America's Best Outdoor Bars: 10 Open-Air Spots Worth Planning a Trip Around

There is something about a drink in the open air that makes it taste better: a sea breeze, a skyline at sunset, music drifting over a beer garden. Across the US, some of the best places to enjoy that feeling are hotel rooftops, beach shacks and riverside gardens that locals have loved for years.

We have picked ten outdoor bars across the country, all open at the time of our latest update. Opening hours change with the seasons, and some close in bad weather, so check the venue's own website before you go.

West Coast and Hawaii

1. The Bungalow, Santa Monica, California

Set in the grounds of the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows at the top of Wilshire Boulevard, The Bungalow feels like a Baja beach house: lounges and living rooms that spill into gardens with fire pits, a few blocks from the beach and the pier.

It draws a mix of hotel guests, surfers, skaters and Westside locals, and becomes a busy night spot after dark. In summer, a weekly evening market brings food stalls and DJs to the gardens.

2. Beach Tree, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Hawaii

On the Kona coast of the Big Island, the Beach Tree restaurant and bar sits right on the sand at Ka'ūpūlehu. Tables look straight out at the Pacific, and the setting is at its best at sunset, when the sky turns orange and you might see whales offshore in winter.

The menu is relaxed, with island-inspired dishes served alongside tropical cocktails.

The South

3. Citrus Club, The Dewberry, Charleston, South Carolina

On the eighth-floor terrace of The Dewberry hotel, the Citrus Club bills itself as the highest rooftop lounge in Charleston. From here you look across the city's famous church steeples to the harbour.

As the name suggests, the cocktails lean on citrus, and the bar is a favourite for a sunset drink before dinner in the historic district.

4. The Lost Square, The Alida, Savannah, Georgia

The rooftop bar of The Alida hotel, on the edge of Savannah's historic district, overlooks the Savannah River and the cargo ships that pass on their way to the port. The name nods to the city's famous grid of garden squares.

Expect playful cocktails, sharing plates and a lively crowd on warm evenings, with fire pits when the air cools.

5. Nine Mile Station, Ponce City Market, Atlanta, Georgia

Ponce City Market fills an enormous former Sears building in the Old Fourth Ward, next to the Atlanta BeltLine trail. On its roof, Nine Mile Station is an indoor-outdoor beer garden with wide views of the Atlanta skyline.

Craft beers, cocktails and sharing plates are served from mid-afternoon on weekdays and from late morning at weekends. Combine it with a walk on the BeltLine and lunch in the market's food hall.

6. Schooners, Panama City Beach, Florida

Schooners calls itself the "Last Local Beach Club", and it has been an open-air hangout on the Gulf of Mexico since the late 1960s. Tables sit steps from the sand on Florida's Panhandle.

Every evening, the crowd counts down together and a cannon fires as the sun touches the water. Order gulf shrimp, fish tacos or a burger with a frozen drink. It is open daily from 11am and does not take reservations.

The Northeast

7. The Garden at Cherry Street Pier, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cherry Street Pier is a restored 1919 pier on the Delaware River waterfront, now a public space with artists' studios and events. At the far end, the garden sits right at the river's edge, almost beneath the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.

Food and drinks are available, and the pier is open all year. See our local's guide to Philadelphia for more ideas nearby.

8. Spyglass, Archer Hotel, New York City

From the 22nd-floor terrace of the Archer Hotel in Midtown, Spyglass looks straight at the Empire State Building. It is one of the most photographed views in the city, especially when the tower lights up at night.

Classic cocktails and small plates are served indoors and out. Book ahead for weekends and sunset.

9. The Loeb Boathouse, Central Park, New York City

The Loeb Boathouse is the only restaurant on the Lake in Central Park. Rowing boats glide past, and the skyline rises above the trees of the park.

After closing at the end of 2022, the Boathouse reopened in 2023 under new operators. Check which parts, from the café to the main dining room and bar, are open on the day you plan to visit.

The Midwest

10. Bavarian Bierhaus, Glendale (Milwaukee), Wisconsin

Milwaukee has a long German heritage and a beer-garden culture to match. Just north of the city, the Bavarian Bierhaus is a German beer hall with an outdoor beer garden, serving German beer with pretzels, sausages and other Bavarian dishes.

On summer weekends it fills with families and groups at long shared tables, which is exactly how a beer garden should feel.

Tips for enjoying outdoor bars in the US

• Go at golden hour: rooftops and beach bars are at their best for the hour before sunset, so arrive early to get a seat.
• Bring ID: the legal drinking age is 21 everywhere in the US, and ID is checked even if you are clearly older.
• Watch the weather: many rooftop terraces close in storms or high winds.
• Tip your server: 18–20% is standard at table service bars, and around $1–2 per drink at the bar.