After splashing the day away at the water park, kayaking on the river or swimming in a lake, where better than a local watering hole to quench the thirst and keep the happy hours afloat? Here are some choice pits stops for craft beer, cocktails, cordials and more in Blair and Bucks Counties.
Altoona and Blair County
Originally conceived in 1835, the U.S. Hotel in Hollidaysburg was strategically positioned along the western end of the Pennsylvania Canal and the Allegheny Portage Railroad to provide westward travelers with lodging, food and spirits. Added in 1905, the barroom, with evocative elements including beveled silvered mirrors and stained glass windows, serves as the hotel’s tavern to this day, serving craft brews, cocktails and diverse wines, along with American fare.
The Grouse’s Nest is a newly renovated bar and bistro at the Altoona Grand Hotel, while the Railroad City Brewing Company, opened in 2016 in the renovated Winters Music Building in the heart of downtown Altoona, serves constantly rotating handcrafted ales, encompassing traditional, modern and experimental styles.
With two locations in Greater Altoona, both offering banquet space for up to 100 people, Marzoni’s Brick Oven and Brewing Company offers seven signature beers plus seasonal brews.
Bucks County
For live music, savory fare, healthy cocktails, and unique flavor in the form of an interesting and eclectic local clientele, Bowman’s Tavern, just south of New Hope, is a memorable choice for groups of up to 40. Up the hill, the luxurious Inn at Bowman’s Hill, with four rooms and four suites, features a fully equipped boardroom ideal for executive meetings and retreats.
Close to the Golden Pheasant Inn on charming River Road in Erwinna, above New Hope, Sand Castle Winery offers tours, tastings and wine classes, along with space for corporate events and small groups.
Seasonal and specialty brews, along with an on-site food truck and 1,500 square feet of pub and taproom space for buyouts, are among the draws at Broken Goblet Brewing in Bristol, where groups can also organize tours and tastings of hand-crafted “farm-to-bottle” whiskey at Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey.
In Quakertown, lively McCoole’s at the Historic Red Lion Inn offers versatile space for nearly 200 at its adjacent Arts and Events Place, located in the update of an early 1800s theater.
