Best Beer-cation cities

My vote is San Diego. A lot of quality breweries, good food, and options for non-beer related activities as well (should any travel partners not be into beer as much as you).

 

NYC. Lots of great breweries, beer bars, and bottle shops. It's usually pretty damn hot and humid, and when you go down into the subway it feels like you're getting closer to the Earth's core, but in terms of beer it's probably the best overall beer city in the US.

Never been to either Portland though, and I'm sure both will have better weather, as will SD.

 

I have no personal experience here since I have not visited yet but I would suggest that Portland, Oregon would be the best US city for a beer-cation. If you have some 'extra' time travel to Bend, Oregon as well.

Cheers!

 

In the last few years we've done San Diego, Denver and Asheville and a short trip (for us) to VT. You can't go wrong with any of these IMO.
Best vacation place - San Diego
Best scenery-Denver
Best beer culture- Asheville (by a long shot).
Best beer - VT.

 

Forgot to mention that nyc's distro is pretty insane. That's the real draw, IMO. There's tons of great breweries putting out hazy IPAs across the country, so you don't have to come to New York for that per se. But the beer bars and bottle shops get a really amazing selection of high quality and in many cases hard to find stuff from across the US and around the world.

 

If you're an outdoorsy person then Bend is the no-brainer option.

Otherwise I'd say Portland before SD.

 

I agree with the Portland and Bend recommendations, although I'd put Portland first. However, no one has thrown in Grand Rapids yet, and they should be on the list. Actually all of SW Michigan should be nominated because of the number of very good breweries in the area.

 

My recommendations. No order
Portland -good transportation, good beer - and Bend, I like Bend.
Denver, Boulder, Ft Collins - the Front Range has some good beer.
Asheville - compact, great food town.
Austin - a little spread out. Beer has gotten better.
Grand Rapids - not much transportation but good beer.
San Diego - most mean the county, spread out all over. Good beer.
Chicago
Seattle

Haven't been to NYC or SF in a long time, but liked those a lot.

Sleepers that most don't know.
ABQ
Tampa St. Pete
Minneapolis St Paul
Indianapolis
Traverse City Mi great food town.

Bamberg Germany is my all time favorite.

 

i was gonna say Santa Rosa in part because of Russian River--but also Lagunitas and Bear Republic and Moonlight...

 

Gonna throw Burlington VT in the mix...lots of great craft breweries all over VT but you can buy most in Burlington.

Otherwise I really think there are a lot of cities that are great beer destinations...pretty much anywhere I travel to I can find somewhere that makes great beer.

I am impressed with 3 of the closest big cities to where I live Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Columbus... although not OMG beercations still a lot of good beer being made.

 

San Diego is pretty sweet. Chicago, NYC, and Denver would be a good places to hit.

 

Grand Rapids has outstanding beer. Stay in Holland or Saugatuck and spend your days at the beach.

 

Public transportation? Chicago. The L makes it easy.

Driving? San Diego. A magical place.

Biking with a weather wildcard? Tarpon/St. Pete/Clearwater near Tampa (with a driving start at Cigar City). An amazing amount of beer near the Pinellas Trail. You. Will. Sweat.

 

State of Vermont...

http://imbibehour.blogspot.com/2015/10/vermont-is-scenic-paradise-beer-is-not.html

and who invented Beercation???

ME!! It's a fact!

 

Colorado's front range is pretty insane, and once you figure distro into the equation it gets even better. Add in scenery, National parks, events year round, home of the AHA and BA, GABF, etc it just keeps getting better.

 

I did Portland, ME and Burlington, VT last year. Loved both cities and the beers of course. There are some cool day trip destinations too with Waterbury, Hill Farmstead, or going up to MBC.

If you want a west coast spot to hit I'm a hometown fan of Seattle. Great breweries that tend to cluster in neighborhoods you can walk through, beer-focused bars across town, bottleshops to take some home, and not too hot in the summer.

 

Not SF bay area. This is coming from someone who grew up their. You've got Cellarmaker and Rare Barrel which are very worthy visits. Sante Adairius is a little out of the way, as is Alvarado Street and Firestone. There just aren't that many breweries in that big area; they are very spread out.

I'd say:
- Portland
- San Diego
- Denver