TRAVEL

In addition to covering San Diego County’s brewing industry, San Diego Beer News publishes comprehensive travel pieces examining the unique beer scenes from destinations far and wide. These articles provide detailed information about every brewery in a featured region, including the types of beers each operation specializes in, back stories and inside tips to help craft-beer tourists find exactly what they’re looking for and drink like a local.

Brandon HernándezJuly 13, 2022

Eugene, Oregon

Oregon has long been a standout state for quality craft beer headlined by suds-saturated strongholds, Portland (PDX) and Bend. Those spots cast long shadows that can obscure the ale-and-lager scenes of other noteworthy locales. Case in point, Eugene, a full-fledged city with small-town charm and over 20 brewery-owned venues, nearly…
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Brandon HernándezJune 30, 2022

Pacific Northwest Standouts

The roots of American craft beer extend throughout the nation, but the bines of the movement are clearly embedded in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). It’s there that hop farmers have cultivated not only a wealth of varietals but a thriving agricultural industry that provides brewers with 75 percent of the…
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Brandon HernándezJune 1, 2022

New Orleans, Louisiana

For seekers of a rollicking good time, New Orleans has everything: downhome indigenous cuisine, international eats, homespun zydeco and jazz music, a proud culture, and locals that embrace community, visitors and the pursuit of happiness. Here, one can literally dance in the streets with an adult-beverage in-hand. And for those…
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Brandon HernándezApril 27, 2022

Santa Rosa, California

For many, Santa Rosa is rightfully synonymous with wine. After all, the charming NorCal city is in the heart of viticultural hotbed, Sonoma County, which is home to well over 400 wineries. But as evidenced by local op Russian River Brewing’s Pliny the Younger—a world-famous triple IPA, the release of…
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Brandon HernándezMarch 16, 2022

South Lake Tahoe, California

After being tested by Mother Nature, South Lake Tahoe and its hospitality venues are back and raring to show tourists a good time. The area has long been known for top-rate skiing, snowboarding, hiking, aquatic activities and lakeside leisure. Ditto a healthy, spirited après culture. Adult beverages have never been…
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Brandon HernándezFebruary 2, 2022

Salt Lake City, Utah

Of all the brewing communities throughout the country, none is likely as mysterious or misunderstood as Utah’s. For decades, the state’s brewers and retailers were only allowed to serve beers that were 4% alcohol-by-volume (ABV) or less. Despite that stringent government mandate, Beehive State brewers were able to produce outstanding…
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Brandon HernándezDecember 15, 2021

Bend, Oregon

Bend has long been a getaway paradise for Oregonians in search of a quaint burg offering year-round adventure. Hiking, rafting, skiing, snowboarding and a bevy of outdoor activities await visitors along with a longstanding craft-beer scene. It’s the type of widespread appeal that’s tough to keep secret, and this one…
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Brandon HernándezOctober 26, 2021

Paso Robles & Atascadero, California

As the saying goes, it takes a lot of great beer to make great wine. A Mecca for oenophiles—particularly fans of Rhône varietals—the Central Coast community of Paso Robles boasts more than 200 wineries. That massive level of wine production requires a lot of beer, and over the past few…
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Brandon HernándezAugust 31, 2021

Reno, Nevada

Reno’s frontier-like quaintness softens the glitzy glare of its casinos, allowing them to be part of the fabric of the community without taking over. It’s a far cry from Las Vegas’ colossal gambling compounds and that’s how residents like it. Reno happily owns its status as “The Biggest Little City…
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Brandon HernándezJuly 21, 2021

Flagstaff, Arizona

Nestled within the world’s longest contiguous Ponderosa pine forest on historic Route 66 in the shadow of the San Francisco Peaks lies quaint, inviting Flagstaff. This rail- and-lumber borne City of Seven Wonders is home to a wealth of draws for outdoor enthusiasts (skiing, hiking, biking), multifarious Native American tribal…
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Endorsements from tourism professionals who’ve hosted and worked directly with Executive Editor Brandon Hernández on San Diego Beer News’ beer-centric travel articles.

