In an era filled with the cacophony of social media, congested traffic, or political discourse, it's easy to latch onto a weekend escape like a warm blanket.

For those living in Central Washington, the ideal escape can be something as everyday as a hike in the hills, fishing in one of the many rivers, or, if feeling more adventurous, maybe a trip to the city, be it Spokane or Seattle. However, for those whose address hails outside the rolling hills and sagebrush of Central Washington, the ideal escape is somewhere where the speed limits are 25 miles per hour, the food is comforting, and the people are genuinely friendly. For your consideration, we suggest a drive to Wenatchee, known simply as the "Apple Capital of the World".

"Wenatchee Valley II" sourced, through Creative Commons, from bwright923's Flickr page

Despite its title, Wenatchee is more than fields of fruit trees. It is also an overlooked detour when compared to the likes of destinations like Leavenworth or Lake Chelan. For those willing to shy away from the Bavarian trimmings of Leavenworth or the wine and watersport of Lake Chelan, there are rewards including outdoor adventures at Mission Ridge, biking through historic downtown Wenatchee, or a quiet evening at one of the nearby cafes, restaurants, or breweries.

We recently took an opportunity to visit Chelan County's largest city as part of a weekend vacation, with one question in mind: what about the beer?

image sourced, as part of the commentary, via Wenatchee Brewing Company's website. Click to support them.

Breweries

Badger Mountain Brewing Company

Started in 2013, the brewery's namesake comes from a nearby mountain in Douglas County. With a background in Chemistry, Dan Quick shepherds beers like Bimbo Beach Blonde, Mumbai IPA, or Pybus Porter, on their way from the 15-barrel brewery to the glass in your hand. Besides offering local beers, the brewery is reinforced with a kitchen featuring pizza, cheese-covered fries, sandwiches, and salads. For our money, we suggest trying the Supreme pizza, though we enjoyed the Bacon pizza (with Pulled Pork, Bacon, Pig Candy, and Barbecue Sauce), Boneless Wings, or Chopped Salad.

With a kinetic list of live acts in the evening, Badger Mountain opens most days at 4 pm and is open until 10 pm.

Columbia Valley Brewing Company

Residing across from the picturesque Riverfront Park lies one of Wenatchee's oldest breweries. Started in 2012, the brewery is currently managed by John Bryant with brewers Brooke Saari and Bruce Dawson as its stewards. When the duo of Brooke and Bruce aren't working, they're actively supporting a local homebrew alliance, or in Saari's case, rowing the nearby Wenatchee River. Should you pay them a visit, one should expect beers like Wildfire Amber, River Walk Porter, or Bomber IPA to be mainstays. But if something from the brewery isn't your thing, they have a small selection of guest craft beers, some of which may be from a recent brewery night.

Then again, this isn't just a taproom, as evident if one reviews their menu featuring an entire page dedicated to burgers. For our money, we suggest the Formaggio Lovers, a spin on the midwestern Juicy Lucy, with three kinds of cheese inside a 1/2 pound beef patty.

Doors are open from 11:30 AM to 9 pm most days.

Wenatchee Valley Brewing

Finally, a brewery co-owned by a career firefighter, who fell in love with homebrewing and wasn't satisfied with 5 gallons at a time. Co-owned by Dan Bass, son Kenton Bass, and nephew Jesse Butcher, Wenatchee Valley started in 2015 inside a former steel mill turned indoor market. It was here, with a seating capacity of 46, the trio offered up an exhibition of brewing evolution complemented by a menu of brick oven pizzas, sandwiches, and salads. Shortly into their tenure inside the Pybus Market, the brewery purchased a second location inside the husk of a former garage. The menu is slightly more limited than the Pybus Market location (including pizza, bratwurst, and pretzels), it is worth a visit to abandon the indoors for a seat in front of a bonfire on the patio.

Of the three breweries visited we feel that Wenatchee Valley offers some of the most unique and conversation-inspiring beers in the area. Names like Hopsicle (IPA), Mela Milk Ale, or Overlord Pale pop out of the page. Sitting down with Peter Siderius and Events Manager Sabrina McClain we learned that many of the names come from the staff, and some originate from Dan's gratitude of the men and women who thanklessly save lives every day. In fact, Entiat Bushmen IPA is named after a hotshot crew Bass was once a member of.

Whether it's comfortable seating inside the Pybus Market or a relaxing pint under the stars, Wenatchee Valley Brewing is open most days from 11:30 am to 9 pm at the Pybus Market or 11:30 am to 8 pm at their taproom.

