Where to Sip Outside

When the sun is out, there's no excuse to spend happy hour or a glorious weekend afternoon inside a stuffy, dimly lit pub. To help inspire, I've put together a list of some of my favorite outdoor destinations. It's certainly not comprehensive, but it's a good place to start. I've broken it into four categories: Bars that are primarily outdoor destinations; Bars with sidewalk cafes; Bars with off-street patios (less noise, fewer diesel fumes); and Bars with rooftop decks.

Outdoor Destinations
Cantina Marina
Perched over the Washington Channel on the Southwest Waterfront, Cantina Marina is a laidback dockside bar with good views of the harbor and Haines Point. Friday and Saturday nights bring singers with acoustic guitars. Drinks can be a little pricey -- $5 for a can of Modelo Especial, $7 for a house margarita -- but the vibe is fun, especially on Wednesdays, when Coronas are discounted from open 'til close.

Panda Cafe
An enormous patio with numerous tables and a mix of sun and shade, the National Zoo's Panda Cafe serves up domestic and imported beers for $4.50 or less, along with a perfect overhead view of popular cub Tai Shan and his parents Mei Xiang and Tian Tian. Panda Cafe can be crowded with panda-loving kids and stroller-driving parents, and it closes at 5 p.m., but this is one of the most unusual drinking spots in the city -- perfect for a weekend afternoon get-together.

Pusser's Landing
The hotel bar at the Annapolis Marriott Waterfront has no railing separating the patio from the waves in the harbor. Sip one of the house rum drinks while you watch boats cruise into Ego Alley.

Sidewalk Cafes and On-Street Patios
Cafe Berlin
The main attraction at this Capitol Hill restaurant's leafy, umbrella-filled patio is a good selection of German beers on draft, served in proper glassware. The food is a little pricey, but service is relaxed.

Elephant and Castle
There aren't many places in the heart of downtown with outdoor seating, which makes this English-style pub's gated patio a welcome retreat -- almost as much as finding Fullers' London Pride and ESB beers on draft. Note for tourists and tour guides: It's just a block from Metro Center or Federal Triangle stations.

Fox & Hounds
The most popular spot for people-watching in Dupont Circle, it often seems like every seat on the patio has been taken before happy hour really begins. If you can snag one, though, you can watch the ebb and flow on 17th Street while enjoying cheap drinks and the wonderfully divey atmosphere.

Mango Mike's
As you sit under palm trees sipping a pina colada from the husk of a coconut, it's easy to forget that you're right off Duke Street. That's the vibe at Mango Mike's, which imports palm trees and tons of white sand every summer to complement the flowering bushes and bubbling fountains on its large patio. Grab something from the rum-heavy drink menu and pretend you're on vacation.

Sly Fox Pub
Behind the historic Reynolds Tavern is an expansive two-level brick patio with plenty of quaint touches: ivy growing on walls, planters full of flowers, and a tall tree that shoots up in the middle of the dining area. Live music is frequently offered on weekends, and the pub leaves water bowls out for local dogs. Fun trivia: The brick wall behind the bar was originally part of the 18th-century inn's stables.

Soussi
Just far enough down from 18th Street's main drag to dodge the hordes that descend on Adams Morgan every weekend, Soussi's covered porch is one of the largest in the neighborhood. Good thing, because the number of people smoking hookahs outside has increased exponentially since the smoking ban went into effect. Don't overlook the fine selection of draft Belgian beers.

Union Pub
Covered by an awning and cooled by fans, the former Red River Grill's patio is a comfortable sidewalk cafe with lots of seats and some televisions for watching Red Sox games al fresco. (Union Pub is an "official" Red Sox bar, but it's also crowded before and after Nationals games.) Space is at a premium at happy hour, when Hill staff and interns clamor for daily specials like $1.50 Bud and Miller Lite bottles (Wednesday) and $14 pitchers of frozen margaritas (Thursday). Dogs are welcome to visit on weekends.

The Wonderland Ballroom
The "beer garden" is merely few rows of picnic tables and some standing room, but it can be just as packed as the upstairs dance floor on weekends.