West Coast USA Road Trip - Oct/Nov

[cliffo]

I semi-hijacked another thread a few months about breweries to visit in the USA but thought I'd start my own thread so you can ignore if not interested

I'm hiring a car for the duration of the trip and the plan thus far is looking like (with most accommodation already booked and I'll be arriving late arvo/early evening at most places):

LA - 1 night (have a feeling I won't be overly enthralled with LA)
Fresno - 1 night (simply an overnight stop after Sequoia NP)
El Portal - 2 nights (Yosemite NP)
Chico - 2 nights (Sierra Nevada Brewery Tour, maybe a visit to Walmart)
Bend - 3 nights (Crater Lake NP on the way, Bend Ale Trail, Deschutes Brewery Tour)
Portland - 1 night only unfortunately as running out of days
Seattle - 1 night (as above)

From there I'll be driving Highway 1 and the 101 south to San Diego:

Coos Bay - 1 night (maybe, will be winging this part of the trip)
Mendocino - 1 night (maybe, as above)
San Fran - 3 nights (Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, Fishermans Wharf, Anchor Brewing, Golden State v Miami NBA if I can secure a ticket)
Monterey - 1 night (maybe, will be winging this part of the trip)
Santa Barbara - 1 night (as above)
San Diego - 4 nights (it's San Diego Beer Week!, Stone, Ale Smith, have my ticket for the closing day of SDBW at Torrey Pines, USS Midway, maybe a day trip to Joshua Tree NP)

I have a late night flight home on the final day so will head back up to LA from SD and stop at a few places along the way.

It is a lot of driving and I am cramming things in but hey, so much to see and so little time.

I'm open to any suggestions for must see places not listed in the above areas, beer-related or otherwise and especially for the final day on the drive from SD back to LA (late night flight so literally have the entire day).

 

[akx]

Sounds like a great trip!
Anchor Brewing is a cool place, but as I recall it books out in advance so definitely give them a call.
Across the bay from SF is Oakland where I lived. Drake's Brewing has a restaurant called Drake's Dealership with good food and 30+ beers on tap (their own + collaborations). The brewery itself is down in San Leandro (20 min south of Oakland). Cleophus Quigly (spelling?) in San Leandro has some really unique beers. And 21st Amendment in SF is decent if your out that way.
North of SF: Russian River is the hallowed home of Pliny. Might be worth a stop and there are other good places around.
South of SF: I think Firestone Walker makes some of the best beers in California (between Monterrey and Santa Barbara) and their food is decent too. Worth a stop if you can swing it.
I only had 1 night in Seattle, and there's a restaurant associated with the Ellysium (spelling?) Brewery that was expensive but delicious and great range of beers.
Happy to discuss further if you have more questions. Good luck!

 

[cliffo]

Awesome info, cheers. I'll have to look up some of those places.

Forgot Russian River. I'm coming through Santa Rosa on the way to SF and planning to stop there for lunch.

Will be heading to Oakland for an NBA game if I get a ticket so will probably have some extra time over that way to have a look around.

Thanks again.

 

[unwrittenlaw]

Check out Ninkasi in Eugene OR and let me know. Dying to get there... Deschutes in Bend for sure. I checked their ale house in Portland was great. Plenty of small tap rooms around Portland... lompoc from memory

 

[unwrittenlaw]

http://lompocbrewing.com/#/
http://www.ninkasibrewing.com/delicious/beers/

 

[akx]

Oh, and Lagunitas is great too. One of close to Russian River north of SF

 

[stewy]

North of San Fran - Heretic in Fairfield is a must (my favourite beers, so biased), Lagunitas in Petaluma & Russian River. Get to Russian river before 11am or you won't get a seat!

 

[cliffo]

The time is nigh!

I fly out tomorrow morning. Currently unsure if it's pre-trip excitement or solo traveller anxiety that is coming through stronger

From what I can gather I should have a decent beer selection on the flight. Am flying United and the best info I can find suggest they currently have Samuel Adams Octoberfest and New Belgium Voodoo Ranger in the mix alongside Miller Lite, Heineken and Blue Point Toasted Lager.

I'll be sure to spam update this thread throughout my travels.

 

[akx]

When we flew United (SF to Syd) in August they had Lagunitas 12th of Never beer on the flight. A new offering and one of my faves from that brewery (5% or so, super hoppy). You'll have an awesome trip! If you get stuck somewhere, post up here. I'll help if I can

 

[droid]

What a way to start the Monday morning drag - reading this, feck, feck it all


Have fun, bastados

 

[cliffo]

Half an hour in to the flight and it's beverage time.

Asked old mate what "craft" beers he had...

 

[cliffo]

Nek Minit

 

[cliffo]

A jet lagged 40° day of wandering around LA called for a few beers at Golden Road Brewing

329 Lager

Melon Cart (watermelon wheat beer)

 

[eldertaco]

Nice, I'm a big fan of their Wolf Among Weeds [emoji106]

 

[Pnutapper]

Did they make you drink the Melon Cart out of a plastic cup?

 

[cliffo]

Did they make you drink the Melon Cart out of a plastic cup?

I got glass on the 2nd...I did tip them so maybe why lol

 

[cliffo]

Day 2.

LA to Fresno via Sequoia NP.

Now drinking beers at Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co

Stone fruit Wheat beer

View from the top of Moro Rock (sorry to go off topic)

 

[cliffo]

Golden Ale

This is a cool little spot. LA Dodgers game playing on all screens and a building crowd.

 

[cliffo]

Mt Whitney XPA. I'll be grabbing a few take aways of this.

 

[cliffo]

And final one, the Fulton St IPA. The best of what I've tried and recommended by the staff.