67 Best Sights in USA

You've got to really look for the garage doors that mark the entrance to this zero-frills local taproom. Once you make it inside the industrial space, you can sample flights of Downeast's fresh, unfiltered cider varieties—many of which are only available at the cider house. While many breweries these days welcome the whole family, this isn't one of those places. Of course kids are allowed, but they must remain seated and Downeast does not serve any food.  There's limited seating and no standing room so you may have to wait for a table.

Overlooking the San Diego Bay and a nearby marina, this German-inspired brewery is quite possibly one of San Diego's most scenic. Expect a diverse spread of lagers, pilsners, ales, sours, and stouts that can be sampled as a draft or taster flight. Time your visit so you can watch the sunset over the water with a beer in hand.

In the land of IPA enthusiasts, Fair Isle bravely brews an assortment of innovative saisons and farmhouse ales, sometimes incorporating local ingredients such as rhubarb and elderberry. Fair Isle lends its kitchen to a wide variety of pop-ups serving everything from Turkish lamb roasts to Taiwanese soups. The taproom is all-ages, so bring along your little future beer lovers. On Fridays at 5 pm, one of the co-owners guides tours through the brewery that include a tasting of young ales.

While it's grown over the years, there still isn't much to the tasting room here, but there doesn't need to be: Fiddlehead only cans a few of its celebrated beers, making this the best place to sample the full variety on tap. Decide which one you like best and buy a growler to go—or, better yet, enjoy it with a pie from Folino's Pizza next door; they're mighty fine.

At this working craft brewery you can sample medal-winners such as the Double Barrel Ale and learn about the beer-making process on 45-minute guided tours of the brewhouse and cellar or the more comprehensive weekend-only barrel room tour. If the bourbon-barrel-aged Parabola Imperial Stout is available, it's a must-order and very deserving of its title as one of the country's preeminent beers.

Though this is a bare bones tasting room— no tours, just glass pours and growlers—we argue that it has great charm, unique Vermont personality, and some of the best beer in the state. There is space to sit outside in the summer months in a nearby field with beautiful views, and wood-fired tacos and nachos on Fridays and Saturdays.

The coast has a small but impressive roster of craft breweries, and the best of them is this IPA specialist. The charming taproom and its front patio offer flights and full pours of the beers produced in-house. Beyond the hoppy beers, the brewery also serves a range of styles, from tropical-fruit sours to vanilla-coffee stouts.

After driving through the hot desert, you'll surely appreciate a cold one at Indian Wells Brewing Company, where master brewer Rick Lovett lovingly crafts his Lobotomy Bock, Amnesia I.P.A., and Lunatic Lemonade, among others. If you have the kids along, grab a six-pack of his specialty root beer and soda pop available in more than 100 flavors.

This popular small-batch brewery outgrew its first location, so "The Ranch" is now its sole outpost. Housing a taproom, event space, and brewing facility in 15,000 square feet, it doesn't disappoint. Available beers include a year-round standard selection, along with seasonal brews and special selections. The taproom serves a limited menu, but you can bring your own food and food trucks are typically on-site. Tours of the brewing facility, which typically last 45 minutes, are available and are open to children at a discount and with reservations. The patio is considered one of the best in town and dogs are welcome. Weekly events include trivia nights and group jogs.

Although lights are out by 10 pm, this brewery might be the closest thing to nightlife in Julian. On tap are craft farmhouse-style beers along with small plates and bar bites when you need to sober up. The cheesesteaks are heaped with Texas brisket, onions, green peppers, and house cheese sauce, all rolled into a split grilled roll.  As the largest venue on Main Street, they have games, events, and plenty of indoor–outdoor seating for you and your crew. Live music draws a crowd on Friday and Saturdays from 6 to 9 pm.

The site of a former dairy, the brewery now produces some of the more compelling beers in the state, from IPAs made with their farm-grown hops, to lagers, smooth wheat ales, and farmhouse ales with an eye-opening array of flavors found in wildly collected yeasts. Few places in the country offer a closer connection between the farm, nature, and the beverage in your hand. An on-site tasting room allows for samples and drinks at the farm, with bottles, cans, and growlers to-go. There's no food, so bring your own snacks for the visit.

These days owned by Heineken International, Lagunitas began as a craft brewery in Marin County in 1993 before moving to Petaluma in 1994. In addition to its large facility, the home of "hop-forward" IPAs operates a taproom, the Schwag Shop for gifts, and a beer garden. Guides leading the brewery tour, which includes a beer flight, provide an irreverent version of the company's rise to international acclaim.

Come to Libertine's SLO location (the original brewpub is in Morro Bay) to savor 76 craft beers and wines on tap, house-made brews of kombucha and cold brew coffee, and an extensive menu of thoughtfully prepared pub food with many homemade ingredients. For beer geeks, the brewery is best known for its extensive roster of wild ales that might include local lemons or Morro Bay salt water.

Cozy and friendly, the tasting room buzzes with regulars and visitors—most here to try new brews as well as downpours of old favorites like the light and citrusy Portland Pale Ale. The mezzanine-style tasting room overlooks the production area, and well-behaved and leashed dogs are welcome.

Modern Times' tasting room balances tasteful kitsch with a no-nonsense approach to good beer. Decorated with '80s-era VHS boxes and a Yoda mosaic made from old floppy disks, Modern Times boasts 20 taps of rotating standard and seasonal brews, from their palate-pleasing MT Pilsner to more adventurous brews like their tropical passion fruit–guava gose.

