Milltown, WI 6. Believe us, its worth going out of your way for. Population: 5,943 Sports are better surrounded by friends and fans, and if you cant make it to a game, a sports bar is the next best thing. Sun City It's supper club perfection. Defiance fill out the regions boozy portfolio with an absinthe, amaretto, apple brandy, rum, cassis and whiskey. It's a perfect mix of all things northern Wisconsin. If you know one thing about the southern part of Delaware, it's the beaches. The stools are fabricated out of old pipes and tractor seats that were laying around, an old 1919 Fordson tractor sits at the center, and the entire place has a DIY quality, from its shiny bar to the random farm bric a brac that dots the wall. Sometimes all it takes to turn a small town from a nice place to drive through into a destination for drinks lovers is one bar. For accommodations, enjoy the Victorian stylings of Viroqua Heritage Inn or the rustic Scandinavian charm of the cabins at Driftless Creek. Many small towns across the country have good bars (thats why this list exists in the first place), but not many small towns have 20-plus wineries, twobreweries, one cidery and a distillery on top of great bars and tasting rooms. Pony may be a one-horse town, but its bar is the kind of place that draws people from far and wide, a pure distillate of Montana bar life that demands a pilgrimage from any drinker worth the dirt on their boots. The live bands are fun and frequent, especially come warm weather when they open the Hog Pit, a partially covered patio that serves its own distinct menu of smokehouse specialties like Hog Turds, aka soft pretzel-wrapped jalapeos stuffed with brisket and pepper jack that will make you completely forget what they're called. The town is also home to Burley Oak Brewing, which serves its large portfolio at its taproom (often to the accompaniment of local musicians) including their Home Grown series, featuring hyper-local grains grown just 15 minutes away. This is one of the best bars in the country, one filled with some of the most interesting characters you'll ever drink a Shiner underground with. Bottineau Population: 2,542 That's because the place -- with an aesthetic that marries the rustic tin-shed look with an ultra-modern tap system -- takes its beer very, very seriously, to the point that each of the joint's pub tenders boasts a Cicerone certification. In the seaside town, Dogfish Head has two bars next door to one another, the seafood-focused Chesapeake & Maine and the brewpub Brewings & Eats, where the Dogfish story began. (It's open year-round from Friday-Sunday.) Oh, it also doesnt hurt that it sits on a barrier island just 30 minutes east of Savannah on Highway 80 that happens to be the only known place in America where a nuclear weapon was (accidentally) dropped. Many small towns across Wisconsin have parades, tree lightings and visits from Santa. Pay extra special attention to their special releasesif youre in town for the festival in January, consider the Midwinter Nights Dram. Small towns with distilleries, breweries, vineyards and meaderies are just the start, as many places that barely register on a map actually contain unique and unbelievable drinking experiences. So that you can get in on the fun in your local area or while travelling, we rounded up our favorite small towns across the country. Population: 6,683 Located at 8108 County Road D, Kaukauna, WI 54130. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Jerome Population:64 The bars walls sport over 9,000 brands (the singed flesh kind, not the whiskey brand kind) from cattle ranchers all over the state, along with plenty of taxidermy. Pop into Seguin Brewing Company to sample a variety of on-tap beers (brewed in-house!) Beer is a way of life in Wisconsin, so consider stopping at Rocky Reef Brewing Company just north of town. Hanging off the ring finger of the Michigan hand like a hangnail, youll find Traverse City far in the north of the state, so it makes sense that the citys liquor production would be anchored by The Whiskey of the North, as Traverse City Whisky Co. calls itself. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The crowd is a friendly mix of bikers, locals, and tourists dropping in for the day. Well send you our daily roundup of all our favorite stories from across the site, from travel to food to shopping to entertainment. Toppling Goliath is the biggest draw, but there are also places in town making great beer with less hype like Pulpit Rock Brewing. Her work has appeared in a variety of print and digital outlets, including. It was founded in 1827 and is home to gorgeous 19th-century buildings which hold galleries, shops, and restaurants. It helps that the place is also the best damn whiskey bar in eternally thirsty South Dakota, serving 150+ bottles of the brown stuff from around the world, which you can drink while playing cards with a dude dressed as Bill Hickok himself. A short 30-minute drive to Milwaukee, Cedarburg is located on the shore of Lake Michigan; once a wool mill town, today, this charming little spot thrives mostly on tourism. Ski season is one of the best times to visit New Hampshire. While in town, you should also check out Lucky 7 Rooftop Billiards for a great view of the area along with drinks and pool, as well as other local hangs like Cathouse Lounge and the Rowdy Beaver Den (seriously, how can you dislike a town with a bar named Rowdy Beaver Den?). First things first, you can drink on the beach legally here (so long as you dont bring glass), which takes care of all of the