP Bottleshop and Texas still the best in the Oside/Carlsbad/Vista area?

 

I live 40 yards from the BevMo in Oceanside. For this local area, Texas and a shop called Country Wine and Spirits on El Camino south of Tamarack have the best selection; both places tend to have slightly higher prices than further away options (Bottlecraft/Holiday, etc).

 

Modern Times and Alesmith are essential. If you go to Alesmith, then Mikkeller SD, Council, and Societe are good too. Some good ones in North County if you happen to be in that area. The recommended ones are Burgeon, Toolbox and The Lost Abbey.

 

Sublime in san marcos as well as urge w/bowling. Lost abbey. Churchills, can go to rip current as well considering you're in the same area. Northpark area. Like someone before said: explore, have fun. Toronado, sublime/ripcurrent, bottlecraft, northpark brewing, belching beaver. There are many others to list however, it defeats the purpose of searching for places to go/visit in sd that someone had created; it's essentially it's own thread that answers said question.

 

I think the westcoastersd.com site has a pdf file that you can use that shows San Diego county in maybe 9 zones and you can see all options; breweries, bars, bottle shops etc all in that zone. The last I looked at the north county region one it was massive and continues to get updated.

 

Staying in Gaslamp I’d suggest Half Door & Monkey Paw which for me are walkable. New place The Bell Marker which I haven’t been to yet. I also like brunch & drinks at Werewolf.
Then just Uber to 30th & wander until you can drink anymore.