The warm-weather months are an ideal time to kick back in an outdoor setting to enjoy a cold beer, a glass of bubbly, a festive cocktail, or some liquor-infused ice cream.
Even more fun: when the menu and venue for such boozy drinks are available only for a limited time in the form of pop-up cocktail bars, beer gardens, and wine patios that you’ll want to get to while they’re hot (or while the weather’s toasty, anyway)!
We’ve rounded up a slew of limited-time-only spots throughout the United States where you can sip and savor this summer. Cheers!
Backyard At Sundown, Henderson, NV
An outdoor terrace has been transformed into a Mediterranean landscape complete with vineyard, sandy beach, and lush greenery at Green Valley Ranch resort just outside of Las Vegas. Visitors to Backyard at Sundown can sip on festive cocktails (like The Hunny Bear, served in a bear-shaped glass) and share snacks while sitting at picnic tables under a canopy of bistro lights. Open Friday and Saturday nights from 5 to 8 p.m. Afterward, the space transitions into Summer Nights at the Pond with a DJ until midnight.
Sweet Beach, Miami, FL
Gastropub Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Co. didn’t have outdoor seating when the pandemic closed indoor dining in 2020. A couple of blocks away, Shelborne South Beach resort had beachfront space for Sweet Liberty to serve its fruity drinks and tasty food menu, so the pair collaborated to create Sweet Beach, a tropical watering hole set in a palm-lined botanical garden. The upbeat locale has been so popular that it continues to operate even as pandemic restrictions have loosened. The pop-up lounge is slated to remain open at least through this summer.
Tiki On Main Street, Louisville, CO
Get transported to the islands in the middle of landlocked Colorado at Tiki on Main, a pop-up lounge in downtown Louisville featuring a thatched-roof bar and swinging bar stools — plus pirates, parrots, and palm trees! You might want to don flip-flops to dip your toes in the sand while you sip on a pina colada, Singapore sling, or pisco punch served in a giant seashell mug. Tiki on Main is open Thursdays through Sundays this summer with lots of live music on the schedule, too.
Halona Kai Beer Garden, Maui, HI
At the pop-up Halona Kai Beer Garden at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, drink craft beer and seltzers from Maui Brewing Co. while taking in stellar ocean views. In fact, the beer garden’s name comes from the Hawaiian words halona, meaning a place from which to peer or look out, and kai, which means sea. The family-friendly venue also features food, music, and lawn games and is open on select dates through September 6.
Living Roots FLX Pop-Up, Hammondsport, NY
Living Roots Wine & Co. has an urban tasting room in downtown Rochester, New York. But why not sample the goods where some of the winery’s grapes are harvested? The FLX Pop-Up is located at Shale Creek Vineyard on Keuka Lake, one of the area’s pretty Finger Lakes (which is home to many wineries). The venue features an open-air tent, picnic tables, lawn chairs, and fire pits and is open from Wednesdays to Sundays through October.
The Green Room, Colorado Springs, CO
The Green Room at Garden of The Gods Resort & Club has a throwback vibe with its brightly colored, mid-century decor and music from the 1960s. The menu features custom cocktails and small bites which you can enjoy while taking in views of towering Pikes Peak, the red-rock formations in Garden of the Gods, and the resort’s 27-hole golf course. The pop-up lounge is open through September 5, and you do need to be a member or guest of the club or staying at the resort to access it.
Precinct Kitchen + Bar, Boston, MA
Precinct Kitchen + Bar has a below-street-level terrace that’s ideal for getting away from the hustle and bustle of Boston’s Back Bay. This summer you can make the relaxing locale even sweeter (and boozier) with refreshing treats from Tipsy Scoop such as Vanilla Bean Bourbon, Raspberry Limoncello Sorbet, and Mango Margarita Sorbet.
Golden Hour By Veuve Clicquot, Santa Barbara, CA
Golden Hour by Veuve Clicquot is an elegant champagne bar at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara set above the Pacific Ocean with the Channel Islands as an Instagrammable backdrop. Veuve Clicquot is poured from 4 to 6 p.m. every afternoon throughout the summer.
Gitano Garden Of Love NYC, New York, NY
Gitano Garden of Love NYC isn’t just a pop-up cocktail lounge, it’s a pop-up extravaganza that takes up an entire city block in New York City. The 24,000-square-foot garden oasis is located at the edge of Hudson Square, where Soho and Tribeca intersect. The sit-down restaurant focuses on modern Mexican flavors while the bar has a robust mezcal menu. You can also order from the G-Cafe, serving fresh fruit paletas, homemade Mexican ice cream, and heart-shaped churros. This is the fourth year Gitano Group has brought the pop-up concept to NYC, and it’s scheduled to operate through Halloween if weather holds.