The Ultimate Guys Weekend in Minnesota's Sweet Spot

Need time away with your closest friends? Minnesota's Sweet Spot offers an ideal setting for reconnecting, celebrating a graduation before beginning a new job, enjoying an epic bachelor weekend before tying the knot, or simply escaping for a getaway with the guys.

What This Itinerary Includes

• Food
• Drinks
• Outdoor Activities

Friday

Evening

Check into your hotel and begin the night with good food, drinks, and plenty of camaraderie. In Golden Valley, New Bohemia Wurst and Bier House describes itself as the New American Craft Bier Hall—and the selection supports that claim. There are 36 rotating beers on tap, including 23 local Minnesota beers.

The restaurant also serves 24 varieties of sausage, each locally made from all-natural, whole cuts of meat with no artificial flavoring and zero nitrates. Options go well beyond the ordinary, including the Juicy Lucy brat filled with provolone and pepperoncini. A giant Bavarian pretzel, prepared by hand in the traditional German style, comes with pepper jack cheese sauce for dipping. The adventurous wursts portion of the menu includes the lamb gyro brat with cucumber sauce, the smoked elk brat, and the Louisiana alligator bayou brat.

Continue to Steel Toe Brewing, a local favorite recognized for its craft beer and welcoming atmosphere. Indoor and outdoor seating provide a relaxed place to sample a year-round signature beer such as Size 7 or one of the featured seasonal offerings.

Saturday

Morning

Brookview Golf Course

Begin the day with golf at Brookview’s Regulation Course. This mature, challenging layout has tree-lined fairways, 28 moderate bunkers, relatively small greens, and numerous water hazards. Bassett Creek crosses six holes as it moves through the course, while additional water hazards affect 11 more holes. The result is a day that is challenging, entertaining, and fun.

Afternoon

For the 19th hole, stop for lunch at the Three One Six Bar + Grill before continuing the golf outing. The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, wraps, fries, and tots, while the restaurant, deck, and patio offer spectacular views. Take a look at the lawn bowling green, the largest in the state, and try throwing a few bowls yourself.

Theodore Wirth Golf Club

When it is time for another round, head to Wirth Golf Club in Theodore Wirth Regional Park. Wirth ranks among the oldest public courses in the state. Bassett Creek runs through the front nine alongside several man-made lagoons, and the back nine combines rolling hills with mature trees. The course ranges in length from 6,575 from 3,646 yards and provides some of the most scenic views of the Minneapolis downtown skyline.

Evening

Have a laidback dinner at JJ’s Clubhouse, a neighborhood sports bar and restaurant that has been a local favorite for over 25 years. The patio is well suited to people and dog watching, while wall-to-wall TVs keep the game in view. Familiar American fare includes wings, cheese curds, onion rings, sandwiches, 9 different types of burgers with fries or tots, and hearty entrées.

For a nightcap, explore the West End. Yard House pours over 100 American craft and imported beers on tap. Chi-Chi’s offers one of the largest tequila selections in the metro area along with highly potent but delicious margaritas. The Local provides an authentic Irish pub setting for a pint of Guinness and a glass of 2 Gingers whiskey.

Sunday

Morning

Join the locals for weekend brunch at Bunny’s Bar and Grill, where the restaurant is always hopping. Signature skillet scrambles combine scrambled eggs and American fries with melted Monterey jack-cheddar cheese, bacon, and more. Other popular selections include biscuits and sausage gravy and cinnamon fritter French toast. Brunch also comes with a complimentary Bloody Mary or screwdriver.

Kayak the Creek

After breakfast, explore St. Louis Park by kayak. Minnehaha Creek is popular with kayakers and canoers and travels through the city into the surrounding suburbs. Kayak The Creek is a full-service company that rents kayaks with paddles, life vests, and dry bags for phones and wallets. Equipment is delivered to the launch point you choose and collected after your 2.5 to 3-hour journey.

Shoreside instruction is included, and guide service is available for an additional fee. Depending on water flow, kayaking may not be possible; KTC provides the latest information.

Once the creek adventure is over, pack up and head home. Hopefully, St. Louis Park and Golden Valley will have served as your temporary man cave while you enjoyed quality time with the guys.

This itinerary is only one sample of what you can do in Minnesota's Sweet Spot.