Parents’ Night Out on the Patio: Where to Find the Best Drink with a View!

Floridians tend to complain about fall because, despite the calendar changing, the temperatures and humidity stay the same. I am here to say let’s embrace the heat. While everyone else is trading tank tops and swimsuits for sweaters and scarves, we are still rocking flip flops and working on our tan. The best part of the Sunshine State is our patios are open ALL YEAR LONG! The next time you get a chance to get away, grab a drink and take advantage of these River City bars and restaurants. Enjoy the great outdoors just because you can!

Wicked Barley

Wicked Barley is more than just a place to get a beer–it’s an experience! Located along Goodby’s Creek on Baymeadow Road, patrons can arrive by kayak, boat and of course car! This waterfront location with its 100 ft dock is the perfect place to watch a sunset. And it’s not just a place for parents to get away, it’s family-friendly too with a kids menu and everything yummy that pairs with beer, like pizza, in-house ground burgers, and pretzels.

Wicked Barley

Lemon Bar

This oceanfront bar located behind Atlantic Beach’s Seahorse Inn is a beach tradition. The ocean sounds and sights are priceless but the drinks are as cheap as they get at the beach. I call it the bar of different decades because the crowd is very diverse. The patio is large with picnic tables and high tops, you can stay close to the bar for stereo tunes or head towards the water for a more authentic sound. Don’t forget your ID because even if you’ve got stretch marks and wrinkles, they won’t let you in!

Lemon Bar

Azurea Lounge at One Ocean

My favorite martini (the Bikini Martini) is served up at the Azurea bar in the upscale One Ocean Hotel. In the warm months, lounge in the love seats off the back patio and enjoy the sea breeze and dunes. Even when the two weeks of chilly temps settling in each winter, portable heaters blend into the background so you never have to sacrifice the ocean air for comfort. Start your date night here and then move on to other hot spots in the Atlantic Town Center like Poes (also has a nice patio with a more casual atmosphere), Mezza (a fun courtyard) or even Southern Grounds that serves up beer, wine, and even bubbly. Sip under the garden lights of their courtyard with live music on the weekend.

Casa Marina Penthouse Lounge

This is a somewhat overlooked gem at the beaches. The view of the pier from the roof is nothing short of spectacular. The drinks are plenty and Thursday is Ladies Night where all women get HALF OFF any drink, and there’s live music.

The view from Casa Marina rooftop.
The view from Casa Marina rooftop.

Black Sheep Rooftop

It may be in the historic district of Riverside, but this hot spot is anything but old. The rooftop bar and lounge are modern (swanky by Jacksonville standards) and serve up stylish cocktails that pair beautifully with the atmosphere and views of the St. Johns and downtown Riverside. It’s the kind of place that makes any parent just feel cool for being there. Another notable patio is Taverna in the San Marco square. Though not quite as scenic as other patios, I like soaking up the atmosphere of the shoppers visiting local boutiques and the historic vibe of San Marco. BB’s down the road in Avondale has a pet-friendly patio in addition to a full-service bar. BB’s is known for its desserts and you’ll have more self-control than me if you can resist that cake case after having a drink or two.

Rooftop Cocktails at Blacksheep

 

Caps on the Water

Add this to your Jacksonville bucket list because you haven’t really experience Jax until you’ve been to Caps. Technically in Ponte Vedra, you take the scenic view on A1A towards St. Augustine, but it’s worth the extra miles. Right on the water, Caps has one of the largest outdoor patio areas on the Intracoastal. I love the dock and the dining deck and it’s another place where you can still manage to squeeze in a date night with the kids because of the large beach play area. You can enjoy your drink while you watch them play! The drinks menu is extensive with an impressive wine list among other things. This is a popular spot so plan to wait, just relax and enjoy the view.

Natural beach playground
Natural beach playground

Intuition Ale Works

Just in the nick of time for this post, Intuition Ale Works opened the doors of its new taproom in downtown Jacksonville! This favorite local craft brewer found a cush spot on Bay Street so you can pop in on the way to a Jags game, Suns game, Armada game or any performance at Veteran Memorial Arena. Catch amazing views of downtown on the new rooftop beer garden. This is a much-needed addition to our growing downtown. Don’t forget it’s BYO-food and there’s even a to-go window!

New to the Rooftop/Patio Scene!

River & Post

This is a must-see! The views of the river are truly incredible! Plan a happy hour and order drinks and apps on the roof. Then, enjoy an amazing dinner (try and crab beignets and shrimp & grits) in a modern, rustic dining room. We are believers!

Rooftop Bars in Jacksonville
Photo Credit: DevouringJax

Cowford Chophouse

Another amazing rooftop destination in downtown Jax. This is the perfect, upscale dining experience if you are headed to a show at the Florida Theatre. This is also a historical Jax destination, as the building was one of the first to be rebuilt after the big fire that swept through Jacksonville in 1901. The current restoration includes many of the original elements, include the historic arched windows. Another must-see!

Rooftop Bars Jacksonville
Cowford Chophouse

Hoptinger – Five Points

Another Riverside destination that will have your significant other singing your praises. Casual, but cool, with an easy menu of burgers and bratwurst. Don’t forget they have brunch, too. More importantly, check out this rooftop! A beautiful view with tons of seating. The rooftop menu is cocktails only but who wouldn’t want to have a few drinks up here!

You can find a patio all season long in Jacksonville! Did we miss one of your faves? Let us know in the comments!

Mary Lauren Eubank
Mary-Lauren is a curly-haired Texan in the trenches of motherhood with two sassy and entertaining daughters. A busy body in the truest sense, she teaches fitness classes all week at Define Jacksonville. To stay sane, Mary-Lauren requires a daily dose of dark chocolate, unwinds with a page-turner and folds laundry watching just the kind of reality TV that she will forbid her girls from watching in the future. A wannabe foodie, she loves to learn about, prepare, experiment and indulge in all things food…well except the shopping part with kids in tow. She blogs about all things fitness from debunking the latest trends to goal setting, Mary-Lauren is passionate about being active, being real and being healthy!

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