Après Summer Hotspots: Where to Toast the Season’s End

Ah, the bittersweet beauty of late summer. The evenings are a little cooler, the beer gardens a little rowdier, and your Instagram feed is one bonfire away from looking like a summer camp brochure. Before you pack away the flip-flops and trade margaritas for hot toddies, there’s still time to soak up golden-hour patio sessions at the best summer hotspots.

If après ski is my winter love language, then après summer is its sun-kissed cousin—equal parts carefree and dangerously good at convincing you that “just one more round” is always a good idea. So, grab your sunnies, rally the crew, and book the AirBnb so you can hit these end-of-summer après hotspots to send the season off properly.

Essential Travel Resources for Après Summer Hotspots: Where to Toast the Season’s End

Pack Smart
Before your summer adventures, check out this Summer Adventure Packing List to keep your gear organized—even if it’s offseason, good packing habits pay off.

Plan Your Trip
Find the best deals on flights, hotels, and rental cars at Trip.com to get yourself to those perfect summer spots.

Get Around Easily
Need wheels for your summer escape? Use Rentalcars.com to compare rental car prices and snag the best deal.

Travel with Confidence
Protect your trip with reliable coverage from Visitors Coverage, so you can relax and enjoy every sunset.

Book Summer Experiences
Whether it’s wine tastings, hikes, or boat tours, Viator.com helps you find and book memorable summer adventures.

Stay Together
Traveling with friends or family? Grab spacious vacation rentals on VRBO for comfortable stays during your summer celebrations.

1. Breweries with Outdoor Patios (Because Nothing Says Summer Hotspots Like a Flight in the Sun)

When the days are long and the nights are warm, breweries with patios practically scream “last call for summer!” These spots deliver everything après lovers crave: frosty pints, live music, and picnic tables perfect for swapping stories about bike rides, hikes, or just how much sunscreen you forgot to reapply.

Hot picks for brewery patios:

• Lawson’s Finest Liquids (Waitsfield, VT): Craft perfection meets mountain views. Order a Sip of Sunshine (fitting name, right?) and let the lawn games roll.
• 10 Barrel Brewing (Bend, OR): Their bakc patio is a summer send-off legend. Pro tip: stay for sunset—this is après bike heaven.
• Outer Range Brewing (Frisco, CO): Mountain-chic vibes, hazy IPAs, and a patio where the Rockies are basically part of the décor.

2. Rooftop Bars with Live Music (Sky-High Summer Vibes)

Photo Credit: @pendryparkcity Instagram

Rooftop bars are where summer says, “I’ll catch you later.” Nothing beats sipping cocktails with a breeze in your hair while a band covers that one song everyone swears they know the lyrics to. These elevated après hotspots let you stretch out the season one playlist at a time.

Rooftop legends to hit before Labor Day:

• The Pool House at The Pendry (Park City, UT): Craft cocktails, panoramic mountain views, and a chic poolside scene that feels like a summer encore.
• 54thirty Rooftop (Denver, CO): The highest open-air rooftop in Denver. Killer views, creative cocktails, and a vibe that screams summer send-off.
• The Press Lounge (NYC): Because even city dwellers deserve après. Killer views of the Hudson and cocktails to match.

3. Lakeside Restaurants & Après Dock Life

Photo Credit: @LakesideTavernKnox Instagram 

If you’re more “dip your toes in the water” than “cram into a beer tent,” lakeside après is where it’s at. Think fresh fish tacos, frozen cocktails, and maybe even a cannonball if you’re feeling bold.

Dockside gems worth the splash:

• Tram Dock Bar (Snowbird, UT): Technically this is not a dock but you see what I did here. Close to the tram, but when summer hits, it’s also prime patio real estate with beers that go down way too easy.
• Lake Placid Pub & Brewery (Lake Placid, NY): A local après institution just steps from Mirror Lake with craft beers and Adirondack charm.
• Lakeside Tavern (Knoxville, TN): A southern après scene with sunsets that might make you emotional.

4. Outdoor Concert Series & Beer Gardens

Photo Credit: @snowbasinresort Instagram

Summer’s closing credits usually include a stage, a cold drink, and at least one person dancing barefoot in the grass. Outdoor concert series are the ultimate après adventure—half live music, half tailgate, all good vibes.

Don’t miss these summer finales:

• Red Rocks Summer Concert Series (Morrison, CO): The mecca of outdoor music. Après doesn’t get more legendary than a craft beer in hand under those iconic red cliffs.
• Snowbasin Blues, Brews & BBQ (UT): Every Sunday through summer—live tunes, barbecue smoke in the air, and mountains for days.
• Levitt Pavilion (Denver, CO): Free outdoor shows all season. Bonus points for packing a cooler and blanket.

5. Backyard-Style Breweries & Distilleries

Photo Credit: @barleycreekbrewing Instagram

Some spots nail that “endless summer BBQ” vibe so well you might forget fall is even coming. These are the places with Adirondack chairs, cornhole boards, and cocktails that remind you why patio season should last forever.

Chill, backyard-style après picks:

• High West Distillery (Wanship, UT): Whiskey + wide-open views = a perfect way to toast the season.
• Barley Creek Brewing (Pocono Mountains, PA): Family-friendly by day, rowdy by night, with plenty of outdoor space to toast summer’s last stand.
• Montauk Brewing Co. (NY): A salty-sea-air après stop for when you’re not ready to trade surfboards for snowboards.

The Perfect End-of-Summer Après Itinerary

Here’s how to craft your farewell-to-summer weekend like a pro:

Day 1: Hit a lakeside restaurant for lunch, followed by a lazy paddleboard session (to “earn” your frozen cocktail). End with live music at a rooftop bar.
Day 2: Spend the afternoon at a brewery patio, then head to an outdoor concert series—bonus if there’s barbecue involved.
Day 3: Ease into your Sunday with brunch at a backyard-style distillery, sip something strong, and toast to the season that gave us tan lines and questionable karaoke memories.

Final Sip: Say Goodbye to Summer, Après-Style

Summer may be waving goodbye, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give it one last toast. Whether you’re a brewery buff, rooftop reveler, or lakeside lounger, these après hotspots prove the best way to celebrate the end of summer is exactly the way you celebrated the middle of it—with a drink in hand, friends by your side, and a patio full of sunshine.

So, go on. One more round won’t hurt. (Famous last words of après, right?)

Keep Your Body Adventure-Ready for What’s Next

The only downside to sending off summer in style? Your body might be feeling those “one more round” patio sessions, long bike rides, and spontaneous lake dips. If you want to roll into fall adventures—and eventually ski season—without feeling like you need a recovery vacation, it pays to train smart now.

That’s exactly why I created the Adventure-Proof Body Blueprint—a 7-day pre-trip movement and recovery plan designed for mountain-minded travelers. Think of it as your secret weapon for staying strong, mobile, and ready for everything from brewery bike rides to backcountry lines.

Inside, you’ll get:
✅ Daily workouts that build strength and stamina (no gym required)
✅ Recovery strategies to keep your body feeling fresh after long après sessions
✅ A bonus Après Recovery Stack so you can balance those beers with better movement and energy

Because let’s be real—summer sends you into fall, and fall sends you into winter. If you want to ski, ride, and après at your best, start priming your body now.

👉 Grab the Adventure-Proof Body Blueprint ($9.99) today and give yourself the unfair advantage of being adventure-ready all year long.