Greensboro Vacation

There are a lot of good suggestions above. Craft D The Art of the Taco on Elm has a good selection of craft beer and interesting Taco. There is also a new brewpub that has just opened but I haven't been there yet so I can't tell you anything about it yet. Natty Greene is on Elm as well but they are in Raleigh as well so you probably are familiar with their offerings.

 

The new brewery is Preyer's and there is also a new restaurant (Crafted - The Art of Street Food) that adjoins it. Not far away from there is Gate City Growlers, a new beer store that has about 20 beers on tap for growler fills. They also have a makeshift bar where you can order a pint of the beers they sell for growlers. Beer Co. is another new beer shop downtown worth checking out - they have a bar with about half a dozen beers on tap.

 

not new, but you need to make your way to Bestway
https://www.facebook.com/BestwayGrocery

Hops Burger Bar is close to Bestway, and is a good lunch spot
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hops-Burger-Bar/654116684604519?fref=ts

 

I'll give an overview of GSO. If you've been around town recently this is gonna be redundant.

*Change ongoing in GSO: Lee Street and High Point Road are being rebranded as Gate City Boulevard. The change is supposed to be "official" on July 1st, but some street signs have already switched. I imagine most places haven't updated their address info yet. No idea if the various GPS and maps services have incorporated the change yet.*

Breweries:

Natty Greene's (Elm St.) - Original Natty's "Brewhouse." Decent food and beer. You can find what they have on tap downtown via their website. They always have 12 beers on tap, but I think the taplist is the same in GSO and Raleigh. Most of what they put on tap downtown is geared towards sessionable ales and people new to the craft beer scene.

Natty Greene's (The Bunker) - Natty Greene's production brewery on Gate City Blvd (across the street from the Coliseum) opened up a taproom a couple of years ago. The Bunker is only open on Fridays from 5-9, but they put on limited release, experimental, and small batch release beers on tap there. I tend to find their small batch stuff they have at the Bunker more interesting than what's offered downtown.

Pig Pounder - Nearly a year old brewery specializing in English style ales. If you like to get mild, this place might be for you. Usually around 6 or 7 of their beers on tap with a couple guest taps. They usually do a cask each weekend and they've started releasing barrel aged versions of their stuff. Food can be delivered from nearby restaurants/bars.

Gibb's Hundred - Opened last fall. They don't put out a lot of different brews, but I've liked about everything I've had from them. Very much a chill local hangout, with board games and lots of space. The brewery also hosts weekly yoga, run club, old time music jam, trivia, and other events. $1 off Gibb's beer on Tuesdays. Foodtrucks over the weekends.

Preyer Brewing - Opened this month, located a few blocks north of the ballpark and shares a building with the new Crafted. They've got a porter, rye pale, red IPA, wheat, and strawberry wheat. I dig their IPA and porter so far.

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Bottleshops:

Bestway - The biggest and best selection of local/NC beer in town. Growler fill station (their growlers only). Almost all of their stock is available chilled. Bestway tends to get the biggest allotment of limited release/whales that come through the area. Also a grocery store.

Beer Co - Year old bottleshop/bar downtown on McGee, right near Natty Greene's. Can mix and match your own 6-pack. 6 beers on tap. Small store, but pretty good selection.

Gate City Growlers - Newest bottleshop in town, located on Battleground a couple blocks up from Pig Pounder. As the name suggests, there's a 20-tap bar where you can either get a pour, 32oz fill, or 64oz fill. They do fill outside growlers, but you have to pay a "sticker surcharge." Can mix and match your own 6-pack.

The Pipe and Pint - Old standby that seems to get forgotten. Prices slightly cheaper than Bestway, but all beers are kept at room temp. Also sells cigars and wine, if you're into that sort of thing. Can mix and match your own 6-pack.

Total Wine & More - Two of these in GSO. One is on High Point Rd--err, Gate City Blv, the other is on Battleground ave. Big chain, so there's lots of quantity. Can mix and match your own 6-pack. The one on Battleground seems to have fresher stuff. Not as good of a local selection as the independent bottleshops in town.