It's all about the ladies at this Latina-owned and female-run brewery in the Mexican-American neighborhood of Barrio Logan. Female empowerment comes through in many of the beer names, like La Jefa, Amor a La Mexicana, and La Soltera. Check their socials for themed events, and don't miss the tacos and micheladas.

New Belgium's beautiful expansive deck overlooks the French Broad River, making it a major draw for afternoon libations. Excellent 45-minute tours of this state-of-the-art brewery are free every day at 1:30 and 4:30. Tastings of several beers are included.

Some of the best brew in San Diego is served at this little beer bar that occupies an old jail in Julian. Owner Tom Nickel is considered one of the most creative brewers in the region and is always cooking up new recipes that win accolades from judges and fans. There are 16 taps and contents change regularly. The Jalapeno Gold is peppery, the C. C. O'Neill's Irish Red is summery, and the Stonewall Stout is like a meal in itself. For something Julian-memorable, try the apple pie beer. If you're having trouble making your pick, go for the flight of six beers for $16. The patio is dog-friendly.

Grab a seat on the rooftop deck of this brewpub, where ocean views and a dozen craft beers are on tap. During happy hour, locals head to this dog-friendly pub for shuffleboard, foosball, Ping-Pong, firepits, and some of the best sunset views San Diego has to offer.

Part of Pike Place Market’s recent expansion, Old Stove—which is brewed on-site—might be the kid-friendliest taproom in town. Choose from 24 drafts at the award-winning brewery, which can be paired with pub fare like burgers, sandwiches, and pretzel bites, or oysters and salmon dip, if you're feeling fancy. Try to nab a seat on the patio or by the window (especially at sunset) so you can watch ferries glide across Puget Sound from the 80-foot west-facing window that frames Elliott Bay and the mountains.

Built in 1885, the brewery building originally housed the Weisbrod & Hess Oriental Brewing Company.  Since 2001, the brewery has been the headquarters of the Philadelphia Brewing Company, which produces year-round beers like Pennsylvania Pale Ale and Newbold IPA, as well as seasonal and specialty brews. For non-beer drinkers, there's the Phizzie hard seltzer. Free brewery tours are offered every third Saturday at noon and 2 pm; reservations are recommended. 

This community-focused coffee shop and bar boasts a small but mighty menu of house-made craft beer along with house white, red, and rosé wines and cocktails served inside a warm wood-paneled space and on a spacious, breezy patio. The simple food menu is made up of sandwiches, salads, pizzas (can be made gluten-free), and snacks. Note that they do keep small-town hours, closing by 9 pm each night, with the kitchen closing at 8 pm.

Sustainability and community have always been core values behind this L.A. brewery’s mission, but Golden Road Brewing is equally passionate about making great food and excellent beer. With several core brands, as well as a few specialty and seasonal brands, this is a must-stop for any craft beer lover vacationing in the City of Angels. Try the Mango Cart wheat ale on draft.

Red Clover Ale in Brandon's tiny town center is run by a crew of brothers-in-law. The family trio focuses on creative ales alongside skilled representations of the classics, like their pitch-perfect pilsners and stouts. Their ongoing IPA series is as special as the birds they're named after, like American Redstart and Common Yellowthroat. Excellent pop-up food vendors are occasionally found on-site—otherwise, a corkboard near the entrance is covered in local takeout menus for perusing to one's liking.

Local ingredients take the spotlight at this family-owned brewery, with sprawling indoor and patio spaces and even bigger list of seasonal creations (like blueberry sour ales and Marzen-style lagers) and year-round beers like Ishmael, a malty and sweet ale. There's also wine and kombuchas on offer.

The Boston beer company's Jamaica Plain facility is where it conducts research and develops new products. A variety of tours (21-plus only) are available at different price points, all including samples; most tours must be booked online (though a few spots are reserved for walk-ins). Whether you take a tour or not, you can enjoy a beer in the taproom, which is open daily, or the beer garden, in nice weather. Parking is limited, so consider taking the T to Stony Brook.

Sierra Nevada, one of the country's largest national craft breweries, situated its East Coast brewery and distribution center on a 190-acre site on the French Broad River. The beautifully landscaped complex includes a good restaurant, tasting room, gift shop, and hiking and biking trails. Sierra Nevada offers the best brewery tours in the region, ranging from a 45-minute brewhouse tour to a three-hour Beer Geek tour.

Tours book up quickly, so reserve as far in advance as possible.

Societe’s tasting room offers a prime view of their barrel room and brewing facility. Though you can’t go wrong with The Pupil IPA, cider lovers shouldn’t miss the Vagabond with raspberry and hibiscus. The Harlot Belgian blonde ale is used to marinate the juicy carnitas served at their food truck, Chachos Tacos, open Tuesday through Sunday.

Switchback may not get as much press as other more famous craft Vermont beers, but its classic unfiltered ale is a solid, respected brew that's well worth exploring at the brewery and an expanded tap house and beer garden, added in 2024, in Burlington's buzzing South End. In addition to superfresh beer right from the source, beer-filled cocktails and a menu of perfect-for-pairing bites, the space hosts regular events and live music throughout the year. Employee-led Askew Beer Co. holds down a few experimental taps, too.