The Most Iconic Rooftop Bars in the U.S.

Craft cocktails pair well with breathtaking views, and these beloved cities offer more than their share. With a sweep of your eyes, you’ll be rewarded with storied skylines, cherished landmarks, soaring peaks or breathtaking water views. Whether it’s sunset and the sky is awash in rosy tones or evening under a blanket of winking stars, drinks with friends at these rooftop bars is nothing less than magical.

Nido at the Loren: Austin, Texas

Basking in its unrivaled location, the rustic-yet-refined rooftop bar and restaurant Nido at The Loren sits on the south side of Lady Bird Lake and boasts dazzling vistas of Austin’s booming skyline Besides sweeping views of the dynamic cityscape and scenic water, guests give Nido’s sophisticated, plush décor and warm, friendly wait staff high marks. The intimate cocktail lounge promises to surprise and rejuvenate your palate, too. Currently, agave and bourbon-based cocktails are immensely popular as are martinis made with light spirits, both gin and vodka.

Offshore Rooftop: Chicago, Illinois

Head to the world's largest rooftop bar at Navy Pier in downtown Chicago, where the best views of the Windy City pair with creative drinks to deliver a memorable time. Find your perfect table and save during Happy Hour, when you can snag a cocktail-of-the-day for $7. Or amble in for sunset or evening meetups and indulge in a Pear-Adise Found (Grey Goose Poire, lime, agave, salt rim and thyme) to match the intoxicating skyline views. The 36,000-square-foot space is designed to foster (in-real-life) IRL experiences, showcasing a smorgasbord of cool lawn games and fire pits.

Walt’s on the Roof at the Laurel Hotel & Spa: Auburn, Alabama

With views over Auburn University and the legendary landmark Samford Hall, this café offers a magical environment, lush with a picturesque garden. The idyllic rooftop venue is part of the state’s only AAA Five Diamond hotel, with organic garden-fresh produce and herbs used across the hotel’s restaurants. Collaborating with the university, the sky garden and expansive culinary program offer a unique educational track: the garden is tended and then utilized in the kitchen by students earning degrees in horticulture and hospitality. Providing soul to guests’ rooftop bar experience, the bountiful garden enhances cocktails such as Ginger’s Garden, a gin-based elixir garnished with a rooftop flower, or Strawberry Fields, elevated with fresh strawberry puree.

Contessa at the Newbury Boston: Boston, Massachusetts

This sophisticated restaurant atop The Newbury Boston is in Back Bay, a tiny district known for boutique shopping and fine art galleries. Indulgent views abound over 19th-century Boston Public Garden, the first-ever botanical public park in America known for its swan boats, as well as the legendary sculpture masterpiece, Make Way For The Ducklings, inspired by Robert McCloskey’s children's book. The Northern Italy-inspired rooftop restaurant boasts glamorous marble tile and supple leather, encouraging your finest inner Italian to emerge. Revel in an array of colorful cocktails, considering favorites—The Royale (gin, Aperol, Italicus, Dimmi, champagne), and Sgroppino (lemon vodka, lemon sorbet and prosecco).

The Rooftop At W Aspen: Aspen, Colorado

If mountains are your flavor of relaxation, the charming town of Aspen’s only year-round public rooftop bar is calling your name for a full-throated experience. Basking in the towering presence of the Colorado Rockies, the W Aspen has rooftop space that offers a serene haven, satisfying with hot tubs, a heated pool, fire-pits, and cabanas. While you’re drinking in 360-degree mountain views, sip cocktails from 39 Degrees, the full-service bar and restaurant. Pro-insider tip: Try the Always Sunny in Aspen, a bespoke concoction of local Aspen vodka, St. Germain, passion fruit and club soda.

Departure at the Nines Hotel: Portland, Oregon

Adding a pop of posh to any meet-up, the refined and elegant Departure, a rooftop restaurant and lounge perched atop The Nines Hotel in downtown Portland delivers sophistication to any drinks gathering. The culinary program is designed around pan-Asian ingredients and flavors, and the drinks menu follows suit. Try the popular Tasho Macho with a Thai chili-infused vodka base, or Fortune In A Bottle, with jasmine tea and toasted coconut-infused bourbon base. Relax on the panoramic deck surrounded by Portland’s iconic blend of city, mountains, and the winding Willamette River.

Hotel Clermont: Clermont, Atlanta

Beloved for its retro 1920s-era digs, cool suave vibes and buzzy lawn games, The Rooftop at Hotel Clermont in Midtown is the best place to gather with your posse of friends and let your hair down. Whether it’s corn hole or darts, this former motor-lodge rooftop bar laced with dancing fairy lights brims with all-things-social. Hovering above buzzy Ponce de Leon Avenue, the 5^th-floor rooftop bar helps you stay cool with favorites Island Ting (rhum blend, clement coco, lime, pineapple, bitters) and Roy(Al) Highball (bourbon, amaro di angostura, cappeletti, soda).