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Bars:

Jake's - A billiards bar on Spring Garden that has turned itself into one of the best craft beer bars in town. Around 70 beers on tap. Good beer specials on Mondays and Wednesdays. Best damn trivia in town. Can get "fratty" on evenings.

Hops Burger Bar - Awesome burgers and good beer. Not the longest taplist in the world, but they get lots of great kegs. They often get coveted kegs from Wicked Weed and Haw River. Small location, so it can get packed during dinner hours. They won't seat you until your entire party arrives (people seem to get aggravated at this policy).

Sticks and Stones - Locally sourced pizza place. 16 beers on tap, usually of good quality. I find their pizza a little high brow for me, but if you're into the weird stuff you'll like it.

Mellow Mushroom - Like any other Mellow Mushroom, the one in GSO has a pretty decent taplist. The GSO location is on Elm St. near Gibb's Hundred.

Crafted - Two locations now, one specializing in Tacos and a new one next to Preyer specializing in Street Food. Haven't been to the new place yet but the original location always had a good taplist.

 

Wow. Now that is a definitive answer. Thanks for sharing.

 

Thank you to all for the great advice!

I have one last question. What is your advice on seeing the Blue Ridge Mountains up close? I have a vehicle with me and from my online research, it looks to be quite a drive to get to them.

Thanks again!

 

not sure if I would make the effort. From Greensboro, Boone is 2 hours away, and Asheville is 3, but then of course you need to drive back. Our mountains are pretty, but not worth the effort on a weekend.

 

If you are willing to devote the whole day you could do it. The Blue Ridge Mountains show up before you get to Boone but as noted above getting there is only half the journey (actually less than half because you would need to do some driving on the Parkway). Another closer option is either Hanging Rock State Park or Pilot Mountain State Park north of Winston Salem. Both are nice places to visit with scenic views from the mountain tops.

 

I think you need to see the Blue Ridge Mtns. up close...that would give you a chance to see one of the best selections of brews in the state....and if you happen to be coming up on the weekend of the 6th it will give you a chance to attend one of the best events in the state....and load up too!! Plenty of fun to be had up in the mountains, 70 degrees and no humidity...pretty nice I must say!

 

Thank you lsaslow, JimKal & MrPeabodysBeard !

I will flying in a couple of days and I'm looking forward to finally getting to visit North Carolina!

 

I second the post above from subcontrabass, if you are in Greensboro on a Friday, you have to hit "The Bunker" at Natty Green's Brewery across from the stadium. Well worth the one off brews!

 

And at the Bunker, this Saturday, from 4:00-8:00, they are having a Pig Fest, featuring BBQ and beer.

Here is a website with more information:

http://www.ncbeerguys.com/natty-greenes-pig-fest-2015/

 

But why are you vacationing in Greensboro??

 

I'm there with ya. From here I can be at the beach in 3 1/2 hours, the same for Asheville, 2 hrs plus to Boone. There's some great bars and beer stores here, but I'd rather be in Myrtle Beach or any of the Carolina beaches when it's this warm.

 

A good friend of mine is getting married at Bella Collina Mansion. He is in from Orlando, FL, lives there with his future wife, but her family is from Greesnboro. Got to love destination weddings!
I stopped by Bestway, the selection is killer and the gentleman that helped me out was super helpful.

 

We fly under the radar here on purpose. I have never had a better place to live, raise my children, and have plenty to do. We have no need for pretension like lots of places.

 

Please save me from Myrtle Beach. Great with the kids, and high school memories, but far removed from the Ocean Drive, Cherry Grove, and Windy Hills days. Duck and Ocracoke Island get my vote.

 

Visit again and go to Gibbs 100 and the newly opened Preyer Brewing, on opposite ends of downtown. Very good beers. I'll put Gibbs 100 GPA (Greensboro Pale Ale) up with the best Asheville, Charlotte, or Raleigh offer. Preyer is from an old line Greensboro family that has put together a beautiful place with very good beer. I know there are several more projects getting ready to happen. Greensboro is sleepy, but a damned good place to rest!

 

Right.. raising kids and having a family is not a place Id want visit on vacation..It would be a place I would want to Live. All Im saying. There is a difference.

 

No there is not. They are not mutually exclusive. This is a great place to visit and I hear it all of the time. When were you last here? You must be from Atlanta, right?