Michigan trip, best stops?

Sleeping bear dunes is a must if your near Traverse City...Also, hitting up Shorts Brewery while up there then going to Torch Lake and renting a pontoon boat while you cruise, swim and have some pops

 

Horrible advice IMO. Northern Michigan is much better than 3F for the scenery and lakes alone, let alone the solid choices of breweries. Shorts is by far my favorite brewpub I've ever been to in the country and just so happens to be right next to one of the best lakes in the world (Torch Lake). Traverse City has a great selection of breweries (Right Brain, Filling Station, Terra Firma, Brewery Ferment) as well as Seven Monks Taproom (badass beer bar). If you're traveling from GR north to Bellaire, might as well stop in Ludington at the Mitten Bar, which is one of the best beer bars in Michigan.

 

Totally agree with this

 

If you are planning to stay the night in TC, make sure you have a place reserved. It can be very busy in that area on a holiday weekend. It has been a cold start this year, so that might make it a bit slower than normal. Memorial day isn't as crazy as the 4th of July though.

 

I'm a huge fan of FFF brewpub, but given your itinerary I would just head up to Michigan and start hitting the spots, and I would also skip Dark Horse and points East because even though it is great it will take you pretty far off the trajectory to Traverse City. Does anybody who has been to the source in Kalamazoo and to the new Bell's taproom in GR think that you can skip the former? If the taproom will suffice and you don't need to go to Arcadia, then you can bypass K-zoo if you want to free up time for other things. Unsolicited options for your itinerary:

One way:
Greenbush -- quick stop
The Livery -- quick stop
Bell's and Arcadia in K-zoo then up to GR
Founders, Vivant, HopCat, Perrins, Pyramid Scheme, etc. in GR
Odd Side Ales in Grand Haven and then up the coast to TC
Right Brain, Filling Station, Terra Firma, Brewery Ferment, Seven Monks Taproom in TC
Shorts in Bellaire

Circle tour:
Bell's and Arcadia in K-zoo then up to GR
Founders, Vivant, HopCat, Perrins, Pyramid Scheme, etc. in GR then up to TC
Right Brain, Filling Station, Terra Firma, Brewery Ferment, Seven Monks Taproom in TC
Shorts in Bellaire then down the coast toward home
Odd Side Ales in Grand Haven
The Livery -- quick stop
Greenbush -- quick stop

Thanks for the additional TC options. I will be spending some time in Lake Leelanau this summer (like most summers except longer) and plan to hit all of those and Shorts for sure. Cheers!

 

sleeping bear dunes is pretty much a must visit if you are in the Traverse City area. while there you can take a really beautiful kayak or canoe trip on the Platte river. if you are pressed for time there are some shorter trips available. if you do take the time to visit the Platte River area then be sure to drive out to the mouth of the river. when you walk out there you can walk along the beach and look back at the dunes to the north. really a beautiful area of the state. the drive on 22 running up the west side is awesome and there are some good spots to get out and sightsee/hike. Leland/Fishtown is a very cool little town that has a long history, good food, and also some decent beer on tap at some of the local spots. couple cool spots to stay around there too. also this area of the state has some awesome wine if you are into that at all.

if traveling up through the west side of the state you will be drving through the Manistee National Forest which has some nice options for hiking.

 

Perrin's for their Malted Milk Ball and anything at Founders! We're going to GR/Holland in July as well.

 

In the Kzoo area, if you like cars you can visit the Gilmore Car Museum which is 15 miles NE of Kzoo near Richland, and if you like aviation stuff, then the AirZoo in Kalamazoo which is near the airport is a fun place.

 

not sure if i missed it somewhere in the thread but how many days will you be in Michigan?

 

fyi, on Monday (memorial day) Witch's Hat is only open from 2-5 ....Here is what they have on as well

• Train Hopper
• Edward’s Brown
• Big Doedish
• Three Kord Kolsch
• Under the Red Light
• Voice of the Turtle IPA
• Demon Cleaner – Belgian Tripel
• There Gose The Neighborhood
• Twenty-Nine
• Bourbon Barrel 1908
• Witch Hunt Stout
• Mchattie Mild
• Bootin’ The Gluten IPA

 

If things got pinned here, this would be worth pinning as the "Official West Michigan Beer Trip" thread.

 

~20 breweries is awfully ambitious for a 3 day trip. I would try to cut it down to no more than 15, which still seems a little high.

I can't speak to the breweries in the far northwest, where I imagine you could cut out a few, but elsewhere, I would probably cut at least Arcadia, Grand Rapids Brewing, and OG.

As far as food, Founder's is definitely a lot better then Bell's, but other than those I haven't eaten at many of the places you list.

 

Personal opinion, but in TC I'd skip Ferment and go to Workshop Brewing in the old Right Brain location. Also, I will again demand you go to Frenchie's Famous for lunch in TC. It's tiny, and will likely be busy, but it's absolutely worth it for their pastrami sandwich alone.

Also, on the way to Shorts, you're going to go past Bravo Zulu brewing in Acme, MI. I've not been there yet, but it might be worth a quick stop.

 

Grand Rapids Brewing has good food, Dark Horse has good pizza, and Vivant has really, really good food.