When in the Woodlands, take to the Rose Rooftop & Restaurant, where a second floor restaurant and lounge lead up to an open-air rooftop bar with prime Waterway views. The menu boasts wines by the glass and bottle, inventive cocktails like the pomegranate martini, and dishes like fish and shrimp ceviche and Churrasco steak frites.

As one of the only restaurants with a covered rooftop terrace overlooking The Heights’ historic 19th Street, Harold’s welcomes revelers in to dine, drink, and leisurely enjoy the view. There is a solid happy hour with discounted cocktails, an approachable wine list, and a delicious weekend brunch featuring plates like New Orleans-style beignets and fried chicken and waffles.

Nestled among the woods and live oaks located along the White Oak Bayou Trail, this Heights patio bar is appropriately coined the “Treehouse on the Trail” and spans 9,000-square-feet across three levels. Though there isn’t a bad seat in the house, make your way to the top-most deck for 360-degree nature views and supreme people watching. With an ever-changing list of food trucks parked on site, and themed cocktails like the Treehouse Gimlet, Patterson Park is the quintessential patio hangout.

Located on the east end of Washington Avenue in the 6th Ward, B&B Butcher’s airy upper terrace presents unparalleled views of Houston’s skyline. The temperature-controlled patio is an extension of the restaurant’s second level dining space, and feels more relaxed than the indoor dining room, but diners can still expect impeccable service and top-notch steakhouse eats. Start with tuna tartare or raw oysters on the half shell, and finish strong with a 22-ounce bone-in ribeye, all while taking in the impressive city sights.

The former home of the Barbara Jordan Post Office, the POST is now a hub for food, entertainment, and events in Houston. An oversized winding staircase in the POST Market, the development’s lively food hall, leads to the Sky Lawn, which offers some of the most breathtaking, up close views of the downtown skyline. The area boasts benches and tables to settle in at with a meal from one of the food hall’s many vendors, and bar service is available on weekends.

This time-honored Tex-Mex restaurant is as popular for its Downtown views as it is for its margaritas, made in-house with fresh-squeezed juice and tequila infusions. Steps from Market Square Park, guests can chill out on the second-floor wraparound patio overlooking all of the lively activity below.

With awe-inspiring, open-air panoramic views of the city, this Downtown bar is not for the heights-averse. As the name suggests, Z on 23 is an extension of Zutro Restaurant and Bar, located 23 floors up, on the rooftop of the Le Meridien hotel. Go for the captivating views and craft cocktails, and stay for the breathtaking sunset.

This open-air movie watching experience is located atop the Whole Foods Market in Uptown. Known for showing nostalgic classics, like Selena and Labyrinth, along with newer releases, guests can take in the neighborhood’s stunning city views while enjoying the main feature. The Rooftop Cinema Club’s lounge area serves as a place for guests to further linger around, with its concession stand, photo ops, and lawn games.

This Midtown rooftop draws in guests for its ever-changing roster of live music acts. On Sundays, the spotlight is on tribute bands, with free general admission tickets available to all, when booked online the day before the show.

Grand Prize, a two-story Montrose house that has been converted into a bar, is the epitome of divey and hip. The dark interiors are lit with festive, multi-colored string lights and include a jukebox, pinball machine, and a pool table. There are also two bars, one on each floor, and a large open-air porch with serene park views. Care to eat while you drink? Opt for a snack from the bar’s Trophy Case Kitchen, which features a revolving list of street vendors.