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A WEEKEND WITH THE BOYS

This jam-packed weekend will give you and your buddies plenty of deposits to add to the memory bank.

Image by Todd Buchanan/Minnesota Monthly

They’re the stuff of legends. Events that spark hours of reminiscing while you throw a few back. We’re talking about guys’ weekend.

Two MN Twin fans watching a baseball game on the third base line

Image by Todd Buchanan/Minnesota Monthly

Friday

Day one is all about the great outdoors. Start off with a round of golf, and finish with a baseball game at Target Field.

7 a.m. Start the day off right with a round of golf. It doesn’t matter if you can dodge the rough, sand and water with the best of them or if you’re setting foot on a fairway for the first time. A round of 18 with your buddies is always a recipe for a good time. Rush Creek in Maple Grove, Braemer Golf Course in Edina and Majestic Oaks Golf Club in Blaine offer pristine, well-kept greens and fairways, and their attached restaurants are the perfect way to refuel after your morning on the course.

11:30 a.m. It’s lunchtime on the course. From burgers and sirloin steak to chicken sandwiches and salads, you’ll find the usual bar food suspects at Rush Creek’s Highlander and Majestic Oak’s 46th Hole restaurants, and Braemar’s Tin Fish serves all things aquatic.

1 p.m. After you’ve fueled up, it’s time to hit the water—no swimming and cramping from food required. Above the Falls Sports offers kayaking tours on the waters of the Mississippi River, so visitors can explore the city with a unique and fresh perspective. Their Working the Local Channel Tour is the perfect opportunity to see Minneapolis’ beautiful skyline, and learn a little bit of its history, too. During the tour, kayakers will make stops at important landmarks including Nicollet Island, Boom Island, the Grain Belt Brewery and more before making their return to shore.

5 p.m. No professional sports game is complete without a little pre-gaming. Luckily, there’s a smorgasbord of bars and restaurants just a short walk down the street from Target Field. Cowboy Jack’s, The Loon Cafe, Brothers Bar & Grill and Sneaky Pete’s are all within a few blocks of the stadium, and are great pit stops on your way to the game.

6 p.m. It’s time for the grand finale of the day. Catching a Twins game on a summer night is an experience that’s tough to beat, and is always a guaranteed good time no matter what the scoreboard reads. We recommend getting here a little early so you can soak up as much of the experience as possible. If you still have some room left in your stomach, be sure to check out the long list of food options, including Red Cow’s award-winning burgers, Pizza Lucé, Murray’s steak sandwiches and of course, dogs and nachos.

Indeed Brewery Taproom bar with people enjoying a beer

Image by TJ Turner/Minnesota Monthly

Saturday

Build a solid base before taste testing your way around the Twin Cities’ many breweries. If you find yourself in need of food throughout the tour, don’t fret. Food trucks are often found parked outside each house of brew to add some sustenance to your drink.

9 a.m. Nothing is better in the morning than a stellar breakfast, and with their hearty, homemade food and from-scratch recipes, Keys Cafe & Bakery in downtown Minneapolis has one of the best breakfasts in the metro. Their generous portions will also keep your stomach at bay until lunch.

Noon: We’re kicking things off at Indeed Brewing Co., where their motto is, “We’re not just brewing beer, we’re crafting experiences. We are thirsty creatures indeed.” Their flagship Day Tripper Pale Ale is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their list of tantalizing brews.

2 p.m. The next stop on the tour brings us to Able Seedhouse + Brewery. The founders here believe in the philosophy of “unlocking a grain’s potential.” Their lineup of beers is the product of locally grown seed, grain, malting and brewing, so you can be sure quality is poured into every glass.

4 p.m. Next, head to Bauhaus Brew Labs. Started by a family of musicians, scientists, artists and, first and foremost, beer lovers, this brewery breathes new life into the spirit of the family brewery with their German-inspired concoctions. Enjoy some Cornhole on the patio and snag a growler of your favorite beer before moving on.

6 p.m. The end of the line, the last stop, the final destination, whatever you want to call it, is the mecca of breweries in Minnesota—Surly Brewing Co. This local celebrity isn’t just a hometown hero anymore, Surly has clawed its way into the top 100 breweries in the world according to RateBeer, and their menu of food is as tasty as their award-winning brew. Couple all of this with a sizable patio and fire pit, and you have the perfect setting to wrap up the tour.

Want more of the Twin Cities brewery scene? Check out our weekend-long itinerary and check a few new pints off your list.

Sunday

9 a.m. Before everyone returns to their lives outside of guys’ weekend, there’s time for one last hoo-rah.—and Al’s Breakfast knocks it out of the park. This hole-in-the-wall diner in Dinkytown is known for legendary pancakes and Jose, a poached egg topped with a mountain of cheese, salsa and hash browns. And we have to mention “The Al Shuffle”—a barstool dance to make room for a new party at the counter. Be sure to bring cash, as they only do things the old-fashioned way here.

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