day drinking you could ever want. But luckily for everyone, Spirit Room stuck around. But what sets this Midwestern destination apart is its bevy of delightful small towns sprinkled across the state. The 10 Best Small Towns to Retire in the U.S. The bars on this list represent the absolute best small-town drinking experiences in their respective states. Hank Williams played the Goble on a one-night stopover in the '40s. Population: 4,014 . In this episode, we discuss how this town came to be and what Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, is known for. Janesville Is One Of The Cutest Small Towns In Wisconsin. We'll tell you the good about "Awesome Cross Plains." Everyone here is rich; families average $87,125 a year, which is the 5th highest in the Madison region. Over the past four-plus decades, it has evolved into a true music mecca off the Delaware River, playing host to artists as varied as Norah Jones, George Thorogood, and jazz virtuoso Stanley Jordan. Aerial view of downtown Cedarburg, Wisconsin, during summer. Population: 350 Between the Ole Smoky distillery, Doc Collier Moonshine and Sugarlands Distillery, youll have plenty of unaged whiskey to taste while in Gatlinburg, a town perched on the edge of the Smoky Mountains. If you dont believe us when we say the area is worth a visit, trust Channing Tatum, whos Born and Bred Vodka is made at Grand Teton Distillery. Were not sure where youd expect to find an absinthe bar (except maybe a dark side street in Paris), but Jim Thorpe is definitely not high on the list. People looking to savor their expertly made cocktails flock to the building that used to house an old bakery -- the gorgeous cabinets that house the booze and the bar are from the former business. And yeah, you can snowmobile there in the winter, but the real move here is to book a room at the adjoining Eagle River Inn and bask in the magnificent sunsets on a tiny slice of heaven, beer in hand and surrounded by travelers and locals whose only real worries are which beer to get next. Miraculously, places like this still do exist. The best beer bar and beer garden in Connecticut is in a town with fewer people than a mid-sized college. There are also two breweries in the town, Old Bisbee Brewing Company and Beast Brewing Company, making award-winning and innovative brews. East Grand Forks Start planning a weekend trip to one of these beautiful small towns. It packs in locals and curious visitors from around the world, all coming together under the shared love of cheap cinnamon schnapps, great music, and a singular bar experience they'll never forget, even if they barely remember the specifics of what went down. Order the multi-patty Big Ass Burger and expect not to need sustenance for the next week or so. Lucky for you, Wisconsin is home to countless bars and taverns, many of which are family-friendly, that serve up cold beer, delicious cuisine and Midwest hospitality. One of the owners of Bread says being there makes you feel like time is slowing down, and we can't disagree. Thank you! What are your favorite small town restaurants in Wisconsin? At night it turns into a different animal, when Skagway locals actually belly up to the bar like animals who only come out after dark. You'll find a loyal, exceptionally welcoming crowd -- just about every review ever written assures newcomers not to be deterred by the kindly ruffians smoking out front -- and a heaping dose of Lowcountry nostalgia where the bands are loud, the beer is cold, the cooking is downhome, and if you're in the market for bait and tackle, you're in luck. Grab a Jell-O shot or a beer, order a burger, and bask in the sunlight under the high ceilings: This is North Dakota lake life at its finest, and might just change naysayers' minds of what the state has to offer. It is a great place for a quiet escape, but also has plenty to do, including scenic kayaking on Green Bay. These are some of the best downtowns in Wisconsin. The town is just north of the Mexican border, and is populated by hippies, artists and bikersall of whom, it appears, love a good drinking scene. The star here is the house-made chunky blue cheese dressing that you can request on your steak or seafood to make it basically perfect. We recommend sitting down at the bar and soaking in the Old West vibes, starting with the painted wall mural featuring playing cards and scantily clad dancing women. Anyone who grew up in Eastern PA knows that New Hope -- a seemingly sleepy small town nestled on the Jersey border -- is one of the most overlooked and underrated destinations in the entire state. Holdrege Stop into a classic tavern and order a pint of the towns beloved beer Spotted Cow. It didnt detonate, but its never been located, so if you needed another reason to get bombed while youre in town, theres that. 9 Best Towns in Wisconsin 1. When it comes to eye-catching small town monikers, its hard to beat Bourbon Capital of the World. Bardstown earns that name by being the home of Four Roses, Willett, Makers Mark, Barton 1792, the Jim Beam American Stillhouse and the Heaven Hill Distilleries Bourbon Heritage Center. It's three of the best bars, spread out over three levels. Population: 8,699 But it's the greatest hidden gem in the state, primarily known as a steakhouse but also boasting a craft cocktail lounge worthy of Chicago or Minneapolis. Visitors here can enjoy a traditional fish fry at The Barn, hike for lovely views at Wyalusing State Park, and pick up smoked fish and fresh cheese curds from Valley Fish & Cheese Market. The waterfront is packed with bars, like the divey Hemingways, barbecue and beer haven Q on Bay, and the upscale Saltus River Grill. The Bavarian lookalike boasts several beer halls, including King Ludwigs Beer Garden and The Wurst House, but the real party happens in the fall, when the town celebrates Oktoberfest. And when we say small town we mean smalllike, people know each other on a first name basis and might be related small. Population: 9,335 And while youre there, order the classic hot pastrami sandwich, which pairs nicely with any brew. Population: 71 Population: 2,074 Population: 997 Cocktails include a secret Rum Punch recipe from the Caribbean, a black tea infused bourbon cocktail called Rockin Chair and tiki drinks galore. Near the Twin Cities, in Chippewa Falls, enjoy the River Inn Bar known for its giant, broasted chicken wings and arcade games. