Some people like to take wine related weekend getaways, while other people prefer to make cheese the main event. Here are some of the best places to take weekend trips when experiencing plenty of cheese is your preferred way of relaxing.

Green County, Wisconsin

Wisconsin in not surprisingly a good place to visit for eating cheese, but Green County can be a particularly good spot. Green county has 12 different creameries that produce around 50 different types of cheese. Wisconsin in general produces over 500 different types, so there certainly is no shortage going on.

The town of Monroe has been called the “Swiss cheese capital of the U.S.”, and there is a spot that you can watch cheese being made at the Swiss company. The National Historic Cheesemaking Center is another great stop where you can learn a lot about the history of cheese. Plan your trip when the Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival is taking place to really get into the celebratory mood.

The California Cheese Trail

The California Cheese Trail is a 100 mile journey in northern California that comes in only second to Wisconsin in cheese production, with 30 different farms, creameries, and cheese makers in the area. There are around 250 different kinds of cheeses that are produced there, and there is a handy app that you can download to make choosing your stops along the way that much easier. You can even try making your own cheese in Petaluma at the Achadinha Cheese Company.

Hudson Valley, New York

The Hudson Valley in New York is home to one branch of the The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, which has recently added a cheesemaking course. There are also a few different farms in the valley that make cheese and allow you stop by and grab some for yourself.

Oregon Cheese Trail

The Oregon Cheese Trail is made up of a few different regions. In Southern Oregon there is the Rogue creamery which has been making cheese since the 1930’s. The Willamette Valley has five different cheese makers, and it is also one of the top producing wine regions in the U.S. which makes for a nice opportunity to do some tasty wine and cheese pairings.

Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines Iowa is home to the Festival of Cheese, which is held by the American Cheese Society. The festival is one of the largest cheese conferences and contests in the country. It kicks off with an official judging portion, and then guests have the opportunity to taste almost 2,000 different cheeses.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Pennsylvania is home to the Reading Terminal Market, which is a 39,000 square foot food hall with 80 different vendors. Many of those vendors have fresh cheeses straight from the Amish country.