Upstate New York is filled with fantastic, award-winning microbreweries. Don’t miss out.

Three breweries for a great meal within 5 miles of our Lake Placid cottage:

1. Lake Placid Pub & Brewery: Walking distance is around 1.3 miles from our cottage. Excellent food and award-winning beer. Ubu Ale is Eric’s favorite local brew, hands down. While I’m more of a Moose Island Ale kinda girl. We usually grab stools at the bar and munch on fish and chips. There’s a newly renovated space for the kids to play on the third floor. Unfortunately, it’s not very dog-friendly unless you can snag one of the limited outdoor spots in the parking lot in the summer.

2. Ray Brook Brewhouse: Within 5 miles from the cottage. Dog-friendly deck. Good for burgers, chicken fingers and salads. Rarely crowded. Eric goes for the Art Gar-Dunkel and I usually order their Apricot Wheat.

3. Big Slide Brewery & Public House: About 3 miles from the cottage. Big Slide is owned by the same folks as the Lake Placid Pub, but their menu is more farm-to-table foodie. They have an outdoor area that’s great for kids and dogs to play.

Four breweries worth a beer stop when you’re out and about:

1. Blue Line Brewery: You don’t need to drive far to get to the Blue Line Brewery in Saranac Lake (8 miles). Whenever we’re craving pizza, this is where we go. We always order the same thing - we split the Panda Salad and Linguica (spicy sausage) Pizza, and get two of their beers on tap. They have a wide range of brews that we like, from the Bluff Island Gold or Piene De Gallo for me, and Colden Porter or Old Mountain Milk Stout for Eric. Plus, they have outdoor picnic tables that are family- and dog-friendly. Oh, and order a “Puppy Bowl” to share — it’s a brownie sundae served in a metal dog bowl! So awesome.

2. Hex & Hop: These guys are the “newbies” in the area, and doing quite well. Their main brewery and meadery is in Bloomingdale (about 15 miles), and they also have a tasting room in Saranac Lake. Most of their beers have a lot of hops, so if you like IPAs, this is your spot. They also do a serious cider as well as mead with local honey. They have dog-friendly outdoor tables and a limited kitchen at the Bloomgindale location. And the Saranac Lake location is on Broadway, so you can “hop” across the street for tacos or sandwiches to accompany your suds.

3. Raquette River Brewing: In Tupper Lake about 30 miles away. There’s a good chance you’ll get down around the Tupper Lake area for hiking, paddling, or a visit to the Wild Center. If you do, stop by the brewery for a cold one. I personally love their fruity beers, like the Mango Wheat Ale and the seasonal Blueberry Ale. They have lots of outdoor picnic tables, so come as you are (sweaty from the trail is okay) and bring your kids and pups. There isn’t a kitchen, but they usually have a food truck around.

4. Ausable Brewing Co: In Keeseville about 40 miles away. We often stop here when we’re around Lake Champlain or food shopping at the nearby farms. They have an open area with lots of picnic tables that are dog-friendly and kid-friendly. There’s not a kitchen on the premises, but often a food truck nearby.