Rooftop Bars in Washington, DC

DC doesn’t have any skyscrapers within city limits, and last time we checked, the Washington Monument wasn’t serving drinks on the top floor. Fortunately, even short buildings can host one of life’s great pleasures: the rooftop bar.

Many rooftop bars in DC sit atop luxury hotels, catering to travelers and locals alike. On the roof of the Donovan Hotel, ADC (“Above DC”) serves drinks around a rooftop pool, where sexy patrons seek out sophisticated drinks and sultry sunset vistas. Fourteen stories above the bustling Thomas Circle intersection, young professionals and posh girls enjoy the million-dollar views from this luxurious nightclub.

The always-trendy W Hotel has a prime location, and visitors to the P.O.V. Roof Terrace and Lounge can enjoy their cocktails with a view of some of the world’s most famous monuments. The relaxed daytime bar transforms into a nightclub scene at night, with the view of lit-up monuments setting the backdrop.

Unlike in more vertical cities, DC rooftop bars are not surrounded by a canyon of buildings, so they offer the perfect place to spread out and feel removed from the anarchy that often occurs in capital cities. Hipsters who would never set foot in a hotel lounge – and college students who probably couldn’t afford it – have options like Local 16, where a rooftop deck provides a break from the dark room below.

With few options to view the city from up high, rooftop bars of all kinds let DC residents feel like they’re on top of the world.