Not satisfied with merely a few pints of beer, we visited businesses around the area and have compiled this list of suggested places. Like many travel guides, a breakdown of required necessities from lodging to nourishment will be provided. We will also provide points of interest while drawing attention to the breweries (and wineries, cideries, and distilleries) of the area.

Experience it

"pybus public market" sourced, through Creative Commons, via razel.mella's Flickr page

Depending on the time of the year, one can enjoy a variety of outdoor sports at nearby Mission Ridge, rowing in the Wenatchee River, strolling the historic downtown, or maybe a bicycle tour. With that said here are a few places worth seeing:

Mission Ridge

Around 15 minutes (by car) from downtown Wenatchee lies the skiing and snowboarding resort of Mission Ridge. Open all year, the resort offers up snowboarding and skiing in the Winter, and opportunities for hiking or biking the rest of the year. Depending on the time of the year and the activity, prices will vary according to your equipment needs. https://www.missionridge.com

Historic Downtown

Despite a population of over 33,000 (source, 2016 census) the downtown area is home to small businesses featuring everything from outdoor apparel to locally-roasted coffee, from wine tasting to antiquing. For starters, we suggest a stopover at Owl Soda Fountain for a unique, old-fashioned soda shop experience, before venturing over to the Pybus Market. Built within a former steel mill, the market features a butcher, fresh produce, olive oils and infused vinegar, as well as restaurants and even a cheese shop.

Owl Soda Fountain. 25 North Wenatchee Avenue Wenatchee, WA
Pybus Cheese Shop. 7 N Worthen Street Wenatchee, WA 98801
D'Olivio. 7 N Worthen Street Suite W1 Wenatchee, WA 98801

Brewers Row, Art, and History

If exploration is more your thing, then we suggest a crawl through Wenatchee's Brewer's Row, browse some art galleries, or learn more about Central Washington by strolling through the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center.

Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center. 127 S. Mission Street Wenatchee, Washington.
Information Center for Brewers Row. 137 N W Wenatchee Ave Suite 101 Wenatchee, WA.
Mac Gallery at Wenatchee Valley College. 1300 Fifth Street Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Lila Putnam Gallery. 230 S. Columbia Avenue Wenatchee, WA.
Robert Graves Gallery at Wenatchee Valley College. 1300 Fifth Street Wenatchee, Washington 98801.

Rails and Ales

If you can envision snowboarders and skiers launching from an icy ramp, grinding off metal railings to land (mostly unscathed) on the powder below, all on a downtown city street, then you're halfway to experiencing Rails and Ales.

Inspired by the numerous Rails and Ales festivals throughout the United States, Badger Mountain Brewing Company enlisted the skiers and snowboarders at nearby Mission Ridge to compete for cash, prizes, and of course glory. Add a cheering crowd, food stands, and a roaring fire pit beckoning you into the beer garden, and you have the makings of a unique event in the heart of Wenatchee. https://www.missionridge.com/events/rails-ales

Rest

Hotel or Motel

image sourced from Marriott International, Inc. for purpose of commentary

For a time, there was a distinction between a hotel and motel, based on if one was traveling on foot or by car. Today, the line between motel (lodging with room for your vehicle) and hotel (the successor to the inn) is blurred.

SpringHill Suites by Marriott. 1730 N Wenatchee Avenue Wenatchee, WA 98801
Best Western Chieftain Inn. 1017 N Wenatchee Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801
Comfort Suites at the Park. 195 East Penny Road, Wenatchee, WA, 98801.
Holiday Inn Express. 1921 N Wenatchee Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801.

Where we stayed: SpringHill Suites.

After a white-knuckle drive over the pass, we were greeted by friendly staff, ample parking, and a suite complete with a king-sized bed. In addition to a comfortable room, the SpringHill Suites had complimentary wifi (with a high-speed option available for purchase), indoor pool and jacuzzi, workout room, hot breakfast in the morning, and heated cookies in the evening.

Despite frequent trips away from the hotel, we found parking in front of the hotel accessible and well-lit. Despite the presence of a pee-wee hockey team (no-doubt tripping-out on copious amounts of sugar), the rooms were fairly soundproof.

Nourish

Breakfast and Brunch

Anyone want a Lemon Bar and a cup Blue Star Coffee?

From a percolating cup of locally-roasted coffee to a fresh ground and a pulled shot of espresso, there’s nothing like a visit to places like Cafe Columbia or Mela Cafe. Then again there’s something alluring about a pile of pancakes resting at attention next to a couple eggs and some hashbrowns. If salivating is the immediate response then consider the above cafes or maybe a trip to Wild Huckleberry.

