Grand Rapids, Michigan / Breweries

April 2018

I am sharing some growler refill information, and Happy Hour menus I had not been able to find before our most recent visit to Grand Rapids. To see more details about the area and additional establishments, click on one of the labels at the bottom of this post.

Atwater Brewery in GR

Atwater Brewery in GR

Atwater has Happy Hour every day from 3PM - 6M! 😄 The Happy Hour menu above was on the table when we visited. Service was excellent, and the beer was even better (well...both were excellent). Atwater Brewery also carries Ice Box Brand ice cream bars. This is the second brewery I have been to that sells them. Beer and ice cream does not seem like a natural and complimentary combination, to me, although I have not tried it. The ice cream bars look delicious, and I am planning to try one on my next brewery visit. Since I will be visiting Muskegon before I get to Grand Rapids again, I think I will try one with a dark beer at Pigeon Hill in Muskegon.

The Knickerbocker Happy Hour menu

The Knickerbocker New Holland Brewing

One of my favorite dark beers is Dragon's Milk made by New Holland. I think Dragon's Milk Reserve flavors are amazing. My personal favorites are raspberry and cherry. If that is too sweet or fruity for you, try it mixed half-and-half with regular Dragon's Milk--delicious! Cherry was available during our visit; however, it was the only beer not included in Happy Hour pricing. Again, I am sharing the Happy Hour menu from our visit, as I could not find this information online. 

Decal and crowler from Perrin Brewing

Miami, Florida / Public Transportation and more

Public transportation in south Florida has come a long way in recent years. This is great for visitors and residents alike. Getting to different areas of south Florida has become easier for travelers like us, and this is a great boost for persons looking to relocate to the area or sell. I recently discovered a new Miami real estate resource, which I love. This site is well-designed, easy to use, and an overall fabulous source for real estate information.

Following are a few of the many public transportation options available in Miami. You can find more details on the Miami-Dade transportation site.

Beautiful view at South Beach!

Miami Beach Airport Express

The Miami Beach Airport Express runs every 30 minutes and provides express service from 6 a.m. to 11:40 p.m., seven days a week, between the Miami International Airport Metrorail station and Miami Beach (with stops from 41st Street to South Pointe Drive). The cost is $2.25 one-way, and it takes less than 30 minutes to get to the area around Collins Ave.

Tri-Rail

The Tri-rail system offers transportation from as far south as the Miami airport, and north to Mangonia Park, which is just north of West Palm Beach airport. Commuter Connectors provide free shuttle service to and from select Tri-Rail stations, such as FLL and WPB airports, Boca Raton, and more. Visit the "Free Tri-Rail Commuter Connectors" tab on the Tri-Rail page for shuttle service schedules.

Tri-Rail route map

When we took the rail from FLL to MIA in 2016, the trip took less than 45 minutes. The rail schedule shows that it takes just under two hours to travel the entire length of the route, which is pretty similar to the length of time it would take to drive by car. 

Brightline

I am excited about the new passenger rail system, which is coming to Miami. The new station [MiamiCentral] currently under development in the Government Center District of downtown Miami will include residences, as well. The real estate link above provides information about many different properties in downtown Miami.

Brightline currently offers express service between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Service to Orlando is in the plan after the Miami portion is completed.

Muskegon, Michigan / Shoreline Inn, Downtown

March 2018, weekend

We always enjoy visiting Muskegon, and this time was no exception. I was on crutches this weekend, and a couple of things happened that I really appreciated!

Shoreline Inn, penthouse suite 1003

Although this was our fourth stay at Shoreline Inn, this was the first time we enjoyed an amazing sunset from our room! It had been cloudy, or our view had not been facing west, during previous stays.

Sunset view from living room couch in suite 1003

Other locations where we have stayed in the Muskegon area include: Holiday Inn downtown, Hampton Inn by Lakes Mall, Fisherman's Landing campground, Muskegon State Park (channel and Lake Michigan campgrounds), Hartshorn Marina, and Great lakes Marina.