I take my birthday off work every year to do something to enjoy the day. The past few years it was a beach day, but this year it was rainy so I decided to stay in the city and explore instead. My friend Ali also has a mid-August birthday, so this year we decided for each of our birthdays we’d do a classy bar crawl and explore some rooftop / outdoor bars in the city. We called them our Leo day(s) of fun and had a blast! Ali’s day of fun was perfect weather, while mine was HUMID and gross. Thankfully most of the places we went had both indoor and outdoor space so we were able to take advantage of the AC when needed. If you are looking for a fun way to spend some time outside day drinking or just enjoying the view…here are the places I’d recommend.
A hidden garden oasis in SoHo, right next to the SoHo Grand Hotel. Themed after the TV show Gilligan’s Island, with an island/beach vibe. The frozen watermelon margarita was the perfect start to our day of drinking for Ali’s Leo day of fun. We thought it was a rooftop bar, but turns out it is on the street level. No city views, but it’s super cute with great outdoor space and definitely worth the stop.
Who doesn’t love a bar on a boat? Located on Pier 25 on the west side. The views here are great, Lady Lib to the south and One World Trade to the east. The drink menu was decent but they refused to stray from the menu AT ALL. Not even, no cucumber please. Also you can ONLY order from the menu, so no vodka soda or gin and tonics allowed here. Worth the view, but kind of annoying if your drink preference isn’t on their very specific menu. Also if you get seasick easy, it may not be the place for you because you can really feel the movement from the water.
Champs and a popsicle, whoever put these two things together deserves the millions they are making. Such a simple combo, but fun, delicious and a fantastic Instagram shot. They are pricey….but worth it! The actual bar area is tiny, but there is a nice view of Lady Lib and the Hudson. Located on top of the Conrad Hotel, so if you feel like dropping a few hundred more bucks you can just get a room and live in luxury for a night.
A nice bar with a decent drink menu. It’s only on the 5th floor so the views are not as spectacular as other rooftop bars; although, if you lean over the edge you can see part of the Empire State Building. It’s centrally located in the Renaissance Hotel in Midtown, so easily accessible from most places in the city.
Refinery Rooftop
Stop in for the most amazing views of the Empire State Building. Also a great indoor/outdoor space if you’d like some AC, whilst taking in the view. My favorite part of this bar was their “I give a SIP” program. Each month the bar offers a drink (frosé for us 🙌🏼) for which a portion of the proceeds go to a certain cause. Ours was the Endometriosis Foundation of America. And let’s be honest…drinking for a worthy cause just feels better.
PhD at Dream Downtown
I wasn’t sure if we had crossed a river without realizing it when I saw this view. Unobstructed, gorgeous, sweeping views of Manhattan, looking north. They have swanky booths, both indoors and outdoors, played fun music and had a decent drink menu. This would be a really great place to come for sunset to see the city as it lights up.
A few bars that we didn’t make it to on our #leodayoffun but are also highly recommended are:
Boat Basin
Cheap-ish drinks, views of the Hudson and the perfect place to catch a sunset.
230 Fifth
Not cheap drinks, but great Manhattan views. More upscale than some of the others, so dress the part.
Frying Pan
Another bar on a boat. The movement on this boat was less noticeable than at Grand Banks, but you still feel it. A fun scene with good drinks and nice city views.
1 Rooftop at the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
You need to cross the East River to get to this one, but it is most definitely worth the view. The perfect picture of Lower Manhattan. The drinks are great, a brand new rooftop space and a friendly wait staff. What more could you want?
Take in the weather, take in the views, have a drink, socialize and relax. Before the decent weather days of 2017 end, get out and explore some of the best outdoor bars NYC has to offer!
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