54 OUTSIDE MAGAZINE
11.19
Dispatches Adventure Bars
FROMLEFT:^ LITTLE^OUTDOOR^GIANTS;^ HEATHERDRAKE/ALAMYPelican Brewing
PACIFIC CITY, OREGON
CLOSE TO: HIKING, SURFING
Pelican Brewing, which is set on the beach
near the dunes and bluffs of Cape Kiwanda
State Natural Area, has an expansive deck
with a stellar view of Haystack Rock, a large
sea stack on Oregon’s jagged coast. The surf
is just as good as the view, with a beach break
for beginners and a more challenging right
peak farther out. Or spend your day hiking
Cape Kiwanda, a rugged park best known
for the tall sandstone cliffs separating land
from ocean. You can also drive your 4x4 on
the beach here. Whatever you get up to, have
a dense and creamy Tsunami Stout, spread a
blanket in the sand just beyond Pelican Brew-
ing’s patio, and watch the sun set over the
cliffs and the Pacific.
Fitzgerald’s
EAGLE RIVER, MICHIGAN
CLOSE TO: MOUNTAIN BIKING
The singletrack in the Keweenaw Peninsula is
now a huge draw. Especially in Copper Harbor,
where some 35 miles of purpose-built trails
offer everything from flow to freeride. Spend
the day knocking out shuttle laps of wooden
features on Flying Squirrel, tabletops on
Danimal, and grin-inducing berms on the Flow,
then head straight for Fitzgerald’s, a barbecue
restaurant and bar within a hotel of the same
name just 20 feet from the edge of Lake Supe-
rior. The interior is sea-captain chic, with dark
wood paneling on the walls and ceiling. Fitzger-
ald’s has the best whiskey list in the Upper Pen-
insula, in addition to a selection of beers that
reads like a who’s-who of midwestern brewer-
ies. If you feel good about your Strava stats for
the day, order the Pitmaster’s Pie (brisket and
pork smothered in mashed potatoes) and any
number of beers from Short’s Brewing. Grab a
table on the porch overlooking the lake.Starlight Theatre
TERLINGUA, TEXAS
CLOSE TO: BIKING, HIKING
Big Bend National Park, where the Rio Grande
hooks a right as it divides the U.S. from Mexico,
looks like something straight out of a western,
with tall mesas, yuccas, and sand that melts
into the sun-bleached horizon. The adobe-walled Starlight Theatre restaurant and saloon
in the nearby ghost town of Terlingua fits the
bill, too. It’s the perfect place for a bottle of
Lone Star and some Texan food after a day
riding singletrack in Big Bend Ranch State Park,
exploring the endless canyons in the national
park, or soaking in Boquillas hot springs, which
bubble up at the confluence of the Rio Grande
and Tornillo Creek. Knock out your adventure
before the day gets too hot, take a dip in the
river to cool off, then head straight to the Star-
light. Live bands sometimes play on the stage,
but the real show is on the front porch, where
locals gather to jam and drink beer. After dark
the sky fills with an impossible number of stars.Vermilion Valley
Resort
MONO HOT SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA
CLOSE TO: HIKING, FLY-FISHING
Perched on the shore of Lake Edison, deep
in the Sierra Nevada, this rustic restaurant
is perfect for fans of remote destinations.
Spend the day fishing for big brown trout and
kayaking in the lake or trekking in the John
Muir Wilderness. When you’ve exhausted
yourself, head to the resort’s restaurant and
store to pick out your craft beer. The food
menu changes daily, and everything is made
from scratch, including Saturday night’s
barbecue, a guest favorite. In June and early
July, your company will be Pacific Crest Trail
hikers starving for their first real meal in a
week and eagerly knocking back the free beer
they get upon arrival. From then until Septem-
ber, the place is full of John Muir Trail hikers
nursing blistered feet. All summer long, you’ll
find anglers and mountain types who return
every year to stay in the resort’s tent cabins
(from $70) and yurts (from $110). On your way
home, be sure to stop at Mono Hot Springs
down the road for a soak. —TAYLOR GEEBig Bend National
Park; right, the
Starlight Theatre
in nearby Terlingua,
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