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! To learn more, visit their website, This spot is one of two owned by this family since the 1950s. Here is the very best small town (capped at 25,000 people) for drinkers to visit in all 50 states. . The patio at one of the locations on the water is both heated and air-conditioned, meaning you can make the summer last just a bit longer as you stare out at the lake. The workers at a nearby nuclear reservation used to make everyone nervous by drinking there on their lunch break -- and the bar held a raucous Implosion Party when the plant's steam stack came down. Yes, Saloon #10 is touristy: It's a place that doubles as something of a living Wild West museum, complete with cowboys at the poker table where Wild Bill was shot. The Choctaw Casino offers plenty of drinking and gambling should you need to escape from nature, while Hochatowns Beavers Bend Brewery offers a midpoint between outdoors and in, with a patio where you can sip brews as you watch life pass by. After knocking back a few at the ultra divey Red Barn Pub (where they offer free jambalaya) or the towns location of Daiquiris & Creams (which offers Daiquiri flavors like Alligator and House Special Abusedont ask us, we dont know either), catch a show at the church-like Dew Drop Lounge for some down home entertainment. Located at 2202 Post Rd, Plover, WI 54467. Tennessites? Step into old Norway in this city thats a short drive south of Madison. Pretty much every establishment within spitting distance of the water offers weekly live music, either by professionals or karaoke stars. Enjoy a round (or a few) at Cafe Benelux in Milwaukee, known for its Belgian brews and homemade dishes, including pull-apart cheese bread and shrimp mac & cheese. The Old West "gentlemen's saloon" sits in an 1853 brick building with oil lamps hanging from the ceiling, a diamond-dusted mirror behind the bar, and photos of everything from Old West icons to modern-day movie stars lining the wall. And nowadays, Murphy's still flies so low that some people that actually grew up in Rumson will go their entire lives without knowing it exists. You dont even have to do the ski part of apres ski to have a good time at the Paul Bunyan Room, you just have to show up ready to party. When it does, you too can experience the majesty of a truly lit barn with a cupful whiskey and a crowd of amped line dancers. Located at N2161 Town Club Rd, Kaukauna, WI 54130. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. Port Townsend New Glarus Brewing Company has overtaken the town in fame thanks to world-class beer made from natural ingredients. Grab a drink and a steak. Its packed with charming boutiques and welcoming bars and restaurants. Population: 2,302 Because music is best enjoyed with a beer in your hand, there's plenty to be had, from $2 PBRs to 15 taps pouring local brews like Ozark and Flyway. There's also a sprawling outdoor patio, where bands and DJs cater to the tourists and the locals, all of whom find solace in Tuesday karaoke, a free jukebox, and the simple pleasures of being transported into an old-school dive that's found new life by embracing its past and bringing it into the present. Its bordered by Mobile Bay on one side, a little inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, that gives the whole area a casual beachy vibe to it. And hey -- you might run into Geraldo Rivera (he lives in walking distance). The food menu features a variety of Irish favorites, including shepherd's pie, and all-American dishes, like pizza. The citys canal still sees the passage of some large ships and its a beautiful backdrop to the town. And in a small town as eternally cool as New Hope, that's not a bad feeling to have. To learn more, visit their Facebook page, The rare mix of supper club and tiki bar, Jake's is on Tainter Lake and is known for its prime rib, the outdoor tiki bar and live music on the weekends. A quick survey of Arthur doesnt reveal much. So while unknown it's not, it's a must-see if anywhere near Reno or Lake Tahoe. Population: 632 Now a fully functioning resort with the best combination of modern amenities and old-school charm, the restaurant here draws people from miles away for their house-made salad dressings, one-pound pork chop and more. Destination apart is its bevy of best small town bars in wisconsin small towns across Wisconsin have parades tree. Thanks to world-class beer made from natural ingredients into a classic tavern and order a pint the. Beat Bourbon Capital of the best downtowns in Wisconsin, is known for, Kaukauna, WI 54130,! Step into Old Norway in this episode, we discuss how this town came to be and what Sturgeon,. 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