Manchester's Only Brewery

While it doesn't seem like anything to brag about, Milly's Tavern [ link ], next to the UNh-Manchester campus, is Manch-Vegas' only brewery and does a damn good job at it.



Find some extra time in the evening and head on down to happy hour from 4-7pm each night for $1.50 draft beers and half price appetizers. Happen to be there on a Tuesday? Skip Happy Hour and catch their 'Beat the Clock' specials after 7pm where beers start at $0.50 each and go up in price $0.50 each half hour (or hour?). Apparently the place turns into a dance club at night, too.

The beer is excellent, the appetizers are also great (what fried food doesn't go well with beer?), so if you decide to skip Unwine'd head on down, but please don't order a salad; I quickly learned the errors of my ways with that one.

Pit Stop Munchies

Keene, NH is a small college town that seems to have a lot to offer a bored and hungry Program Manager on the road. Small shops and theaters, as well as independent restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops line the streets of downtown.

Keene's location, nearly half way between Albany and Manchester, make it a perfect pit stop option before continuing your multi-hour drive. Tell your Garmin to take Route 9 through the countryside instead of the interstate because it's worth the detour if the weather's nice!

Port Authority Cafe - Keene, NH

One of the many eateries near Main Street is the Port Authority Cafe. [ Yelp! page ] Pretty typical college town menu: burgers, sandwiches, and beer, but the food is all made from scratch and includes some vegan options as well. What caught my attention were the multiple reviews raving about their veggie burger. I had to try it.

Veggie burger w/ sweet potato fries@ Port Authority Cafe

I'd certainly say I wasn't disappointed. It was so hearty that I finished the fries and just half the burger, taking the second half to-go. The shop is super small; it takes up just the corner of the building and the seating uses less than half of that space (in warmer months, outside seating must be available). I'd certainly stop by again if I found myself in the area.

Obligatory tourist picture @ Bennington Battle Monument

Along the drive you'll pass through Bennington, VT. You should stop by the Bennington Battle Monument [ website ]. At over 300 feet tall, this monument was built to commemorate an American (or future-American) victory in 1777 that would prove to be a turning point in the Revolutionary War. Excuse the lame tourist picture.