Southern Style Bar Hopping

Southern Style Bar Hopping Cheers

As published in The Florida Villager.

Southern Style Barhopping

While visiting a new place, invariably you will find yourself wandering into the nearest watering hole.  It can be a dive bar or an elegant bar, but regardless of the venue, you will pull up a stool or leather backed chair, get a drink and take in the local vibe.  Barhopping typically takes place in one city, in one night but here is a list of outstanding and innovative bars across the South to explore and have fun partaking in their libations.

The Ticonderoga Club in Atlanta, Georgia is a place to plan on staying for a while.  The dark rustic wood paneling and the red leather bar stools adds to the warmth of the bar.  The bottom half of the bar is muraled with the waist down of jockeys, so when you sit there, it’s your top half and the jockey’s bottom half.  You can quench your thirst with a number of cocktails, beer and wine, including a full menu of frozen drinks.  Their menu ranges from Beef Carpaccio to an Ipswich Clam Roll.  They even offer a Chuckwagon Dinner.

The Electric Moon Skytop Lounge and Moon Deck in Savannah, Georgia is located in the historic district and has a high energy atmosphere.  The views from this bar of the Savannah River and the city are amazing.  Meet friends at the Skytop Lounge for drinks and nibbles and then head to the Moon Deck where you can play lawn games.  If you are looking for something a bit classier, head over to Churchill’s.

Churchill’s is also in the historic district and has three floors of everything British.  The basement houses Winston’s wine cellar, the pub sits at street level, and the rooftop terrace offers drinks under the Southern sky.  Charming and rustic, this is a bar not to miss.

Charleston, South Carolina has so many unique bars.  Whether you are looking for trendy or classic, it is all in this city.  That being said, my all-time Southern Style Bar Hoppingfavorite is the rooftop at the Market Pavilion Hotel.  No matter what time of day you visit the bar, the view is beautiful.  From there, one can see the church steeples that Charleston is known for, the marketplace and the Cooper River.   The hotel pool, with its fountains, adds to the ambiance during the evening hours.  If hunger strikes while taking in the view, I highly recommend the tuna tower.  It is absolutely to die for!

The last watering hole on my list is The Fox Bar and Cocktail Club in Nashville, Tennessee.  You will need a reservation to walk through their door so plan accordingly because you can’t bypass this unique bar with its signature cocktails with names like Cat Dad and The Devil You Know.  The intimate atmosphere with its dim lighting, tin ceiling, leather club chairs and golden brown wood is the place for a clandestine rendezvous.

Part of the thrill of traveling is discovering the places that lie within the city limits.  Stumbling upon the little hole in the wall that only locals know or watching the sunset from an elegant rooftop is what stories are made of.  Whether you go for just happy hour or end up staying for hours, enjoy the good times barhopping can bring.