Places like New York City, LA, Miami and Chicago are a given for towering bars come spring and summertime. Once 5 o’clock hits—or even before—everyone finds themselves flocking to rooftop hotel bars and penthouses for al fresco happy hour with friends. And nowadays, most rooftop sanctuaries are keeping their high-rise hot spots heated or enclosed, even throughout the winter. Transparent tarps and retractable ceilings suddenly allow a chilly enclave to become warm again and thus, year-round rooftop living continues. While the Southern states can get away with rooftop drinks during all four seasons, New Englanders and Midwesterners want in on the action, too. And sometimes all you need is a heat lamp or an inflatable igloo to make drinking outside in the dead of February possible. With that notion in mind, here are 34 of the best rooftop bars for elevated escapes with unbeatable panoramas. From a former bottling plant turned trendy rooftop in Kansas City, to a coastal-chic outlook in the heart of Newport, Rhode Island, cocktail hour is always better up above.
