Local Flavor Tuesday AND Frugal Not-Quite-Friday!

Today's local spot isn't exactly local, in that it's not in southeastern PA. It is close by, though - just a 2 hour drive. I figured, in a time where our economy is unstable and money is tight for everyone, having fun places to go for (hear me say it) FREE is totally worth a post. I wanted to post this spot now, as Spring Break approaches next week, and Summer follows shortly thereafter. People are starting to make travel plans, and having fun places to go that are economical can really help us all reassess our vacation "needs." So, I guess this would also count as a Frugal Friday moment, even though it's only Tuesday.

So here we go, an Almost Local Tuesday with Frugal Not-Quite Friday Flare!

Local and Economic Vacation Suggestion #1:

Dogfish Head Brewery

Milton, DE

This place is very near and dear to my husband's heart. Being a self-proclaimed "beer connoisseur," Miller Light and Budweiser just don't cut it in Bill's opinion. Bill enjoys "craft brewery," which to the rest of us was formerly known as "Home Brewery." My husband like to brew his own beer at home, so he can appreciate the hard work that went into making the empire known as Dogfish.

Sam Calagione, the owner of Dogfish Head Brewing Company, started as most craft brewers do: in his own kitchen. Soon, his beer became overwhemlingly popular, and grew into the booming brewing business it is today.

In Milton, Delaware, you find the Dogfish Head brewery. Here, in this small town, back from the road, one can come to tour the facilities where Dogfish Head beer is made. The tour, my friends, is FREE. Best part of free? The post-tour beer tasting (for those ages 21 and older, of course)! Even better? There is a bocce ball court right outside the entrance for before and after tour matches!

NOTE: While the tour is free, you DO have to reserve tickets due to space limitations (you can reserve tickets online here). They state on the website that walk-ins are welcome if the there are non-reserved spaces available.

I enjoy beer, but not nearly as much as my husband. I do appreciate the tour, where one can truly get an education on brewing and the history of the company (I highly recommend coming to gain more insight into the company. My quick history 2 paragraphs up really does no justice). As a woman, I love the apparel and items one can purchase at the gift store (we have plenty of tee shirts, bottle openers, bumper stickers and pub glasses displayed in our home).

My favorite part of visiting Dogfish Head brewery is heading into downtown Rehoboth Beach, after the tour and tasting finishes, for dinner at the Dogfish Head Alehouse and Distillery. Here, you can sample more beer (although samples are no longer free here - you want, you buy!), eat delicious food, and enjoy a really comfortable atmosphere. Last time we were in town, we bumped into Sam C at the Milton location AND the Rehoboth Beach Alehouse. I'm pretty sure he thought we were creepy and stalking him (this was not the case). He was nice enough to buy our party a sampler of beer during dinner, which we greatly appreciated.

Check out Dogfish's website, where you can learn about fun events in their DE and MD locations, news on Dogfish Head, and other various and awesome things.

For the price of gas (which, presently, isn't so horrible), you can get a free tour/education/beer sampling at the Milton, DE Brewery. For just a little more money, you can have a great dinner at the Rehoboth Beach Dogfish Head Alehouse (prices are REALLY reasonable). There is also plenty to do in the area (some things free, some things a small amount of money, and some are big bucks), with great beaches, historic state parks and Outlet shopping! Make a weekend (or week!) out of it - for as much or as little money as you desire!

So, grab some friends or pack up your family, and DEFINITELY check it out :)