Beaches and Beer

July 1, 2000 By Gregg Glaser

What’s better than a great beer at the beach? Not much, provided you can get a hold of the beer. Many beaches don’t allow alcohol at all. Or if they do, they ban bottles. And as we all know⎯despite experiments by a couple of craft breweries and a range of imports⎯many of the beers we love best don’t come in cans. Of course, ingenious homebrewers pack coolers full of beer in PET bottles for a jaunt to the beach, but what are the rest of us to do?

Rinse off the sand and find the nearest brewpub. Here’s a list of great beach destinations near great brewpubs (we’re sticking to the ocean here; no offense meant to lake lovers).

ME
Old Orchard Beach (in the town of the same name)⎯Whale Tale Brewing, Old Orchard Beach, 213 Saco Ave, 207-934-7370

NH
Wallis Sands Beach, Rye⎯Portsmouth Pub & Brewery, 56 Market St, Portsmouth, 603-431-1115

MA
Craigville Beach, Hyannis/Centerville on Cape Cod⎯Hyannisport Brewing, Hyannis, 720 Main St, 508-775-8289

CT
Sherwood Island State Park, Westport⎯John Harvard’s Brew House, 540 Riverside Ave, Westport, 203-454-2337

RI
Block Island State Beach, Block Island⎯Mohegan Cafe & Brewery, Water St, Block Island, 401-466-5911

NY
Southampton Beach, Southampton⎯Southampton Publick House, 40 Bowdon Sq, Southampton, 516-283-2800

NJ
Atlantic City⎯Tun Tavern, 2000 Kirkman Blvd, Atlantic City, 609-347-7800

DE
Rehoboth Beach (in the town of the same name)⎯Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth, 302-226-2739

MD
Highland Beach (in the town of the same name)⎯Fordham Brewing/ Ram’s Head Tavern, 33 West St, Annapolis, 410-268-4545

VA
Virginia Beach (in the town of the same name)⎯Hilltop Brewing Co. & Restaurant, 1556 Laskin Rd., Virginia Beach, 757-422-5652

NC
Cape Hatteras National Seashore⎯Weeping Radish Brewery, Highway 64, Manteo
(Roanoke Island), 252-473-1157

SC
Myrtle Beach (in the town of the same name)⎯Mad Boar Brewhouse, 4706 U.S. 17 S., N. Myrtle Beach, 803-272-7000

GA
Tybee Island Beach, Tybee Island⎯Moon River Brewing Co., 21 W Bay St., Savannah, 912-447-0943

FL
Miami Beach (in the town of the same name)⎯Abbey Brewing Co., 1115 16th St., Miami Beach, 305-538-8110

AL
Gulf Shores Beach (in the town of the same name)⎯Port City Brewery, 225 Dauphin St., Mobile, 334-438-2739

MS
Gulf Coast Beach, Biloxi⎯Coast Brewing Co. at Beau Rivage Resort, 875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-386-7353

LA
They tell me that when a Louisianian wants a salt water beach, they go to Alabama or Texas

TX
Padre Island National Seashore⎯Padre Island Brewing Co., 3400 Padre Blvd., South Padre Island, 956-761-9585

CA
Manhattan Beach (in the town of the same name)⎯Manhattan Beach Brewing Co., 124 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach, (310) 798-2744

OR
Cape Kiwanda, Pacific City⎯Pelican Pub & Brewery 33180 Cape Kiwanda Dr., Pacific City, 503-965-7007

WA
Point Wilson Beach, Port Townsend⎯Maxwell’s Brewery & Pub, 636 Waterfront Pl., Port Townsend, 360-379-6438

AK
Andy Beach, Douglas⎯Armadillo Tex Mex Café, 431 Franklin St., Juneau, 907-586-1880

HI
Waikiki Beach, Honolulu⎯Brew Moon Restaurant & Microbrewery, 1200 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, 808-593-0088