Discover 6 Underrated December Celebrations 

December certainly has plenty to celebrate with Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, and News Year’s Eve but we have a few other days to make this month chock-full of celebrations. Even if you’re not glamping on these days, we hope you’ll join in the fun!

Vacation Cottage at Encore Pioneer Village
Vacation Cottage at Encore Pioneer Village

December 10 was National Lager Day, so why not enjoy a pint or two on your next trip? Craft breweries in the Fort Myers area include Coastal Dayz Brewery or Palm City Brewing. (Book a glamping stay at Encore Harbor Lakes or Encore Pioneer Village.)

December 15th is the Bill of Rights Day so it would be fitting to visit the Presidents Hall of Fame in Clermont, Florida to learn a bit about James Madison, who is credited as the chief author of the document. (Book a glamping cabin or cottage at Clerbrook RV & Golf Resort.) 

Cabin Glamping at Thousand Trails Chehalis
Cabin Glamping at Thousand Trails Chehalis

Created so people can appreciate the beauty of the evergreen tree, National Look for an Evergreen Day is celebrated December 19. There’s no better place to do that than in one of our glamping locations in the Evergreen State – Washington! (Consider a glamping stay at Thousand Trails Chehalis, Thousand Trails La Conner, or Thousand Trails Thunderbird.) 

Welcome the Winter Solstice on December 21 with a sunrise hike through the beautiful Red Rock Canyon of Sedona, Arizona. Take time to visit the healing vortexes found here that include the Bell Rock Vortex and The Chapel of the Holy Cross Vortex. (Reserve a tiny house or cottage at Thousand Trails Verde Valley.)  

December 28 is National Card Playing Day and where better to try your luck at a few games of Texas Hold ‘Em or Poker than Las Vegas. (Reserve a glamping cabin at Thousand Trails Las Vegas.) 

Cabin at Thousand Trails Russian River
Cabin at Thousand Trails Russian River

How about a glass or two of bubbly while celebrating National Champagne Day on December 31? Enjoy some of the sparkling wine in California’s Sonoma County including those found at Amista Vineyards in Healdsburg, Harvest Moon Estate and Winery in Santa Rosa or Gloria Ferrer Winery in Sonoma. (Book a glamping cabin or cottage at Thousand Trails Russian River.) 

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Cheers to National Lager Day

Friends toasting with beer glasses in the brewery.

Did you know the third most widely consumed beverage in the world is beer? With water and tea being number one and two, respectively, beer comes in at number three most likely due to the fact that cultures around the world have their own version of their favorite brew. December 10 is National Lager Day so why not raise a glass of lager and toast this popular drink? If you’re planning to continue to celebrate National Lager Day well past the December date, consider these popular lagers when you’re on the road to your next outdoor adventure.

BTW – what makes a lager different from other beers, you ask? Becoming a lager is all about the bottom-fermenting technique and using younger hops, a main ingredient in beer. Also, lager yeast can withstand lower temperatures, unlike ale yeasts, and that is where it gets its name. Lager comes from the German word “lagern” which means to store and lager is in cold storage while it ages. Some examples of lagers include Corona, Budweiser, and Miller Lite. We came up with a round of lagers from some of the smaller U.S. brewers conveniently located near our great Petite Retreat accommodations.

New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus, WI.

New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus, Wisconsin: Check out the Two Women lager at this Wisconsin brewery in the Swiss-style village of New Glarus. This lager is aptly named because it is the result of a collaboration between two craft breweries both run by women. Book a cozy cabin or a cottage at Yukon Trails and visit New Glarus to sample Two Women as well as the other brews made here, including the pretty popular Spotted Cow. Forget about the beer that “made Milwaukee famous” – New Glarus and Yukon Trails is where it’s at!

Mt. Hood Tiny House Village in Welches, OR.

Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon: The perfect tasting trip could combine a tiny home accommodation at Mt. Hood Tiny House Village and a visit to Deschutes Brewery in nearby Bend. Deschutes has been craft brewing since 1988 and has two really great lagers in their repertoire of beer – Pacific Wonderland and Rip City Lager, whose interesting name has ties to the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team. Want to be even closer to the brewery? Try staying in a yurt or snug cabin at Bend-Sunriver.

D.G. Yuengling & Son, Pottsville, PA.

D.G. Yuengling & Son, Pottsville, Pennsylvania: Reputed to be America’s Oldest Brewery, Yuengling (pronounced ying-ling) offers a traditional amber lager that comes in in a “light” version as well for those watching their waists! Plan a stay at Appalachian RV Campground in a cozy cabin or cottage and head to Pottsville to explore Yuengling’s brewing facilities, which features hand dug caves for fermenting. It’s just about a 25-minute drive through the lovely Pennsylvania Dutch countryside from the campground.

Doghaus Brewery, Leavenworth, Washington: Proving you don’t have to be big to be good, Doghaus Brewery bills itself as a nano-craft brewery with a micro-sized taproom, but nevertheless offers the German Pointer Lager (get the dog reference?). Based on an original blue-ribbon recipe, this one is described as a helles lager, helles being German for “pale in color.” That’s it for this small brewery when it comes to lagers, but they also offer IPAs, stouts, and ales. This is a good place to visit because the Leavenworth Tiny House Village is just 30 minutes away and who wouldn’t want to enjoy some beer in this beautiful spot in the Pacific Northwest?

Leavenworth Tiny House Village in Leavenworth, WA.

If you are looking for a craft brewery near your favorite Petite Retreat, visit www.craftbeer.com for a listing of breweries across the country. Cheers!

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