What Is A 'Dry County' And How Can It Affect Your Vacation In America?

Tourists heading to America have lots to think about when planning a trip. This is an enormous country, and picking a state to visit alone can mean lots of research. One you get here, you may be considering some alcohol-related activities. Perhaps you're planning a fun California road trip through wine country. Maybe you're excited to try some beer along the Bend Ale Trail in Oregon. Or it could be that you've been binging old "Sex and the City" episodes, and you're simply looking to have a cosmopolitan in New York City. However, if you're visiting the U.S., particularly in the South and Midwest, you may encounter something called a "dry county." This is a county (or an area with a similar boundary) where alcohol isn't permitted for sale. As odd as that might seem in today's world, America is the country that passed Prohibition in 1919 and didn't repeal it until 1933, while much of the rest of the world toasted with champagne or downed wine, beer, and spirits.

While the drier parts of the USA have been shifting toward less restrictive rules in the 21st century, you may still encounter dry counties, as well as something called "moist" counties, where there are rules limiting what can be sold and where. Before you visit, it's a good idea to check if you'll have to find your alcohol in other places, and how far you'll have to drive to do so.

If you're heading to the South or Midwest, particularly in the Bible Belt, checking on the status of alcohol sales is important if you plan to drink. However, dry and moist counties do exist in other areas. If you're in one, you can have alcohol, but you can't purchase it. Dry and moist counties and restrictions are voted on by the populace, meaning regulations can shift, so make sure your information is up to date. You may find wet counties (those have no restrictions) with dry towns in them and dry counties with wet towns in them. As of November 2025, according to Visual Capitalist, Arkansas has the most dry and moist counties in the U.S., so that may factor into your choice of location for your vacation. You may also consider having a car if you have to go any distance to purchase alcohol and bring it back with you.

Interestingly, according to a 2003 study published in Accident Analysis & Prevention, it was noted that while the number of car crashes in wet and dry counties were fairly similar, more residents of dry counties had crashes, as they had a longer way to drive to get home from a place where alcohol is served. No matter where you are, keep your eyes peeled and your seat belt buckled.

You may also want to look beyond whether a county is dry or moist. Some places have different restrictions than others. In certain areas, you may only be able to purchase alcohol in restaurants. In others, you can get beer and wine but no hard alcohol. You may also find some places where you can't purchase alcohol before a certain time, if at all, on Sundays. (It's also good to keep in mind that the legal minimum drinking age in the U.S. is 21, which is older than in many other countries.)

If you are familiar with the concept of a dry county, you may have heard tales of Lynchburg, Tennessee, where Jack Daniel's famous whiskey is made. The tale says that, despite working in a distillery, people who make this whiskey can't drink it there. However, according to Tennessee Whiskey Tours, if you take a tour of the facility, you can not only do a whiskey tasting, but you can purchase the alcohol there as well. Lynchburg is in Moore County, which is strict but not completely dry. You can find a few restaurants serving beer; however, there are no liquor stores. While you may not care whether or not you can imbibe while on vacation, lots of people do, and it's a good thing to know going in. Finally, if you want to incorporate some Prohibition history into your vacation, check out the Los Angeles hotspot No Vacancy, which gives you the feel of a Prohibition-era speakeasy.