Men's Journal

Participant in Gaelic Games at Dublin Irish Festival Photo credit: City of Dublin

Escape the heat wave smothering the West Coast this weekend by heading to the mountains for blues and brews in Mammoth or bodysurfing at a surf festival in L.A.; if you’d rather huck stones and toss tree trunks, head to the heartland for a spirited Irish festival in Dublin, Ohio.

By Karin Krisher, Steven Kurtz, and Nate Storey

Dublin Irish Festival, July 30 - August 2
Dublin, Ohio

Dublin, Ohio, may not be exactly like the original, but this weekend the town’s Dublin Irish Festival brings you about as close to living the Celtic experience as you’re likely to get in the states. The weekend kicks off early with Thursday’s four miler, the festival’s famed road race, which, if you participate, gets you a free festival ticket good for either Friday or Sunday. After the race, cool off at the Dub Crawl in the BriHi district, and see where the evening takes you. Revel in the clouded glow of a successful Dub Crawl by signing up for a whiskey or beer tasting on Friday night (which also takes place throughout Saturday and Sunday), punctuated with any number of Celtic music or dance performances and a game of cornhole during open play from 4-6 p.m. The Gaelic Games, featuring open stone throws and caber tosses, are open most of the day Saturday, but you might be busy playing some games of your own — the less demanding mini golf and darts are open to all guests. Round out the weekend with a soccer demonstration on Sunday afternoon, followed by a rowdy and thoroughly Irish performance by the Street Dogs. General admission tickets for each day of the festival are $10 on site.

Travel and Accommodation:
Fly into Port Columbus International Airport and take a cab to Dublin, less than 15 miles away. Dublin offers several hotel options, but we recommend the $110 per night Crowne Plaza Dublin, located in Metro Center, where a free, continuously running shuttle will pick you up for the festival.

Mammoth Festival of Beer & Bluesapalooza, July 31 - August 2

Mammoth Lakes, California

Head out to Mammoth Lakes this weekend to enjoy beer and blues at the Mammoth Festival of Beer & Bluesapalooza. The 14^th annual imbibing fair begins with BBQ and music on Friday night, followed by the Grand Tasting/Festival of Beers all day Saturday. Enjoy the tunes of headliners Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Johnny Lee Hooker Jr, while tasting over 70 of America’s best microbrews. The Ultimate Blues/Brews/BBQ Party Package gets you in to all the events with unlimited beer tasting and commemorative glass for only $80. To burn off the extra calories, the Eastern Sierra mountains offer every activity you can dream of, from climbing and hiking trails, to famous fishing holes and golf courses. For a surreal outdoors experience, rent a car for the 45-minute drive to Yosemite National Park to take in the best nature has to offer. Come back to Mammoth Sunday morning for the free Hangover Party, where if you help the staff clean up some garbage, they’ll buy you a beer.

Travel & Accommodation
Fly into the Reno Tahoe International Airport and drive down I-395 south to route 203 west for about 170 miles. There are plenty of options for renting a hotel room or condo with several offering reduced rates for this weekend. Camping is equally abundant in the area as well.

International Surf Festival, July 31 - August 2
Southern California

It’s a beach-hopping weekend in Southern California as the International Surf Festival takes over a string of beaches. Settle in on Friday and finagle some sand time before a cadre of lifeguards battle in the LA County Lifeguard Championships around sunset. Wake early on Saturday and summon your inner dolphin for the bodysurfing championship ($35, register at the event) at Manhattan Beach. If you’d rather watch others conquer the waves then head to Hermosa Beach for the surfing championships instead. While you’re there, work your calves in the two-mile beach run at 8 a.m. ($25). Check out the paddleboard championship at Manhattan on Sunday or take in some sand soccer on Torrance Beach. If you’re pining to get away from the crowds and out onto the great blue then spend a day chasing halibut, yellowtail, and calico bass on a fishing charter to coastal hotbeds like San Clemente Island and the Huntington Flats ($75, all-inclusive half day).

Travel and Accommodation
Fly into Los Angeles, head south, and decide which of the four beaches involved in the surf festival you’d like to stay next to. For a cheaper option grab a room at the Sea View Inn in Manhattan Beach (rates start at $130), which is a block away from the water and has free bikes for rides on the beachfront bike path. If you’ve got a few extra ducats then stay at the gorgeous seaside Beach House in Hermosa (rates start at $279).

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