Great Lakes Tour

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Get to Chicago at your convenience and check into the hotel. We'll get together for an informal after-dinner beer to welcome everyone to town and get the tour kicked off right.

We'll start with a stellar paired tasting meal at Greenstar Brewing, then pay a visit to one of Chicago's absolute superstars, Maplewood Brewery & Distillery. Then, it's off to Wrigley Field for a tour of the most iconic ballpark in baseball and a match-up of the Windy City's two teams as the White Sox come across town to take on the Cubs.

We'll start with pizza and a tasting at The Beer Temple, which consistently features taps from the best breweries in the region and beyond. Then, we will taste at one more of Chicago's many top-notch breweries before we hit the road for South Bend, Indiana. We'll make a stop along the way for a taste of a GABF medal-winner at Byway Brewing before we watch the Cubs' High-A affiliate host the West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers).

After you enjoy breakfast and a quiet morning, we'll taste at local favorite Crooked Ewe before the drive across to Toledo, where we'll sample the best of both the long-time stalwarts at Maumee Bay and the newest Inside the Five Brewing location. There are few minor league teams that are more recognizable around the world than the Toledo Mud Hens (thanks, Jamie Farr!), and we'll see them host Iowa in a Triple-A matchup from the same two parent organizations as Tuesday night's showdown.

Get breakfast at the hotel before we head East along Lake Erie. We'll enjoy a few of the best brewers in Cleveland, from the big production facility of Fat Head's to the regional superstars at Noble Beast. We'll then make the short drive to watch a Double-A Eastern League match-up between the Harrisburg Senators (Nationals) and the Guardian's Rubber Ducks in the heart of Akron.

There are few places in the country that do big beers better than Hoppin' Frog, where Fred has been doing great things for going on two decades. We'll start our day with a guided tasting before we point ourselves toward Columbus. There, we'll enjoy Buckeye favorite Jackie O's before another Triple-A game between the Clippers (Guardians) and fellow A.L Central affiliate St. Paul Saints (Twins). 

You'll have a little time to poke around Columbus before we get started toward what is consistently ranked as the best minor league ballpark and gameday experience in the country with the Fort Wayne TinCaps. We'll get lunch and a tasting flight at Werk Force Brewing along the drive, then have a special chance to check out Fort Wayne's Hop River Brewing, which has collaborated on a special release beer with the TinCaps each of the last several seasons. We'll then be part of what's sure to be a sellout crowd as the TinCaps (Padres) host the Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers).

Enjoy breakfast before we get an early start to drive back to Chicago. We'll finish our time together with lunch and a flight at Half Acre before you take off to 

• Seven nights' hotel accommodations (all at least three stars)
• Five minor league baseball games
• One big league game at Wrigley Field
• Five breakfasts
• Three custom paired tasting meals
• At least eight additional beer tastings with some behind-the-scenes visits mixed in
• Three ballpark meals
• Private bus service between all destinations 
• All hotel and bus driver tips

*Schedule subject to change based on adjustment to game times or the ever-changing brewery landscape. Final itinerary will be provided before your balance payment is due.

• Standard Double-Occupancy Hotels $2,450
• Single-Occupancy Hotels $2,950

Don't need a hotel Sunday night? Let us know and we'll adjust your billing!