x
Breaking News
More () »

First Coast Brews: Beer-Centric Traveler

A local travel agent has made the focus of his agency, Beer Travel

Oktoberfest in Munich is winding down, you've probably thought at least once in the past 3 weeks, "Man, I'd love to go there for THE Fest". I certainly have it on my Bucket List. But where do you start, especially if you are looking at a Beer specific vacation? Well the good news is there is now a Beer-Centric Travel Agent based out of Jacksonville who can help you plan that trip.

During Oktoberfest, large crowds are the norm, for a more intimate experience, Play Harder Tours suggests going to the Spring Fest in Munich. Everything you want from Oktoberfest, but smaller crowds and better weather. PHOTO: Play Harder Tours

I recently met William Tabone, owner of Play Harder Tours, over a beer at Engine 15. He draws on nearly 30 years of travel experience and the love of beer to create insider views of the most popular beer destinations in the US and Abroad.

Surprisingly to me, Munich is not the number one Beer destination, it's Prague. Tabone says it is relatively inexpensive and well, Pilsner Urquell. But there is so much more to Prague, including a spa where you can bathe in beer and have a beer while you are bathing. Crazy, huh? But I'm told it is very good on the skin.

Looking for something unusual? Play Harder Tours suggests trying the Beer Spa in Prague. You bathe in beer, plus you have taps to drink beer while you bathe. PHOTO: Play Harder Tours

Munich comes in number two, but surprisingly Tabone doesn't recommend Oktoberfest in Munich. The Fest area, Theresienwiese, is tiny and up to 6 million people cram into that area over the two week Fest, he recommends the Spring Festival, Fuhlingsfest held in April and May.

Tabone explains, its nearly identical to the fall festival, but the weather is better, the crowds are smaller and you get a more relaxing visit. This is the kind of specialized information that he provides to his clients. Obviously if someone just has to be part of Oktoberfest, he helps with that too.

Munich is a popular beer destination, especially during Oktoberfest. William Tabone of Play Harder Tours says the Festival area is quite small and you should be prepared for enormous crowds. PHOTO: Play Harder Tours

Other top European locations include Belgium, Dublin Ireland, Edinburgh Scotland, London and Amsterdam. He has recommendations on the best locations to set up camp and explore. For example, choose Bruges over Brussels or Antwerp for its charm and access.

William Tabone provides beer specific advice to his clients, such as setting up your 'base camp' in Bruges Belgium for a quainter and more intimate travel. PHOTO: Play Harder Tours

And have you ever considered Iceland? Evidently it is a big beer loving country, land of fire and ice with Northern Lights and beer. Tabone has the scoop on unusual travel locations. He is personally traveling to SE Asia soon, he says travel is very inexpensive there, outside of the major cities and there is a thriving beer culture.

He made the switch to Travel Agent after years of being a Stock Broker. He initially did a lot of Bachelor Parties and Bucket List travel. As a lover of beer and travel, he saw a need and changed the focus of his agency to Beer destinations. He still does wedding travel and Bucket list requests too.

He and his wife have traveled extensively, which is where he gets his information. He knows the areas to travel for the best beer and more. He stresses that they are more than just beer, allowing you to see the places you are traveling. Travel in Europe is quick and easy. You could set up in a base camp and visit numerous locations, not just beer related. He draws on his personal experience to help his clients on their self guided tour.

He also is an advocate for his clients, if a flight is canceled or the hotel room is not up to standards, he will intervene for you. He can also guide you to the best rates, locations, seasons to travel. I asked if he charges a fee for his services and he answered No. Using a travel agent, he says, "Brings value to the Proposition".

Play Harder Tours plans many domestic trips too, like the Pacific Northwest, Denver, Austin, Asheville and more with the same beer centric guidance. In that group, he also promotes Jacksonville's vibrant beer scene to clients out of town. Especially during football season, when opposing team fans are considering a trip here. And vice versa, if Jaguar fans are heading to an away game and want to sample some of the local beer culture.

So if you are thinking how much you'd love to see the Monks in Belgium or perhaps visit Denver's craft beer scene, William is ready to help you plan that perfect beer getaway. He stresses, "Don't be a tourist, be a traveler"

If you are interested in setting up a beer trip, you can contact William Tabone via his Facebook page, The Beer-Centric Traveler or call him at (904) 910-7009. You can also meet him the first Tuesday of every month at Culhane's Irish Pub, where he promotes beer travel.

Before You Leave, Check This Out