(BEERCATION DESTINATIONS: San Diego<\/a> | Charleston<\/a> | Nashville<\/a><\/strong>)<\/p>\n This year we decided to head inland, and explore the small and independent brewery scene around some of America\u2019s coolest lake towns. It wasn\u2019t easy finalizing the list. When it comes to fresh-water locales, there are no obvious beer meccas like San Diego<\/a>. There are, however, some amazing lake towns across our land that sport the craft beer culture. We chose five top-notch summer lake towns and where to find the kind of quality brews to make your getaway a splash this summer.<\/p>\n Tourism surrounding Lake Norman, which provides electricity to the Piedmont region of the Carolinas, is now being fueled by craft beer as well as boating on North Carolina\u2019s largest man-made lake.<\/p>\n Located 30 minutes north of Charlotte, the lake towns of Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville have expanded the momentum of the Queen City\u2019s recent craft beer boom. The Lake Norman community now boasts four breweries and several craft-focused bottle shops and pubs. There\u2019s also the North Carolina Brewers & Music Festival in May, which this year drew more than 30 breweries, and one local motel, Comfort Suites Huntersville, even offers \u201cA Room with a Brew\u201d package.<\/p>\n Following the success of five-year-old Ass Clown Brewing<\/a> in Cornelius came the opening of several more breweries, including the fast-growing D9 Brewing Co.<\/p>\n Old Town Public House in Cornelius and Davidson Beverage Co. each offers a great selection of local and regional brews on draft or to-go.<\/p>\n Of course, folks from Charlotte and beyond have been enjoying life on the lake long before the arrival of IPAs and wheat beers. While boating, jet skiing and fishing remain staple activities on Norman, which offers 520 miles of shoreline, visitors can enjoy a bike ride or hike at a nature preserve, swimming at a public-access beach (including the newly opened Ramsey Creek Park), kayaking and paddle boarding through My Aloha Paddle & Surf, or a meal at a waterfront restaurant.<\/p>\n For a unique place to enjoy a beer with beautiful lake views, look further than The Cabin in Davidson. Arrive by car \u2014\u00a0or boat!<\/p>\n Michigan certainly isn\u2019t lacking in awesome lake beach towns, and Grand Haven may be the gem of them all. The state also isn\u2019t short on craft beer, and you\u2019ll find plenty of it here \u2013 or at least within a short drive.<\/p>\n In Grand Haven itself is the wildly popular Odd Side Ales<\/a>, a fun place with a vast array of quality brews. In nearby Spring Lake you\u2019ll find Dutch Girl Brewery and the more established Old Boys\u2019 Brewhouse<\/a> on the waterfront of Spring Lake, with one of the finest views around.<\/p>\n (TRAVEL:\u00a0Your Guide to Michigan’s Independent Breweries and Beer<\/a><\/strong>)<\/p>\n If you\u2019re ok with heading a bit inland for a beer excursion, the bubbling scene in Grand Rapids \u2013 a.k.a. Beer City USA \u2013 is only 45 minutes away, while Holland, home of New Holland Brewing Co.<\/a>, is about 30 minutes to the south.<\/p>\n For lots of beach and beer all in one place, don\u2019t miss the annual Burning Foot Beer Festival in nearby Muskegon \u2013 dubbed Michigan\u2019s only beer festival on the beach. Tickets went on sale June 25.<\/p>\n Also don\u2019t miss the spectacular sunsets at Grand Haven State Park Beach, where the hub of activity takes place around Grand Haven. Take a trolley to the beach from downtown, or stroll the boardwalk out to the lighthouse and drink in the scenery. You can also do that at the tiki bar in Jack\u2019s Waterfront Bistro & Bar.<\/p>\n How did Wyoming get on a list related to best lake beach towns in America? Let me explain.<\/p>\n Not that Jackson itself is exactly a beach town, but the region referred to as Jackson Hole includes neighboring Grand Teton National Park. It’s home to some of the most strikingly gorgeous lakes in the country, set amid the Teton mountains that soar dramatically above the valley floor.