“As a Salt Lake native and self-proclaimed beer snob, I feel like I have a pretty good grasp of the Salt Lake beer scene. That was until I read Brandon’s write-up on Salt Lake’s breweries. From historical context to in-depth details on each location’s ingredients and overall atmosphere, I found myself learning new things about even my favorite and most visited breweries. Brandon is clearly passionate about his craft and does his due diligence. We were thrilled with our coverage as were our brewers. I highly recommend inviting Brandon to your neck of the woods for an excellent travel and beer scene article.” ‒ Ryan Mack, Director of Media & Communications, Visit Salt Lake

“As journalists go, simply put, Brandon is a brilliant, insightful writer, a great researcher and extremely well-informed about the craft-beer industry. His excellent body of work speaks for itself. Brandon’s knowledge of storytelling, his hooks and engaging copy have proven invaluable as he collaborated with our team to share our region’s story and reputation for craft-beer excellence. He makes his copy engaging and persuasive, striking the right middle ground between informing and inspiring in perfect alignment with the Visit Santa Rosa brand. In summary, Brandon is an amazing journalist to work with. He produces his work on time and on deadline, and exhibits an exceptional collaboration skillset. I can 100% recommend him as a trusted, go-to journalist.” ‒ Chris Vomvolakis, Director of Marketing, Visit Santa Rosa

“Discover Flagstaff had the pleasure of working with Brandon Hernandez. He is an expert at showcasing the art of brewing and craft beer. Brandon is an amazing writer to work with and we highly recommend him. Brandon is prompt and thorough in verifying the accuracy of his content and was spot-on with his descriptions about Flagstaff’s mountain town as a destination with everything there is to see and do in Arizona’s official craft-beer city. Brandon provided excellent follow-up notifying Discover Flagstaff of his published content, tagging our DMO and stakeholders on social media, and he was an absolute joy to host. Brandon also has a very dedicated audience who count on him as a resource and his experience to provide recommendation, inspiration and travel advice. During his stay in Flagstaff, he surpassed expectations. That kind of influence, combined with his enthusiasm and kindness, is extraordinary.” ‒ Meg Roederer, Communications Specialist, Discover Flagstaff

“One of the most thorough, curious and thoughtful journalists I’ve worked with in nearly 12 years in this business, Brandon Hernández is a consummate professional. He asks all the right questions and shines with knowledge of both beer and the travel industry. We’re thrilled with his coverage of Bend, Oregon’s beer scene and would invite him back in a heartbeat.” ‒ Tawna Fenske, PR & Communications Manager, Visit Bend

“It was a genuine pleasure to work with Brandon on the beer story for Richmond. He is professional, personable, and easygoing, and he was incredibly thorough in his research, both prior to his trip and while visiting the region. With more than 30 breweries, RVA has a lot of ground to cover, and Brandon did a phenomenal job of touring, tasting and highlighting beers found within our city, towns and counties. The details and delicious descriptions in his final feature should inspire any beer lover to explore Richmond’s brewery scene!” ‒ Carla Murray, Director of Marketing Communications, Visit Richmond

“I had the pleasure of working with Brandon Hernández on an article covering local beer and spirits in the Greater Palm Springs area. As Media Relations Manager for Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, I work regularly with journalists who are seeking detailed destination information and requesting access to our partners. Brandon was professional, organized, friendly, courteous and punctual. The article he produced was thoroughly researched and well-written. Our partners were thrilled with the results. Recommend highly!” ‒ Laura Hunt Little, Media Relations Manager, Greater Palm Springs CVB

“First and foremost, Brandon is one of the best beer writers we’ve ever worked with here in Paso Robles. An ace reporter, Brandon is always pushing for new and exciting angles, and always looking to create a real “insider” feel to his coverage. While his focus is beer, his skills as a travel writer are equally as strong. Brandon excels in providing fun, digestible and user-friendly stories for a wide breadth of readers; his stuff is accessible to all, from millionaires to backpackers on a budget, and everyone in between.” ‒ Mike Dawson, Media Strategist, Solterra Strategies (for Travel Paso/Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce)

“By the time Brandon called our office to arrange a visit, he had already done a lot of research and knew which breweries he wanted to visit…all of them, over a few days’ time! I joined him on two brewery visits and was impressed by the questions he asked because they reflected the homework he’d done about each location. I learned a lot about brewing, beer, and our local brewery scene that day. He was easy to work with, flexible and appreciative of our efforts. The final ‘plus’ was reading his article where he really captured the energy and spirit of the Eugene Ale Trail.” ‒ Meg Trendler, Travel Lane County

Jacksonville, Florida

Las Vegas, Nevada

Park City & Ogden, Utah

Prescott & Sedona, Arizona

Walla Walla, Washington

Temecula & Murrieta, California

Arizona Cactus League Ballparks & Breweries

Ventura, California

Richmond, Virginia

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Eugene, Oregon

Pacific Northwest Standouts

New Orleans, Louisiana

Santa Rosa, California

South Lake Tahoe, California

Salt Lake City, Utah

Bend, Oregon

Paso Robles & Atascadero, California

Reno, Nevada

Flagstaff, Arizona