Best Bars with a View

Top of the Mark
San Francisco
This is the place to enjoy cocktails with a magnificent view of San Francisco. Top of the Mark lounge sits on the 19th floor of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco and offers almost 360-degree views of the city’s skyline complete with the bay, Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Marin Headlands, and more. Since opening, the lounge has entertained presidents, movie stars, and other celebrities. The elegant historic atmosphere (the hotel dates back to 1926) is rivaled only by the popular 100 Martinis list.

Top of the Mark opened its doors in 1939, when the hotel’s owner converted his penthouse apartment into a cocktail lounge. It became an immediate success. Live music — from jazz to rhythm and blues — was, and still is, part of the scene. During World War II, servicemen would meet at Top of the Mark and toast the Golden Gate Bridge before shipping out, believing this good luck ritual would ensure a safe return home. Today, black and white photography, old postcards, and other memorabilia line the bar and lounge walls.

The bar offers a full complement of wine and spirits, but the 100 Martinis list has become a fast favorite, featuring everything from locally inspired cocktails like the Top of the Mark and the Golden Gate martinis to those paying homage to Hollywood’s golden era including the Ginger Rogers and Dean Martini.

The Lodge at Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach
The legendary Pebble Beach Resorts matches unparalleled beauty with a rich history of world-class accommodations, expert service, and some of the best public golf courses in the U.S.

A choice getaway for world travelers, The Lodge at Pebble Beach has been serving up stunning sights since 1919. From the moment you walk through the door, you’re welcomed with an impeccable view of the 18th green of Pebble Beach Golf Links — one of the most famous holes in the game. Relax in one of the Lodge’s plush sofas facing floor-to-ceiling windows that provide views of the course where some of golf’s great moments echo across the greens.

At Stillwater Bar & Grill, snag a front-row seat to golfers finishing their rounds along Carmel Bay. Point Lobos State Natural Reserve provides a stunning backdrop enhanced by the abundance of the Monterey Peninsula’s wildlife. Enjoy the view along with the freshest, most flavorful sustainable seafood and organic produce on the California central coast. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner — or the famous Sunday brunch — chef Jeremy Tummel fashions an unforgettable experience for both the eyes and the palate. Offerings include sweet corn buttermilk soup, yellow tail carpaccio, grilled center-cut Angus rib eye, and barbecue-spiced local black cod.

If you’re looking for more intimate conversation along with refreshing spirits, head to the Terrace Lounge adjacent to the dining room. This picturesque setting offers a full cocktail bar as two massive fireplaces roar nearby. Sip your cocktail of choice as you watch the sun set on one of the most remarkable vistas in the world.

Pavilion Bar
Charleston, South Carolina
Looking for rooftop charm? Charleston’s Pavilion Bar takes top honors. Located atop Charleston’s ultra-luxe Market Pavilion Hotel, the bar overlooks a city steeped in Southern history. You won’t find the usual cityscape view that many hip rooftop bars boast — in fact, your view here is more church steeple than skyscraper.

The hotel is located amid Charleston’s historic homes and horse-drawn carriages, and the bar offers the best views of the city’s horizon. You’ll have a sweeping overlook of Charleston Harbor and the iconic white church steeples, dating to the 1700s, piercing the foliage of towering oaks. Reflecting the character of the city, the rooftop Pavilion Bar mixes cosmopolitan sensibilities with genteel Southern charm. Elegant wrought-iron tables surround a cascading swimming pool and bubbling fountains.

Charlestonians take their libations seriously, and the bartenders here don’t disappoint. Sweet tea, a Southern staple, is transformed into something spectacular in the signature Sweet Tea Martini. Made with hometown favorite Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka and a touch of fresh lemonade, it’s refreshing — and somewhat lethal when not taken seriously. You just might be uttering “y’all bring me another” before you know it.

A little time at the Pavilion Bar serves as a memorable way to spend an evening in Charleston, and if you’ll be having dinner following your cocktail, there’s no need to go far. The hotel’s Grill 225 is ready with what’s arguably one of the best steaks in the South, or anyplace else for that matter.

The Pavilion Bar at the Market Pavilion Hotel is located at 225 East Bay Street.