KierstenGet the most out of your road trip with coffee stops that aren’t Starbucks.
I don’t know about you but in my eyes, no road trip is complete without a seat full of snacks and a drink for the road. I think my mom and step-dad are to blame for this addiction. Every trip we took when I was a kid started with Starbucks and included a stop at the gas station for a fountain drink and chips. Now, I can’t leave my house without wanting iced coffee 🤷🏻♀️
Naturally, when I took a road trip last year, I was super excited to discover new coffee shops along the way.
For those that don’t know, I recently moved to South Korea where my husband is stationed with the Army. My flight from the States left from Seattle but my dog and I were visiting family in Indiana. So, we loaded up a van and my sister, best friend, dog, and I took a road trip!
Over five days, we drove through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, and Idaho until we reached the “Evergreen State.” Here are some of the best road trip coffee stops we found that aren’t Starbucks.
1. Mugshots Coffee – Bloomington, MN
Our first stop was just outside Minneapolis in Bloomington, MN. Mugshots Coffee is a locally owned specialty coffee shop with an emphasis on community. They are friendly, welcoming, and delicious!
Due to COVID, we ordered curbside to-go and didn’t get to see inside but I imagine it was cozy. They have a ton of housemade syrups, nitro cold brew, tea, and kombucha – what more could you want?!
2. Bloom Coffeehouse & Eatery – Glendive, MT
I’ll be honest, I didn’t have high hopes for Montana. But our very first morning we found Bloom and I was proven very wrong. This coffee house is in the historic Glendive Greenhouse and has been serving brews since 1913.
This place has an adorable and spacious indoor seating area that connects to the greenhouse so you can sip coffee while browsing for your next plant baby.
They have cold brew, flavored lattes, macchiatos, tea, and blended frapuccinos. Food wise, they serve breakfast and lunch including acai bowls, sandwiches, oatmeal, and soup. In the evenings, they transform into a wine bar so I very very very seriously considered just moving in.
3. Copper Mountain Coffee – Missoula, MT
When I say I’m obsessed with this place… I can’t even tell you. Copper Mountain Coffee is a local coffee shop with 13 locations across Montana. 12 are drive up locations and one is drive up and walk-in. We got our espresso to go at the location near our hotel and right off the highway – perfect for road trip coffee!
They serve lattes, frappes, tea, and moonshine beverages with Lotus Energy Power-Ups (non-alcoholic, don’t worry). 10/10 recommend the Copper Top latte or the Copper Mountain Campfire latte with white coffee. The baristas were also incredibly friendly and the whole experience was awesome.
Our final stop was Seattle and I’ll admit, we did go to the OG Starbs and Roastery (when in Rome, right.) But I’m so glad we tried these local road trip coffee stops along the way. I loved trying new things and seeing how integrated each one was in the community. Next time you’re on the road, look past the green siren and try some of these awesome places.
Have you been to these cafes before? What is your favorite road trip coffee stop? Let me know!
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