Boozy Tourism: The St. George Distillery

This looks like Willy Wonka's Vodka Factory

Entertaining out-of-town family and friends without annihilating their wallets is kind of tough in San Francisco, namely because everything everyone always wants to see is an overpriced tourist trap. The trick is to find something similar, that is usually a lot cooler and either cheaper or free.

Screw the Napa Valley. It’s nice to get out into the country, but there’s too much traffic to enjoy it, you need a designated driver and it’s expensive.

Instead bring them to the St. George Distillery on hamlet-esque Alameda Island. The St. George is where they make the famous and tasty Hangar One Vodkas in addition to some boutique whiskeys, tequila and the ever-mysterious absinthe.

They offer tours of their operations on the old Alameda Naval Base and for ten dollars you get to try twelve of their products in their tasting room. If these pack too much of a wallop, they have picnic tables outside if you want to bring some grub and take in the sweeping views of the bay.

The icing on the cake is that no one has to drive. The Oakland-Alameda ferry leaves from the city and drops off half a mile from the distillery. So mom and pop can guzzle away- as long as they’re not prone to seasickness I guess

St. George Distillery
2601 Monarch Avenue
Alameda
Reservations 8 or more- 510.864.0635