Wild Huckleberry. 302 S Mission Street Wenatchee, WA 98801
Cafe Columbia. 3 N Worthen Wenatchee, WA.
Cafe Mela. 17 N Wenatchee Ave Wenatchee, WA 98801

Where we ate for breakfast: All three places.

Cafe Columbia. Resting inside the Pybus Market is an unassuming cafe with made-from-scratch snacks from breakfast paninis to lemon tarts and signature oatmeal bars. In addition to sweets and savories, the staff produces welcoming cups of espresso, cappuccinos, and drip coffee from nearby Blue Star Coffee Roasters. For our money, the lemon bar, paired with a cup of drip was the pick-me-up we needed after an evening filled with skiers, snowboarders, and of course pints of beer.

Wild Huckleberry. Located just on the fringe of downtown, lies a former residence converted into a boutique and eatery. If you are neither an early riser or someone on a diet, this is the place for you. Take it from us, when we say ordering a side of pancakes with anything on the menu is plenty! Sampling most of everything, from their eggs to biscuits and gravy, to their omelets, we will be coming back!

Cafe Mela. Departing Wenatchee we knew visiting the Mela Coffee’s Roasting house wasn’t an option, so we settled on their cafe instead. Tempted by the full array of coffee blends to choose from, we selected their Vero Espresso, brewed via pour over. With local art on the wall and locally-crafted chessboards on the tables, we were remiss that we had to forgo an opportunity to recline in a chair with a good book or a worthy chess competitor.

Lunch and Dinner

sourced, with permission from McGlinn's Management

From the casual sandwich to a hearty bowl of pasta or a plated steak cooked to perfection, here are our suggestions based on feedback from locals and visitors alike. To the keen observer, one will notice a cornucopia of restaurants from lunch to dinner and from the United States to Mexico and from Italy to Eastern Europe.

McGlinns Public House. 111 Orondo Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Visconti's Italian Restaurant. 1737 N Wenatchee Avenue Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Rail Station & Alehouse. 29 N Columbia St, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
La Fuente. 816 S Mission St, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Windmill. 1501 N Wenatchee Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Inna's Cuisine. 26 N Wenatchee Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801.

Where we ate: McGlinns Public House

We can’t speak to reservations before 5 pm but they are required if one is going to enjoy anything on their vast menu. Once seated, after reviewing everything from steaks to seafood, to pasta, we settled on a rare-cooked Blackened Ribeye paired with garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed kale, and cabbage slaw. Still hungry and wanting to conclude our evening on a high note, we procured a slice of German Chocolate Cake which was as moist as it was decadent. As we still have over 90% of the menu to try, we look forward to coming back.

Hops, Grapes, Apples & Cocktails

If a local beer is what you're looking for, we suggest (in alphabetical order) Badger Mountain Brewing, Columbia Valley Brewing, and Wenatchee Valley Brewing. We understand if the above options are less attractive when considering the other fruit from the vine. Which is why we suggest the following.

Badger Mountain Brewery and Taproom. 1 Orondo Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Columbia Valley Brewery and Taproom. 538 Riverside Dr, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Wenatchee Valley Brewery and Taproom inside Pybus Market. 7 N Worthen St, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Wenatchee Valley Brewery and Taproom. 108 E Island View St, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Saddlerock Pub & Brewery. 25 N Wenatchee Ave Ste 107, Suite 107, Wenatchee, WA 98801-2201.
McGlinns Public House. 111 Orondo Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Rail Station & Alehouse. 29 N Columbia St, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Stones Gastropub. 120 N Wenatchee Avenue Wenatchee, WA 98801
Sidecar Lounge. 101 S Wenatchee Ave Suite B, Wenatchee, WA 98801
Fire. 3 N Worthen Street, Pybus Market, Wenatchee, WA 98801-3095
Stemilt Creek Winery. 110 N Wenatchee Ave Wenatchee, WA 98801
Snowdrift Cider Co. 277 Ward Ave, East Wenatchee, WA 98802

Should you find yourself in Wenatchee, when the air is crisp and your breath appears opaque against the moonlight, we hope that you’ll enjoy your visit as much as we did. As for us, we can’t wait to go back to see more of this overlooked gem from Chelan County

Cheers

Pursuant to FTC rules, research was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, Wenatchee Valley Brewing, Columbia Valley Brewing, Badger Mountain Brewing, as well as the Pybus Market, Wild Huckleberry, and McGlinns Public House. However, our inclusion of these businesses was strictly voluntary and subject to editorial discretion.