Design a beer trip!

Option 4: Fly into Vancouver BC for 1 night. Down to Bellingham WA for 1 night. Down to Seattle for 2 nights. Down to PDX for the rest with day trips to Hood River/White Salmon, and Astoria/Tillamook.

Consider dropping Vancouver and add in Bend to a Hood River trip.

 

In my opinion, option 2 is superior. Oregon and California already have the greatest amount of solid breweries. The options are endless: cascade, de grade, sante adairius, Russian river, bruery, Firestone walker, lost abbey, alesmith, etc.

 

If your trip is during the summer months and you like lobster at a reasonable price, I would pick the east coast. Recommend starting in Portland, ME, and working/drinking your way through New England. Lobster and beer trips every year for me keep me sane.

 

I would try to add in a Vermont stop on your trip if you are doing an east coast trip.

 

You could stay closer to home and ravage Chicago, Wisconsin, and Northwestern Indiana. Saves a lot of money on travel and leaves more for beers, strippers, recreational spices, and more beer.

 

I would start in Portland Maine and move across New Hampshire ending up in Northern Vermont then head down through Connecticut and ending in New York.

 

THIS. DO THIS ONE.

 

Seattle to San Diego would be an amazing trip with stops in Portland, Santa Rosa & LA

 

Yea option 2 blows everything else away. Really jealous haha

 

Def option two...no contest.

 

Another vote for option 2 (or @beertunes' option 4). But since it's in January, I'd consider starting in Cali and working your way north. Weather never really gets too cold on the West Coast but you might as well work with the season instead of against it. But if I were you I'd just do Seattle to NorCal (or vice versa).

Plenty of info in the NW forum about must-hit spots in Washington and Oregon, we have dedicated threads specifically for visitors to Seattle, Portland, and Bend.

 

I would agree with this. Half Acre, Revolution, FFF, 18th St, and maybe even New Glarus for starters....the options are nearly endless. We also have a shitload of evening entertainment.

 

What ever happened to the good old days of strippers, porno videos, and vomit (not necessarily in that order)? Ah, the young in's...

As noted, if you are doing this in January, you will want to take weather into factor (obviously). Also, when not hitting breweries, what else are you going to want to do? Yes, biffy, there is a life away from beer.

Living on the best coast, err, west coast (NorCal), I'm obviously bias to Option #2. I have done the NorCal to Seattle route and it's a blast. Portland and Seattle are a lot of fun, and other than being wet, it shouldn't be that cold. Surprisingly, I haven't hit SoCal yet, but will be doing so the first week of June (primarily San Diego).

Oh, from personal experience, if you decide to go old school, the strippers in San Diego are incredible. Well, at least in the early 90s they were, but I doubt that has changed...Back to being married with four kids...

 

Belgium, Germany,Czech Republic. Done.

 

Option two but would have to start in Portland if you start in Seattle I don't think you would make it to San Diego without missing great breweries. And trust me that is a lot of car time if you are driving.

 

Currently doing modified option 2 in reverse. Past week based in Petaluma and have hit, inter alia, Lagunitas, Bear Republic, Third Street Aleworks, and Russian River (3 times). So much good beer here in Northern California. Next week we head to Oregon, then Washington. Can't go wrong with option 2.

 

It really depends on how much time you have. You will be really pressed for time doing Option 2. Option 3 is doable in 9 days but you won't find the amount of awesome breweries you would on option 1 and 2. Assuming you are doing a week or less of a trip, I'd recommend the Northeast route. Vermont, Portland ME, Boston, NYC, and DC, is relatively little driving (compared to the other 2 options) and will yield you tons of awesome beer.