<\/p>\n The most well-known among them, by far, is Jenny Lake \u2013 the center of activity within the park. Besides boating and swimming \u2013 the water is cold! \u2013 Jenny Lake\u2019s shores offer great hiking, and a ferry service crosses the lake all day for access to the Hidden falls\/Inspiration Point hike, perhaps the most popular in the park.<\/p>\n For a little more solitude, fun can also be had at nearby String Lake with swimming, kayaking and hiking available there, too.<\/p>\n Oh yeah, the beer.<\/p>\n Jackson is home to the one of the country\u2019s most unique and acclaimed breweries, Melvin Brewing<\/a>. Thanks to numerous accolades \u2013 two-time Alpha King Competition winner, gold medals at World Beer Cup and GABF, Small Brewpub of the Year honors \u2013 what started out as a tiny operation inside a Thai restaurant in Jackson, Thai Me Up, led to the opening of a new production facility 35 miles away in Alpine, Wyoming, in late 2015.<\/p>\n Another must in Jackson for beer and a meal is the spacious and popular Snake River Brewing Co.<\/a>, which has won its share of GABF medals over the years as well.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the picturesque venue for one of the most revered Ironman Triathlon races in the world. It played host to the 1980 Winter Olympic Games, where the U.S. ice hockey team pulled off perhaps the greatest sports miracle of the 20th century with its unthinkable upset of the mighty Soviet Union. And it\u2019s a paradise for outdoor adventure, from skiing to kayaking to fishing.<\/p>\n Yeah, craft beer isn\u2019t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Lake Placid in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains. However, a pair of longtime breweries in this town have been a staple for those who come here to vacation.<\/p>\n (READ: The New England Style IPA is the Anti-IPA<\/a><\/strong>)<\/p>\n The 20-year-old Lake Placid Pub & Brewery<\/a> is located just steps from the beach on gorgeous Mirror Lake, where mountains serve as the backdrop for the swim portion of the Ironman as well as for swimmers, boaters and paddlers the rest of the summer. Though there\u2019s plenty of lake activity, it\u2019s not a crazy party scene here. Mirror Lake\u2019s vibe is as serene as its setting.<\/p>\n The brewpub is most famous for its Ubu Ale, a 7 percent English-style strong ale, available on draft and in six packs. The company unveiled a second business this summer, Big Slide Brewery & Public House, where a wider array of unique brews will be produced.<\/p>\n Back in the heart of town on Main Street, The Great Adirondack Steak & Seafood Brewing Co. has been around for nearly 30 years, earning three World Beer Cup medals and seven Great American Beer Festival awards along the way.<\/p>\n Perhaps the granddaddy of all destination lakes in the U.S., Tahoe has it all: striking blue waters with mountains all around, beautiful beaches, plenty of outdoor and indoor (casinos!) recreation, and now, craft beer is starting to catch up with the rest of the scene here.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for breweries in South Lake Tahoe, don\u2019t miss mainstays Brewery at Lake Tahoe<\/a> and Stateline Brewery & Restaurant<\/a> at Heavenly Ski Village. At the northeast edge of the lake, just over the Nevada line in Incline Village, you\u2019ll find Alibi Ale Works<\/a>, a brewery that, since opening in late 2014, has found a way to be a local haven in tourist heaven. For craft beer bars, it\u2019s hard to beat the ever-popular Basecamp Pizza at Heavenly Village, with a superb selection of rotating California brews.<\/p>\nLake Norman |\u00a0Cornelius, NC<\/h2>\n
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\nLake Michigan |\u00a0Grand Haven, MI<\/h2>\n
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\nJenny\/String\/Jackson Lakes |\u00a0Jackson, WY<\/h2>\n
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\nMirror Lake |\u00a0Lake Placid, NY<\/h2>\n
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\nLake Tahoe |\u00a0Lake Tahoe, CA\/NV<\/h2>\n
![\"Great](\"https:\/\/cdn.craftbeer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/South-lake-tahoe.jpg\")
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